Norilsk Nickel creates an automated geotechnical monitoring system in Norilsk

2021: Launch of geotechnical monitoring system

On August 25, 2021, Norilsk Nickel announced that the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company (NTEK JSC, a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel) launched a geotechnical monitoring system as a pilot project, which showed its effectiveness. In the future, it will cover the main industrial facilities of Norilsk Nickel and the residential infrastructure of the city. The full implementation of the system will ensure environmental safety and operational reliability of buildings and structures in harsh Arctic conditions.

The first project "Building and Structure Monitoring System" was launched at the emergency diesel fuel storage facilities of the Norilsk-Taimyr Power Company thermal power plants. Its goal is to ensure constant automated monitoring of the temperature of permafrost soils of the bases and the deformation behavior of the foundations. Such monitoring will allow the accident-free operation of facilities, timely detection of potentially dangerous defects and deviations that can lead to damage to buildings and structures or their individual elements.

As explained by Dmitry Litvinov, First Deputy General Director of NTEK JSC, the amount of investment in the pilot project amounted to 50.5 million rubles. It was implemented at 11 diesel fuel storage facilities (8 tanks and 3 pumping stations) CHP-1, CHP-2 and CHP-3. About 40 thermokos have been installed in previously drilled wells, which allow for online monitoring of the temperature state of the soils of the bases of objects. In addition, seismic sensors were installed to control the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of building structures of objects, and inclinometers that respond to deviations of reinforced concrete foundation structures. The system also allows you to monitor the temperature and humidity mode in the technical underground, which is a necessary indicator for geotechnical monitoring.

All information from the sensors is sent to the local data collection center. The system allows the operator to monitor the state of the basic security parameters of the object in real time. In the future, this program will be integrated into the general complex for collecting and analyzing the state parameters of all objects called the "information and diagnostic security system."

Prior to the installation of the automated control system, monitoring was carried out in manual mode. The introduction of an information and diagnostic system will significantly reduce time costs, as well as allow you to quickly respond to potentially dangerous changes.

According to Anton Pryamitsky, deputy chief engineer of the Zapolyarny branch of Norilsk Nickel, at the end of August 2021, a geotechnical monitoring system is being installed at other facilities in the Norilsk municipal district and the city of Dudinka. In 2021, it is planned to equip the system for monitoring the temperature condition of the soils of the bases, the temperature and humidity regime of technical subholes and the deformation behavior of the foundation structures of 150 different objects of the company (375 temperature wells were drilled, and previously existing ones were restored, which are planned to be equipped with about 470 thermocos; about 750 inclinometric sensors are planned to be installed on the foundations) with the output of indicators to a single monitoring center for buildings and structures. A satellite monitoring system is also actively used to determine the displacement and deformation of buildings and structures when surveying from specialized satellites.

The Norilsk State Industrial Institute and the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are also engaged in the study of permafrost rocks in built-up territories. For example, a freezing laboratory was specially created at the Norilsk State Industrial Institute for this.

"According to scientists, the soil bases of objects during their operation in the event of an increase in temperature can change significantly: there may be a decrease in load capacity, which in turn increases the likelihood of emergency situations. Therefore, the introduction of an automated geotechnical monitoring system is very important for us. It will minimize the risks of emergency situations, observe environmental safety and ensure the reliability of work at the company's facilities, "- commented on the first deputy general director of NTEK Dmitry Litvinov.