GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – It may look like they are just having fun, but a Go-Pro camera attached to a remote control car is helping the DOT see inside a culvert in a whole new way.
Underground investigations of any kind can pose unique challenges to highway engineers, and that is especially true when looking at culvert conditions.
Matt Haefs of the DOT created the Culvert Inspection Vehicle (CIV) and there is only one in Wisconsin.
The Minnesota DOT had a model that Hoefs started with. He said it took some trial and error to get to what he is calling a final model.
The concept seems simple, drive a remote control car with a camera down a culvert to see trouble areas without having to climb down underground.
“The GoPro camera has Bluetooth and wireless connection that feeds through the iPad. So we can get a picture live immediately,” Haefs says.
Crews are looking for pitting, cracking, corrosion, misalignment and joint separation.
By looking at an I-Pad they can see where work needs to be done instead of guessing and hiring out contractors.
It can also keep workers from having to climb down in small and potentially unsafe areas.
“Before all you could do is look inside with a flashlight, and some culverts are 200 to 400 feet long, so it was very hard to find an issue when it’s that long,” he explained.
Culverts function beneath the surface to manage stormwater and to help keep roadways dry and passable. While some are large, others are smaller or they could be flooded with debris, making a physical examination much more challenging.
“The other option we had is that we had to hire someone. We did not have any other option besides using our eyes to look down culverts.”
Haefs says that can be costly and time-consuming.
“One day can be $3,200 dollars for eight hours of work. I can do the same amount of work for much cheaper,” Haefs said.
His system cost only $1,000 dollars.
“I can use this until the vehicle literally falls apart.”
The CIV that is being used in Brown County could lead to new ideas using a similar technology that could help the DOT with additional projects.
