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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_WWU_061
Title	Safe Removal of Concrete from Underground Assets
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research 50%; Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 50%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Civil Engineering) 70%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 30%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Wales and West Utilities
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 November 2019
End Date	01 February 2020
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£26,921
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	Wales
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_WWU_061
Objectives	Initial research has identified several alternative technologies including Air, Water, Vacuum and Vibratory methods that may be transferable to this application. The application of water or air for demolition with vacuum technology for safe removal seems promising in this industry. Stage 2 of the project will aim to refine our current understanding of these methods in use in various forms of excavation. The adaptation may necessitate a bespoke design. Testing would be required to evaluate the techniques for processing the various substrates that cover the buried assets. We envisage the design would be a powered, vehicle-mounted system, which can be transported and set up in different locations. Safety would be a critical consideration with a focus on human factors as well as safe excavation. Ideally, the design solution will be operable without the need for specialist training, however, subject to the scoring of the concepts considered, it may be that a more efficient system would require some additional training if those operational improvements were considered to outweigh training and other non-mandatory requirements. The overall aim of the project is to deliver a tested prototype over 5 distinct stages. It should be noted that this registration document only deals with the first three stages of the project. The cost of and timetable for stages 4 and 5 will be issued during or on completion of stage 3.1. Requirements capture;2. Market review;3. Concept design;4. Design development (future project); 5. Prototype and testing (future project).Stage 1: Frazer-Nash Consultancy will hold a workshop with potential users and generate a suitable set of high-level requirements.Stage 2: Frazer-Nash Consultancy will increase the knowledge and understanding of the potential, currently identified solutions to understand feasibility.Stage 3: Frazer-Nash Consultancy will produce a number of high-level concept designs along with simple appropriate calculations. An optioneering workshop will then be held to select a preferred concept.Not in scopeStage 4: Frazer-Nash Consultancy will produce a design of suitable detail to allow for prototype manufacture.Stage 5: A prototype will be assembled from predominately off the shelf parts to enable functional testing to determine whether the design should be progressed further. To produce a concept design for a tool which could be taken forward to a design development stage in a future project
Abstract	A project to identify a novel solution that will allow Wales & West Utilities to safely expose any utility pipes and cables that are surrounded by concrete without damaging those underground assets
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	09/11/22