HDD ESB Substation – Monitoring – Ireland

Client
> H&MV Engineering

Sector/Market
> Infrastructure

Services
> Monitoring – Structural Health and Environmental

Location
> Kilbarry 110kV Substation, Cork – Ireland

Project summary

There were 3 Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) drills under a live 11kV substation. The requirement was to provide a live monitoring system for any potential settlements and vibrations during the works.

The brief

To install, commission and maintain an autonomous structural monitoring system at Kilbarry 110kV Substation in Cork to ensure safety and certainty to the client and to the asset owner ESB, during the construction programme. The potentially affected assets consisted of the substation structural components and infrastructure elements.

The challenges

The main challenge was the ATS location to comply with the regulations while having the instrument powered and lines of sight clear of obstacles in the way and having 1 instrument only to cover all elements that required monitoring. To ensure the overall construction programme was not affected, Murphy Geospatial mobilised to site and installed the system within 1day shift. After the shift, not only was the system fully installed, but the database was also set up and the monitoring baseline had begun. During the baseline, there was an issue with the instrument going out of level due to the metallic structure where it was mounted on oscillating its position from day to night. We have provided a solution that would check and relevel instrument before each survey and by the time works started this was implemented.

The system had a backup battery that ensured the continuity of the surveys even when power was temporarily unavailable.

There were also 4 vibration sensors monitoring and sending live alerts messages in case of any potential trigger levels breached.

Our work

Murphy Geospatial commissioned the following automated system to ensure the Substation structural assets were monitored accordingly where mitigation actions could be taken if required, measuring highly accurate, absolute, and relative settlements.

1 no. Total Station and associated communication equipment.
+83 no. Geodetic survey prisms mounted.
+8 no. Geodetic reference survey prisms installed outside the zone of influence.
4 no. Vibration Sensors.

All data was collated and viewed through an online web portal via graphical and tabulated displays where trends could be analysed.

In addition, Murphy Geospatial completed a comprehensive control network. The solution provided geospatial certainty to our client and the asset owner during the lifecycle of the construction project.

Our team

One of our experienced project managers, oversaw the project from start to finish, including on site supervision, delivery of all data and direct liaison with all parties involved. The engineering team installed and commissioned the automated system, along with our surveyors implementing the control, network coordination and all required surveys. This gave us the detailed information required, ensuring that we gave vital support to all involved during the project.

Results

The measured data was viewed via an online portal and summarised within weekly reports. The following outputs could be viewed within the portal, in real-time, and via the summary reports:

An interactive map with location for all sensors and monitoring prisms.
Monitoring prisms height displacements.
Vibration sensors results.

If a trigger was breached or a critical event occurred, all parties would be notified immediately via SMS and email, where an engineering review meeting could be setup immediately.

Client Testimonial

“This was the first time in ESB history that a contractor successfully drilled under a live AIS substation — a significant milestone that came with major challenges. Securing approval from ESB was no small task, but with the support of Murphy Geospatial, the process became much more manageable.

Murphy Geospatial’s team played a crucial role in helping H&MV engage with the client during early-stage risk workshops, explaining how the monitoring systems work and how they could help mitigate the risk of ground settlement. Their technical expertise and clear communication made a real difference.

Throughout the project, I found Murphy Geospatial to be highly professional and responsive. They consistently provided quick turnarounds on client queries and maintained strong communication. When it came time to install the equipment, their safety-first approach was evident, and their on-site team demonstrated excellent teamwork and collaboration.

The availability of live monitoring data was a major advantage, giving us real-time insights into ground behaviour and allowing us to drill safely beneath the substation. Weekly reports were delivered punctually, and any additional information we needed was provided without delay.

I would highly recommend Murphy Geospatial and look forward to working with them again on future projects.”

Sean Barry
Project Manager
H&MV Engineering

Contact

For more information on this project, please email info@murphygs.ie or call us on +353 (0)45 484 040.