Berm Monitoring System

Continuous monitoring of berms

The Design

The BMS has a 360° capability that continuously monitors the berm height and position in a dynamic environment where these characteristics change constantly as the waste dump advances. Safety berms forms part of the critical control measures to ensure that haul trucks do not reverse over the berm. Non-compliant berms are identified and an alarm will be raised through the software application to ensure the berm is restored to the required height.

The BMS is a trailer mounted or fixed installation system with a battery bank that ensures uninterrupted power supply and a mast that holds the laser. The trailer can be deployed level within 10°. Communication is done by means of an integrated on- board Wi-Fi systems to the control room or any other remote PC. The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is a web based platform that is displayed on the on- board PC as well as any other remote PC. A georeferenced aerial image which displays the BMS coordinates is used in the HMI. Up to six systems can be displayed on the HMI, where each system can be assessed individually to view the health of the system as well as the scan data collected.

The status of the berm being scanned will be displayed in green or red, dependent on height, position and criteria of the berm.

BMS CONTROL CIRCUIT

Together with the personnel in the control room and the dozer operator, the BMS forms a closed control circuit whose task is to prevent and, if necessary, repair non-compliant berms.

Once a berm has met non-compliant criteria, that is site specific, an alarm will be triggered in the control room. The coordinates of the non-compliant berm is also communicated to the control room to ensure that the berm is rectified to the standards as well as to avoid the area.

360° Product Viewer

Solar panels
Power supply
HMI
Batteries
Laser
Solar Powered
In-pit Alarm System
WiFi & Weather Station
3D Proprietary MIMO Antenna Array
Antenna Positioner
Used only during setup (no movement when scanning)
Generator module
HMI Cabinet and Control Panel
On board laptop for HMI and MSR Connect software
Web based viewer to see all of the MSR systems on the mine.
Simple two button interface
Telescopic Handle
Extends the sensor’s reach with two pushbuttons.
Handle matching mechanical interface
For swiftly attaching/detaching the sensor to the telescopic handle.
Patented suspension system
Allows for ease of use.
Intuitive status indicators
Gives the operator intuitive feedback on the scan’s status.
Sensor
Comprises all the electronics that enable SSP to detect fault lines up to 10 meters deep.
Trailer

The single axle MSR trailer allows for enhanced rotational maneuverability and effortless parking in space-constrained locations.
Onboard Weather Station

An onboard high precision weather station accurately measures even the smallest changes in temperature, pressure and humidity to generate a real time refractivity index. Complex mathematical algorithms combines this information to closely model the effect of the atmosphere on the radiated radar wave even in rapidly changing conditions. The result is highly accurate slope movement data, available when it’s needed most.
Power System
With enhanced power system management and improved generator control, the overall power consumption of the MSR is greatly reduced. The result is a 50% saving in system lifecycle costs through increased supply autonomy and reduced service intervals.
Modular Design

Intended to evolve with operational and budgetary requirements, the upgradeable Radar Module (to a maximum of 4000 metres) is the foundation of the MSR solution. Optional Battery, Generator and Solar modules; deployable as fixed, vehicle, single and multiple trailer configurations provides unmatched flexibility.
Non Level Deployment

Advanced onboard gyroscopes and patented algorithms makes the MSR the only radar system in the world that can be deployed and georeferenced in a non-level state to within -15° and +15° of pitch and roll.
Internal Hardware

All internal hardware components have been carefully selected with standard operating temperatures within the -30°C to + 55°C range. This means that no additional heating or cooling elements are required dramatically improving power consumption as well as the overall reliability of the MSR.

Note: An optional Low Temperature Kit can be added to operate to -50°C.
Rugged Laptop

The internal rugged laptop provides a delicately refined user interface at every level. The internal 500 gigabyte Solid State Drive is resistant to shock and vibration and reliably stores up to 5 months of movement data. Fast data transfer rates allows for fully automated backups to a central server at user defined intervals and the automatic mounting of external storage devices further improves data portability. Complementing the extreme mobility of the MSR, an automatic power on/off sequence reduces the risk of data corruption during redeployment. With an easy to use keyboard and mouse interface as well as a 13.3” high visible-light intensity screen (600 nits), the rugged laptop can easily be operated in the harshest of conditions.
Georeferencing
The integrated Leica Geosystems Total Station along with securely mounted prisms provides for the highest level of accuracy when georeferencing the MSR.
Real Aperture Antenna

The next generation transceiver module is capable of transmitting and receiving radar signals every 6 milliseconds while continuously scanning at up to 40° per second. This means that multiple 3-Dimensional data points can be extracted from a single radar beam resulting in unrivalled data accuracy and reliability. With wide azimuth and elevation limits, the MSR offers high speed scanning over broad areas.
Auto-georeferencing

An Auto–georeferenced system can be deployed during the day or night and eliminates the requirement for line of sight to reference points on the mine when utilising a total station. Predetermined reference points can also be imported to determine the position of the radar within the local mine coordinate system. The hardware is a permanent installation that eliminates the need for additional tools or cables.
Push button
OLED display