This installation, overseen by Middle East Wealth’s LLC, ensures the safety of motorists and tunnel operators by integrating cutting-edge fire detection and suppression mechanisms tailored to the tunnel’s unique environmental challenges. The Bidbid Tunnel is a remarkable feat of engineering, carved through two mountains and designed to accommodate heavy traffic while maintaining stringent safety standards.

Due to the tunnel’s exposure to fluctuating humidity levels, a hybrid fire detection system was required, partly addressable and partly non-addressable, with IP67-rated components ensuring resilience against moisture. The installation also covers service buildings and control rooms that monitor tunnel operations, including jet fans, which detect smoke and adjust airflow direction to optimise smoke extraction.

A key feature of the fire safety installation is the water deluge system, which integrates jet fans, designed using genuine aircraft jet technology, with sprinklers to manage fire hazards effectively. The sprinklers work to suppress flames and reduce smoke production, while the jet fans play a crucial role in directing and extracting smoke from the tunnels. Given the close proximity of tunnel entrances, the system has been meticulously designed to prevent smoke from being pushed into adjacent tunnels, ensuring clear evacuation routes and optimal visibility for emergency responders.

Advanced’s Axis AX system was selected for its networking capabilities and large-scale adaptability, making it the ideal choice for this governmental project. The installation includes three Axis AX panels and 25 heavily programmed stainless-steel PENN (Peripheral Expansion Network Node) integration boxes to meet the complex needs of this unique application.

Sanjay Sebastian, Project Manager at Middle East Wealth, commented: “The Bidbid Tunnel project required a fire safety solution that could withstand extreme conditions while offering seamless integration with tunnel management systems. Advanced’s Axis AX system provided the reliability and flexibility needed to meet these demands, ensuring comprehensive protection for motorists and infrastructure alike.”

Mark Taylor, Senior Technical Support Engineer at Advanced, added: “This installation showcases the power of Axis AX in managing large-scale, high-risk environments. The combination of linear heat detection, jet fan integration, and the water deluge system ensures that fire hazards are swiftly detected and mitigated, reinforcing the tunnel’s safety infrastructure.”

Raj Narayanan, General Manager at Middle East Wealth’s LLC, added: “This project is one and only public road tunnel project in Oman with such a complexity, the main control room which is located nearby the longest tunnel (KM33) which takes over the control of both tunnels, KM33 as well as KM24 which is around9 kilometres away from the main control room. And during the testing and demonstration of the system, the overall signalling which took place nearly within 3 seconds. Since the overall operation of the tunnel such as jet fan operations, CCTV system, Traffic signage etc will be taken over by fire alarm system, Advanced most powerful network communication and fastest signal exchange helped to achieve in complete integrated and synchronised way.”

With its intelligent fire detection, suppression, and management capabilities, the Bidbid Tunnel is now equipped to handle emergency scenarios with precision and efficiency. This installation underscores Advanced’s commitment to delivering robust and scalable fire protection solutions for critical infrastructure projects worldwide.