Kongsberg Discovery Puts Eyes Under The Water For Historic Infrastructure Challenge On Lake Superior

Kongsberg Discovery demonstrated the ability of advanced hydroacoustics to illuminate the world beneath the waves with a detailed, efficient, and comprehensive inspection of the historic Lower Harbor Ore Dock at Marquette on Lake Superior.

The iconic structure, a pivotal point for the transportation of iron ore from Michigan mines right across the Great Lakes region, dates back to the late 19^th century. Kongsberg Discovery’s 21^st century multibeam sonar and imaging technology showed just how well it had withstood the test of time, harsh weather, and a busy history of vessel operations.

Structural insights

Situated a stone’s throw from Marquette town center, the imposing concrete and steel structure is now a popular tourist attraction and local landmark. Kongsberg Discovery, which specializes in innovative underwater robotics and sensor technology, gathered a group of leading organizations and companies to showcase how the latest hydroacoustics could deliver rapid, powerful, and high-resolution imaging of structural integrity. Qualities which are essential for reliable inspection and monitoring of key shore and ocean infrastructure.

Attendees at the day-long survey included U.S. Army Corps Detroit District, U.S. Border Patrol, Krech Ojard Engineering, Schnabel Engineering, Lundin Mining, Carmeuse Mining, AMI Engineers, and U.S. Geologic Survey.

From challenge to opportunity

Jessica Daignault, Professional Civil Engineer with Kongsberg Discovery comments: “Long-term exposure to the forces of water and weather take their toll. Add in decades of large vessel operations and you have a recipe for undermining structural integrity. The iconic Lower Harbor Ore Dock retains its strength and beauty above the waterline, but we also wanted to make sure it was equally as robust below the water surface.

“It’s the kind of infrastructure inspection that can be challenging when using traditional methods, such as dive teams, but can be conducted efficiently and safely with modern hydroacoustic solutions. Our technology gave a powerful demonstration of that ability, revealing the dock as it’s never been seen before.”

Crystal clear

Kongsberg Discovery used two of its sonars, the M3 Sonar HF multibeam sonar and the 1171 Hi-Res Scanning singlebeam sonar, to scan the vertical wall structure. SoundTiles, an IQUA Robotics software,  was used to process the multibeam data for rapid mosaicking. The high resolution 1171 single-beam sonar was then deployed to create a powerful real time visualization of the walls, diving into detail across the timber pole piles and concrete foundations for “incredible imaging”.

“The entire group of stakeholders we invited were able to enjoy a beautiful day on the water while learning about new technology,” notes Jessica. “The images were distortion free and of excellent resolution, giving a crystal-clear view of the structure and allowing everyone to appreciate the durable quality of this unique engineering project.

“This was a ‘fun’ assignment, but with a very serious message. In busy, operationally challenging environments conducting efficient, safe, and high-quality infrastructure inspection and monitoring is essential. Hydroacoustic technology truly opens the possibility to do just that, simplifying and fast-tracking the entire process, while providing outstanding results. The day at Marquette provided tangible proof of that fact. It was great to get eyes under the water and see the dock above and below the waterline.”

Norwegian headquartered Kongsberg Discovery boasts over 1000 expert employees and a network of locations spanning the globe. With products ranging from advanced Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs) to naval support solutions and state-of-the-art communication, positioning and mapping technology, the company is positioned to help clients address a broad range of ocean challenges and opportunities.

To discover more please see https://www.kongsberg.com/discovery/

About Kongsberg Discovery

In a constantly changing market environment, Kongsberg Discovery is serving the ocean space from the deepest sea to the outer space. We know and understand the challenges the world is facing in the sustainability area, and we will continuously develop solutions and products that are key to understand environmental implications on the ocean ecosystem as well as solving operational challenges. With decades of in-house competence and experience we are a trusted technology partner for our customers. https://www.kongsberg.com/discovery/

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