Internet-of-Things (IoT) computing research reduces transport infrastructure surface water flooding

Precision drainage management is vital to reducing surface water flooding across the transport network. Computer scientists at Lancaster in collaboration with In Touch Ltd have developed a novel data-driven solution that is enabling highways and rail operatives to make more proactive maintenance decisions to mitigate the risk of flooding while lowering costs.

Research led by Professor Nigel Davies from SCC and Mike Harding, a Research Fellow investigating the use of IoT technologies in collaborative work environments, has led to the creation of a first-of-a-kind data-driven drainage management service, enabling a shift from reactive to proactive forms of maintenance decision-making. This has been commercialised by In Touch Ltd as SmartWater, which uses sensors and real-time weather information to monitor road and rail-side drainage conditions, predict flood risk and deliver early warnings to maintainers. Initial projects have been in the highways sector. However, the technology is now being applied to national rail infrastructure through active deployments with Network Rail.

• The SmartWater system is responsible for the management of over 643,142 gullies, accounting for 4.6% of UK gully drains. The system has helped local authorities and contractors to shift from annual cleansing to a more proactive approach, targeting specific gullies more prone to blockages. SmartWater results in average maintenance cost-savings of over 20% annually (and as high as 50%), including a reduction in callouts by 25%, and an estimated reduction in flood incidents by 20%.
• The value of InTouch has grown 65%. It now works with 22 local authorities and road maintenance contractors. Patents are pending in Europe, the US and Hong Kong. InTouch expanded its workforce to accommodate for this strand of its business provision, hiring 13 highly skilled members of staff and restructuring a further 3 existing roles to support the management and rollout of related products and services.
• Bristol City Council have recorded a significant 80% reduction in the number of callouts due to flooding. This has been realised in a fall in the budget for highways flood prevention by 65.2%. SmartWater offers richer and more transparent information to clients including Carillion, Amey and Balfour Beatty, who maintain thousands of miles of road and rail across the UK. Amey have developed their own products and contracts, including one with Yorkshire Water worth £100million.
• Partnerships with Highways England and Network Rail - to carry out trials with 55 sensors on the M25 and 54 sensors/ four junctions on the M6 and use of SmartWater in track-side drainage. Network Rail’s lead R&D Programme Manager stated “The first phase went so well [TrackWater] that we decided to do another phase funded entirely by us”. The project has already seen improvements to drainage efficiency and rail worker safety.