scanning on the open sea the marcellus shale ecuador’s gis · pdf filescanning on the...

A Publication for Surveying and Mapping Professionals

Issue 2011-3

Monitoring German Locks

The Surveyor's Role

Scanning On the Open SeaThe Marcellus Shale

Ecuador’s GIS Initiative

INSIDE:Welcome to the latest issue of Technology&more!

Trimble Engineering & Construction5475 Kellenburger Rd.Dayton, OH, 45424-1099Phone: 1-937-233-8921 Fax: 1-937-245-5145Email: T&[email protected]

Published by: Editor-in-Chief: Omar SoubraEditorial Team: Angie Vlasaty; Lea Ann McNabb; Heather Silvestri; Eric Harris; Susanne Preiser;Emmanuelle Tarquis; Grainne Woods; Christiane Gagel; Lin Lin Ho; Bai Lu; Echo Wei; Maribel Aguinaldo; Masako Hirayama; Stephanie Kirtland, Survey Technical Marketing TeamArt Director: Tom Pipinou

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the latest issue of Technology&more for 2011. As in past issues, you will find several of the many innovative and exciting projects in which our customers are involved around the world. Each of these projects demonstrates the enhanced productivity and capability that are gained through the use of Trimble® technology; we hope the articles provide you with useful ideas and information for your own unique projects.

This issue takes you to Germany to learn how Trimble technology is used to monitor settlement during the expan-sion of the world’s busiest artificial waterway—the Kiel Canal; then to the Marcellus Shale fields in Pennsylvania where Trimble products are instrumental in virtually every phase of the development, production and distribution of this important new source of natural gas; and back to northern Europe to monitor subsidence in historical areas of Copenhagen’s major underground expansion of its Metro transportation system.

We also journey to Ecuador where field crews are using GNSS technology to efficiently gather GIS data for a national land administration system; to Belgium where spatial imaging is used to conduct a detailed survey of an 800+ year-old historical church and its contents; to British Columbia for

a survey and upgrade of an old railway tunnel and bridge in difficult terrain; and finally to the Baltic Sea where spatial imaging is used to document a large ship—without interrupting its operating schedule—for its potential conversion from a stone-dumper to a cable-layer.

You’ll also learn how numerous surveyors are growing and profiting from technology by extending their roles into the rapidly expanding field of geo-data. Rather than face a possibly diminishing role, these surveyors are evolving from data collection into geo-data management in disciplines such as GIS and building information modeling (BIM).

Trimble Dimensions International User Conference will be held November 5-7, 2012, at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. Start making you plans now to attend.

And as always, if you’d like to share information with Technology&more readers about an innovative project, we’d like to hear about it: just email [email protected]. We’ll even write the article for you.

We hope you’ll enjoy this issue of Technology&more.

Chris Gibson

© 2011, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. Trimble, the Globe & Triangle logo, GeoExplorer, Juno, GPS Pathfinder, RealWorks and TSC2 are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited or its subsidiaries, registered in United States Patent and Trademark Office. 4D Control, Access, DeltaPhase, EVEREST, FX, GeoXT, GX, NetR5, NetR9, PointScape, SureScan, VISION, VRS and VX are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

U.S. Pg. 8

CANADA Pg. 16

Chris Gibson: Vice President, Survey Division

www.northstarstudio.com

GERMANY Pg. 2

ECUADOR Pg. 12

-1- Technology&more; 2011-3

In Wisconsin, the Geodetic Surveys Unit of the Wis-consin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is charged with establishing and maintaining the state’s

geodetic control framework. The team used some creative ideas and the capabilities of Trimble VRS™ technology to develop its state-wide GNSS network—WISCORS—a fully GNSS-capable Real-Time Network (RTN) that enables us-ers to achieve centimeter-level accuracy using a single GNSS receiver. WISCORS has more than 40 Trimble NetR5™ GNSS Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) in operation. When the network is complete, it will have more than 70 CORS providing RTN coverage for the entire state. The CORS are connected to a control center in Madi-son via hardwire communications links.

Early in the project, WISCORS planners made an important decision: By installing CORS at wider spacing, they could significantly reduce upfront costs and gain flexibility in site selection. Because Trimble VRS technology functions well with CORS at wider spacing than used for conventional RTK, planners had the ability to use network geometry as the primary criteria for selecting locations. As a result, they will be able to reduce the number of CORS needed to provide the required coverage. WisDOT expects to save 10 to 15 CORS over the course of the project.

One of the early WISCORS subscribers is Jim Prehn, P.L.S., of Spatial Data Surveys in Verona. Prehn estimates that he saves

at least one hour per day by not setting up a base station. “It was an easy decision to adopt WISCORS,” he said. “When you look at the amount of time spent setting up a base station and the limited area you can cover, it makes me wonder why more people don’t use the VRS.” Prehn’s posi-tions using the network typically agree with published control to within 1 to 4 cm (0.03 to 0.12 ft).

When the network first came online, WISCORS conducted seminars to encourage surveyors to participate. Today, the network is widely accepted. It has even become part of the surveying coursework at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay. “WISCORS is part of the progression in surveying,” said NWTC surveying instructor Rick VanGoethem. “It’s important to expose students to the technologies they will be using once they graduate."

WISCORS currently has more than 900 subscribers. The system’s users include surveyors, engineering firms, construction companies, universities and municipal or-ganizations. One of the most important user segments is precision agriculture. By providing RTK coverage in farm-land regions, WISCORS is reaching a new, broad range of users. As WISCORS continues to expand, Wisconsin citizens will enjoy the benefits of higher productivity and lower costs in an array of industries dependent on reliable, accurate positioning.

See feature in POB’s February issue: www.pobonline.com

Wisconsin Teamwork


Owing to the size of the new battleships of the Kaiser’s navy, the Canal was widened as early as 1907–1914, and two new locks known as the “Large Locks” were added in Brunsbüttel and Kiel. The work included construction of utility tunnels beneath the locks. On the chamber side at the upper gate, and on both sides of the middle gate of the large locks, three steel pipe supply tunnels with a diameter of 1.80 m (5.9 ft) were built to carry the cables and lines serving the locks. These utility tunnels were only partially walkable. Over time, they filled up with power and water lines as well as control cables. The canal’s name was changed to Kiel Canal in 1948.

As part of an extensive renovation of the Large Locks, Brunsbüttel Water and Navigation Office (WSA) plans to build a new, additional lock between the large and small locks. However, before construction of the new

“5th Lock Chamber” on Lock Island could begin, a new utility tunnel was needed to house the lock’s control and supply lines.

The new utility tunnel will have a diameter of 2.20 m (7.2 ft) with a clear height of 2 m (6.6 ft) so it can be walkable. It is 478 m (1,570 ft) long and runs about 30 m (98 ft) below sea level. From the start pit at the southern side of the lock installation, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was driven towards the northern side. On Lock Island, blind pits are located on each side of the planned fifth lock. The tunneling machine will be driven through both pits. Construction began in February 2009 and is expected to end in the summer of 2011.

Building the new tunnel was a big challenge for the plan-ning engineers, as lock operations needed to continue

It’s the world’s busiest artificial water highway. Located in northern Germany, the century-old Kiel Canal con-nects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. First opened to traffic in 1895, the “Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal“ was built by Kaiser Wilhelm II to allow his fleet to reach the North Sea from the Baltic Sea without having to pass under

Danish cannons. Enormous locks protect the 100-km-long (62-mi) canal against the changing water levels of the tides in Brunsbüttel, where the Elbe flows into the North Sea, and at the canal’s eastern terminus in Holtenau, near Kiel on the Baltic Sea. Each lock complex consists of two large and two small double locks.

Monitoring theBrunsbüttel Locks

Cover: The locks at Brunsbüttel. The new “5th Lock” will replace part of Lock Island in the center of the photo. The new utility tunnel crosses beneath the island and four existing locks.

cover story


during construction of the tunnel. Ensuring the stability and operational safety during construction called for a sophisticated monitoring system. The task was tailor-made for ANGERMEIER INGENIEURE, GmbH, a German company that specializes in monitoring deformation in tunnel construction.

Planning and MonitoringThe engineering work began in January 2009 when all construction planning started. The monitoring system was needed to identify possible settlement areas so counter-measures could be implemented quickly. In this case, this meant automated daily surveying 24 hours a day. The monitoring system requirements included a very high spatial and chronological resolution, automatic warning and alarm functions and minimal supervision. The system needed to be remotely operated and main-tained, and have a detailed plan to develop and distribute alerts and alarms. It called for collaboration of construc-tion and surveying experts with extensive specialized knowledge and practical experience. As one of their first tasks, the team had to describe the expected loads and deformations. This would enable them to define the surveying systems needed to produce a comprehensive monitoring system.

The basic concept called for laying down fixed points outside the deformation area that would be uninflu-enced by the tides. Seven Trimble S8 Total Stations and approximately 115 measuring points were used for the project. The total stations were mounted on pillars placed so that every lock chamber and spaces in between could be monitored. On the decks and slabs adjacent to the locks, teams placed heavy, precast concrete pillars. In other locations, the instrument pillars were sunk into the earth. Weatherproof boxes at each location housed a computer, power supply and communications equip-ment for the instrument.

The monitoring primarily covered possible deformation of the lock’s walls, and included a small quay wall where divers had detected fissures. The system also monitored operation buildings near the tunnel access points (known as “adits”) and pits. Additionally, plaster marks and crack monitors were used for monitoring building cracks and technical constructions. Finally, chamber walls and buildings were regularly surveyed by conventional leveling. In the lock walls, the prism targets were at risk of damage from the passing ships. To prevent any damage, teams used core drills to create recesses in the lock walls for the prisms.

In all preparations, as well as excavation of the adit, target and intermediate pits, monitoring measurements

A prism target is mounted in the lock wall, safe from damage by passing ships. The monitoring system needed to detect motion as small as 2 mm.

A Trimble S8 on its pillar at Brunsbüttel locks. Monitoring operations needed to contend with busy ship traffic and difficult weather.


were made at hourly intervals. During the TBM drive and subsequent injection work cycles, the measurement intervals were shortened to a 20-minute cycle. This rate was maintained for roughly ten months. The maximum distance from the total stations to the deformation points was between 10–40m (33–130ft). The distance between the instrument connection points was 40–200 m (140–660 ft). The positional accuracies were approxi-mately 2- 3 mm (0.006–0.009 ft) in horizontal and 1–2 mm (0.003–0.006 ft) in height. The limits of possible move-ments were 15 mm (0.05 ft).

Communications MeshA significant challenge arose in connecting wireless and wired data transfer on the terrain around the locks. To meet safety requirements, the monitoring system operated 24 hours per day, and needed to have reliable data communications between the instruments and system control and evaluation center. It was neces-sary to ensure wireless data transfer from the central station to the control computers in the measuring pillars, even when large container ships blocked the line-of-sight communications. This required data transfer routing radio transmission over the lock gates, threading the signals around the ships. The server had to be installed in a building on Lock Island, from which there was only a limited view of the locks (i.e., no stable radio communication to them).

The solution developed by ANGERMEIER INGENIEURE used so-called “mesh nodes,” special wireless local area net-work (WLAN) routers that seek connection among themselves if the view is obstructed. When one node can’t operate, the rest of the nodes can still communicate with each other, directly or through one or more intermediate nodes.

ANGERMEIER’s engineers set up this WLAN specifically to solve the issue of intermittent interruptions to the ra-dio datalinks. To conduct the measurements, they used their own software, "Observer," which they adapted for the requirements of this project. At each Trimble S8, a dedicated control computer initiated the measurement cycles and stored the results. The control computers were connected via mesh node to 2.4-GHz WLAN access points. The mesh nodes were arranged so that a good connection to the WLAN access points could be established. In addition, a two-wire telephone cable was retrofitted to a VDSL connection for transmitting the data from the total stations via the mesh nodes to the server. At the central computer, the Observer software retrieved the measurements from the seven field computers. It incorporated meteorological observations and then performed computations and adjustments on the measurement data. If the results did not meet specified precision, the software could distribute email or text messages to the project team. The software was also configured to issue a series of alerts if it detected motion in the target points.

“When selecting the instruments, it was essential for us to have fast, sturdy instruments that functioned with constant accuracy,” said ANGERMEIER engineer Dieter Heinz. “Since Trimble instruments met this requirement, there was no problem when the project had to be extended from 12 to 19 months owing to construction delays.” The total stations were exposed to the weather and in nearly continuous operation for the duration of the project.

The project was a challenge because engineers had to solve the unique problems inherent in reliable data transfer. However, ANGERMEIER engineers used their experiences gained in supervising an extensive array of specialized projects in more than 20 countries. The company currently employs a staff of more than 60 people in all areas of engineering surveying, concentrating its activities in the sectors of track, tunnel and civil engineering.

A Trimble S8 on a pre-cast pillar at Brunsbüttel, with mesh node com-munications equipment on the adjacent pole. Wood boxes on the pillar base house prisms used to monitor the stability of the instrument pillar.


The Surveyor’s Role asGeo-Data Manager

For centuries, surveyors have been a fundamental part of human societies. Surveyors met the need for demarcating property boundaries, conducting reconnaissance and making maps for planning. They planned, monitored and archived the details of construction projects. Ultimately, the profession would

develop to provide a host of services and products that measure and depict the earth’s surface with the natural, built and planned environments.

As civilizations evolved, higher standards of living demanded more from the professionals that served them. Surveyors have responded to demands for broader knowledge and higher accuracy, becoming part of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce now known as “design professionals.” Today’s advanced technologies—including measurement and positioning, computing, communications and geospatial data management—have made geographic information more accessible. As a result, demand is increasing for accurate, user-friendly geospatial information.

Beyond PositioningOver the last fifty years, technologies such as EDM, elec-tronic data collection, robotic total stations and GPS/GNSS have transformed surveying fieldwork. Advances in computing technology have at least matched the changes in the field. The surveyor’s new function is that of geo-data manager: gathering, managing and applying positioning-based information across numerous applications. Among the most evident is construction, where automated machine control has changed the surveyor’s role. Rather than being pushed off the construction site, surveyors continue to play an essential part in the project success and profitability. The surveyor verifies site and design models, establishes control points for construction activities and provides quality control.

A key technology for surveyors is GIS. Modern GIS is far more than “mere” mapping or providing survey data to develop a GIS base map. GIS for surveyors means being an active part of the broad spectrum of GIS activities. These include creating, populating and maintaining a GIS, as well as using it as a tool to manage the natural and built environment. And GIS has emerged as the tool of choice for many cadastral systems.

Importantly, the surveyor’s activities in GIS data collection are not just position measurements. Surveyors collect and

manage attributes about the elements they geo-locate, using sensors and data collection technologies that extend beyond the normal surveying instrumentation. But even with the abundant opportunities in GIS, many surveyors remain on the fringes. Forward-thinking surveyors, however, are embracing GIS, and their direct involvement is shaping GIS applications and technologies.

Technology will continue to play an increasing role in the future of the surveying profession. Developments such as terrestrial, mobile and airborne scanning, digital photogrammetry and remote sensing enable surveyors to collect more complete data. Field campaigns can be completed in less time, and data analysis is nearly instantaneous. Applications software is con-stantly improving to furnish more solutions to niche applications. These systems—focused on acquiring and managing position data—are supplemented by an array of adjacent technologies. For example, surveying systems can be coupled with wireless Internet access, cloud computing and Web-based geodatabases. This combination adds a range of products to the surveyor’s information set. Control data, airborne and satellite imaging, cadastral information and regional mapping products can be accessed in the field. As a result, the surveyor (now the geo-data manager) can combine information and techniques to meet the needs of the entire project, or of a tiny subset.

Surveying technologies have become so user friendly that many non-surveyors—who formerly relied on surveyors—can now use those technologies themselves. It may seem they have bypassed the surveyor. However, even in these situations, the surveyor’s role is not dimin-ished or eliminated. For operators lacking the surveyor’s training in theory and mathematics, it is hard to spot

errors and mistakes that cause flaws in the information. This need gives the surveyor the opportunity to provide services that enable best practices in data collection and quality assurance.

Opportunity KnocksThe changing role is opening new arenas for surveyors. One of the most important is GIS. Because it enjoys a high level of acceptance by planners, scientists, con-struction professionals, engineers and facility managers, GIS will to be a growth area for the surveyor as well. But the surveyor must take the first step. The well-prepared surveyor can offer expertise and services in several areas. These opportunities include providing backdrop data from orthophotos to DTMs and data collection for populating and updating the GIS. The surveyor can offer additional services such as quality assurance, data management and analysis. And GIS, combined with survey-grade field data, is a superb vehicle for cadastral data. A huge opportunity lies in the geo-data manager’s ability to plan a GIS and use it to direct ongoing pro-cesses. Surveyors can play a core role in extracting new information and knowledge from existing datasets and providing it to people who manage the land and what’s on it. As these consumers insist on faster collection and generation of information, the surveyor must be prepared with powerful tools for managing, verifying and interpreting this vast volume of data.

Even with well-developed technology, a key challenge for the surveyor will be in communicating the information to the users. Surveyors can present information using a variety of media including both static and dynamic visualizations. Data displays can move beyond 3D representations to incorporate other dimensions such as costs, schedules and levels of project risk.


Building information modeling (BIM) is an ongoing area of development, and the surveyor’s contributions will be critical. Engineers, architects, facility managers and construction organizations are quickly embracing BIM. It enables more efficient management of the building life cycle from planning through facility maintenance, repair and rehabilitation. While many stakeholders contribute data to a BIM, surveyors are positioned to collect most of the location-specific information. Thus, management of the BIM geo-data is an opportunity for surveyors to col-laborate and expand their role in the construction process. They can emerge as peers with the design professionals. This participation requires the surveyor to gain new levels of expertise in BIM and related knowledge areas. The End GameIt seems to be a paradox. Surveying sub-specialties will proliferate and narrow, producing highly focused skillsets and activities. At the same time, in order to be an essential part of the building process, tomorrow’s surveyor must demonstrate broad multidisciplinary skills. It’s not an unreasonable goal. For example, consider an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon is a specialist, yet she understands general medicine and can collaborate effectively with colleagues in other specialized medicine areas. Likewise, the surveyor must have the skills to navigate across dif-ferent knowledge fields and work effectively with other disciplines and customary local processes.

The world of today’s surveyor is evolving from data collection into geo-data management and information and knowledge extraction. Such a change does not diminish the surveyor’s role. Rather, it expands the way in which surveyors contribute to a project. While survey data collection remains at the core of the surveyor’s role, it now serves as the foundation for a larger set of skills and


services. These broader capabilities call for tomorrow’s surveyor to be a data professional, providing analytical tools and results for clients who require increasingly complex location-based information.

Understanding and embracing these changes is not enough. Individual surveyors—and their professional societies—must work with academia, government and industry to achieve common goals and benefits. Together, they must reinforce the proposition that surveyors are the geo-data managers of the future—and that these professionals are prepared for the challenge through education, training and professional development.

See feature in GeoInformatics September issue: www.geoinformatics.com


Ever since 1859, when America’s first oil well was drilled in northwestern Pennsylvania, the state has played a prominent role in energy production. Today, natural gas is driving a new energy boom. Regarded as the cleanest of the fossil fuels, Pennsylvania’s abundant supply of natural gas will aid efforts towards clean, low-cost energy sources.

A geological formation known as the Marcellus Shale stretches across the northern Appalachian region of the U.S. The shale

is rich in natural gas, which is locked into the dense black Marcellus rock. To extract the gas, production companies utilize horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (known as “fracking”) to create small fractures in the shale. The fractures allow the gas to collect and be pumped to the surface. The use of fracking has raised some environmental concerns, and developers work hard to ensure that the gas is extracted safely and with minimal effects on the environment.

Marcellus gas has created a boom for development and pro-duction across the northern Appalachian region. Extracting the gas and delivering it to the market involves an array of ac-tivities including seismic exploration, land and site planning, construction, production and maintenance. The activities take place under strict environmental and health controls, many of which require accurate positioning and detailed geographic information. With dozens of operations spread over hundreds of miles, the Marcellus is an ideal application for a real-time GNSS network (RTN). In Pennsylvania, the KeyNetGPS provides RTK GNSS correction services using Trimble VRS technology.

In Pittsburgh, Gateway Engineers, Inc., provides services begin-ning with the very first stages of a project. Gateway uses Trimble R8 GNSS Systems and Trimble S6 Total Stations with Trimble TSC2® Controllers running Trimble Access™ software.

The bulk of Gateway’s GNSS work is done in Trimble VRS RTK mode using the firm’s subscription to the KeyNetGPS network.

Gateway Field Manager Tom Turner said that Pennsylvania permitting regulations call for coordinates of well sites to be given in state plane coordinates. Because KeyNetGPS oper-ates in the geodetic reference frame, Gateway surveyors can use commonly accepted field procedures to work directly in the State Plane Coordinate (SPC) system. In areas of dense vegetation, the Gateway crews use optical total sta-tions tied to control set using GNSS. Once the site is cleared for construction, they can work using RTK GNSS.

In Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, Dra-Surv Inc., provides extensive services in permitting activities for its clients. Dra-Surv Project Manager Bryan Cole establishes control with static GNSS measurements using Trimble R8 GNSS and Trimble R6 GPS Receivers. Most construction sites have been cleared when the Dra-Surv crew arrives, and they use RTK for virtually all of their measurements. While much of their work is construction stakeout, Dra-Surv also surveys for volumes and as-built measurements for the sites and ponds, including erosion, sediment control facilities and storm–water management. They also set control points for contractors using 3D machine control.

Adding Value

The home of America’s original oil boom in 1859,Pennsylvania sits atop one of the largest reservoirs

of natural gas on the planet.

To handle the drilling, well site pads can be as large as 90x150 m (300x 500 ft). – Photo courtesy of Dra-Surv Inc


Moving the Gas to MarketNew wells are only part of the effort. Hundreds of miles of underground pipelines are needed to connect the well sites. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Gary Kuroski, P.S., is survey manager for Hatch Mott McDonald (HMM), a full-service engineering consulting firm. Much of Kuroski’s work involves surveying for the construction of gas transmission lines. HMM establishes control points along the pipeline route using either static GNSS or the KeyNetGPS reference network and RTK. In some cases, Kuroski ties to control set by others, checking it with the real-time network. “I always set the control with the most accurate, time-efficient methods, while making sure that we meet each project’s accuracy standards,” Kuroski said. “Compared to static observations, working with KeyNetGPS saves us roughly four hours of field time and processing for each control point that we set or check.”

When the pipe sections are welded together and lowered into the trench, HMM surveyors collect as-built positions on every weld, bend and deflection point of the pipe. As part of the inspection process, a device called a Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG) travels through the inside of the pipe to look for flaws. The PIG determines its position based on 3D distance along the pipe, so the correlation between the 3D stationing and SPC must be correct. Kuroski receives consistently good results using KeyNetGPS, commonly checking into control with an accuracy of 0.1 ft (3 cm) or better.

Value Added: Positioning and Data ManagementCompetition, speed and tight profit margins are facts of life on the Marcellus—and it’s clear the RTN is playing a central role in successfully dealing with them. Daily user log-ins to KeyNetGPS increased by roughly 40 percent in a twelve-month period, and the total number of subscribers doubled in two years.

The use of GPS/GNSS and the ability to move and manage information have proven as beneficial—if not essential—to the Marcellus effort. “It used to be that everything was about ‘turning the bit to the right,’ as they say, getting the hole drilled,” said Dra-Surv’s Bill Miller. “Now it has become equally important to satisfy the governmental regulations. It’s causing an entrepreneurial approach: those companies that stay on the cutting edge of technology, who have good relationships with their suppliers and who are up-to-date on the regulations have the advantage. These are the items that can make companies successful and help them grow.” See feature in Professional Surveyor’s June issue: www.profsurv.com

Thad Swestyn surveys the location of a new gas pipeline in the Marcellus Shale Field -Photo courtesy of Dra-Surv, Inc.

Left: Prior to backfilling the trench, HMM surveyors (l to r) Chad Kuroski, Tom Johnson and Rob Olaf II capture the location of a pipeline joint (HMM photo). Center: KeyNetGPS map shows extent of network coverage from Virginia up to Maine. Right: Welded pipe ready to be placed into trench and backfilled (HMM photo).


monitoring for several other old and sensitive buildings in central Copenhagen.

LE34 is a member of a group of companies identified as the LE34 Group. LE34 won the contract for the surveying work connected to Cityringen because only they could offer the high level of precision required. “The contract runs until 2023, and in 2009 there were 50 of us working on this project at the company, so this is a major project for us,” says LE34’s Henrik L. Johansen.

For the Hviid Vinstue project, LE34’s client is Metroselskabet, the organization responsible for the Metro construction. Metroselskabet is a collaboration between the municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg and the Ministry of Transport.

In the heart of Copenhagen lies the beautiful and historic public square Kongens Nytorv, or King’s New Square. Founded by King Christian V in 1670, the square was

modeled on the Place Vendome in France; it boasts not only a beautiful garden and mounted statue of the King at its center but also several important buildings around its perimeter, in-cluding the Charlotten and Thott Palaces, and Det Kongelige Teater (“the Royal Danish Theater”). Nestled among them is a slightly more diminutive institution—but one that is argu-ably just as historically and culturally significant—the Hviids Vinstue, Copenhagen’s oldest pub.

First open for business in 1723, the cozy Hviids Vinstue has served a dizzying selection of beer and wine to Copenhagen locals, including many artists and intellectuals, for almost 300 years. But now the old wine bar is under threat, as the Kon-gens Nytorv’s elderly foundations make room for the newest resident on the square, an underground Metro station.

Copenhagen’s Underground Subway ExpandsCopenhagen’s first Metro line opened for passengers in late 2002. Following the completion of two expansions in 2003 and 2007, the Metro now comprises 22 stations, 9 of which are underground. Of the system’s 21 km (13 mi) of track, 10 km (6.2 mi) runs through tunnels. A fourth Metro expansion—in progress and destined for completion in 2018—is Cityringen, a line that will tie together the city’s central quarters. Amid all Copenhagen’s historical buildings, excavations are currently underway for 17 new underground stations, which will be part of Cityringen. One of these will be situated at Kongens Nytorv.

Kongens Nytorv station, located beneath the historic square, will constitute a major traffic hub connecting the existing Metro lines M1 and M2 with the new M3 and M4. On average, 60,000 passengers will use the station every day, making it one of Denmark’s largest stations in terms of number of travelers.

But its construction puts the renowned Hviids Vinstue pub at risk.

Earlier excavation work revealed that the building in which the Hviids Vinstue is housed stands on unstable foundations. For this reason, extra care is being taken to monitor subsid-ence under the building while station construction is in progress. This important assignment has been granted to the LE34 surveying company, which will also carry out similar

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Preserving the Hviid VinstueTo monitor the Hviids Vinstue’s building, LE34 is employing a Trimble S8 Total Station with Trimble 4D Control Software. On the pub’s whitewashed walls, LE34 employees have set up a row of 21 prisms at a height of approximately 4 m (13.1 ft). High up on the roof of Det Kongelige Teater, which faces the pub, the Trimble S8 Total Station has been installed under a large statue. The total station stands in a simple shelter—a covered drainpipe with a peephole—with a camera installed beside it. Once every 15 minutes the total station measures the distance to each of the 21 prisms to an accuracy of +/– 1 mm, while the camera simultaneously takes a photo of the scene. Each set of measurements takes approximately five minutes.

Photographs are taken with each measurement to record any events that may have caused deviations in the data. The photos show exactly what was happening on the building site: for example, where the excavator was working at that moment.

The measurements are sent via the Internet (DSL) to Metroselskabet, which runs Trimble 4D™ Control Software on a virtual server. The Trimble S8 communicates with Trimble 4D Control via a TCP/IP client/server connection, which guarantees a reliable connection. In practice, the total station is connected to a Moxa Nport 2250, which in turn is connected to a router with an Internet connection. LE34, via an SSL VPN service, has access to the server at Metroselskabet and can control Trimble 4D Control from any computer with an Internet connection.

LE34’s Johansen and Rasmus Gregersen check the measured values every day, while twice a week compiling a report for Metroselskabet. “We use a report generator in 4D Control and add our own comments. It’s simple and the reports are

easy for the client to understand,” explains Gregersen. “If the measurements show subsidence exceeding 2 millimetres, we don’t wait until the report is ready; instead we inform Metro-selskabet immediately so they can assess whether any action needs to be taken.” As of press time, no noteworthy movement had occurred.

Wider Preservation EffortsAlong Gammelstrand Street, just a short walk from Kongens Nytorv, LE34 employs a second Trimble S8 Total Station monitoring 41 points along a row of houses next to the canal, where another Metro station will be built. Here, the measure-ments are made every 20 minutes and take 10 minutes every time, which means the total station operates 12 hours a day. So far, this installation has been in place for 1.5 years. The first year’s measurements—made before excavations started—observed the houses’ normal pattern of movement, i.e., how much they move with seasonal temperature variations.

The next step for LE34 is to monitor Copenhagen’s impressive 250-year-old Marmorkirken (“Marble Church”). The church’s dome, at 31 m (101.7 ft), is the largest in Scandinavia, and the church is thought to be inspired by St. Peter’s Church in Rome. The Marmorkirken is a well-known landmark for all Copenhagen and, for this reason, monitoring it is a special assignment requiring two Trimble S8 Total Stations and 20 prisms.

Thanks to these and other monitoring projects underway throughout the city, Copenhagen’s architectural history and culture are being preserved even while its Metro is being modernized. Because of these projects it will no doubt still be possible to enjoy a beer from the vast selection at Hviids Vinstue on its 300th anniversary in 2023—the same year the new Metro station next-door turns 5!

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In 2009, the Ecuador Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries began a ground-breaking land management initiative called SIGTIERRAS. Also

known as the National Information System and Manage-ment of Rural Lands, SIGTIERRAS is a land-titling program aimed at mapping land parcels and collecting property ownership information for the entire nation.

SIGTIERRAS Executive Director Johnny Hidalgo Mantilla believes strongly that an integrated national GIS-based in-formation system will support development and business growth in the country.

“An integrated data collection approach is absolutely necessary to produce consistent parcel definitions and descriptions,” said Hidalgo. “This project requires a syn-chronized effort from property owners, technical crews, neighboring municipality officials and SIGTIERRAS representatives.”

For farmers and land owners, obtaining an accurate land deed is critical for securing loans. Government-sponsored assistance programs and international organizations also require official land ownership records to receive funding.

The multi-year initiative has several primary objectives:• Analyze and design an information system for property tax administration; • Implement and maintain a system of land information for each municipality at the territorial level;• Train representatives of each municipality to systemati- cally collect and update land, location and attribute records;• Create and implement a repeatable approach for updating land information;• Digitally map (scale 1:5,000) each municipality, assigning a unique farm code for each parcel of land; • Accurately value land and property tax data for each municipality; and• Generate final cadastral codes and publish results in the SIGTERRAS system.

With program objectives clearly outlined, SIGTIERRAS imple-mented a pilot project in eight Ecuadorian counties. In addition to capturing orthophotos across the test area, officials selected the Trimble line of mapping-grade GNSS designed for mobile GIS data collection including Trimble GeoExplorer® series GeoXT™ handhelds for ground-level accuracy. SIGTIERRAS also utilized Trimble GPS Pathfinder® Pro XR receivers and Juno® ST and SB series handhelds. For differential post-processing, SIGTIERRAS employed Trimble GPS Pathfinder Office Software.

“We selected Trimble in part because of the GNSS receivers’ high accuracy,” said Hidalgo. “The equipment’s toughness for use in rural areas and the hands-on training options also fac-tored into our decision.”

Project Methodologies For the initial pilot, SIGTIERRAS relied on an existing set of aerial photogrammetric images produced by the country’s Military Geographic Institute (IGM). These images are at a scale of 1:3,000 or greater, depending on each municipality and the density and size of the parcels. Hidalgo and other officials agree

Ecuador’s GISInitiative Depends on GNSSGNSS Helps Save Time, Money in National Land Management Initiative


that for the country’s rural land parcels, the most appropri-ate scale for the cadastral survey orthophotos is 1:5,000. This scale was chosen because it’s sufficient to plot maps contain-ing rural parcels that vary from one-half hectare (ha) up to hundreds of hectares.

To collect data, crew members walk farm property boundarieswith assistance from landowners and neighbors. Two-memberteams collect sub-meter GNSS points at parcel corners. For the pilot project, crew members also entered a basic property description—crops planted and natural vegetation information—into the GNSS handheld.

After completing each parcel survey, field workers assign a previously defined rural cadastral code. Back at the office, these descriptions are linked to each parcel’s location data. During the initial phases, SIGTIERRAS field crews collected pertinent parcel data quickly, spending about an hour at each property. The teams averaged approximately seven surveys per day, despite challenging environmental conditions.

“Our field crews frequently face dense vegetation and heavy cloud cover,” said Hidalgo. “We were pleased that spec requirements in our pilot were met—20 cm accuracy—even with Ecuador’s diverse landscape.”

After collecting parcel coordinates and land data, the team as-signs a unique cadaster code to each section of land. Officials then determine the parcel delineation accuracy and investi-gate the legal land tenure. After municipality officials certify the survey and the landowners resolve any land disputes, the landowner receives a certificate confirming ownership.

Trimble SolutionWith the GNSS handhelds’ powerful processer and built-in storage capacity, the team is able to work more quickly be-cause they can access maps and large data sets in the field. Hidalgo believes that measuring and managing location data with Trimble receivers significantly reduces the in-field survey time at each property.

SIGTIERRAS field crews use GeoXT handhelds with Trimble EVEREST™ multipath rejection technology to record high-quality and accurate GNSS. Back in the office, teams use GPS Pathfinder Office software for differential data correction. Differential correction techniques improve the quality of data gathered by GNSS receivers. Crews use Trimble DeltaPhase™ technology for post-processing to achieve 50 cm accuracy for GNSS code measurements.

SIGTIERRAS also utilizes 17 Trimble NetR9™ GNSS referencereceivers to provide accurate positioning for aerial photogrammetry applications. Ecuadorian officials will use the SIGTIERRAS initiative to support the country’s survey, taxation, and valuation efforts.

SIGTIERRAS collected accurate parcel data and georefer-enced land information for eight counties to successfully complete the pilot. Information for nearly seven percent, or 200,000 land parcels, out of Ecuador’s estimated three million parcels has been captured and stored in the national GIS system.

Hidalgo and other SIGTIERRAS officials are pleased with the sub-meter accuracy and field crew efficiency made possible by the Trimble GNSS equipment.

“Although we are still in the early stages of this national initia-tive, we can already see the benefits of using Trimble for data collection,” said Hidalgo. “We’ve established an efficient and repeatable process for accurate mapping that will save us hundreds of field man-hours and reduce project costs by at least 25 percent.”

Future Plans Ecuadorians will continue to establish the GIS database as the repository for the nation’s cadastral information. As addi-tional land data is collected and published, the database will act as a clearinghouse for georeferenced registration records based on physical and legal status of properties.

Each of Ecuador’s 220 municipalities will be responsible for updating parcel records in the property database. Munici-palities will work closely with the Public Property Registry, or public appraiser, to maintain survey data. For example, if a land parcel is modified or sold, crews will perform a field verification using Trimble GeoXT handhelds and share the updated measurements and land data with the Public Prop-erty Registry for uploading to the database.

With support from Trimble and other partners, Hidalgo knows his team is taking important steps to establish a national land administration system that will ensure private property ownership and provide critical information for planning and development throughout the country.

“Such projects would have been impossible without GNSS technology,” said Hidalgo. “GNSS data is a complement to the orthophoto for rapid parcel measurement.”


Dating back to early 13th century, the Saint-Lambert church in Bouvignes-Sur-Meuse, Belgium, is typical of the region’s unique character and cultural heritage.

It caught the attention of the Heritage Division of the Walloon Region (DGATLP) in Belgium, an organization charged with preserving and sharing Belgian culture and heritage. DGATLP needed detailed geospatial data on the church for architectural studies, documentation of the church’s physical structure and visualization at the Les Journées de Patrimoine (Heritage Days) exhibition of Belgium’s cultural heritage. Responding to the DGATLP request, a team led by Bram Janssens, a master’s stu-dent at Ghent University, developed plans for a detailed survey of the church and its contents.

The project deliverables included a 3D model and orthophotos of the church. While photogrammetry is widely accepted for heritage projects, 3D scanning offers important advantages in creating a complete record. According to Janssens, the two tech-nologies are complementary and provide results not achievable with a single approach. The surveyors used the project to dem-onstrate how 3D scanning can combine with photogrammetry to document historical structures.

The project began with two days of conventional surveying to establish control stations on the interior and exterior of the church. Georeferenced control points were set using a Trimble R6 GPS Receiver in conjunction with a public RTK network. To carry control to the interior, Janssens used a Trimble 5600 Total Station and least squares adjustment to create a polygon of traverse stations on the church floor; the points were tied to the Belgian Datum Lambert 72 coordinate system. From those stations, Janssens used direct reflex measurements to establish 360 ground control points on the interior walls. The error on the control polygons did not exceed 5 mm (0.02 ft). Next, the team photographed the interior of the church with a 40-mm

Preserving aHistoricChurchScanning and PhotogrammetryCombine to Record Cultural Heritage

Rolleiflex analog camera. The photos were scanned to produce digital images for processing and analysis.

With the ground control and photos completed, the survey team turned to its Trimble GX™ 3D Scanner to capture data in small rooms and nooks that could not be obtained by photo-grammetry. The team used the Trimble GX survey workflow, occupying known stations and orienting to ground control points. The scanner proved its value in several ways. Many of the church’s walls and ceilings are painted white, which can cause difficulty in photogrammetric processing. Because the Trimble GX captures 3D points rather than photographic images, it was able to collect data in the white areas. The scanner also enabled the surveyors to control the resolution (or point spacing) of the collected data, varying the scan resolution depending on the level of detail needed for specific objects in the church. When scanning the flat interior plaster walls, Janssens set the scanner to work at a resolution of 10 cm (0.3 ft). To scan a pair of statues in the church, he collected points at intervals of 1mm (0.003 ft).

By using Trimble SureScan™ technology and Trimble PointScape™ Software, Janssens could scan large areas and obtain consistent resolution for objects both near to the scanner and farther away. This approach increased productivity in two ways: it reduced the number of scanning setups, and it made office processing faster and easier. The fieldwork moved quickly; the team collected 25 scans from six different locations in just two days.

2010 Trimble Student Paper Competition Winner

Integrated DataWith the point cloud and modeling complete, DEMs from the photogrammetric processing were imported into Trimble RealWorks to complete the models. The DEMs were colored using the orthophotos, and a textured mesh was created for each stereo model. The meshes provide the basis for detailed geometric evaluation and 3D visualizations as well as the fly-through view of the church.

According to Janssens, the complementary use of pho-togrammetry and 3D scanning ensures that even the smallest corners or largest surfaces of a structure can be measured and recorded accurately. “The capabilities of Trimble RealWorks allowed it to be the main platform for combining three different techniques,” he said. “Without the ability to combine the data of photogrammetry, 3D scanning and traditional surveying, a complete model covering all main features in the church would not have been achieved.”

Bram Janssens received the 2010 Trimble Student Paper Competition award based on this project.

Technology&more; 2011-3-15-

In the OfficeThe first task was to compile and process the photogrammetric data, which was georeferenced to the ground control established with the total station. Because the white surfaces provided no distinguishable contrasts or shapes, data from the scanner was essential in creating accurate 3D models of the walls. When the models were complete, the errors were within tolerance (about 1 cm or 0.3 ft). Next, the orthophotos and Digital Elevation Models (DEM) were transferred from the photogrammetry software into Trimble RealWorks software.

Using the Registration, Office Survey and Modeling modules in Trimble RealWorks, Janssens linked the individual scans into a single point cloud made up of more than 10 million points. He also imported the DEM, confirming that all points were correctly tied to the national coordinate system. Next, he broke the point cloud into smaller portions or “segments” to facilitate faster processing. The value of the SureScan technology was apparent here, Janssens said, because it reduced the office work needed to remove redundant points.

With the data set in an easy-to-manage configuration, the team modeled the point cloud into meshes, which they combined with the photogrammetric results. “The ground control points were critical in this step,” Janssens said. “Since they were docu-mented in the photos, they could be accurately used as markers for image matching. This illustrates the complementary aspects of classical surveying and 3D scanning and ensures the best possible image matching.”

The work called for modeling of much of the church’s interior. Many features, such as support columns, occurred multiple times in the church. Janssens used the point cloud data to create a standard model for one column, and then duplicated the model at every column in the church. In places where the actual column differed from the model, it was easy to adjust the model to match the true column.


For decades, the old bridge and tunnel had looked right at home in the rugged, mountainous terrain of southeastern British Columbia. But it was time for

a facelift. Elko Tunnel, which dates to the 1900s, needed a survey to determine if it could handle the transport of large coal dump boxes from a nearby mine. And Wycliffe Bridge—built in the early 1930s—needed to be rebuilt.

With both surveying projects scheduled for 2009, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructures (BCMoT) needed to complete the measurements with available manpower resources and under challenging conditions. To handle the work, the ministry combined GNSS surveying, reflectorless total stations and spatial imaging to collect the needed data safely and efficiently. BCMoT has used spatial imaging extensively for two years, measuring everything from high-way intersections to rock slope mechanics and stability as well as surveying inaccessible slopes.

Multiple ChallengesThe Wycliffe Bridge, which spans the St. Mary’s River, is a timber structure supported by a pair of concrete piers. It’s roughly 115 m (380 ft) long, including a central span and two structures connecting the center span to the road. The BCMoT team needed to survey the bridge for deck replacement and improvements to the superstructure and approaches. Steep slopes, the river and dense vegetation made it difficult to see, much less access, the bridge’s piers and support structure. Conventional methods would have required many days of work to capture the bridge’s columns, beams, cross members and decking. By comparison, scanning would be faster and safer, and would provide more detail than could be obtained using conventional methods.

Old Structures,Modern Methods

Top and bottom left: The Wycliffe bridge rebuild will increase the bridge’s load limit, improve safety and extend the life of the structure. Bottom right: BCMoT survey crew—Geoff Methuen, Rod Ralston and Luke Dickieson—set control points for the project using Trimble R8 GNSS receivers. – Photos courtesy of BCMoT


The BCMoT crew used static GNSS to establish control points around the bridge. Next, they used a Trimble VX™ Spatial Station to scan the bridge from four different locations, resecting the instrument’s coordinates from the control points. The team scanned the entire structure from below the bridge deck, and used direct reflex measurements to capture additional details on the main span and concrete pillars. They collected imagery using the instrument’s built-in high-resolution camera. The surveyors then used a Trimble R8 GNSS system for RTK topographic surveys, and to locate nearby cadastral markers. Using the Trimble VX as a total station, they collected additional topography in areas not suited for RTK. The surveyors could minimize the amount of time they spent in the roadway, and the entire survey was carried out without closing the area to vehicle traffic.

Originally constructed for rail traffic, the Elko Tunnel lies on the Crowsnest Highway connecting Elko and Fernie. The tunnel is roughly 100 m (330 ft) long, and is sized to fit the trains of the early 1900s. The survey plan was similar to that for the bridge, with the crew setting control points using post-processed GNSS. Inside the tunnel, surveyors used the Trimble VX to conduct nine scans from five dif-ferent setup points. With the scanner’s position established by resection from GNSS points outside the tunnel, the team configured the instrument to automatically collect evenly-spaced points on the tunnel floor, walls and ceiling. Outside the tunnel, RTK GNSS collected topographic data along the highway corridor. During the scanning, the instrument could operate unattended inside the tunnel, and it was not necessary to shut down traffic. Because the Trimble VX and Trimble R8 GNSS systems use the same controller and field software, the crews could combine their work into project files in a common, georeferenced coordinate system.

Data Processing and AnalysisWork on the bridge called for a large number of measure-ments to depict the existing structure. For the tunnel, the emphasis was on analysis to determine clearances and information related to a possible roadway enlargement, and the team collected approximately 56,000 points. On both projects, BCMoT used Trimble RealWorks Software to check and analyze the scanning data. They combined the point clouds and images with data from GNSS and the Trimble VX into a single data set. Technicians created a 3D model of the tunnel and developed a contour map at intervals of 10 cm (0.3 ft). The contours (now in the form of

3D polylines) were exported to the ministry’s CAD systems for cross section analysis, plotting and design.

Looking back on the projects, Mike W. Skands, survey and mapping manager for the ministry’s southern interior region, said that the teams completed their surveys within the allotted timeframes and provided the high-quality data needed for planning and construction. “You could do the field work in less time using conventional equipment, and then make assumptions based on a few essential measurements,” he observed. “But by using the scanning functionality, we saturated the subject of our survey with 3D points and supplemented it with georeferenced im-ages. It eliminated assumptions and provided a superior representation.”

Skands said that the automatic and remote control features of the Trimble VX were important on the tunnel project, where cold weather hampered the work. The instrument’s Trimble VISION™ video capability allowed the surveyors to “see” what the instrument saw, a valu-able advantage when the bridge surveyors needed to measure in difficult places. Skands believes that the new technologies enabled the tunnel and bridge surveys to be completed with a minimal crew, even under punishing conditions. “Because the required manpower has been re-duced to one third or one quarter of what it used to take, we can use our resources more efficiently and on multiple projects,” Skands said.

See feature in the June issue of CE News: www.cenews.com


This wasn’t your usual scanning project. Dutch offshore contractor Tideway wanted to know the technical and economic feasibility of converting one of its stone dumper ships into a cable layer. Blue Offshore, a marine instal-lation contractor and cable-laying specialist, had already conducted a feasibility study. The converted ship, the

Tideway Rollingstone, would be deployed at the wind park on Thorntonbank, 30 km (19 mi) off the Belgian coast from Zeebrugge, to interconnect to the transformer station at sea. Forty-eight new turbines would be installed, each capable of producing 6 megawatts of peak power. When complete, the Thorntonbank would supply 325 megawatts of green electricity to the Belgian grid.

Charting a New Course in Open-Sea Scanning

Prior to converting the ship, a comprehensive model of the Rollingstone was required. The challenge was that accurate line plans of certain ship sections were no longer available and needed to be re-measured. Additionally, the ship was deployed on a major 24/7 offshore project. So Tideway turned to Dutch firm Stemar Engineering bv to take critical measurements at sea.

"When we were hired, the Rollingstone was active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea,” said Stemar Managing Partner Mark Rood. “Since the daily rate of that type of stone dumper is very high, there was no possibility of it being held at port for us, even for half a day. We were lucky to have a Trimble FX™ 3D Scanner.”

From Port to PlottingIn August 2010, Stemar flew a team to Finland for the proj-ect. At the time, the ship was travelling between the port

of Kotka, where stones were dumped in the hold, and out to sea, where the cargo was dumped. The hold could only be measured when the empty vessel was returning to port.

At 10 p.m. on August 25, Rood and his team were picked up at their hotel near Kotka, on Finland’s southern coast east of Helsinki, and taken to the wharf where the pilot boat would take them to the Rollingstone.

"It was just before 5 o’clock in the morning when the pilot boat pulled alongside the stone-dumper," Rood says. "The entire cargo was poured into the sea and a ladder was thrown down to let us climb onboard. We had already calculated that six scans would be needed, so we got to work right away.”

Rood and his team scanned the entire cargo area non-stop. The scanner’s 360-degree-wide and 270-degree-high field of view captured every detail of the ship, and its data


capture rate of 216,000 points per second allowed the team to complete the project quickly. "By the time we finished the last scan at 7 o’clock in the morning, the ship was docked again," Rood says.

While a new load of the stones were being dumped into the cargo hold, Stemar’s team took an additional eight scans of the sides and stern of the ship. In the process they made an outflanking movement, and covered a U-shaped track with a path length of 80 m (262 ft). The entire job was complete before the ship was loaded again, allowing the Rollingstone to maintain its tight schedule.

The Trimble FX does not use compensators, which was an advantage on the ship. “Devices with dual-axis compensators can consume extra electricity,” said Rood. “Because the scan-ner is set up on the ship, the rolling and pitching do not affect the results. Thus, a stabilization system for our application was unnecessary and we were able to use the battery for the scanning alone."

Back OnshoreBack at Stemar’s office in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, the team processed and recorded the data using Trimble RealWorks® Software. The registration involved the seamless connection of the different scans using targets set on the ship at the start of the project. Stemar also used the software to view the data and convert the point cloud into 3D CAD models or surfaces, which allow designers to work in the latest CAD programs. In addition, Stemar used the Trimble LASERGen CAD plug-in to utilize the point clouds inside AutoCAD. The CAD plug-in can be used for designing and checking to ensure the new model fits existing conditions, providing customers with added confidence and lowering the risk of costly rework.

The 3D model from all 14 scans was both very clean and highly accurate, Rood said. "We used the thickness of the steel hulls to check this, and according to our scans, the steel panels were 17 mm thick, while the actual thickness was 20 mm. Our measurements were therefore accurate to 3 to 5 mm. Given the circumstances, that is pretty impressive."

Change of Developments Converting a stone-dumper to a cable layer is fairly substan-tial and Stemar’s brief was not limited to measuring. “Blue Offshore asked us to make a new deck layout and provide all the associated modifications to the ship," says Rood.

Stemar’s design plans served as the basis for a detailed cost estimate. Although developments in the market led Tideway to abandon its plans for the Rollingstone, the project served as a valuable model for future open-sea measurement ap-plications. “The Trimble FX is perfect for these kinds of measurements,” Rood says. “Everything in the field of view is measured with the same accuracy. Sometimes details that seem irrelevant during the scan prove to be very important in the design phase. With the Trimble FX, you can be assured that you will never be short of measurements.”

See feature in POB’s October issue: www.pobonline.com

Photo Contest

Flying in the CrewSurveyor Jake Wright sent in this unique shot of his crew working on the Point Thompson Project on Alaska’s north slope for Exxon Mobile during the summer of 2010. The crew was laying out for a new oil and natural gas pipeline to run approximately 56 km (35 mi) east to west from Pt Thompson to Badami, about halfway to Prudhoe Bay. Pictured are Casey Heath, Richard Diaz, Tom Biggs, Eddy Biggs, Clay Tippin, Wright, and their chopper pilot Bill Saathoff. “We were all running Trimble GPS and got flown in to our jobsite, 121 km (75 mi) east of Prudhoe Bay,” writes Wright. “We were able to stretch 8+ miles from our base with minimal radio problems from our equipment, which really helped us to finish the project on time! I used the same equipment later that winter for locating the buried natural gas pipeline along-side the Dalton Highway (next to the big 'famous' 122-cm (48-in) oil pipeline). Temps dropped below -46 C (-50 F) that year and we were hit hard by intense arctic blizzards; even though our base would freeze solid and we couldn’t break it down due to its coating of hard ice—but it still worked without skipping a beat! It made it easier not hav-ing to mess with it and being able to get our work done. It really helps having the right equipment!” A Mountain Top ExperienceSurveyor Hector Fabian Garrido sent in this photo taken in August 2011 on a proposed seismic acquisition project west of the town of Guandacol province of La Rioja, Cuyo region, Argentina (Lat: 29°33'25.94"S; Long: 68°37'47.09"O). The crew used a Trimble R6 GNSS receiver along with Trimble PDL450 and Trimble HPB450 radio modems to acquire stakeout positions for laying geophones every 25 m (82 ft). They were also seeking better access for vibrating equipment to protect the environment. The project was awarded to the company Minelog Argentina SA.


For this issue’s photo contest we did something a bit different: our editors chose the three top photos—and our Facebook fans chose the first place winner. First place—and a Trimble 4-in-1 all-weather jacket or comparable prize—goes to the Taking a Precarious Stand image, which received the most Facebook fan

votes. Be part of the action: check out Trimble Survey Division on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TrimbleSurvey) for the next issue’s photo contest contenders.

This issue’s Honorable Mention winners will receive a limited-edition Trimble watch:

Taking a Precarious StandYasser Sayed of Al Jehat in Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh sent in this photo of one of his customer’s archeological digs at Al Draeia, a section in Riyadh. Al Draeia is the site of an excavated ancient city; to provide the customer with the amount of site detail they requested, Sayed set up a Trimble GX 3D Scanner and recreated a 3D digital model of the site. This enables archeologists to keep a permanent trace of the site as it exists today. Most archeologists use 3D models to test assumptions: how people lived in the place, what were the configurations of the rooms, etc. Additionally, it becomes an educational tool to promote the site by immersing people into the space as it was at the time of use. Because of the complexity of the location, the scanner was set up on a high position so it would also scan details on the ground; in addition, the number of pillars and uneven floor made it difficult to set up traditionally. Some of the Facebook comments included, “Who set this thing up?” Answered by “Someone with mad tripod setting out skills!!!” And “I like it, because of the risk you have of the scanner falling to the ground.” Sayed’s customer will receive the Trimble jacket or comparable prize.

First Place

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Photo ContestEnter Trimble’s Technology&more Photo Contest!

The winners of the Trimble Photo Contest receive Trimble prizes and the photos are published in Technology&more. This issue's first place winner is the Taking a Precarious Stand photo on page 21. If you would like to enter the contest, just send a photo taken with an 8 megapixel (or greater) digital camera to [email protected]. Please make sure you include your name, title and contact information.

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