Andy Rowland Head of Propositions

BT Global Services

January 2010

IRSE Seminar - Fibre Acoustic Monitoring

Business Applications

Copper Cable Theft

Train Tracking

TOA for Level Crossings

Bridge Collision Warning

Proof of Attendance

Points Monitoring

Flat Wheel Detection

Damage to networks

Integrity Monitoring

Distributed Acoustic Sensing using Fibre

Coherent Light Coherent Phase-Modulated Light

Stress Force Caused by Acoustic Wave

Strain

The fibre is the sensor

Standard multi- or single-mode optical fibre

1m pulse of light

Backscattered light provides

measurement point every 1m

T9,999

T9,998T9,997

T9,996

T9,995

T1 T2 T3 T4 ……….

Measurements all along a 10km fibre = 10,000 sensors!!

How the Fibre Sensor Works

Classification of Sounds

Detect event exceeds threshold

Use Geo-Fence to exclude legitimate activity

Use algorithms to classify sounds – based on self organizing neural networks, also known as Kohonen Maps.

Examples of classification:

Trains

Cable handling

Lifting of lids

Walking on track ballast

Evolution of Fibre Sensing

Lid On

Tap

Van Horn

Resilience Test with Jet Engine

Lid Off

Initial Tests with UK Water Company

BT Engineers Tracing Fibre Underground

Initial Testing with Rail

Commuter train leaving on welded rail approaching viaduct crossing the

viaduct, then crossing points.

Sound file of express train possibly crossing a point

or rail gap.

1.6m20m

If train speed is ≈144km/hr or 40m/sec then the following distances apply

Train length is 8 carriages + engine

12m

182m

1.5m over 50km

Initial Implementation for Rail – Copper Cable Theft

Major Operational delays as a result of stolen Infrastructure

Increased delay minutes

Millions of Pounds lost by replacement of stolen Copper Cable

Punitive penalties relating to operational delays

Substantive resource tied up in preventative operations

Safety implications both passengers and trackside

CCT Deployment for Major European Rail Operator

BT intranet

Control Room Staff

BT detected and logged CCT activity on 5th Sep

21.46. Alarm raised.

Theft preparation activity detected 6-Sept at 21.57.

Alarm raised.

Theft preparation activity detected 7-Sept at 21.57.

Alarm raised.

Theft activity events detected 8-Sept 04:30.

Large number of events logged between 4:30 and

6:30.

Cable cut event 6:34. Client detected signal and power

failure at 6:40

BT detected cable being removed from site till 7:04

direction of travel away from level crossing Last theft activity detected at 7.21.

Client onsite activity detected commencing at

08:40. Client called BTP at 8:55 to report theft.

Client & BTP activity logged until 10:40.onsite

CCT Portal View

Collaborative Innovation – Level Crossing Monitoring

Visibility of trains actual positions, speed and direction to signal box staff independently of signalling system infrastructure

Countdown predictions in real-time of The ‘Time Of Arrival’ (TOA) at User Worker Crossing (UWC)

Timing gaps between trains arriving User Worker Crossing (UWC)

Categorize train movement predictions by train type Express, local, freight

Detection of stopped trains location

Categorize train arrivals based on route

Categorize train arrivals based service identity and timetable information

Track Tracking and Level Crossing Monitoring

Distance

Tim

e

Speed

Meters

Seconds

Cha

nge

in s

peed

= a

ccel

erat

ion

Cable reel12.75-13.00

Direction – to sensor

Direct

ion-

from

Sen

sor

Level Crossing

T1

T2

T3

T5

T4

ToA 4ToA 3

ToA 5

ToA 2

Sensor

Key Differentiators

Technology

We use two world class sensing technologies

Competitors can provide specific elements only BT can provide an end to end

solution

BT can provide 11 different sensor technologies, to help eliminate false positives

World class GIS mapping to provide accurate location of problem

Highly developed classification software to identify accurately incidents

Protected by multiple Patents

Credibility & Experience

BT has one of the biggest fibre network in the world as part of it’s 21CN

programme

We have the only deployment working in a hostile trackside environment, covering

24 sensors and 504km.

Our current rail customer is sufficiently pleased with the solution that we are now

being pressed to add additional applications.

Offices worldwide

Telecommunications services described are subject to availability and may be modified from time to time. Services and equipment

are provided subject to British Telecommunications plc's respective standard conditions of contract. Nothing in this publication

forms any part of any contract.

© British Telecommunications plc 2010

Thank you