Strainstall Awarded Ten Major Marine Jetty Contracts

We have recently been awarded a number of significant orders for our berth monitoring systems and Quick Release Hooks for new LNG terminals, new and refurbished oil facilities and ore terminals worldwide. We provide systems and services in all areas of load measurement, strain and stress determination across a wide spectrum of applications, and for the oil and gas industry we specialise in the design and supply of Quick Release Hooks and custom-built multi sensor mooring load monitoring, jetty management and vessel approach systems.

Two large orders for complete BerthManager systems have been received that will provide total operator monitoring and control for new LNG import facilities in the UK and Reganosa in Spain. Similar packages will also be supplied to a new oil storage facility, two VLCC berths and a further three smaller coastal jetties in Singapore.

Our MoorAlert package along with Quick Release Hooks will be supplied to a new oil facility in Turkey, an ore export berth in Brazil and to an oil terminal in Philadelphia, USA. Additionally, a DockAlert laser docking system has been purchased for installation into a new oil berth in the Middle East and a further two orders for Quick Release Mooring Hooks for projects in Italy and Turkey have been received.

The total value of these contracts amounts to six million dollars.

Strainstall are one of the unique companies who are able to design, manufacture, supply, install and commission complete integrated jetty management systems using in-house facilities. We have supplied well over 100 systems worldwide, including all mooring monitoring systems in gas import facilities in Japan.

For further information contact marine@strainstall.com

Strainstall Upgrades Its Successful Type 2800 Range of Low Profile Compressive Load Cells

The standard capacity range is from 200kgs to 100 tonnes, but specially produced load cells can accommodate up to 3,000 tonnes. Now available with optional plain or tapped central holes to suit customer requirements, these load cells have excellent resistance to offset loads, and with environmental sealing to IP67 can be used in the harshest of conditions.

The load cell is of all welded stainless steel construction with fully screened signal cable. It can be used for bi-directional measurement and has an overall linearity of better than 0.2% of rated load.

Strainstall can also supply a range of instrumentation to compliment the load cells, including intrinsically safe equipment for hazardous areas.

For further information contact t.hodgson@strainstall.com

Recent Projects

Bridge Condition Monitoring
We have recently installed a bridge condition monitoring system on a structure carrying rail freight into an industrial complex. The bridge has long-standing visible defects and was subject to a detail inspection by the Structures Maintenance Team every month to check for further deterioration.

Following a series of meetings and a visit to the structure, Strainstall and the client scoped a structural monitoring system to continually monitor for further movement and crack growth. The installed system focuses on key defective parts of the structure and includes nearly 40 sensor inputs. The measurements include crack displacement, strain, structural and air temperatures.

The on-site data acquisition system is battery powered, with a solar panel charger and GSM phone service connection, i.e. it is completely stand-alone. Measurements are made once per hour on all channels, in order to build up a long term record of the static condition, with information concerning any further crack growth. Additionally, whenever a train crosses the structure, the system records data at a faster rate, to measure the effects of dynamic loading.

The system is managed remotely by Strainstall. A server at our office dials into the on-site system and downloads the latest data every hour. Strainstall's BridgeWatch software then checks the new data against preset trigger levels: alarm messages are issued by email in the event that these are exceeded. Presuming the system shows the structure to be in a stable condition, routine monthly reports are prepared which illustrate the static behaviour of the structure and show the strain and crack displacement ranges experienced during train crossings. The hope is that the system will continually show the structure to be in a stable condition with no further deterioration.

The business case is based upon the condition monitoring system replacing the regular inspections of the structure. Technically the system provides a superior solution since it is collecting data every hour and for every train crossing, rather than just giving a one-monthly snapshot. The added benefit is that any condition change will be recognised immediately and alarms will be generated in real-time.

Hull Stress Monitoring
We have recently been successful in wining a number of contracts for StressAlert hull stress monitoring systems on new-build LNG carriers in the Far East. These systems will enhance the vessels safety by reducing incidences of high stress on the hull by providing instant access to data on the stresses the vessel is being subject to, whether from sea-state or from cargo operations. This allows the ship's master to alter course and/or speed to lower stress levels, or in the case of cargo operations, to adapt loading and discharge plans to minimise the effects of structural stress.

Other benefits of the system are reduced repair costs due to the early detection of damage, fuel savings, reduced insurance premiums and an increase in the hull value on the S&P market.

StressAlert is built to meet the requirements for apparatus operating in hazardous areas and is approved by marine classification societies (ABS, DNV, Lloyds etc).

Pipe Laying Vessel Monitoring
Strainstall has been awarded an order for a 750 tonne, high strength, stainless steel load pin, with a proof load of 1000 tonnes. It has been ordered by Seipem SpA for their Type 7000 pipe laying barge, which lays pipes of up to 32" in diameter onto the sea bed. As the sea depth increases the loading on the pipe layer also increases, as it has to support the weight of the increased length of pipe. The load pin is needed to measure these loads to ensure they stay within predetermined safety limits.

The load pin is connected to a simple hand-held display showing the recorded load in engineering terms. This load pin compliments previous systems supplied for the barges cranes.

Bridge Bearing Monitoring
Whilst a bridge's load carry capacity is often governed by the strength of its deck, problems with its substructure and bearings affect the overall structural integrity. Over the past few years, Strainstall has helped a number of clients to quantify suspected issues surrounding pier and bearing performance.

A comprehensive monitoring system was designed and installed by Strainstall on a major UK trunk road structure in 2002-03. This has provided information on bearing movement (displacement and rotation), pier inclination and structural temperature. As a result of data collected over the first 18 months, the system was extended recently to incorporate further sensors and monitoring at an additional pier. There are now just under 300 sensors in total. The monitoring system collects data from each sensor at hourly intervals, at each of 13 discrete (but networked) dataloggers. An on-site workstation computer collates the information automatically and issues daily reports by email to the client. Alarm triggers are an additional feature of the system.

Other similar projects include:

• Dynamic monitoring of bearing movement under traffic loading for a cable stayed bridge
• Long-term monitoring of deck movement across expansion joints, to help identify the cause of accelerated expansion joint failure
• Column stress and inclination monitoring to confirm articulation arrangements on a major UK motorway viaduct
• Long-term monitoring of stresses and displacements associated with sub-standard supports to a UK motorway under-bridge. This project incorporates reporting via Strainstall's BridgeWatch website.

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