tunnel commissioning - · pdf filewest end of southbound tunnel experience in tunnel...

Richard Thorne P.E. CXA, Axiom Engineers

Tunnel Commissioning

21st National Conference on Building Commissioning

AIA Quality Assurance

The Building Commissioning Association is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

21st NCBC Conference

Presentation Description

This presentation will cover project experience in applying basic commissioning principals and procedures to an uncommon commissioning environment – tunnel systems.

The presentation will cover:•Tunnel commissioning scope of work and growth•Experience with commissioning unique systems such as:

• Medium voltage electrical equipment• Radio communications• Complex Fire Protection (wet and dry)

•Scenario driven integrated test




Yesterdays Tunnel Projects

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Apply basic commissioning processes to atypical systems2. Recognize project growth opportunities3. Understand importance of including manufacturers in commissioning

process4. Include operators and multiple organizations in integrated testing

Learning Objectives


• Project Background• Commissioning Scope• Commissioned Systems• Commissioning Process• Integrated Test• Questions?


West End of Southbound Tunnel

Experience in Tunnel CommissioningOutline

• Replace southbound access to and from Golden Gate bridge –Doyle Dr

• Original overpass no longer seismically safe

• Increase green scape –parkway not a freeway


Project BackgroundProject Goals

Doyle Dr Transition

• Got the call• Tunnel or Electrical Commissioning

Experience?• Apply basic commissioning

principals to new systems• BSEE – Basic Understanding in

electrical systems• Attended 1 yr PG&E

Commissioning Course• Construction Site Experience• 20 years Naval experience


Project BackgroundGetting Project

• Schedule of Commissioning Events• Integrate schedule with Construction

Schedule• Commissioning Plan

• Readiness, start-ups, functional tests, & acceptance criteria

• Training• Cx report contents• Schedule

• Provide checklists and test procedures

• Commissioning Checklist Log• Training – videotaping,

schedule and coordination with contractor

• Final systems integration test• Final report


Commissioning ScopeFrom Specifications and Drawings

• Electrical• Medium Voltage

Switchgear• DC Battery Charger and

Power Supply• One for protective relays

and PLC controllers• One for emerg tunnel

lighting• Circuit Breakers• Uninterruptable Power

Supplies• 12-20KVA for traffic

operations and SCADA• 30KVA for tunnel lighting

• Protective Relays


Commissioned Systems

• Electrical (cont)• Motor Control Centers• Lighting Systems (Tunnel,

street area at portals, and Substation)

• Grounding• Surge Arrestors• Transformers• Panelboards


Commissioned SystemsCONT

• Mechanical• Substation fans• Hydrogen detection (added)• Carbon Monoxide System• Jet fans are future scope!



• Special Systems• Radio Rebroadcast• Call Boxes



• Special Systems• SCADA (Supervisory Control

And Data Acquisition)• Electrical Distribution• Lighting• Fire Protection (info only)• Carbon Monoxide Monitoring• Future Jet Fans• Substation HVAC• Call Boxes• Hydrogen Detection



• Commissioned Systems:• Fire Protection

• Deluge Tunnel System• Standpipe Tunnel System• Linear Heat Detectors• Fire Alarm Control Units• Fire Alarm Remote

Annunciators• Smoke Detectors• Manual Pull Boxes• Remote Fire Alarm and

control from central control station



• Drawing Review (growth opportunity)• Submittal Review• Commissioning Plan• Start-Up Plans (Prefunctional Checklists)

Development/Execution• Functional Tests Development/Execution• Training (growth opportunity)• Integrated Test Development/Execution• Report


West End of Tunnel, digging to bottom level

Commissioning ProcessGeneral Process

• Many Parties Involved• CALTRANS (Numerous

Branches)• State Fire Marshall• Inspector of Record• Facilitator

• Understanding the project beyond the drawings themselves

• More emphasis on tracing power


Commissioning ProcessDrawing Review Alternate power

supply not to be installed during

this phase

• Under-developed single line• Growth opportunity


Commissioning ProcessDrawing Review

200 sheets of drawingsto filter what is on each panels, if anything

• Lessons Learned:• Updating process did not show clouds or revision marks.



• Lessons Learned:• Updating process did not show clouds or

revision marks. • Understanding Ladder Logic and

controls



• Standard process and comments for HVAC type systems

Equipment capabilities match design?Is equipment going to fit?Access?

• Difference from HVAC system – more capability issues between equipment contacts and SCADA inputs.

• Education on how protective relay logic works


Commissioning ProcessSubmittal Review

• Lessons Learned:• Panel board number and type

of circuit breakers not matching design

• Lighting controller O&M sequence backwards

• Finding terminal blocks on submittal drawings that were not installed

• Points not terminated at controller

• Learn from manufacturer



• Lessons Learned:• Learn from manufacturer



• Standard process and comments for HVAC type systems

• Installed equipment does not match submittal

• Missing items from design• Maintenance Access


Commissioning ProcessInstallation Verification

• Lessons Learned:• Circuit breakers not matching

design• CO monitor cover could not

open• Missing insulation on

condensate drain


Commissioning ProcessInstallation Verification

On East Side of Tunnel looking West – 1 month to opening

• Additional sections normally not found in HVAC type projects

• System Testing Details• Specific system start-up plan

responsibilities• Specific functional test plan

responsibilities• Phased commissioning sequence


Commissioning ProcessCommissioning Plan

Deluge Control Valve in Niche

• Direct application of building commissioning• Proceed from components to systems• Composed of specification checks• Refer to items in the installation manual

• Review start-up plans provided by installers/manufactures.

• Radio rebroadcast• Fire protection system (alarms)• SCADA

• Basic common checks• Connected correctly?• Initial settings (Protective Relay)


Commissioning ProcessStart-up Plans

Medium Voltage Circuit Breaker

• Lessons Learned• Big difference with HVAC – most of

team was NOT familiar with commissioning process

• What start-ups really need to happen• Risk of not completing:

• Safety – lack of eyewash stations• Makes functional testing go MUCH

slower• Need to use unfamiliar publications on

unfamiliar projects


Commissioning ProcessStart-up Plans

Medium Voltage Circuit Breaker

US Army Commissioning of Electrical Systems for Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Facilities Technical Manual is a great resource for commissioning power distribution systems

• Direct application of building commissioning• Start from component and work up to

systems and then integration• Need to confirm component functions

based on controlling inputs• Major difference than HVAC – not all

components need functional tests• Electrical equipment (transformer, panel

boards)


Commissioning ProcessFunctional Tests

• Lessons Learned:• Found issues that could have been caught

earlier• Contacts not present to provide

feedback to SCADA• Lack of pre-recorded messages• Further slows functional test process

• Still catches issues that everyone misses – spray blockage


Commissioning ProcessFunctional Tests

• Similar to building commissioning except:• Training had to cover all three

maintenance shifts• Training plans reviewed by State Fire

Marshall• State Fire Marshall witness some

training• Great opportunity to increase scope

• Who else has a grasp on all of the systems and how the training should be organized?

• Developed detailed class schedule

• Collected and submitted training plans

• Even provided some training (expert in radio rebroadcast system????)


Commissioning ProcessTraining

• Integrated Test:• Goal is to show how tunnel systems

work together in a major tunnel incident

• Demonstration for State Fire Marshall for ALL systems

• Electrical• Fire Protection• Mechanical• Operators• Special Systems


Commissioning ProcessIntegrated Test

Completion of Integrated Test

• Scenario driven (plan)• Start with simulated car

wreck• Driver uses call box to report

accident• Smoke bomb lit off to

simulate smoke to cameras• Activation of LHD (triggered

at FACU)• Operators respond

• Plan was just a plan, a guide



Completion of Integrated Test

• What really happened• Continued testing and

troubleshooting of the fire alarm system.

• Conducted functional tested on systems not ready before this point

• Battery Charger, street lighting, CO system

• Actual scenario testing happened on Friday after heat testing on Thur

• Lessons Learned:• Be Flexible!!!!

• Correct deluge reaction• LHD detects heat• Operator has 30sec to

acknowledge• Once acknowledged, 90sec delay• End of 90sec, water will release

• What actually happened during scenario

• Call box activation successful• LHD zone (6) that was switched ON

different than location of smoke bomb (8)

• Operators shut down tunnel, acknowledged LHD zone 6

• Vendor entered control center and manually activated zone 7 and 8



• The primary focus during integrated testing –open the tunnel

• Numerous tests had to be done latter• Substation external lighting/SCADA• Security system (door sensors)• Substation fan operation with regards to

high hydrogen• Tunnel lighting• Troubleshooting


Commissioning ProcessFollow On Testing

West Bore, After Tunnel Opening

• Similar to building commissioning report, except:

• Specifications description of report is more like systems manual

• Major component of systems manual –Narratives!

• Include ALL factory tests, start-up reports, functional tests, and training documentation


Commissioning ProcessFinal Report

• Try to always say YES to opportunities• Look for growth opportunities and ways to help

project• Apply standard commissioning processes to

new systems with base knowledge• Include all parties and manufactures in

process


Summary

Tunnel Of Today

Tunnel Of Yesterday

THANK YOU

Richard Thorne, P.E., [email protected]

tunnel commissioning - · pdf filewest end of southbound tunnel experience in tunnel...

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