Auscultation of civil engineering works
The auscultation of civil engineering works allows the owners of electricity generating facilities to assess the viability of their installations, as well as renewal or maintenance operations to be carried out and their frequency.
It applies to the following constructions :
- storage dam
- weir
- reservoir embankment
- gallery
- channel
- water intake (channel head, silt chamber)
- plant
- operational building
- dwelling
- road
- forced conduit
- structure
- distribution substation
Methodology
- collection of constructive and historical data for the construction
- detailed inspection to prepare the inventory
- determination of maintenance or renewal operations to be carried out
- planning of operations
- proposed measuring instruments targeted to particular circumstances
- report containing an estimate of the remaining service life, an assessment of the behaviour of the construction and its safety
Specific skills
The HYDRO Exploitation Technical Department provides the following specific skills :
- perfect understanding of the operation of electricity generating facilities regardless of size or output,
- experienced engineers recognised by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) for Level 2 and 3 auscultation of dams
- global instrumentation concept (geodesics and data communications)
- proprietary means available for geodesics (acquisition and processing)
Client benefits
The owners of the hydroelectric facility have a better understanding of the risks inherent in its operation.
They can also :
- optimize maintenance and renewal work
- plan their investments over the long term
- rely on a single intermediary for an all-inclusive service
