Machine Learning tool Alchemite™ predicts highway drainage problems 

Deep learning algorithm Alchemite™ is bringing transformational benefits to highways with predictive maintenance.

The deep learning algorithm developed by Intellegens, successfully predicted where drainage and gully blockages were most likely to occur, preventing expensive, and unplanned failures.

Cambridge-based artificial intelligence (AI) company, Intellegens, announced details of a proof of concept project with global construction and infrastructure group Skanska, which could save Hampshire County Council in excess of £100,000 per annum on road drainage and gully maintenance work.

In a pilot project, Skanska deployed Intellegens’ novel AI-deep learning tool, Alchemite™, to help successfully predict where expensive drainage and gully blockages were most likely to occur on Hampshire County Council’s busy road network – making it easier, in theory, to reduce the need for costly, speculative inspections and unnecessary routine maintenance work.

Every year, Hampshire County Council contracts Skanska to clean around 125,000 drainage gullies to prevent flooding and keep roads running smoothly. Maintenance work across the county’s road network costs in excess of £1m per annum – with additional costs incurred when poorly maintained drains overflow, causing damage, delays and and road closures for repair work to take place.

In a pioneering trial, Intellegens worked with Skanska to collate drainage data for Hampshire County Council from multiple sources1. The information was then passed through Intellegens’ Alchemite™ solution. Alchemite™ – a deep learning technology – turned the data into a series of models that made it easier for Skanska to accurately predict where drainage issues were most likely to occur and where the risk of overflowing drains, which could create more significant problems, was highest. With access to this information, Skanska has the potential to target its work for Hampshire County Council where it is most needed – a move that could deliver service improvements and significant savings to the public purse.

Intellegens’ Alchemite™ technology is based on a series of innovative deep learning algorithms that can see correlations between available parameters in fragmented, unstructured, corrupt or even noisy datasets. Capable of working with data that is as little as 0.05% complete, Alchemite™ can unravel data problems that are not accessible to traditional deep learning approaches. Alchemite™ is a ground breaking solution that creates models that can predict missing values and find errors or inconsistencies in information, thereby accelerating production. This technology can enable organisations of all shapes and sizes to break through data analysis bottlenecks, and support better, faster decision-making.

James Daniel, head of digital engineering for infrastructure services at Skanska UK, commented:

“We have been working with a Cambridge University tech startup, tech firm Intellegens, which has an AI tool called Alchemite.They work with sparse datasets. Their AI tool takes the sparse data and through machine learning predicts what the gaps will be. It’s been used to help with jet engine development. So Intellegens took the data on gullies and fed this into Alchemite. Then we added environmental and weather data, both historic and forecast. The machine learning technology uses all this data to predict any gaps in the gullies’ asset information and, with that information, tells us whether the gullies need regular cyclical maintenance or a review. The AI tool is a real game changer. On this contract alone, it has the potential to achieve significant savings through helping us deploy the resources more effectively. People are really appreciating the benefits of good quality data.”

Ben Pellegrini, Co-Founder and CEO of Intellegens, added:

“Our technology started as an academic project within Cambridge University. Now we are applying our novel deep learning technology to real-world problems across materials, drug discovery and the public sector. Our pilot work with Skanska for Hampshire County Council is the latest in a series of exciting collaborations. We are pleased that our Alchemite™ technology has demonstrated the positive impact it could have across Hampshire County Council’s infrastructure budgets and more broadly across the national road network.”