45
-TRAQ JETTER
Hi Traq 1600
will experience challenges
maintaining traction. For example
in an undulating sea bed scenario,
where a track spans two sand
wave peaks, track contact Is lost
between these peaks leading to a
significant reduction In available
traction.
This loss of traction can lead to
slow progress for the vehicle and
at worst lead to a requirement for
vIntervention and recovery. Where
the vehicle Is peaking the crest of
a large sand wave, a two tracked
system can experience a total
momentary loss of control as it
pivots from the upward to the
downward faces. This loss of
control poses a serious threat to
the Integrity of the cable and to
the vehicle Itself".
“Many cable burial operations
take place in notoriously harsh
shallow water environments that
have high wind and wave
energies that lead to undulating
sea beds.
Traditional two track
technologies may struggle with
such demanding conditions,
leading to a risk of project
delays, Inadequate burial
performance and ultimately,
increased costs for the
contractor".
Demonstrator vehicle Tackling
these potential risks is where the
idea of a four-track vehicle with a
self-levelling capability
originated. Such a platform
would maximise traction and
enable a constant trench depth
to be maintained independent o
the seabed topography over
which the vehicle is manoeuvring.
“The constant ground contact
delivered by the four-track
system offers the best possible
traction performance, resulting in
consistent and higher speed
trenching rates through arduous
topography and soil conditions.
In combination, the patented
self- levelling system maintains a
vertical, flat-bottomed trench,
significantly reducing the risk of
point loading the product.”
Royal IHC developed a
demonstration vehicle to
successfully test and prove the
benefits of a four-track system.