Marine hydrological monitoring reference station Underwater instrument installation platform
In-situ instrument installation Diver ready for diving
This year’s No. 7 typhoon Hagos landed on the coast of Jinwan District, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province at around 06:00, August 19 with the maximum wind force of Level 12 (typhoon level) in the center, while the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Link was closed from 0:00 on August 19. It is needed to carry out the real-time monitoring, evaluation and early warning of the hidden engineering safety hazards caused by typhoons. As a major participant of the National Key Research and Development Project Integrated Application of Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Link, NHRI is mainly responsible for the safety monitoring, evaluation and early warning of the underwater facilities of the bridge segments, artificial islands and tunnel. A marine hydrological monitoring system developed by NHRI comprises a long-term monitoring reference station and two temporary fixed measuring points. The long-term monitoring reference station will provide real-time monitoring data of wind, wave and current in the water zones of the Link area. During the typhoon Hagos process, the marine hydrological monitoring system carried out the real-time monitoring and data transmission of wind, wave and current in the water zones of the Link area, providing basic data for the safety decision-making of the Link operation and maintenance.
In the project startup phase at the beginning of the year, the research team meticulously planned the layout of the marine hydrological monitoring reference station, and then went to the Link site for investigation while well protecting team members during COVID-19. Affected by COVID-19, the monitoring instruments installation was a little later than original plan. Considering that July and August were the period of frequent typhoons in the Pearl River Estuary, the research team overcame many difficulties and got the installation work ready before the typhoon arrival at the Pearl River Estuary. On August 16, the day of on-site instruments installation, it was clear and the sea calm, providing good conditions for the smooth installation of instruments. However, when the sun was blazing, the on-site staff kept sweating. And after an intense and orderly day of hard work, the monitoring instruments were installed in place, and the monitoring data could be transmitted in real time on the same day. The typhoon Higos was about to land on the Pearl River Estuary, leaving no break for the research team to take a breath. The research team stuck to its post and was hailed as the most beautiful hero in harm's way. During the typhoon process, the newly installed marine hydrological monitoring instruments immediately entered the working state, withstanding the typhoon test.
The marine hydrological monitoring system developed by NHRI research team fills the gap of marine hydrological real-time monitoring during bridge project operation, and escorts the operation and maintenance of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Link.
