Geospatial World August 2013

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Inside...

August 2013 • Vol 4 • Issue 1 Corner Office

Theme: BIM Cover story

18 Stephen Lawler,

Chief Technology Officer,

Microsoft Bing Maps

24 Building on BIM Geoff Zeiss

Special Focus: Mining

Articles

58 Mining for more, Deepali Roy

34 BIM & geospatial push for infra PPPs, Terry D. Bennett

Case Studies

47 BIM at the confluence of new technology currents

66 Aerial and ground survey for efficient mine development

Bart De Lathouwer

50 Challenges and opportunities for land surveyors, Loh Suat Yena

68 3D GIS aiding mine management

54 How viable is BIM as a career?

70 Going for gold with LiDAR

Case Study

72 Draining out water woes

56 Erecting the diamond dome Interviews

07 Editorial

41 Anne Kemp, Director, Atkins Global

08 News

44 Dave Bartlett,

Vice President, Smarter Buildings, IBM

16 Product Watch

52 Shannon McElvaney, Global

74 Events

Industry Manager for Community Development, Esri

Advisory Board

Disclaimer Geospatial World does not necessarily subscribe to the views expressed in the publication. All views expressed in this issue are those of the contributors. Geospatial World is not responsible for any loss to anyone due to the information provided.

Owner, Publisher & Printer Sanjay Kumar Printed at M. P. Printers B - 220, Phase-II, Noida - 201 301, Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) India Publication Address A - 92, Sector - 52, Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, India The edition contains 76 pages including cover

Aida Opoku Mensah Special Advisor, Post 2015 Development Agenda, UN Economic Commisssion for Africa

Derek Clarke Chief Director-Survey and Mapping & National Geospatial Information, Rural Development & Land Reform, South Africa

CHAIRMAN M P Narayanan

Bryn Fosburgh Barbara Ryan Secretariat Director, Group on Earth Observations

Sector Vice-President, Executive Committee Member, Trimble Navigation

Chair-Executive Board, Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency (Kadaster), The Netherlands

Dawn J. Wright Chief Scientist, Esri

Dr. Hiroshi Murakami

First Vice President, ISPRS

Chair, Department of Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg, Austria

Lisa Campbell

Mark Reichardt

Vice President, Engineering & Infrastructure, Autodesk

President and CEO, Open Geospatial Consortium

Vice-President and General Manager, Large Format Printing Business, Hewlett-Packard

Geospatial World | August 2013

Stephen Lawler Chief Technology Officer, Bing Maps, Microsoft

Managing Editor Prof. Arup Dasgupta

CEO, Bentley Systems

Director-General of Planning Department, Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Juergen Dold

Kamal K Singh

President Hexagon Geosystems

Chairman and CEO, Rolta Group

Editor — Geospatial World Weekly Dr. Hrishikesh Samant

Mohd Al Rajhi

Executive Editor Bhanu Rekha

Greg Bentley

Prof. Josef Strobl Prof. Ian Dowman

Publisher Sanjay Kumar

Publications Team

Dorine Burmanje

Matthew O’Connell CEO, Adhoc Holdings

Ramon Pastor

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Asst Deputy Minister for Land & Surveying, Ministry of Municipal & Rural Affairs, Saudi Arabia

Vanessa Lawrence Dr Swarna Subba Rao Surveyor General of India

Director General and Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey, UK

Editor — Building & Energy Geoff Zeiss Editor — Latin America (Honorary) Tania Maria Sausen

Deputy Executive Editor Anusuya Datta Product Manager Harsha Vardhan Madiraju Sub-Editor Ridhima Kumar Graphic Designer Debjyoti Mukherjee Circulation Manager Amit Shahi

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Geospatial World | August 2013

EditorSpeak

Collaboration is the way to integration Prof Arup Dasgupta Managing Editor arup@geospatialmedia.net

T

his academic year I was pleasantly surprised to find five students from the Masters of Construction Engineering and Management attending my core postgraduate course on Fundamentals of Geomatics. It is becoming increasingly clear that geomatics, geospatial to our readers, needs to collaborate with end users to achieve greater acceptability. We have seen that geospatial integrated with enterprise resources planning, business intelligence, building information modelling or design and engineering results in dramatic improvements in these systems.

These improvements are negated by some avoidable misconceptions and biases. Some engineers consider geospatial to be the realm of scientists and therefore ‘never the twain shall meet’. Even when they do use geospatial data, they may not consider it to be ‘GIS’. Geospatial practitioners also tend to work in silos.

In this issue, we have as our lead story the collaboration of geospatial and Building Information Modelling, or BIM. What drives this integration is the need to manage building and infrastructure activities efficiently to reduce costs at all stages from planning to implementation to maintenance. The need to factor in issues like conservation, waste management, efficient use of resources like power and water has led to the concept of smart buildings; a concept that depends heavily on geospatial technologies as well as Geodesign and BIM. Another area of potential application is in

areas like most Asian countries where land is at a premium due to competing demands. Planning of new infrastructure, expansion of cities and towns, managing heritage and historical structures come to mind. Lack of integrated information and the existence of silos of expertise working in isolation have resulted in projects that are potential disasters, and in some cases, the worst has been realised leading to massive loss of property and lives.

As these convergences take place, there are new technologies that are just above the horizon. 3D visualisation is now progressing towards virtual reality and even immersive virtual reality. Realistic simulations using these technologies can expose latent problems enabling changes in design even before resources are committed. Simulations can also examine suggested changes and extensions for their future impact. Simulations can also help plan disaster responses and mitigation.

The only worry is that these activities are advancing at a slow pace, not because of lack of technology but because of the tardy acceptance by the potential users. Some users reluctantly admit that what they are using is ‘like GIS but we don’t call it a GIS’! So be it, as long as the technology is being used. However, when I see the five young construction engineers in my class of 35, I know that the younger generation will bring in the necessary acceleration.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Americas news

Satellite manufacturers cut jobs despite revenue growth Despite seeing a 23% revenue increase in 2012, the satellite manufacturing sector also saw the biggest loss of US satellite jobs. According to the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) State of the Satellite Industry Report, the sector lost about 6% of workers. However, Patricia Cooper, president of the SIA, said the employment decrease is only minor. “It’s a slight decline in satellite employment over the last couple of years, according to Bureau of Labor

ering relocating its corporate headquarters within the Denver-Boulder area. The company appeared before the Colorado Economic Development Commission asking for incentives to keep its headquarters in Colorado.

It told the Commission it would be adding up to 505 jobs over the next five years, and the Commission granted an incentive package of up to $4.4 million, tied directly to the number of jobs it added, according to John Cody, president and CEO of the Longmont Area Economic Council.

BAE Systems bags geospatial imagery contract The Geospatial Management Office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has selected BAE Systems to provide geospatial imagery and analysis for real-time intelligence products. This award identifies BAE Systems as one of the four prime contractors on DHS’s Remote Sensing Services to Support Incident Management and Homeland Security Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The ceiling value of all task orders to be released under the five-year IDIQ is $50 million.

Courtesy: SIA

Nokia HERE Maps feature indoor maps of 45 countries statistics,” she said, noting that the loss is less significant than the 8% employment drop over the past five years.

DigitalGlobe to expand business, create 500+ jobs DigitalGlobe is reportedly planning to add more than 500 jobs and is consid8

Geospatial World | August 2013

Nokia HERE Maps now features 49,000 buildings in 45 countries which also include stadiums, theme parks, historic streets, or other outdoor spaces, such as Carnaby Village and golf clubs apart from shopping malls. “We create precise venue maps by not only collecting floor plans, but by also physically visiting venues to ensure that our data is more accurate than those from com-

Courtesy: HERE

Business

petitors. When the HERE team visits a venue they make sure the shapes and dimensions of the buildings and their facilities are correct so that what you see in our venue maps reflects what you see in reality. If the building has multiple floors, we also include those,” a statement from Nokia revealed.

Microsoft shows off 3D mapping for Bing With the big three (Microsoft, Google and Apple) tech companies getting serious about their mapping services, Microsoft has announced that 3D imagery is coming to its Windows 8.1 mapping application. The new 3D mode looks similar to Apple’s ‘Flyover’ mode, which shows 3D rendered images. Maps will also have Bing services built in to give users information about points of interest. There is also voice support in maps, which lets users ask questions while exploring the world with maps.

Americas news Planet Labs to launch largest fleet of EO satellites Planet Labs, a space and analytics company, is planning to launch the world’s largest fleet of earth imaging satellites to image the changing planet and provide open access to that information. The company successfully launched two imaging satellites in April 2013 for testing purposes.

Founded by former NASA scientists, the company aims to launch a fleet of earth imaging satellites, called ‘Doves’, that, when acting together, can provide a new image of the planet at an unprecedented combination of resolution and frequency. To best enable this mission, the company has selected a low orbit for its constellation and an optical resolution of three to five metres — a scale that allows measurement of a tree canopy, but does not compromise individual privacy. This will enable monitoring of deforestation, help improve agricultural yields, track natural disasters and many other applications.

Miscellaneous ‘US critical infrastructure sectors at risk from GPS’ US critical infrastructure sectors are increasingly at risk from a growing dependency on GPS for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services, notes a report by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The report which has evaluated risks to US critical infrastructure from GPS disruptions stated that such dependencies are not always apparent. The report further states, “Detecting, locating, and disabling sources of GPS dis-

Apple files patent for Waze-style crowdsourced navigation The US Patent Office has published a new patent application

by Apple that integrates crowdsourced traffic data for real-time information about road conditions, similar to what Waze does.

Waze, which was just acquired

by Google, seeks user input on changing road conditions, and rewards users for making accurate reports. Apple’s patent also offers route choices based on criteria like “Scenic Route, Light Traffic, No Construction” and more that are also rated and reviewed by users. The system is designed for use with mobile devices with both cellular and GPS functions, which means the iPhone and iPad would be prime targets, and stores user ratings in a database to assign a cumulative number value to each suggested route.

ruption remain a challenge,” adding, “Economic losses, lowered consumer confidence, and safety-of-life issues are possible consequences to sectors from extensive GPS disruptions.”

RS techniques using acoustic abilities of insects The unique acoustic abilities of the insect Cicadas are now being studied by the scientists in order to develop new remote sensing techniques and ways to communicate underwater. Scientists say though they have understood the mechanisms behind the insect’s sound making, imitating those is a tough task. Derke Hughes, a Researcher at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R. I, said that he was working on a physicsbased model to find out how these insects produced mating calls. This

model will help the researchers in understanding how loud noise can be produced using very little power.

Hughes said that these insects have very unique capability to deform their bodies as they produce this vibration.

NGA seeks overhaul of its map structure The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which handles mapping and charting for the US Defense Department and the intelligence establishment, wants to overhaul their product. The NGA wants to redo their entire geospatial model. Due to an increasing volume in demand for map and chart data from the Pentagon, the agency is seeking a contractor to convert their holdings into text and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) formats.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Europe news Belgium

Earth’s northern biomass, mapped and measured

Astrium to improve Pléiades satellite imagery quality

The biomass of the northern hemi- Courtesy: ESA sphere’s forests has been mapped with greater precision than ever before. With processing software drawing in stacks of radar images from the ESA’s Envisat satellite, scientists have created a map of the whole northern hemisphere’s forest biomass in higher resolution – each pixel represents 1 km on the ground. About 70,000 Envisat radar images from October 2009 to February 2011 were fed into this new, ‘hyper-temporal’ approach to create the pan-boreal map for 2010.

Astrium Services will use a new algorithm developed by the French Space Agency (CNES) to automatically sharpen satellite imagery from the Pleiades constellation. The new algorithm provides images with betterdrawn, neater contours, with a better understanding of the surface texture.

These improvements greatly facilitate the analysis of the image (photointerpretation) and also improve the accuracy of 3D models resulting from stereo taken images.

AppJobber, utilises location technology and crowdsourced data to create various microjobs. The idea was conceptualised by a German company “wer denkt was” (“who thinks what”) and is now supported by ESA Business Incubation Centre Darmstadt, one of seven centres across Europe. “We now have clients like Deutsche Bahn who would like to know when one of their ticket machines is out of order, a signboard is not working, a station light has failed or something has been vandalised,” says Dr Krug, CEO. “This can easily be resolved by anyone with a smartphone passing the stations — just take

EUMETSAT signs earth observation agreement EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) and the African Union have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on earth observation as well as the implementing arrangement for the Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) project, funded by the European Development Fund (EDF).

The agreement on earth observation establishes a political mechanism for ensuring that future cooperation will continue to benefit all African Union member states.

Jobs are reported by photos

France

Smartphone users can now use their high-tech phones to earn an extra buck. A novel smartphone app, 10

Geospatial World | August 2013

Courtesy: ESA

Creating ‘microjobs’ for smartphone users

a picture, write a few words and send it in. The images are location-tagged precisely with satellite navigation data.

And the one doing the microjob gets paid a few euros,” he added.

ESSP signs 8-year EGNOS contract The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has awarded an eight-year, €450 million ($585.4 million) EGNOS Service Provision (ESP) contract to ESSP, the European Satellite Services Provider. ESSP has provided EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) services since 2009 under the current Value of the deal contract with the European Commission, which continues until the end of this year. The new contract will cover the period 2014-2021 (inclusive).

The contract will ensure the continuous provision of EGNOS services and also covers the maintenance and upgrading of EGNOS’s system infrastructure.

€450 mn

Asia news India First navigation satellite soars to success

Courtesy: ISRO

PSLV launching IRNSS - 1A satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched its first dedicated navigation satellite on July 1. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and ejected IRNSS-1A satellite, placing it in orbit a little past midnight. IRNSS-1A, the first of the

seven satellites constituting the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) space segment, has a mission life of 10 years. It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1,500 km from its boundary, which is its primary service area. “IRNSS-1A was launched at a cost of approximately INR 12.5 billion ($209.7 million),” ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan said after the launch.

China National street-level routing project launched A national street-level mapping project for routing vehicles in mainland China has been launched by Paragon

Software Systems. The mapping allows users of the Paragon software to create optimised routes and schedules for their transport operations in China using accurate data. The street-level mapping capability reinforces Paragon’s commitment to delivering transport optimisation solutions to customers worldwide wherever they may be operating.

Remote sensing data for APSCO states The China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) have signed an agreement to share remote sensing data. The agreement was signed during an APSCO council meeting. According to

Following massive landslides which claimed thousands of lives in the Indian hill state of Uttarakhand in mid June, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released satellite images of the region. On the basis of remote-sensing images scientists have carried out an analysis to determine the cause of disaster at the temple town of Kedarnath.

It is evident from the post-event images of Kedarnath town that the massive destruction was the result of large-scale debris carried by the huge volume of water from the upper reaches above the town. Rainwater, with higher temperature, falling on the snow must have led to heavy snow melt and this runoff would have added to the rainwater runoff, resulting in a huge water flow that carried with it

Courtesy: ISRO

Scientific analysis of Uttarakhand flood fury

Left: Pre-flood image shows water moving in thin channels; right: post-disaster, the channels of water have become broader

a huge debris flow, which struck the town with enormous ferocity. There were thousands of pilgrims in the temple town when the tragedy struck.

The ISRO recently released high-resolution pre-flood and post-flood images of the Kedarnath region which show dramatic alterations in the topography

of the region with several inhabited areas being reduced to rubble. For example, earlier, only one stream used to flow in the background of Kedarnath shrine, which used to split into two after coming down the hills. But post-disaster, images show that a new (third) stream has been formed in the region.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Asia news

Philippines Areas prone to natural disasters identified The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has identified areas in Central Luzon that are “unfit for dwelling” due to topographic attributes, that make them prone to flooding, earthquake, liquefaction and other climate conditions. According to Geology Division chief Noel Lacadin, the geohazard mapping covered the provinces of Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan, making it easy for Local Government Units to warn residents in the event of natural disasters.

Thailand First high-precision forest carbon mapping initiative The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and WWF-Thailand have formally launched the joint project, TREEMAPS (Tracking Reductions in Carbon Emissions through Enhanced Monitoring and Project Support) which aims to establish Thailand’s first forest carbon basemap and monitoring system, as well as establishing a sub-national REDD+ project. This initiative will help to reduce carbon emissions, protect vital biodiversity and ecosystem services, and create sustainable livelihoods for many people. Data will be collected 12

Geospatial World | August 2013

Augmented reality helmet gives bikers live maps on the go Russian-based startup LiveMap is working on a motorcycle helmet that will display maps, vehicle speed, and the time right on the helmet’s transparent visor. Based on the Android operating system, the LiveMap works using voice commands and needs no connection to the Internet except during software updates. The helmet’s lighting display system will adjust for day and night viewing conditions and will contain a A translucent picture is projected on the right gyroscope, allowing the map imagery to change depending hand side of the visor of helmet on the viewing direction of the wearer. The helmet is also clever about minimising distracted driving -- a map is shown only when the rider’s speed is close to zero.

Courtesy: LiveMap

the agreement, CNSA will provide remote sensing satellite services to all APSCO member states. The data will be used to aid in natural disaster reduction and relief in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the agreement.

from three sources: satellite imagery, on-the-ground surveys and through the use of groundbreaking LiDAR technology.

Dubai

Israel

The Dubai Municipality has introduced a Geo-Address System for locating desirable places, buildings, streets or localities in Dubai. “No more waiting or confusion to identify any place, building, street or locality in Dubai if you use the new Geo Address System developed by the Dubai Municipality’s Geographical Information Systems Department,” said Abdul Hakim Malik, Director of GIS Department. “Geo-Address System is a strategic project that aims at creating a national coordinate grid and system to enable everyone to find and reach any location in Dubai easily using a globally integrated code via smart phones, iPads, computers and navigators.

Israel approves Google Street View After months of consultations with Israeli security officials, Google has launched its popular Street View service in the holy city of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. The new Street View provides images of ordinary life, contested areas and religious sites in the Holy Land. Classified locations pertaining to national security are blurred out. Google Street View is available in more than 30 countries. It was held up in Israel by concerns that images of its streets could be used by terrorists.

Geo-address codes for all Dubai buildings

Australia/Oceania news

Courtesy: Future Gov

GIS to audit social inclusion project

(GSQ) to search for the new mineral deposits across the state over the next three years and secure the future of the industry.

A mineral resource asaid for mineral sessment deposit search initiative is also planned, with geological mapping and sampling to re-examine mineral potential in the region, such as rare earths.

$30 mn

New Zealand The Department of Community and Social Inclusion (DCSI) has utilised GIS technology to transform the problematic auditing process. DCSI’s Aboriginal and Remote Housing (ARH) unit audits the condition of their housing programme which provides safe, quality housing to economically and socially vulnerable Indigenous Australians living in remote communities in South Australia. The GIS solution — which incorporates Esri’s ArcGIS and Dekho technologies — has enabled significant workflow improvements, such as more efficient data collection, which has provided the department with important evidence around housing needs and requirements. DCSI field officers now use GIS-enabled mobile devices to instantly capture and record property and community information — which has led to improved data integrity and accuracy.

Surveying body gets financial aid for mineral survey The Queensland Government has allocated $30 million in new exploration funding in its state budget to assist the Geological Survey of Queensland

Aerial imagery data unlocked for public use Around 85% of New Zealand’s most current publicly held aerial imagery data has been opened up for public reuse. Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), as the steward of imagery, has been working with other agencies since 2011 to make available such data under

open licence. “Until recently, only 6% of New Zealand’s land area imagery was available publicly, and most government-held imagery was stored on internal systems,” said Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson.

New database on place, name launched The New Zealand Geographic Board Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has launched a new Web-based database which enables users to find information on official place names. The database, called the Place Name Gazzetter, allows people to search for both official and unofficial names of places and geographic features throughout New Zealand, as well as those within our continental shelf and the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. It is supported by an interactive map covering mainland New Zealand and it replaces the former Gazetteer..

Predicting natural disaster impact, years in advance Cutting-edge mapping technology could help predict and mitigate the impact of Australia’s next largescale natural disaster before the event is even on the radar. “We can assess the capacity of the emergency services resources within a given area to deal with an event of a particular magnitude, and even model where additional resources can be sourced in the event that local capacity is exhausted,” said Esri Australia Emergency Management Specialist Josh Venman. “This type of advanced modelling can take place years in advance to ensure government authorities can better understand the risks facing communities and put appropriate mitigation measures in place — such as adopting disaster-safe planning schemes and building codes, and locating infrastructure and populations in low risk areas,” he added.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Courtesy: Bureau of Meteorology

Australia

Africa news South Africa

New satellite imagery mosaic of South Africa launched

Spatial Planning Bill could soon become law

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) officially unveiled the “SPOT 5 National Mosaic 2012”. This is a mosaic which covers the entire country and is composed of images taken by the French SPOT 5 Earth observation satellite last year. “The SPOT mosaic represents a commitment that SANSA has made, to provide quality data and services to a variety of users,” explained SANSA Earth observation stakeholder and new Courtesy: SANSA business development manager Imraan Saloojee.

The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill (B14B-2012) was endorsed by South Africa’s National Council of Provinces (NCOP), paving the way for municipalities to become the primary regulators of land use.

Once in force, the Bill is expected to transform South Africa’s spatial planning and land use management systems so that they promote social and economic inclusion, provide for the sustainable and efficient use of land and redress spatial inequity. According to State President Jacob Zuma, the Bill is one of the two pieces of legislation expected to assist the process of reversing the legacies of the Natives Land Act, the other being Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Bill. The Bill aims to facilitate provincial and national government to perform key support and monitoring functions to ensure that municipalities discharge their mandate.

South African space agency increases EO budget The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has increased its earth observation (EO) budget this year to R70-million ($7 million).

“This is a 13% increase on last year’s expenditure,” said SANSA CEO Dr Sandile Malinga. The biggest [part of this] spend goes to data acquisition — about R30-million ($3 million), for imagery from [French EO satellite] SPOT and [US EO satellite] Landsat and other global satellites and then to improve the systems and turnaround 14

Geospatial World | July 2013

times, to improve Sansa’s service to our customers.”

Nairobi Africa to map neglected diseases via GPS devices Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa will begin using the latest technologies to map and collect data on the distribution of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) later this year. Officers running national NTD control programmes will be trained to use the latest mapping tools — including GIS,GPS and smart phones, to create maps and collect data, to help with ‘practical control’ of diseases that continue to afflict millions of people on the continent. National control programme officers will be trained in using the latest tools to locate these diseases, and collect and analyse data for cost effective control of NTDs. The significance of using these technologies in mapping NTDs is to establish distributions, target treatment in need

areas, estimate drug and resource requirements in affected populations and obtain clear information for monitoring and control purposes.

Egypt Radar images reveal ancient Egyptian river may be revived A 5,000-year-old river could be resurrected to bring sustainable agriculture to one of the planet’s rainiest yet driest deserts, according to a study.

The desert of the Sinai Peninsula receives the most rainfall of any part of Egypt — around 304 mm annually but most of it is of no benefit to agriculture, instead flowing out into the Mediterranean Sea in flash floods.

The geological record shows that the Sinai region was much wetter 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. Using satellite radar images to visualise ancient river beds that have since been buried under surface deposits, the team compared the modern day topography with the paths of the ancient river channels

Africa news from this wetter period. The river was diverted from its original course when geological uplift formed an arch of stratified rock called an anticline that blocked its path.

Tanzania Geophysical survey to uncover gold deposits The Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) has embarked on a high resolution airborne geophysical survey and data processing in Lupa goldfield and Singida Handeni corridor to delineate targets for new discoveries of mineral deposits. GST Senior Trade Officer Priscus Benard said the survey

will lead to unearthing of deposits that would attract exploration investments in the mineral sector. The acquisition of survey data commenced in 2012 and all data, maps and results would be completed by early 2014. “Among other things we are going to collect, process and interpret geophysical data essential in getting a better understanding of the potential mineral resources in the country,” Benard explained.

Nigeria Central bank unveils map for financial access point The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

have launched the results of the GIS mapping of financial access points in the country. The GIS map shows all the bank branches in Nigeria, microfinance bank branches, motor parks, post offices, ATMs, and off-site ATMs in the country. “This is just the beginning. Going forward we are going to try to put on point of sale (PoS) terminals, we are going to try to put on that map other mobile phone agents, because these are all access points for financial inclusion,” said Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

He underlined that map provides an important tool not only for the financial industry, but for consumers and policy makers as well.

Geospatial World | July 2013

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Product Watch Trimble MX2 for versatile

mobile mapping

Trimble has introduced the new Trimble MX2 mobile spatial imaging data capture system. It allows geospatial professionals to safely and effectively address complex projects by collecting spatial data from a mobile scanning platform.

Key features • The MX2 is rugged, lightweight and portable.

• It can be easily deployed and redeployed on projects similar to conventional surveying equipment.

• A precise laser scanner, along with an embedded Trimble-Applanix GNSS/Inertial positioning system, allows geospatial professionals to create the point cloud accuracies necessary for many spatial imaging projects.

Accompanied by Trimble Trident software to capture, process and analyse point data, the Trimble MX2 offers a ready-to-use workflow for surveyors and professionals in mapping, engineering, planning, oil and gas, utilities, mining, environmental, public safety and more. The system is available in single and dual-laser versions.

NVIDIA GeoInt Accelerator for analysts NVIDIA has launched the NVIDIA GeoInt Accelerator, the world’s first GPU-accelerated geospatial intelligence platform to enable security analysts to find actionable insights quicker and more accurately than ever before from vast quantities of raw data, images and video. By using GPU accelerators, the GeoInt Accelerator analyses image and video data up to 10 times faster than systems with CPUs alone.

The platform provides defence and homeland security analysts with tools that enable faster processing of high-resolution satellite imagery, facial recognition in surveillance video, combat mission planning GIS data, and object recognition in video collected by drones.

Key features • Processes more than 3 million sq km of high-resolution imagery collected daily by satellites for current intelligence on points of interest.

• Delivers native 3D GIS fusion, including LiDAR remote sensing technology .

• Provides object detection and event-driven alerts by processing multiple real-time HD video streams.

• Provides situational awareness for mission planning.

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Geospatial World | August 2013

Product Watch IOE3-Kanban for high resolution images The Institute of Optics and Electronics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a camera featuring a 100 megapixel charge-coupled device chip. The camera is capable of producing images with 10,240 x 10,240 pixels.

Key features • It can be used at temperatures ranging from minus 20 to 55 degrees centigrade.

• It will be useful in high-resolution imaging in the fields of aerial mapping, city planning, disaster monitoring and intelligent transportation systems.

• It is equipped with advanced optical systems, camera control systems and high-capacity data recording systems.

An image taken by the 100-megapixel camera

HP DesignJet T1500

HP Designjet series promises precision printing

HiPer SR receiver for GIS, mapping

Hewlett Packard has unveiled two Web-connected e-printers, HT Designjet T920 and HP Designjet T1500 for large-format printing. Both the printers are available in PostScript and non-PostScript variants with true front-roll media loading and integrated output stack to collect and organise prints.

Topcon Positioning Systems has unveiled the HiPer SR integrated receiver for GIS and mapping applications. It is a compact, integrated GNSS receiver with sub-metre accuracy.

Additional, scalable options are available via OAF (Options Authorisation File) upgrades, delivering accuracy levels of sub-decimetre and centimetre without additional hardware.

Key features • The printers are loaded with 320 GB hard drive and parallel processing power that enables printing of A1/D size in 21 seconds.

• The printers can create lines as thin as 0.07 mm which would go a long way to help GIS professionals.

• The products give 50% more accuracy than any competitor’s printers.

• They feature intuitive, full-colour touch-screens that gives users added control with the ability to track print costs.

Key features • Vanguard chip technology featuring 226 channels with universal tracking.

• Integrated multi-channel LongLink communication technology.

• Sealed battery providing up to 20 hours of operation • 4GB onboard memory (Firmware limit of 2GB for static data).

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Corner Office | Stephen Lawler

‘The real-world basemap is moving towards 3D’ A champion of the ‘where’ dimension, Stephen Lawler, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Bing Maps, speaks about the IT giant’s mapping business and the future of location technology Microsoft has been in the mapping business for some time now. Please tell us about your work on Bing Maps.

Microsoft has a long history with mapping. We have been working over two decades now on improving consumer and enterprise experiences through mapping and location technology.

Historically, the conventional use of mapping focused on GIS analysts. Their job was to understand the spatial relations and meanings through visual references in the layers of a mash-up of the real-world and business datasets. There was limited semantic and computational help, and GIS specialists had to wield the system, derive insight, and apply it to business logic.

At Microsoft, we want to empower a broader reach of individuals in the field of mapping, and work with the data from a non-GIS standpoint. We want everyone to benefit from location intelligence; whether you are using it simply to enhance your everyday living through familiar apps on your phone or you are an operations researcher pivoting on location dimensions.

We want the data to become more intelligent and semantically organised along the lines of a ‘where’ dimension so that there is an intersection between people’s personal data, business data and geodata. Today, most geo datasets are in structured databases which do not benefit from the insight of people and data from the Web. We are working on how to relate and intersect crowdsourced data, blogs, and websites with large enterprise datasets through big data graphs to unlock large-scale learnings and reasoning. Simply put, the work involves around how we can apply big data and machine learning to create intelligent location graphs.

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As a champion of the ‘where’ dimension, what are your views about the growing consumer interest in location?

A little over a decade ago, the very question that people had was ‘what’ and their search engine tried to address that ‘what’ question. Then seven years ago, a strong user interest started to develop around ‘who’, which led to the rise of Facebook, LinkedIn etc. It was intense personalisation of commerce with Amazon too. But today, everyone seems to be looking at the ‘where’ dimension.

Today, we can answer questions by looking at the tags in photos on Flick or the content in Twitter streams. Take a simple question like ‘where is the best place to see July 4 fireworks in Seattle’.

We could try to answer this by looking at the 3D model of digital surface and terrain, but a simple analysis doesn’t provide the real answer. The GPS tags in the photos and tweets help us surmise the crowdsourced knowledge of the actual best locations. In order to do this, entities have to be extracted from local and hyper-local information on the Web and organised in a way to bind structured geospatial data with unstructured data from the Web. Additionally, there must be a strong conversational understanding of the system beyond the current search norm of keyword matching.

Geospatial data is highly structured, but when we talk about something amorphous like the social Web, the data can’t be structured. So how do you do the indexing?

We are looking at relating structured datasets with the unstructured data on the Web. We have to understand unstructured data, and extract entities and relations from it. Then we need to relate that to a similar entity inside the structured data. That relationship enables us to garner the knowledge from the Web and crowdsourced unstructured data associated with that entity, and

relate that to enterprise or personal data.

We can combine all that to analyse and derive consumer benefits. We envision a graph with many relationships — intent graphs, user graphs or interest graphs —pivoting on a powerful ‘where’ dimension deriving spatial insight and reasoning. Depending upon what data is effectively mashed into a graph, you can have a unique insight or generalised understanding.

How does Microsoft visualise a revenue stream out of such an effort?

It is still developing. But Microsoft sees location technology as an important component of devices and services, and not as an independent business. Of course, there are traditional monetising efforts like advertising, transaction and subscription. Moving forward, this data-enriched experience will not have different monetisation efforts but be part of a broader offering. If things are subscription-oriented today, it will make those notions a lot stronger on the consumer side. If they are developer-oriented, it would end up being consistent with developer models. If it’s a must-have for mobile devices, then it is a supporting component of our devices’ offering.

We are not looking at a direct RoI kind of return always. We need to make sure to meet the evolving location needs of our consumers. Further, we look at how location is an important piece of the overall mobile offering. Our outlook is a little different from GIS experts: for us, location is an important horizontal element.

10 years ago, people asked the ‘what’ question and their search engine tried to address that. Then seven years ago, a strong user interest started to develop around ‘who’. But today, everyone seems to be looking at the ‘where’ dimension Geospatial World | August 2013

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Corner Office | Stephen Lawler

is the combination of a photogrammetric nadir camera with RGB oblique image collection capability. The unique sensor design makes Osprey the leading camera system for 3D city model applications and was specifically designed for our upcoming release of 3D cities in Windows 8.1.

3D aerial image of Graz, Austria. The technological landscape is now prime to embrace 3D

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Geospatial World | August 2013

What are your latest innovations to address the evolving consumer and professional needs?

We are always focussed on the needs of our customers, helping them with highvalue tasks that make their lives easier.

For example, our Local Scout feature on Windows Phone uses location to help people find fun, interesting, relevant things to do, including personalised recommendations based on what their friends like and what is popular. One good example of our “everyday” innovation is our tips in driving directions.

We also take on some of the biggest challenges in the industry. Bing has always been known for beautiful imagery.

Recently, we did a large-scale mapping project, where a specially designed widearea camera was used to capture all of Western Europe and the United States totalling 12.4 million sq km to create a consistent ortho between 15 cm and 30 cm in resolution. This imagery, done in partnership with DigitalGlobe on the B2B side, is a game changer because there hasn’t been a good dataset at this resolution. This is an example where Microsoft is leading the way to create bestin-class imagery for both rural and urban situations. We are looking at it market by market since worldwide coverage is an expensive task.

Another recent innovation is our newly designed UltraCam Osprey, which

What are your plans for taking these innovative products to other markets?

With the launch of Windows 8, we have taken mapping to every market that Windows ships in, with 35 localised variants of our Bing Maps app. We have also recently rolled out a new, localised maps experience at www.bing.com/maps in many markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, UK, USA, Mexico, Austria, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Belgium and Switzerland.

If you look at monetisation, construction is at the top followed by agriculture, while consumerism is way down.

Why aren’t you looking at the higher end of the value chain which can give you better returns?

We have a generalised platform where people can add value on top of our maps platform. At the same time, we have an open platform for developers.

Microsoft generally looks at the larger industry to do value addition and provide domain-specific solutions. So, experts or knowledge workers can be the ones to decide how to apply this technology for their businesses. Developers can now use our newly launched Windows map SDK beta for Windows 8 and 8.1 in their projects.

However, even with an ecosystem of developers, we need to listen to businesses and enterprises to understand their specific needs. Microsoft focuses on making sure the fundamentals of our platform are high quality, precise and reliable. We specifically focus on empow-

ering our own devices and experiences with the best geospatial technology and building a great platform for developers.

What is your take on indoor location?

More and more everyday consumers are telling the story of our changing world through the lens of their cameras, which are a valuable source for filling out the 3D map. While professional acquisition may produce a high-quality consistent outcome, the reality remains the same.

We need to cast a wider net to capture the entire interesting human-scale spaces — whether they are outdoor enthusiast spaces, event-based urban settings, the countless interior spaces or the extents and reaches that people live and play that simply will not be captured professionally and programmatically. While it is true that the algorithms and models will need to deal with all of this uncertainty, there is definitely a rich source of metadata and pixels to be potentially mined.

The more you zoom in on the world from a satellite picture to aerial to streetside/outdoor to interior, the higher is the rate of change. Keeping a fresh copy of the digital world will need the help of many. Our Photosynth team is constantly evolving our technology to create 3D scenes from consumer photography.

They talk of mapping where the human being himself becomes a map.

The ‘Internet of Things’ may lead to a situation like ubiquitous mapping.

Your comments?

The last decade was all about understanding you... search engines looked at where you spent time and interpreted that, browsers understood what you were looking at and user graphs like Facebook looked into you interests.

The next important phase is understanding your physical user path and how that bridges with your digital user path. As you authorise applications to use your GPS or mobile phone signal

etc, the sensors start constructing your physical user path. When people use Foursquare to check-in, they give a physical user signal to your digital world.

Through proper privacy and authorisation, you can decide how and when those physical paths are shared and intersected with the digital user path.

Some very forward thinking innovations and disruptions can come out of that.

Today, there is not enough value returned to the user but that is starting to change. These signals could be more relevant when they have offers and personalised value associated. Soon, even objects will start to broadcast their state and position. The spatiotemporal aspects of these entities and their physical trajectories will make it a “live” 3D map evolving at the world’s course and speed.

What do you see as the next disruptive technology in mapping?

I think the user experience will take a huge leap forward and things will get more immersive with 3D. Companies like Microsoft, Google and others have been increasing imagery coverage through efforts like aerial or streetside.

I think the move is towards 3D. The real-world basemap is moving to 3D to provide visually real and symbolic digital experiences, enrich the realworld view with augmented reality and enhance the underlying data and relations.

We will see a lot of augmented reality coming in different forms. You already have things like Google Glasses. The whole visual field of view will become enriched with relevant and personal data. Ultimately, the convergence of technology between the understanding of intent, new natural user interfaces, the location semantic organisation of data, a 3D model and ontology and adaptive 3D contextual rendering will set the stage for our future digital 3D world.

The user experience will take a huge leap forward and things will get more immersive with 3D. The whole visual field of view will become enriched with relevant and personal data as the spatiotemporal aspects of entities and their physical trajectories make it a ‘live’ 3D map evolving at the world’s course and speed

3D image of Notre Dame. Crowdsourced imagery filling out the rest of the 3D trellis.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM ALL ABOUT

What is BIM? Building Information Modelling (BIM), is a technology platform (in some cases a process) which enables professionals from AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry to work and share data corroboratively.

What is the BIM lifecycle?

The Design (3D)

Engineering (3D ++)

Benefits of BIM • Faster planning without loss of cost and quality • Improved coordination and collaboration • Conflict detection and risk mitigation • High level of customisation and flexibility • Optimisation of schedule and cost • Easy maintenance of building life cycle 22

Geospatial World | August 2013

• Gone are the days of 2D representations. Planners, designers and architects can start with 3D modelling and real world right from the beginning • Many advantages of using 3D model right from the start especially for architects and building owners to appreciate the design visually to gain confidence in the final outcome

• Engineers can now do analysis and design using 3D model-based simulations and analysis • Structural analysis to clash detection to the overall feasibility, the results of which can be embedded as attributes to the 3D model • With BIM as the common language, design and engineering consultants can fulfill their specific task coherently and consistently

Construction: Scheduling (4D), Estimating (5D)

Management: Sustainability (6D), Management (7D)

Why is BIM-geospatial integration important?

• Improved communication and coordination between all project stakeholders.

• Integrated solutions enable construction firms to virtually build a project so that they can check sequencing, reduce post-project corrections, alternative traffic routing during construction, and site logistics etc.

• BIM and geospatial are key data sources and technologies in modelling and analysing energy performance of buildings.

• The contractors on ground have access to the proposal, design and build items, provisional items, building specific procurements, quantity estimates and scheduling plans, etc. on the same platform • The process of shifting from the trial-and-error process from construction site to virtual environment reduces project risks and hence saves time and money

• Additional tasks can be carried out once the building has been constructed and updated in BIM • One can look at the actual consumption patterns of the energy, sustainability and its management • When the building is ready for handover to its owner/operator, BIM acts as digital replica of the building itself

• Accurately geolocating of underground resources could go a long way in enabling utilities and civic agencies to reduce maintenance costs and provide better citizen services.

• GIS integration can assist with linking of any intelligent content (water networks, power networks, etc.) for efficiently managing the building assets and the impact they have on the neighbourhood or even the city.

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Cover Story 

Building on

BIM

Massive development projects, environmental concerns and increasing private investment in infrastructure are driving the adoption of integrated solutions using BIM, geospatial and 3D visualisation technologies to intelligently model urban infrastructure and city environments.

Geoff Zeiss, Editor - Building & Energy, explores the potential of this powerful integration 24

Geospatial World | August 2013

S

everal years ago in an award winning paper at an AGI conference, Ann Kemp, then head of GIS at infrastructure consulting major Atkins Global, asked the question, “BIM isn’t Geospatial, Or is it?”, and then proceeded to make a strong case for integration of GIS and BIM to address the challenges of the 21st century: “BIM and geospatial are firmly inter-linked —and that the advancement of BIM relies, in part, on integrating geospatial skills and technologies into BIM solutions. This is not a trivial undertaking. A convergence of expertise and ideas is required... A gap still exists between the BIM community and the geospatial community — this must be bridged if we are to fulfil the UK Government targets — and should be bridged if the geospatial community is to contribute to the demands and requirements of the AECOO industry around the globe.”

Earlier this year, Kemp organised a BIM for Infrastructure Conference at the Royal Goegraphical Society as a special interest group of the Association for Geographic Information, UK, which was attended by over a hundred people from the construction and geospatial sectors. Based on the level of dialogue, recognition of common problems and the advantages of an integrated approach to solving them, Kemp thinks that we may be at the tipping point for the integration of these technologies. The vertical integration of companies like Trimble and Hexagon which are integrating geospatial into construction is further evidence that this trend is accelerating.

Kemp wasn’t the first one to speak on this topic. The need to integrate geospatial and engineering design has been gaining traction for some time now. At this year’s Geodesign Summit, organised by Esri, Carl Steinitz of Harvard’s Department of Landscape Architecture made the case that addressing the key global issues will require a new level of cross-disciplinary collaboration: “It is clear that for serious societal and environmental issues, designing for change cannot be a solitary activity. Rather, it is inevitably a collaborative endeavour, with participants from various design professions and geographic sciences, linked by technology from several locations for rapid communication and feedback, and reliant on transparent communication

with the people of the place who are also direct participants.”

Building information modelling One of the major technology trends that is set to transform the world’s construction industry is building information modelling (BIM). A widely recognised definition of BIM is: “it is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility creating a shared knowledge resource for information about it forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle, from earliest conception to demolition.”

In practice, BIM is a set of technologies and processes that lead to better outcomes at different stages of the construction life-cycle — from conceptual planning, design and engineering, procurement and construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance, and disposal/demolition. BIM originally was applied to buildings, hence the ‘B’, but has now been generalised to include infrastructure.

Global BIM adoption The adoption of BIM processes and technologies is a major trend that has been gathering steam over the last decade, motivated by the need for better outcomes. According to McGraw-Hill Construction, the overall adoption of BIM has increased from 17% in 2007 to 71% in 2012 in the US, registering a 45% growth over the last three years, or 400% growth over the last five years. In 2012, adoption by all categories of stakeholders increased as compared with 2009 (adoption by engineers and contractors increased by over 50%). Most respondents reported a positive return on investment in BIM with contractors (74%), owners (67%), and architects (65%) reporting the highest proportion of positive return on investment.

In the UK, the third annual industry-wide Building Information Modelling survey undertaken by the National Building Specification (NBS) was conducted between December 2012 and February 2013. More than 1,350 professionals participated from disciplines like architecture, engineering and surveying, of which 39% said they were already using BIM while 71% agreed that BIM represents the “future of project information”.

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Cover Story | BIM

Global acceptance US

In 2006, all new buildings designed through the Public Buildings Service were mandated to use BIM in design stage.

UK

The government has mandated Level 2 BIM for government projects beginning 2016 in an effort to reduce cost of government construction projects by 20%.

South Korea

The Public Procurement Service made BIM compulsory for all projects over S$50 million and for all public sector projects from 2016.

Singapore

In 2010, the Building and Construction Authority implemented a roadmap with the aim that 80% of the construction industry will use BIM by 2015.

The Netherlands

As part of the Dutch 3D cadastre standard developed

by Geonovum, the Netherlands has commissioned a project to align the OGC CityGML-based GeoBIM standard and the IFC standard widely used in the construction industry.

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Geospatial World | August 2013

Global BIM adoption in public sector Worldwide many governments are mandating BIM because data shows that its adoption provides quantifiable business benefits by improving collaboration, cutting costs, and reducing the risk of budget and schedule overruns during the design and construction phase of building projects.

In 2006, the General Services Administration (GSA) mandated that new buildings designed in the US through its Public Buildings Service use BIM in the design stage. All GSA projects are encouraged to go beyond the minimum and deploy mature 3D, 4D, and BIM technologies. One of the important drivers was a shrinking workforce from more than 40,000 to about 12,500 in 2006.

In Norway, all Statsbygg projects were using IFC/IFD based BIM by 2010.

In Denmark, many state agencies such as the Defence Construction Service require BIM for their projects. In Finland, Senate Properties required BIM models to be compliant with IFC standard for their projects since October 2007. The Hong Kong Housing Authority will require BIM for all new projects starting in 2014. The South Korean Public Procurement Service made BIM compulsory for all projects over S$50 million and for all public sector projects from 2016.

Singapore’s goal is to implement the fastest building permitting in the world.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) led a multi-agency effort in 2008 to implement the world’s first BIM electronic submission (e-submission).

Project teams only need to submit one building model which contains all of the information needed to meet the requirements of a regulatory agency. To date, more than 200 projects have made BIM e-submissions. In 2010, the BCA implemented a roadmap with the aim that 80% of the construction industry will use BIM by 2015. This is part of

the government’s plan to improve the construction industry’s productivity by up to 25% over the next decade.

The UK government has targeted to reduce the cost of government construction projects by 20%. To achieve this, it has undertaken several initiatives, one of which is to mandate Level 2 BIM for government projects beginning 2016.

UK’s initial focus is on the design/ build part of the life cycle, but the government has said “the 20% saving refers to capex cost savings. However, we know that the largest prize for BIM lies in the operational stages of the project life-cycle”. The McGraw-Hill Construction survey found that a small but significant percentage of owners are using models for building system operation analysis, maintenance scheduling, asset and space management while about 60% of contractors report medium to high demand from owners for as-built record BIM models.

BIM for infrastructure Horizontal BIM, heavy BIM, VDC, civil information modelling, BIM on its side, or BIM for infrastructure are terms used in the construction industry for the application of model-based technologies and processes to non-building projects.

This includes infrastructure for dams, waste facilities, rail, transit, aviation, energy, public parks and recreation, bridges, roads and highways, and water and wastewater. The term ‘vertical BIM’ is often used to differentiate BIM for buildings.

McGraw-Hill Construction’s report The Business Value of BIM for Infrastructure (prepared in 2012) suggests that BIM is beginning to significantly impact the infrastructure construction industry.

High/very high use of BIM for infrastructure projects among owners, contractors, and A/E firms was only 16% in 2009. By 2013, it reached 52%. McGraw-

BIM in infrastructure

What is driving investment in BIM ?

In the last 200 years, urbanisation has occurred at an unprecedented rate, representing the largest impact humans have had on the planet, spurring massive investments in infrastructure. It has been estimated that between 2013 and 2030, $57 trillion in infrastructure investment will be required simply to keep up with the projected global GDP growth. This is nearly 60% more than the $36 trillion spent globally on infrastructure over the past 18 years.

In June 2013, global CO2 concentration reached 400 ppm for the first time in recorded history. Environmental concerns are forcing changes in how we build and manage the world’s infrastructure. To ensure that it meets its 2020-20 Energy Efficiency Objective, the European Commission (EC) proposed a new energy efficiency directive in 2011 that imposes a legal obligation for all member states to establish energy saving schemes in the public sector.

Buildings use about 40% of global energy and emit approximately onethird of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Realising this, governments across the world are taking proactive remedial measures. For instance, in its 40-year plan, Germany has set the objective of new insulation standards for compliance by all buildings by 2050, and reducing energy requirements for heating by 20% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050. Of the $7 trillion invested annually in construction in the last few years, less than 10% can be called green. But as concerns about the envi-

ronment become more urgent, analysts have projected that this could grow to as much as 75% by 2020.

Increased private funding Owing to the growing demands for social programmes, governments have less funding to devote to capital infrastructure projects. As a result, they are increasingly looking to private sector to fill the funding gap. However, attracting private sector funding will necessitate the promise of returns. In many countries, including the EU, US, Japan, and Korea, construction productivity has stagnated over the past few decades.

McKinsey singled out poor construction productivity as an important factor in eroding returns on infrastructure, making the sector less attractive for private investment.

Shortage of engineers and skill resources in many of the world’s advanced economies owing to an aging workforce is exacerbating the need for greater productivity. For instance, Germany estimates that a shortage of about 400,000 engineers and skilled resources has reduced its GDP growth by about 1%.

Thus, the stage is set for a radical transformation of the construction industry with a focus on improving productivity. It is expected that investment in technology will be a key element of the strategy to ensure that our infrastructure is expanded and transformed.

Use of BIM in infrastructure is running about three years behind as compared to use in other project types.

50% 43%

29%

28%

1-2 years

27%

3-4 years

23%

5+ years

Half of the companies using BIM had only 1-2 years of experience in doing so, versus only 28% in all project types.

Benefits of BIM

Transforming the construction In the construction world, 3D modelling and model-based design, which integrate BIM, GIS and survey, and laser-scanning (LiDAR) in a 3D visualisation environment, are increasingly being used to improve the design and build phases of the construction process. Parsons-Brinckerhoff, part of the large global construction firm Balfour Beatty, has been a leader in applying 3D

Source: McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012

Hill Construction estimates that the use of BIM for infrastructure is about three years behind the BIM use on vertical projects but predicts that adoption in the horizontal market will occur at a faster rate than the rate of adoption in the vertical market.

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Cover Story | BIM

Source: McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012

Top benefits for AE firms & contractors

modelling for design validation, clash detection, parametric modelling, and design visualisation during design and 4D modelling (time+3D), and 5D (cost+time+3D) for scheduling during construction.

One of the most important advantages of combined engineering and geospatial datasets is improved communication and coordination between all project stakeholders, especially with non-technical decision makers. For example, on highway projects, Parsons-Brinckerhoff uses gaming technology before actual construction begins so that the public can drive on the highways in a virtual environment, and get familiarised with even the detours required during construction.

ARCADIS Netherlands is a large engineering firm that has been involved in projects which integrate geospatial into the design process.

An example is a big infrastructure project like the HOV Nijmegen project, where it was found that integrating geospatial and engineering design in a single database resulted in a single copy of each data element with multiple use by different groups. The integrated approach simplified communication and increased the quality of the final design. It also enabled automated analysis of the consequences of design choices with the result that the planning cycle was shorter.

ARCADIS identified some the

Major economies like the EU, US, and Japan are mandating near-zero energy/net-zero energy/zero emissions buildings. Net-zero energy building industry has been projected to grow by 43% per year to reach $690 billion by 2020 and $1.3 trillion by 2035 28

Geospatial World | August 2013

critical roles that geospatial technology plays in the construction lifecycle, including planning/preparation, asset management/maintenance, and managing as-builts. It concluded that there are three main barriers to the integration of civil engineering and geospatial.

• Semantics: different terms used for the same things by geospatial analysts and civil engineers and designers.

• Different topology: geospatial uses point, lines, and polygons; CAD/ BIM uses splines, nurbs, and other parametric curves and treats polygons in a different way.

• Data formats and standards: geospatial data is stored in shape files, GML, and CityCML; CAD/BIM uses DWG, DGN, RVT files and IFC. Traditionally, the challenge has been that engineering on one hand and geospatial on the other have been different cultures with different languages and tools. The way Carl Steinitz would put is that they work at different scales. Geospatial scientists deal with the universal, engineers with the very specific.

To bridge the semantic gap, Jaap Bakkers, Program Director, Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment), began an initiative called the Concept Library (CB-NL) because he recognised that the biggest problem with BIM models is that it is difficult to exchange information between different phases in the building life cycle on the one hand, and between different players in the supply chains on the other.

CB-NL provides a mapping between different terminologies used by different players in the construction life cycle and the supply chain.

It interrelates terms like arch bridge, rail bridge, spanning structure, via-

duct, bridge feature, and crossing, each of which may be used by a different domain to refer to the same structure.

Since several of the construction phases involve geospatial data and technology, the concept library will include geospatial.

As part of the Dutch 3D cadastre standard which is being developed by Geonovum, the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Executive Committee in the Netherlands, there is a project to align the OGC CityGML-based GeoBIM standard and the IFC standard widely used in the construction industry. The objective of the Geonovum work group is to define a standard, semantically meaningful mapping between IFC and GeoBIM/CityGML. The combination of geospatial and BIM for infrastructure is poised to “turn the construction process on its head” in the words of Ron Singh, Chief Surveyor at the Oregon Department of Transportation (DoT). One of the trends attracting a lot of attention of transportation departments around the world is self-driving cars. Three states in the US have already given the nod for vehicles like Google cars to be test driven on state highways. Self-driving vehicles mean intelligent highways. In Singh’s view, maintaining accurate, upto-date intelligent highway models will require a fundamental change in how highways projects are managed. This means that 80-90% of what is required to initiate design for a highway project will come from a geospatially aware engineering archive database and postconstruction surveys will ensure that what goes into the engineering data archive is accurate and up-to-date.

Energy-efficient buildings Major economies like the EU, US, and Japan are mandating near-zero energy/net-zero energy/zero emissions buildings. In the EU, the Energy

Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast mandates that by 2018 new public buildings must be designed to be “nearly zero energy” and the same requirement will apply for all new building by 2020. In the US, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandates all new federal facilities to be designed to be “net-zero energy” buildings by 2030. Similar requirements are expected in Japan. As a result, the net-zero energy building industry has been projected to grow by 43% per year to reach $690 billion by 2020 and $1.3 trillion by 2035.

Another major initiative in many cities is managing electric power usage.

For instance, in Ontario, the electric power regulator has required power distribution utilities to reduce peak demand by about 6% and consumption by about 5% by 2014. To support this effort, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA)’s high performance new construction programme provides design assistance and financial incentives for building owners and architects to exceed the electricity efficiency standards specified in the Ontario Building Code.

BIM and geospatial are key data sources and technologies in modelling and analysing the energy performance of buildings. Many companies use energy performance analysis to help architects and engineers optimise energy usage of new buildings. The first step in energy performance modelling of a building is the creation of a BIM model.

Following this, energy performance analysis of the building requires using the geographical location of the building, surrounding natural and man-made structures, and local environmental conditions. Canada-based 3D Energy has found that with a BIM-based approach to building energy performance modelling, it is possible to reduce annual energy consumption and power bills by as much as 40%.

What is driving the investment in BIM? Development

• Between 2013 and 2030, $57 trillion in infrastructure investment will be required simply to keep up with the projected global GDP growth.

Environment

• Environmental concerns are forcing changes in how we build and manage the world’s infrastructure.

Energy efficieny

• Buildings use 40% of global energy and emit one-third of global GHG emissions.

• Net-zero energy building industry likely to grow 43% a year to reach $690 bn by 2020 and $1.3 trn by 2035.

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Cover Story | BIM

Modelling urban environments Cities around the world are beginning to realise the power that comes from the convergence of modern information technology, including BIM, geospatial/ GIS, intelligent (connected) network models for electric power, telecommunications, water and wastewater, transportation, and other infrastructure, real-time data management systems including “big data” technology, and 3D visualisation.

A number of cities are increasingly competing to be greener. Vancouver’s GIS planner Dan Campbell sees the greener city initiative as a major driving force for new city initiatives. It creates a framework for many new projects, from increasing the number of bike routes, densification, urban forests, to sea level rise mitigation.

Modelling urban infrastructure Accurate geolocation of underground resources is a worldwide challenge.

In the United States, an underground utility line is hit on an average every 60 seconds. In the recent years munici-

palities, ministries and departments of transportation are recognising the cost of unreliable geolocation information about underground infrastructure. Several studies sponsored by government agencies and conducted by university researchers have estimated the RoI in improving information about underground utilities. In a retrospective study sponsored by the US Department of Transporation in 1999, Purdue University estimated an RoI of $4.62 for every dollar invested.

In a 2004 study sponsored by the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association, the University of Toronto estimated a return of C$3.41($3.32). A Pennsylvania DoTsponsored study in 2007 by Pennsylvania State University estimated a return of $21.00. Recently, in a study of several highway projects in Ontario, the University of Toronto found returns of C$2.05- 6.59 ($2-6.42). »Lombardy infrastructure model: In the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, a pilot project was carried out over the last few years on the site of the Expo

BIM implementation in infrastructure by project type Every project category is likely to have well over half of its users implementing BIM by 2013

44%

39%

20%

20%

2009 Dams & other

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Geospatial World | August 2013

58%

38%

Waste

19%

Rail, Transit & Aviation

23%

35% 24% 15%

Energy

57%

56%

56%

32%

2013

2011

59%

58%

Public parks & recreation

20%

30% 15%

Bridges, roads & highways

Water

Source: McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012

59%

Milano 2015 event in Milan to map all underground infrastructure including electric power, water, sewers, gas, district heating, street lighting, and telecommunications. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was used for detecting the location of underground infrastructure.

The results revealed significant discrepancies in the historic records, including thousands of metres of undocumented infrastructure.

An economic analysis of the data was also carried out and the estimated RoI is about €16 ($21.25) for every euro invested in improving the reliability information of underground infrastructure. Other unquantified benefits included improved safety for workers and the public and fewer traffic disruptions. »Las Vegas city infrastructure model: Two years ago, the Las Vegas government initiated an intelligent 3D project to model one-and-half miles of Main Street in the older part of the city. The project was intended to model below and above ground facilities, including roadways, utilities and telecommunications, as well as buildings.

A major benefit is increased safety because of the reduced risk of unexpectedly hitting underground utilities, especially hazardous facilities like gas mains. Overall, the city has found that the 3D model approach provides more information per dollar invested. The city is expanding the 3D modelling project to an area six times larger than the original project area.

Modelling entire urban environments The New South Wales government in Australia, the Los Angeles Community College District and the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the City of Belo Horizonte in Brazil are among the pioneers in developing intelligent city models incorporating BIM.

»Los Angeles Community College District: The LACCD is the largest community college district in the United States and serves more than 250,000 students annually at nine colleges. In 2004, it was decided to initiate a project to create 3D BIM models of all buildings, including interior power, water, mechanical, and lighting systems together with 2D models of underground infrastructure on the LACCD campuses.

One of the most important design decisions made very early was that all data, including BIM models, were to be georeferenced and stored in an Oracle Spatial database. This approach enabled all the data to be served to various applications. The LACCD model has been used for a variety of purposes such as visualisation, energy performance modelling, predictive maintenance of facilities inside and outside of buildings, and even brought into a gaming environment for safety and security training. »i-SCOPE project for urban smart services: In the EU, an open source project called i-SCOPE involves developing 3D urban models that can be used to provide interactive smart services. The concept is to develop 3D Urban Information Models from accurate urbanscale geospatial information as a basis for smart Web services based on geometric, semantic, morphological and structural information at urban scale level. This information can be used by local governments to improve decisionmaking on issues related to urban planning, promote inclusion among various users groups (e.g. elder or disabled citizens), and involve citizens collecting georeferenced information based on location based services. »European SUNSHINE Project: The project aims to deliver an extensible open toolkit featuring three smart services for energy assessment of

Going underground BIM helps in accurate geolocation of underground resources, which is currently a worldwide challenge.

• An underground utility line is hit on average every 60 seconds in the US. • A study sponsored by the US Department of Transporation in 1999 estimated an RoI of $4.62 for every dollar invested in geolocation information about underground infrastructure.

• A 2004 study sponsored by the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association estimated an RoI of $3.32.

• A Pennsylvania DoT- sponsored study in 2007 estimated an RoI of $21.

• Recently, in a study of several highway projects in Ontario, the University of Toronto found an RoI of $2-6.42.

• For a pilot project in Italy’s Lombardy, RoI was estimated to be about €16 ($21.25) for every euro invested in improving the reliability information of underground infrastructure.

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Cover Story | BIM

Areas requiring assistance

buildings at urban scale for the creation of “ecomaps” and their energy pre-certification; optimisation of energy consumption of heating/cooling systems based on localised weather forecasts and energy modelling of buildings; and optimisation of power consumption through remote control of public illumination levels. »Modelling The Hague: The Dutch Interior Ministry has initiated a joint project with the municipal government of The Hague to support an effort model in 3D on 1 sq km downtown, with the objective of reducing and stabilising energy usage and costs for the entire area. This involves assembling topography, ownership and building information, land registry, engineering as-builts for underground grids, including electricity, gas and heat, energy labels, monuments, energy consumption, surfaces suitable for solar panels, 3D models of buildings and infrastructure, heat pump facilities, solar probability map, wind probability map, and geothermal facilities.

Source: McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012

The fact that a significant number required help in all areas signals the need for industry wide education, targeted consulting services, and accepted standards for practices and procedures

Conclusion Over the next two decades, construction, electric power, water and transportation networks and other municipal infrastructure including buildings will see a massive infusion of investments, primarily motivated by environmental concerns, aging infrastructure, and the need to accelerate economic development. A greater proportion of these investments will come from the private sector, which will drive an increased focus on productivity to improve returns on investment. The challenge of increasing productivity will be exacerbated by a shortage of educated and skilled labour. Together, these trends are driving technology that is poised to transform the construction industry. An example is the accelerating adoption of integrated BIM, geospatial, and 3D visualisation, geospatially enabled data management, and vertical applications based on these technologies.

The concrete practical examples show how converged solutions using existing BIM, geospatial and 3D visualisation technology are being applied to intelligently model urban infrastructure and entire urban environments ranging from neighbourhoods to a medium-sized city. Current applications include planning, emergency management, sustainability analysis, and facilities management, but it is not hard to imagine many other areas where these digital urban models will play an important role in the future.

Geoff Zeiss, Editor — Building & Energy geoff@geospatialmedia.net

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Interview

Daniel Haywood, Managing Director

Vincent Kimaiyo, Head of Air Operations

Visit iFlyUltraCam.com to see the Ramani video.

Ramani Geosystems has come a long way from the days of creating site surveys with a motorbike, a GPS, a handheld camera and a dream of “putting Africa on the map“. Even after migrating to its early aerial camera systems, Ramani recognized that a large-format camera would help it cope with the difficult flying conditions in Africa. “It’s not unusual to have just two hours in which to acquire data, so we needed a reliable camera that could capture larger images in a shorter flight time.” With this in mind, Ramani chose Microsoft UltraCam. The UltraCam family of cameras offers unparalleled flexibility, precision and an easy upgrade path to support the visions of ambitious organizations like Ramani Geosystems. Isn’t it time you looked at UltraCam? Visit www.iFlyUltraCam.com for full product and contact information.

©2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, UltraCam, UltraMap and UltraCam Osprey are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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Geospatial World | August 2013

BIM | Public-Private Partnerships

BIM & geospatial push for infrastructure PPPs BIM processes are enabling successful PPPs by facilitating informed decision making among shareholders across the project lifecycle

I BIM for infrastructure is a geospatial-enabled model-centric process, which can transform the infrastructure and asset lifecycle by increasing productivity, improving efficiency, and lowering costs.Utilising of information-rich models provides greater project insight, a ‘single source of truth’ to improve coordination 34

Geospatial World | August 2013

nvestment vehicles called publicprivate partnerships (PPPs or P3s) have been on the rise in global infrastructure arena in recent years as a way to help bridge the funding gap.

They have been widely recognised as an innovative approach to infrastructure funding and procurement that can reduce project costs and accelerate project delivery. Unlike traditional project delivery models, PPPs focus on maximising profitability for those involved and, as such, demand tighter integration among stakeholders, including planners, designers, contractors, and owners. This need for greater coordination is not only well aligned with the benefits of building information modelling (BIM), but BIM processes can actually be an enabler for successful PPPs by facilitating more informed decision making among stakeholders across the project lifecycle.

State of infrastructure PPPs in US An October 2012 review by the National Conference of State Legislatures showed that 36 states and Puerto Rico have some form of PPP-enabling legislation in transportation. However, many of these are rather limited or are projectspecific. The US federal government has encouraged PPPs through new and innovative programmes, including the Private Activity Bonds programme, the TIFIA programme, Interstate Tolling programme, the SEP-15 programme,

the Corridors of the Future Programme, and the Federal Transit Administration’s PPP Pilot Programme. PPPs are being utilised at a record pace because they: » respond to congestion and system unreliability by providing high-quality, well-managed projects and better performance; » address the demand for transportation investment by providing access to plentiful private capital; » reduce wasteful effects of political and special-purpose spending by incorporating financial accountability for investment decisions into the transportation funding process; » help align the nation’s transportation funding policy with critical energy and environmental policies by substituting private capital for fuel tax revenue; » significantly accelerate project delivery by providing upfront private capital for a project’s full cost.

Globally, the use of PPPs has led to increases in efficiency and certainty of delivery. In Australia, PPPs delivered projects at a price closer to the expected cost as compared with those procured through traditional mechanisms. In the UK, a treasury department study

Courtesy: Parsons Brinkerhoff

showed 89% of PPP projects were delivered on time or early. In Canada, PPPs led to efficiency gains of up to 61.2% over those done with conventional methods, according to a study by the Conference Board of Canada.

Role of BIM & geospatial in PPPs In an era where waste and inefficiency are intolerable, policymakers worldwide are looking to expedite project delivery, reduce costs, and ensure that every dollar is invested wisely. Fortunately, advanced technologies and BIM processes can help stretch infrastructure investment dollars from both public and private sources.

BIM for infrastructure is a geospatial-enabled model-centric process, which can transform the infrastruc-

ture and asset lifecycle by increasing productivity, improving efficiency, and lowering costs. Utilising of information-rich models provides greater project insight, a ‘single source of truth’ to improve coordination. With its powerful visualisation, simulation, and analysis tools, it can drive more innovative approaches. BIM helps stakeholders move important decisions from the field to the computer where they are easier and more cost effective to make. Stakeholders can develop a shared understanding of the project lifecycle through cross-disciplinary collaboration, reducing design errors and miscommunications, which in turn reduces risk and liability. 3D design and modelling tools enable planners, engineers and contractors

The Presidio Parkway PPP Project in San Francisco.

Geospatial data was modelled, visualised, simulated and analysed in BIM as part of public planning and project execution

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BIM | Public-Private Partnerships Best practice characteristics of PPPs

How BIM supports the characteristics

Importance of adequate front-end or preliminary planning for a project to fully comprehend its business and potential life-cycle value

• Explore design ideas • Visualise projects • Analyse and simulate real-world performance

PPPs are not exclusively financial transactions; rather, they are the selected project delivery strategy based on a value-for-money or feasibility analysis

• Rapid design, visualisation, and simulation • Collaborate across the extended project team • Deliver visualisation capabilities that enhance the planning and design process and help win stakeholder approval for new projects

When defining or scoping a PPP project, the focus should be on identifying and conveying the outputs desired without inappropriately compromising existing technical standards

• Enable smarter decision making that harmonises design approaches for the various economic, social and environmental issues • Improve the ability to collaborate across functional groups, bringing consistency to the plan, design, build, and management lifecycle • Enable outcome-based design approach

Risk analysis and allocation are paramount to PPP project success

• Increase project efficiency and performance • Develop and deliver more coordinated and consistent information • Reduce risk, liability, and contingency fees by addressing clashes, collisions and design challenges prior to construction

PPP arrangements can allow the delivery of projects sooner than would be possible through other delivery methods

• Optimise a design’s performance before it’s ever built • Enhance the collaborative process • Deliver the most innovative design alternatives by boosting creativity and improving production efficiency

Public agencies emphasised the need for transparency during the procurement process for PPP projects

• Increased accountability and transparency with stakeholders • Enable rapid design, visualisation, and simulation • Deliver visualisation capabilities that enhance the planning and design process and help win stakeholder approval for new projects

PPP projects provide better price and time certainty on design and construction, leading to increased efficiencies, which result in better pricing and scheduling by the private sector

• Analyse and simulate complex design options early • Improve accuracy of designs and construction efficiency • Mitigate increased costs associated with risk due to unforeseen issues, including clashes or collisions

PPPs address the shortage of funds available for expansion, restoration, and preservation of highway assets

• Reduce the cost of borrowing by increasing predictability in the supply chain and reducing risk to the financial institution • Provide an opportunity to develop and evaluate more cost effective design alternatives with 3D model–based design, analysis, and simulation

PPP contractors exhibit a focus on their customers, an emphasis on life-cycle management and value, and a pride in ownership and stewardship of their assets

• Cost-effective design and analysis to meet short term and long term sustainability and infrastructure resiliency goals/ objectives

(Best Practice PPP Characteristics. Source: US DOT/Federal Highways Administration Report Public-Private Partnerships for Highway Infrastructure: Capitalising on International Experience)

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to leverage existing GIS information, explore innovative designs and ‘whatif’ scenarios with project investors to test alternatives and simulate realworld performance, develop a better understanding of scheduling and cost (4D and 5D), assess environmental impacts, and provide the public with accurate visualisations of various stages of the project, all while keeping a geospatial context which in turn reduce risk and liability.

to overcome financial challenges. The rich data that exists today needs to be utilised in a different way than has been used in the past. We need the ability to turn this discrete data into actionable information that drives awareness and wisdom about infrastructure approaches that will meet with future needs.

Coping with this necessitates a more holistic approach to planning, design, construction and investing facilitated by a BIM process.

BIM and the future of infrastructure Private investment into public infrastructure projects needs to increase

Terry D. Bennett, Senior Industry Programme Manager, Civil Infrastructure, Autodesk

The Trimble Rockies Campus A Powerful Demonstration of Technology’s Potential to Drive Productivity

By Vicki Speed

W

hat happens when a technology innovator known for its range of productivity solutions for building construction contractors joins forces with progressive building professionals to construct the first phase of its own corporate campus?

Technology, technology and more technology.

The new four-story, 11,613 m2 (125,000 ft2) Trimble Rockies Campus in Westminster, Colorado, is a beautiful glassed-in structure set in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains that blends character and functionality.

It’s also the demonstration project for a wide range of collaboration technologies used throughout the fast-track 13-month construction schedule—with documented efficiency improvements that began before the first bulldozer arrived on the site in May 2012.

For instance, thanks to design-tofield connections, the team achieved 100 percent embed placement and zero placement errors during steel frame layout. In fact, the last steel

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column was erected to within 6.4-mm (1/4-in) tolerance. The structural steel erection was completed in 10 weeks with no “fall back” work. The mechanical, electrical and plumbing subcontractors realized 50 percent or better improvement in field layouts as compared to previous projects.

From robotic total stations to tablets, digital levels to prisms, building information models (BIM) to 3D laser scanners, the Trimble Rockies Campus is an impressive demonstration of how technology can help coordinated project teams drive efficiency, reduce waste and deliver a quality solution quickly and accurately.

Overall, the coordination exercise helped the team flag and fix items in preparation for the issuance of the final design package. Perhaps

the greatest advantage of regular coordination meetings was communication and accountability. Each week the BIM coordinator checked through open items and asked each trade to provide percentage complete scenarios for floor models and conflict resolution.

Setting Primary Control The project team, led by Oz Architecture (architect) and JE Dunn (general contractor) with significant input from Trimble building construction experts, sought to implement integrated project delivery (IPD) techniques and strategies to gain the lifecycle benefits of BIM. Key in the delivery of the building was the development of a digitally and dimensionally accurate model for design and construction coordination, detailing, fabrication, and field-level management.

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JE Dunn, SCI, MTech, Encore Electric and Frontier Fire Protection utilized Tekla BIMSight for construction model collaboration, conflict checking and site inspections. As the development of the 100 percent dimensionally accurate federated model of the site and the structure continued, the JE Dunn survey team used modelto-field connection to locate building corners, drilled piers and concrete corners.

Initially, surveyors from Accurate EngiSurv LLC used the Trimble® DiNi® digital level to gather highaccuracy vertical measurements that were used to transfer elevations from the reference benchmark to the site control points. Surveyors used the Trimble S6 total station to complete the closed loop traverse of the new building site. They were especially happy with the efficiency of the system, stating that they are able to measure points in 2 minutes that used to take 30 minutes, while maintaining exceptional accuracy.

This data, adjusted in combination with the level loops completed with the Trimble DiNi digital level, form the core of the sites control network.

The Trimble S6 traverse and DiNi leveling observations were processed in a single Trimble Business Center project. A simultaneous network adjustment of the observations yielded highly accurate control point values, which will serve all positioning tasks on the site to follow.

JE Dunn’s Field BIM Manager initially used the Trimble RTS633 robotic total station with a 360-degree MT1000 38

Geospatial World | August 2013

active prism to verify control and set curb lines. To begin the process, he uploaded pre-defined points from the civil and structural engineering models to the Trimble Tablet running the Trimble Field Link construction layout software.

Primary control points—accurate to 3.2 mm (1/8 in) over 300 m (1000 ft)—were installed on drilled piers and dialed in with Accurate EngiSurv surveying control points. Along with the earthwork and electrical subcontractors, JE Dunn used the control points and curb lines to ensure exact grading in required locations, top soil stockpiling out of the way of future construction, and to avoid future construction for temporary utilities.

Once the piers were poured and pier caps set in the formwork, JE Dunn surveyors used Trimble’s Robotic Layout Solution—Trimble Field Link for Structures—to verify the placement of anchor bolts.

The surveyors also provided significant support to the site activities.

For instance, JE Dunn surveyors locate light pole centerlines and 0.9m (3-ft) offsets per the 3D model, which allows Encore to dig the trenches and set the conduit. The exact field positions of the trenches are shot in by Encore electric and are uploaded to support the owner’s as-built conditions model. Knowing the exact locations of the conduit will also help OE, the site contractor, avoid digging in completed areas and provide the owner with critical knowledge about power line locations in the future.

Martin & Martin Consulting Engineers’ Andre Schlappe adds, “Several potential utility collisions were identified early in the design, saving lost time and rework during construction.

Also, the color coding and 3D modeling allowed for rapid coordination between disciplines, saving design time on the front end.”

Accurate to the Core To push the boundaries of BIM-tofield opportunities, JE Dunn and Structural Consultants, Inc. (SCI), the structural engineer of record for the Westminster project, sought a number of opportunities to further streamline the design, detail, fabrication and construction phases of structural steel, concrete, rebar and exterior metal studs of the project.

With the intent to reduce duplication of effort, the Trimble Westminster project team strives to use one model from design through construction.

For example, on the stair and elevator cores, JE Dunn combined SCI’s Tekla Structures steel model, Zimmerman’s Tekla and CAD fabrication models (developed from SCI’s Tekla Structures model), 2D CAD formwork drawings and elevator shop drawings (pulled from SCI Tekla Structures steel model) into lift drawings, which condensed critical stair and elevator information to one drawing sheet.

Then JE Dunn used Tekla Structures in-model review to go over the formwork drawings (2D) and modify the formwork design to miss embeds with formwork ties, flipper pockets,

and formwork inserts prior to formwork deliveries to the site or finding issues during installation.

On site, Dunn field crews layout points for stair and elevator core corners. Throughout the construction of the stair and elevator cores, the survey team continued to use the Trimble Robotic Layout Solution to check formwork points as compared to design intent. Crews set the wall formwork and then surveyors again check x,y,z position of formwork.

Crews pour concrete and then surveyors check position of embeds, door block outs, flipper pockets and formwork inserts as compared to the lift drawings. The quality checks insured that the final as-built conditions of the elevator and stair cores fit design intent and minimized the chance of problems with steel framing and concrete decks.

The structural engineer, steel detailer, rebar detailer and JE Dunn as the self-performing (SP) concrete contractor centralized their production work by collaborating within a federated Tekla Structures project model. JE Dunn utilized the structural engineer’s design model set up with the appropriate concrete pours to develop lift drawings in Tekla Structures. They also combined the steel detailer’s embedment details and the rebar detailer’s reinforcement layouts.

JE Dunn’s BIM Manager Lina Stinnett said, “Using the single Tekla Structures model from design through construction and fabrication allowed us to erect our last steel column within 3.2-mm (1/8-in) tolerance.”

The use of the Tekla Structures structural model by field personnel for direct steel frame layout using robotic Trimble total stations and Trimble Tablets resulted in zero placement errors. Each structural steel member could be tracked to its zero position taken from the Tekla Structures model and a Trimble prism on one of the final steel beams confirmed the layout of the entire steel frame.

TIMMS and Beyond The Rockies Campus project team also took the opportunity to test new technologies.

For instance, a team from Applanix, a Trimble company based in Ontario, Canada, brought the Trimble Indoor Geospatial World | August 2013

39

Mobile Mapping Solution (TIMMS)—an innovative scanning technology for mapping interior spaces (without accessing GPS)—to the Rockies Campus project to map the interior of all four floors at the rough-in stage (before the drywall).

TIMMS is a unique combination of LiDAR, cameras, computers and electronics capture a 360 view of an interior space, which can then be used to produce highly detailed and very accurate 2D and 3D geo-located models. Applanix operated the TIMMS pushcart, moving it around and about all four floors at the Westminster building over the course of about two hours.

JE Dunn was particularly excited about the opportunity to see how it might use the data on this project and future projects. One obvious benefit of the data is the opportunity to verify as-constructed systems with the as-designed model. Trimble used TIMMs one more time just prior to move-in to create a 3D model to help the

Trimble facility management team optimize space today and in the future.

The Trimble Rockies Campus was completed in May 2013.

The benefits of collaborative, technology-driven methods have helped shape a smooth, just-in-time lean delivery process that set a new standard for office construction in Colorado and across the country.

JE Dunn’s Vice President of Preconstruction Brad Schenck concluded, “The Trimble Rockies Campus project provided us a unique opportunity to demonstrate, evaluate and document the value of collaboration, technology, and innovation to deliver more value to our client while establishing a more predictable, repeatable workflow for the entire project team. Perhaps the greatest value to the industry was that we all took one more giant step forward in improving reliability and reducing waste in materials, processes and labor.”

BIM-to-Field Synchronized Systems • Trimble Connected Community— dedicated project website to track project progress, store critical and track site activity in real-time • Tekla BIMsight— project collaboration tool to combine 3D models from IFC-compliant BIM tools, clash detection, markup and design review • Trimble Field Link for MEP and Structures— transition model data to the field and as-built data from the field to the model • Trimble Point Creator— create 2D and 3D field points within Revit or CAD and then export to Trimble Field Link for easy stake-out in the field.

• Tekla Structures— create and manage detailed, highly constructable 3D structural models regardless of material or structural complexity • Trimble PipeDesigner 3D— 3D CAD software for piping and plumbing contractors • Trimble AutoBid Mechanical— generate and manage piping and plumbing bids • Trimble Accubid Enterprise— estimating software for piping and mechanical contractors • Prolog Project Management Solution— a flexible and robust project management solution for the management of construction costs, scope and schedules.

• Trimble SketchUp Pro— an easy and intuitive 3D modeling software for contractors that allow rapid creation of models for conceptual design and planning.

Vicki Speed is a freelance writer specializing in the building and construction industry.

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BIM | Interview

‘Geospatial will be essential part of the armoury, not the only armoury’ Geospatial people should feel that they are an important part of BIM and should get more engaged rather than working in silos, feels Anne Kemp, Director, Atkins Global, one of the largest global infrastructure consultancies About three years ago at an AGI conference you presented an awardwinning paper: BIM isn’t GIS or is it?

What was your central thesis?

At that time, the UK government was just formulating their BIM strategy which said publicly funded projects above about £50 million ($76.9 million approx) would be required to use BIM by 2016. (The mandate has now changed to impact all publicly funded projects). I was asked to become the Network Chair of geospatial. I said as an infrastructure consultancy at Atkins, it was really important that we realised that the important driver is the intelligent use of data and information and that the technology should be subsidiary to that. I said that what we really need is a Network Chair of integrated digital solutions which would cover CAD, BIM, GIS, virtual reality, and augmented reality.

So my motivation, working in an infrastructure consultancy with clients where we deliver infrastructure and make key decisions on how to deliver particular outcomes and achieve smarter, integrated projects regardless of technology, is being able to deliver a means of interrogating and viewing data in such a way that you achieve a shared understanding. I feel that geospatial people should feel that they are an

important part of BIM. They should get more engaged rather than working in GIS silos. This motivated me three years ago and still continues to do so.

What is the situation now in the AEC industry on the geospatial side?

There has been frustratingly slow progress so far. However, we gained some momentum in the last nine-odd months. More and more people are starting to talk about it and challenge it. At a recent BIM for Infrastructure Conference at the Royal Geographical Society, we had David Henderson from the Ordnance Survey talking about smart cities, with some superb illustrations of the integration of geospatial and what people would regard as BIM data.

The boundary between what is coming from which technology becomes rather incidental; it is much more about what questions you are asking of that data and what are the intended outcomes of the project. Henderson was followed

I am not hearing negative things about geospatial from engineers. If you show them the integration and how this can actually fit, they will use it, but they may not recognise it as GIS Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | Interview

by David Philps, who is heading the BIM task group for the UK government and he conveyed a very similar message. That motivated a series of good conversations. The programme then started to go a bit deeper into data — such as the COBie, IFC and ISO standards. Some people from the ISO UK said they now realised how relevant our work could be. We really do need to link these standards together with OGC, BuildingSmart and ISO. They were eager to be a part of this dialogue and I will certainly be facilitating that progression.

I think this could be a turning point.

Are you seeing a specific business driver that is motivating people now?

There are a number of things.

I think what is really opening this up is the realisation that this is about the whole life cycle and managing overall portfolios. Geospatial people are realising that it is about managing and integrating all of infrastructure. And that is just core geography. Being able to analyse and blend that with what is coming from the CAD and BIM world will get really exciting. The goal of what that enables you to do is what is important, not the individual technologies.

Do you think that designers may already be using geospatial data and technology, but just not calling it GIS? I don’t hear negative things about geospatial from engineers. If you show them the integration and how this can actually fit into their workflow, they will use it, but they may not recognise it as GIS. And I wonder if that should matter.

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There was a UK Government Construction Summit recently where an immersive technology Mission Room was demonstrated. That is an immersive space where you have visuals on all sides including photogrammetry data or video; and CAD or BIM models. One of them involved going into the Nottingham Rail Station. It was so immersive that I was experiencing real motion sickness!

It was such a visual way of being able to spatially locate and remember in your mind key assets within that space.

What they are using was very much spatial data: survey and photogrammetry data, combined it with junction diagrams and CAD drawings which were put into real-world coordinate space for accurate display. I asked one of the people demonstrating Mission Room if this was GIS. He admitted that it was, but they didn’t call it GIS. Are engineers and architects using a lot of geospatial data and technology?

Certainly, and that is great. For instance, one of the rail companies is QR coding their assets and geolocating them.

They have photogrammetric data that is being collected by the Atkins survey and geospatial team who have put it into an open source GIS portal. It incorporates tools for instance which can accurately measure the length of cables. This was a challenge before using their own linear referencing systems — these often get impacted when a milepost gets shifted — so they didn’t have an accurate way of measuring the length of their cables. But by integrating that information they are now able to do it; only they don’t call it GIS. They are essentially calling it BIM. For years now, Atkins has embedded some of our team who are using geospatial for information or data management within large multi-disciplinary projects such as Crossrail, and the Olympics.

They were not called geospatial or GIS people, they became data managers or

information managers. But the fact is what they were using then, and I have been mentoring them for the last 5-10 years in what we are now calling BIM. The way you could and should attribute a graphical model and make it intelligent using different analysis tools and so forth — as BIM is now presented — is very much the same principle we were using when we developed the Atkins spatial data infrastructure.

It is said that geospatial people and engineers have a different perspective on the world: geospatial people are scientists and think in terms of universals, while engineers are worrying about door knobs and the size of screws. Do you think that is an issue?

I do think this is an issue. Although I can’t agree with the implication that one might be better than the other! How many of us have felt as though we are regarded as coming from a different planet when talking with engineers! I think that is why it is so important to get the geospatial people to connect more proactively with others, and consider whether they need to change their perspective and do some element of retraining.

I am seeing it more from the perspective of the whole life cycle of infrastructure with a designer or engineer’s eyes, and actually enabling that conversation, that dialogue between the geo people, the designers and the upper management. Bridging the divide between the different disciplines is really core to enabling collaborative working.

What’s your vision for the future of BIM-geospatial integration?

I think it is going to be a bit longer than five years. There will be a lot more than is actually done by the designers and engineers rather than specialists, and there will be challenges for our industry around that. We will be dealing with a whole range of data which will incorporate location, but is not hardcore

geo-data. This will include big data, cyber security and real-time sensors. Geospatial will be part of the armoury but it won’t be the only armoury.

Geography is an important base to enable a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding and solving problems. A number of professional institutions are collaborating to launch a group called Survey for BIM which is really indicating the way that this is going.

There is a white paper developed for Survey for BIM focused very much on point cloud survey and laser scanners. But there is actually a much wider survey consideration to be made. It involves a whole range of different people, chartered surveyors, vendors, such as Leica and Trimble, land surveyors, asset surveyors and building surveyors.

Actually getting them to all understand that there is a common purpose that they all need to serve — getting all the information into and maintaining that in a BIM model — so that the facility managers and operators who need reliable data can use it many times without the need for endless re-survey. The fact that there is this common thinking across engineering, survey, BIM and geospatial professional institutions is a very tangible indication of where we are headed.

When people use Google Maps, they don’t think of that as being GIS. In the future, we are going to see engineers and architects having to learn geospatial technology whether we call it geospatial or not. There is going to be cross-fertilisation of the disciplines.

An innovative BIM tool developed by Atkins for a major realignment and expansion project on the historic Fort Belvoir US Army post

The fact that there is this common thinking across professional institutions such as engineering, survey, BIM and geospatial is a very tangible indication of where we are headed Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | Interview

‘End-to-end visibility enables us to create a smarter planet’ There is a link between IT and smart buildings, says Dave Bartlett, Vice President, Smarter Buildings, IBM, as he underlines how the division is leveraging IT and analytics to help governments and communities improve quality of life Why is the Smarter Planet initiative such a big thing at IBM? The IBM Smarter Planet initiative, which is in its fifth year now, talks about the three ‘i’s — instrumentation, interconnectedness and intelligence. The world is becoming highly instrumented with sensors and related technology. This means there is also the ability to interconnect it all — not only IP-based networks, but also the ability to stream data over LTE and 4G communication networks. And then there's the Internet of things. And then there is the ability to derive intelligence about our built environment. That is the third ‘i’ — intelligence.

So the goal is to collect data from sensors, analyse them and then automate processes rather than having a human being intervene?

The ultimate goal is to automate as much as you can. But not everything can benefit from automation. We have the concept of visibility controlled automation: if we have end-to-end visibility of what is happening in the physical world, then we can have better control. As we control things for better efficiency, we look for opportunities to automate repetitive tasks. But

The entire built environment is a very complex thing and visualisation enables us to prevent outages even before they occur 44

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everything is not repetitive. It's a combination of control based on visibility and not relegating humans to repetitive tasks because humans are error prone.

The entire electric power grid is a set of very complex thing and visualisation of this very complex system enables us to prevent outages even before they occur. The intelligence part of the equation is to turn the data into useful information. We also need to be smarter in the way we capture intelligence from numerous interconnected systems. For example, the ability to run analyses prior to build can ensure that these facilities perform to expectation.

The same is true of buildings’ energy credentials. Heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems contribute to making buildings a significant CO2 emitter. However, being able to model building energy performance before construction can lead to substantial improvement in energy performance but the effects of such changes must be modelled beforehand.

Tell us about IBM’s smarter neighbourhood project in Boston.

I have been working with Boston University for two years. It’s called the Sustainable Neighbourhood Living Lab. We’ve got all sorts of funded research in transportation, lighting, energy grid, smart grid. We are working with a number of companies as partners and also the City of Boston to find out the

“quality of life issues” in a neighbourhood and how can they be approached with smarter infrastructure. We try to leave it to the people to define the mission, but the starting points have been more around buildings, transportation, smart grid etc. But the key to all of these is we need to have transparent data about buildings and infrastructure.

We are collecting carbon data from top of the buildings, inside buildings and landscaping. It’s the longest contiguous carbon monitoring project in the US. Now, what happens if I correlate that information with health care in Boston? When we see the highest number of people with respiratory illnesses, we could probably look at adjusting on certain days at certain times the CO/CO2 levels by looking at whether shifting transportation modes could solve the issue. So you start improving quality of life. We should visualise not just for control but also for helping communities make better policy decisions.

We use LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification wherever possible, but a lot of LEED work is about building to green standards and energy-efficient systems. Our project is more about understanding how we operate systems in the buildings in the neighbourhood. It is also about the performance of transportation networks and power grid and things which are beyond LEED. The Boston project will be about maintenance and ongoing operations rather than just building something.

Is it like rating buildings according to their energy usage, emissions etc?

Buildings last for many years and if significant improvements and cost savings are to be made, we should be looking for better ways to run these assets more efficiently. There are emerging IT solutions that can apply analytics to BIM models to drive down energy costs, improve building utilisation, optimise property portfolio management and maintenance, and

reduce environmental impact.

Further, it’s great to build energy efficient things but if somebody leaves a door ajar what is the value of it? We need to incorporate all such operational data also into our information model. If I had something that is a far more trustworthy representation of how the building is operating, it could affect real estate values or demand for a property, or the city could use it for tax breaks. We discovered two buildings that were identical but one was using far more energy than the other. It could be due to equipment not operating optimally in the less energy-efficient building, [BIM could help us here] or maybe it is just bad human behaviour in terms of operation [which is what community involvement is all about].

We want to put more science into the comparison of different buildings and learn from it. How can we learn from the top performers and apply that knowledge to other properties? Building information is the first step in the visibility, control and automation process.

The General Services Administration (GSA) in the US has a goal to reduce 30% energy usage of federal buildings by 2015. IBM has been contracted to develop a system to monitor energy usage of federal buildings.

IBM was chosen [by GSA] to lead the project and see how we can start with the 50 most energyintensive buildings in the GSA portfolio. It's a Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | Interview

A SMART GRID NEEDS SMART BUILDINGS Renewable Energy

Parking Dock

Internet

Power and Bi-directional Data Communication Dynamic Pricing Curtailment Signals Load Forecasts Capacity Bids Emission Reduction Info

Solar PV HVAC Security

Power Distribution

Combined heat and power plant

Lighting Information Technology Internet Thermal Storage Electrical Storage

Smart Meter

Smart Building Manager

Courtesy : IBM

combination of everything — from integrating workplace management system to real-time monitoring of events.

Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the biggest landlord and energy user in the UK government, selected IBM for its biggest project which is about military bases and housing. It is not only about a smarter building transformation, but also about transforming the entire IT infrastructure which needed overhauling in order to support smarter buildings.

There is a link between IT and smart buildings. IBM's background is IT and we deal with huge amounts of data.

That is why IBM got into smart buildings in the first place. It got everyone in our company fired up because it is an

We are also using IT to transform management of facilities. The facilities department was sceptical in the beginning but now the system is up and running at 28 sites around the world for IBM 46

Geospatial World | August 2013

opportunity to help communities, cities and governments to operate at lower cost more efficiently and improve the quality of life.

This is applying IT to industries that haven't had a lot of IT in the past, like construction or the power grid.

Exactly. And that is why this is more of a transformation — it's about changing roles and responsibilities, and creating jobs. My team, which is essentially an IT computer science team, works hand in hand with our facilities team in IBM to transform the company’s portfolio. That's something we just didn't do in the past.

We heavily leverage IBM products like Maximo, Trirega, and our real-time monitoring products. We use Cognos and analytic tools, and our warehouse tools, but the key is IT working hand-inhand with the facilities team.

What tools do you use to identify high energy or carbon footprint in buildings and facilities?

I break up the solution into two pieces, strategic and tactical. The tactical piece is the visibility; it is about identifying where to start. I find the 20:80 rule over and over again — 20% of the buildings use 80% of the energy. That could be based on the tasks, the climate, or a combination of both.

What is the difference between IBM's approach and a company like Schneider Electric that provides hardware and software solutions?

Schneider Electric is a building management system provider. It deals with energy systems, air handling systems and so on, and it is adding software to make these systems more efficient. But what IBM is talking about is a big IT play on top of those systems. It can not only connect multiple buildings but can also aggregate and look at what is happening at a city and at state level.

BIM | OGC Standards

BIM at the confluence of new technology currents Standards organisations enable Architecture, Engineering and Construction firms to deliver a comprehensive BIM product which can fuse data from multiple systems

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ccess to and manipulation of diverse information is a vital tool for Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) firms looking to compete globally. Firms may seek to deliver comprehensive Building Information Model (BIM) as part of their final product, or deliver building information services for years beyond the completion of a building. They may want to combine information from different sources in simulation, analysis, “clash” detection and visualisation. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to discover, assess, access, share and fuse information because these data reside in multiple systems.

We argue that smart building practices as well as smart buildings, smart cities and smart infrastructure advance more through cooperation among standards organisations than they ever could through the efforts of any single technology vendor or small group of technology vendors.

Advanced scenarios will become reality only as integrated standards platforms enable cities and citizens information systems to integrate information not only from GIS, BIM and civil engineering documents and services, but also from a wide variety of increasingly sophisticated — and increasingly connected — consumer products and services.

Inter-SDO coordination for spatial integration Although location is a major issue for information technology (IT), it is only a minor issue for most IT standards development organisations (SDOs). SDOs involved in many other domains follow the work of the OGC so their locationrelated protocols will stay in the mainstream of location communication.

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Cooperative Indoor/Outdoor Standards Effort + Smart grids

Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | OGC Standards

Each of the OGC activities below relate to the built environment. Each is evolving in the context of other existing and emerging standards from other SDOs. CityGML and the OGC Sensor Web Enablement standards are relatively mature and they have been widely implemented in software. »CityGML: OGC standard for 3D geoinformation and urban models. A key spatial ‘connector’ between GIS and BIM, CityGML complements buildingSmart International (bSI) Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs), which provide a basis for interoperability among BIM and CAD systems. »SWE: OGC Sensor Web Enablement suite of standards to make sensors and sensor data discoverable, assessable, and useable over netLOD 0: Regional model works. SWE is harmoDigital terrain model nised with the IEEE 1451 Smart Sensor standards and SWE includes PUCK, originally developed for oceanographic LOD 1: City model Block model, no roof structures applications. PUCK can be useful in any sensor network containing RS232 or ethernet-connected instruments.

LOD 2: City/site model »3D portrayal: A canRoof structures, optional textures didate OGC standard service interface for Web-based scene graph rendering and image based rendering of 3D city models.

LOD 3: Site model Development has Detailed architectural model involved communication with COLLADA and X3D and depends on W3C’s HTML5 and the Khronos Group’s LOD 4: Interior model WebGL. It is compatible Walkable interior spaces with OpenStreetMap formats.

CityGML’s levels of detail

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»IndoorGML: A common schema framework for interoperability between indoor navigation applications. Work proceeds in communication with ISO/ TC204 and IEEE RAS efforts to extend existing standards to cover indoor space as well as outdoor space in a seamless way. »ARML 2.0: A candidate OGC standard encoding language for mobile augmented reality (AR) applications. Draws from the OGC KML standard (visualsation encoding for Google Earth and other map browsers). »OGC SWE for IoT Standards Working Group: Addresses requirements not fully addressed by existing SWE standards: compact encodings and protocols for battery-powered wireless sensors, location/navigation in small areas, navigation-to-thing, contextspecific ‘around me’ use cases, visualisation in 3D city models and indoor models, space-time web navigation, big data, massive transaction rates, semantic translation and privacy and access controls. »OpenPOIs: OGC initiative to build a global, comprehensive database of POIs. Standard development for a POI encoding model proceeds in communication with the W3C AR Community and POI (point of interest) Working Group. »Mobile for Sites (MfS): Involves a small feature set focused on views, paths, and directories derived from 3D models of sites. A “lite” subset of CityGML for mobile navigation applications. This is a new activity led by Steve Smyth of Open Site Plan. »Energy and Utilities: The OGC Energy & Utilities Domain Working Group addresses requirements for improved spatial communication relating to indoor and outdoor elements of electric, gas, oil and water services. One related new proposal for an OGC standard is CarbonML, an encoding for data about

carbon emissions and carbon offsets, including those related to buildings. »LandXML: In use for many years, LandXML is a non-OGC XML data file format for civil engineering and survey measurement data. The new OGC Land Development Domain Working Group (DWG) is reviewing the current LandXML schema, determining how best to continue to support existing users and engage with them, and investigating how to best incorporate LandXML into the OGC standards framework. This will also impact the real estate finance and insurance worlds.

Service-based geospatial-civilBIM interoperability The difference between file based computing and service based computing is evident in map browsers such as Google Maps or Bing. To get a map on your desktop or smartphone, you don’t download and convert a data file.

Instead, a client process on your device links to a service through a service interface (which the average user doesn’t see or need to know about). You don’t get data; you get an answer to a query.

The transition to service-based information systems for the built environment is just beginning. bSI’s open standard IFCs provide a data transfer standard to move data between different vendors’ building information models. IFCs will ultimately provide a foundation for service interface standards that enable communication between Web services. OGC, bSI and ISO TC 59/SC 13 (Organisation of information about construction works) are discussing harmonisation approaches, beginning with civil engineering and surveying data.

As the OGC and its GIS vendor members found in the 1990s, when industry players share the cost of transitioning from transfer standards to service interface standards (and related

When industry players share the cost of transitioning from transfer standards to service interface standards, all stakeholders, including technology providers and technology users, realise tremendous returns on their investment encoding standards like the OGC Geography Markup Language (GML) and CityGML), all the stakeholders — technology providers and technology users — realise tremendous returns on their investment.

Meeting future demands People spend nearly 90% of their time indoors and they are carrying mobile devices with robust data creation capabilities. The BIM world is likely to be shaken by the dramatic rise in the use of sensor-rich mobile phones, indoor location technologies, Cloudbased apps for monitoring and control, and the rapid emergence of Internet of Things such as the smart grid and smart cars.

For example, cheap miniature LiDAR devices. It won’t be long before smartphones can laser scan a building or room to match-search or add to a 3D model in the cloud. More and more point cloud information will be created, aggregated and fused with other data about buildings, campuses, sites and cities. Such crowdsourced data from personal devices would impact civil, geospatial and BIM workflows. At the same time, much professionally created data about roads, landscapes and buildings will become widely accessible to individuals. This impending convergence makes interoperability an especially important goal to work towards.

Bart De Lathouwer, Director, Interoperability Programs, OGC Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM  |  Singapore

Challenges and opportunities for land surveyors There are many challenges for land surveyors to embrace BIM even as Singapore readies its construction industry to meet the twin problems of land scarcity and population growth

I

Sectional perspective of a housing project

The completed project

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nnovative and integrated developments designed to maximise land use and connectivity is becoming commonplace in the land-scarce Singapore. On the other hand, the construction industry is experiencing labour shortage as the island has tightened its workforce policy on foreign labour. To maintain quality urban living, development of the physical infrastructure for housing, transport and facilities must be ramped up to meet the projected population estimate of 6.5- 6.9 million by 2030 as against the present 5.31 million in 2012.

This gives impetus to improving the productivity of the Singapore construction industry through BIM. Benefits of BIM implementation Singapore promotes the development of BIM through the Building Construction Authority (BCA). As the agency to lead, engage and guide the professionals, BCA also offers incentives through productivity funding, training and education to build up the BIM capability and capacity in the industry. BCA has mandated the phased implementation of BIM e-submissions from July 2013 to July 2015.

Primarily led by architects and engineers, the focus of many BIM developments is defined in terms of the technical requirements, submission requirements and practice of these professionals. In addition, they have enjoyed significant lead time in training, evaluating and testing of BIM models as compared to land surveyors.

As with the adoption of any new technology and innovation, land surveyors must examine the existing work processes, evaluate how these processes could be adapted and consider how these reframed processes propagate to our stakeholders.

To address this, the Singapore Institute of Surveyors, representing the registered land surveyors in Singapore, is collaborating with the BCA and the Singapore Land Authority on a pilot project on BIM for land surveyors. The BCA BIM Steering Committee was formed to lead the development of standards and supporting resources to facilitate the collaborative use and implementation of BIM. It comprises various interest groups and disciplines, including government agencies and professional bodies. Recent representation of land surveyors in this committee is a platform to ensure the industry participation and contributions by land surveyors to the construction industry.

Unlike BIM, CAD and GIS are more mature and established technologies where interoperability, data structure

and design are less of an issue as are computing power, space and workarounds. BIM demands a steep learning curve and some investment in new survey equipment, software and hardware from land surveyors, many of whom are conditioned in traditional surveying processes. While it is undisputed that BIM models are a rich source of information, they have huge file sizes, leading to demands on the hardware.

Also, there are interoperability issues between different BIM software products with inter-conversion resulting in some extent of data loss.

Balancing the expectations 3D geospatial data and models can be detailed, accurate and precise but the cost-effectiveness of the BIM survey has to be considered first. For instance, the accuracy of a BIM site model for design purpose may not be as stringent of that required in a topographical survey. Further, it would be wasteful to provide too much detail for structures within a development site which will be demolished before construction.

BIM architectural models have been defined in varying level of details or complexity for different stages of the design, and it is useful to have a general understanding of these models as well as how geospatial data interacts with them. Just as 3D geospatial data can be confusing with its array of data source, contents, standards and platforms, the same appears to apply to BIM. The primary requirement by the clients is land survey deliverables that satisfy the existing statutory requirements and submissions. Arising from BIM implementation, they could now impose additional requirements to the same survey deliverable.

Opportunities galore Land surveyors provide the geolocation information in BIM. The existing

site contours and location need to be modelled based on the surveyed information. Surface models and condition, model orientation and site configuration as well as the georeferencing of the BIM model must be provided by the surveyor. There are requirements on the data capture and format of topographic surveys to support BIM formats.

Some clients or designers implementing BIM end up having to rework the data when they are unable to obtain BIM-compatible data. For development work on existing buildings, it is critical that the measured building is surveyed in BIM or BIM-compatible format and accurate as-built survey data are available. For design of more complex development, more details and 3D visualisation of the site may be required.

Land surveyors may need to evaluate the combination of more than one survey technique to measure the data and provide them in a format that best suit the requirements of a project after advising the client accordingly. It is also imperative to present the accurate 3D survey data as accurate 3D models to a BIM-centric process as the land development industry embraces BIM. BIM to field Beyond ‘Field to BIM’, land surveyors can also look forward ‘BIM to Field’.

Mergers and acquisitions of surveying equipment companies have led to the integration of BIM into surveying equipment. One such development is the acquisition of Tekla by Trimble. The land surveyor can literally bring the BIM model into the field during actual construction, resulting in smoother workflows and communication between the two.

Loh Suat Yena, lsy12@hdb.gov.sg Principal Land Surveyor, Properties & Land Group, Housing & Development Board, Singapore

LET’S BIM IT • Singapore’s goal is to implement the fastest building permitting in the world.

• Building and Construction Authority is leading an effort to implement the world’s first BIM e-submission and has mandated phased implementation from July 2013 to July 2015.

• P roject teams only need to submit

one building model, which contains all of the information needed to meet the requirements of a regulatory agency.

• More than 200 projects have made BIM e-submissions

• In 2010 the BCA implemented the

BIM Roadmap with the aim that 80% of the construction industry will use BIM by 2015.

• This is part of the government’s

plan to improve the construction industry’s productivity by up to 25% over the next decade.

Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | Interview

‘Integration of BIM & GIS is essential’ Geodesign creates a technology continuum which enables informed designs, says Shannon McElvaney, Global Industry Manager for Community Development and Geodesign evangelist, Esri, as he explains how the concept, which is based on GIS-BIM integration, aims to break down conservative culture barriers to create an integrated workflow that leads to a better design How does geodesign enable a smooth workflow?

Technology today enables us to move beyond the separate process of planning, designing, construction, and maintenance.

That continuum is called geodesign, and from the very early stages of a project, it enables the creation of an iterative and informed design. Geodesign streamlines the design process by defining all the key issues and parametres. With this, one can see whether they are hitting the target or not, if things are going according to the plan or not, etc. BIM is an integral part of geodesign.

In traditional design situations, you make what you think is the perfect plan, and then when construction begins, things start to happen; you start finding things that you didn’t know about — utilities, for example, and you end up saying things like “Whoops!

An 11-KV line that was not on any map is underneath the piling that we are just about to dig.” This happened to us in Masdar City, UAE and it was frightening.

We also talk about geodesign from the point of view of change management. If you build change into the process up front using geodesign tools and techniques, you can quickly do an impact assessment of the change order to see if you are hitting your mark and metrics. With big data and sensors, you can have a clear picture of things and are informed constantly.

Do you visualise the construction life cycle as a continuous process, instead of distinct phases with handovers and the associated data impedance problems?

Yes. But one of the things that will block the uptake of this concept is the cultural differences between each one of these disciplines — the cultures of planning, designing, surveying, constructing, down to operating and maintaining the facilities.

The term geodesign is a bit confusing for engineers and architects who are involved in the design and building phases of the life cycle because they think of design with AutoCAD 52

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drawings as deliverables. Is Esri more interested in the planning or conceptual planning phases of the life cycle?

It’s the same problem between urban planning and design. The differentiation is understood in different manner by various groups. For instance in Masdar City, we would get the whole layout for the road system, but it was in a 0,0 coordinate system. We would then have to interpret it in the real world context and identify the reasons as to why a certain design wouldn’t work because they didn’t take into consideration the natural layout of the land. Designs delivered in a 0,0 coordinate system are uninformed, and miss out on the wealth of information available from all of the “-ologies” that support better decision making.

There is not a wide embrace of geotechnologies in the architecture community. This year’s American Society of Landscape Architects conference is a great example. It was shocking to see how little uptake of GIS there is in landscape architecture.

The civil engineering community actually uses GIS and this gets down to the continuum I was talking about.

They will take all the GIS data available from the counties and cities to analyse whether a conceptual design is viable or not. They will analyse the data and then get approval for the proposed design, and this will get them through to the next planning stage. Typically, GIS will be used throughout 50-60% of design phase, before moving into detailed design.

Without an engineering certification, GIS professionals struggle to be valued in the construction world. The geospatial world is still trying to step up to these mature, well-established, conservative cultures. For example, you will often hear surveyors say “GIS guys don’t understand accuracy, precision, or liabilities.” Geodesign is an attempt to break down these old barriers, by creating an integrated workflow that leads to better design.

How do you envision the design process farther down the road?

Do you remember in Star Trek when Captain Kirk says, “Computer, are there carbon-based lifeforms on that planet?” And the computer answers him with relevant information. I envision a world of design like that. We should just be able to say: “We have this many people; we need to build housing in an area that is not susceptible to fire, flood, landslides; it should be located within 15 minutes of where people work; and it should be southfacing to maximise the potential for passive solar.” You would just say what you want to the computer, and get back all of your constraints and opportunities. That information would then go to the designer, who can do the beautiful design for a building that is even more efficient in its own way.

How important is getting design people who are doing BIM as part of the design phase to talk to those who are doing it as part of the planning process?

This is quite important and we are trying really hard to facilitate this. Primarily, we consume BIM models whereby we only extract what we need using things like FME software. At Masdar City, we got these huge BIM models, but we needed only the walls, the piling, the floors, and the roof. And from that we could do solar energy modelling for PV panels, energy performance modelling, transit accessibility, shadow casting, and much more. The developers needed to know proximity to stations, value of real estate, floor space, proximity to amenities, and they used this information to value the real estate and forecast their return on investment. The sustainability group needed to do the same, in order to calculate their GHG emissions, energy, water, and waste needs. BIM and GIS integration is essential to be able to do this.

Thematic representation of mixed-used zoning on which a variety of location analytics can be run

Do you remember in Star Trek when Captain Kirk says, “Computer, are there carbonbased lifeforms on that planet?” And the computer answers with relevant information.

I envision a world of design like that Geospatial World | August 2013

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BIM | Skill Demand

How viable is BIM as a career?

As the demand for BIM managers goes up across the AEC industry, what are the long-term prospects of such a career?

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Who are the current BIM people?

With BIM, an accurate virtual model of a building is used in construction. Currently, CAD people are turning into BIM managers. They handle a variety of tasks such as meeting clients and contractors, making sure models are done correctly, running clash detection and ensuring there is no scope for errors. This includes managing all the information and modelling it. They are also helping companies implement BIM by educating them about this new technology.

Contractors are also hiring BIM specialists who can run the project through project goals using BIM software. Sometimes, architects can also turn to be BIM specialists as they also gather information from consultants and models. It is good for candidates to have some construction background because it is mostly virtual construction, project management, and communication.

qualified BIM professionals will have responsibility to secure the continuity and minimal stability in this period.

They will lead, manage and cope with this transformation. Their participation is determinant to its success.

Young professionals educated in the BIM will push the industry forward because young people have fewer inhibitions than the old ones and they put their creativity to use without any reluctance.

That said, they cannot do it without backup. Therefore, the senior professionals’ solid experience will always be needed, especially if they can move swiftly around in the BIM environment and comfortably adopt to the change.

A young person can be an expert in handling digital information and digital models, but knows not much about the real-world objects. ‘Information’ in BIM is not a substitute for the physical objects; virtuality is not reality. It’s just partial information about the reality.

Another issue is to know the ‘social reality’ of construction, i.e. all the relationship issues, including contractual.

And even if the processes and practices change, they will not be built in blank virtual space, but between the same people who are already there, walking on the real ground. The best BIM managers out there are problem solvers for their particular discipline. They happen to use technology as the basic catalyst for solving those problems and training others how to utilise that in a similar way.

The new versus old hands The AEC industry is going through a major transformation. Experienced and

What the future holds?

In countries like the UK, the Netherlands and Singapore, the demand for

IM is the latest game changer as a technology solution. But like any new technology, there is a great need for skilled manpower in this area. Naturally, a number of young students of construction disciplines across the globe are interested in making a career out of it. But how viable a career option is it? How is it like taking BIM as a sole role or task within an organisation? Is there a dedicated ‘BIM guy’ role in a company? What are the long-term prospects for such a person?

BIM managers have a solid career in the short term, say five to ten years. Beyond that the game will very likely change. For an experienced person, this is definitely a good option as such people can build BIMcompetence on their experience and not just on imagination 54

Geospatial World | August 2013

Courtesy: Tekla

BIM skills are rising and BIM is expected to become the standard practice in the coming years. A number of design teams are planning to adopt BIM within the next three years.

BIM not only adds value to the technology but also changes the process of designing and building. In the near future, BIM/VDC managers and support engineers are likely to work for the owners directly in the facilities department or construction management divisions to manage project teams from RFP to project handovers. Companies which provide construction management services will probably retain the BIM/ VDC professionals the most. The rest probably will migrate to the owner side.

BIM managers have a solid career in the short term, say five to ten years.

Beyond that, the game will very likely change. For an experienced person, this is definitely a good option as such people can build BIM-competence on their experience and not just on imagination.

Such people should extend their knowledge to all areas where BIM is important, and not only where they come from.

For young professionals, becoming a ‘BIM manager’ is not the most exciting option. Before they gather the experience to be a manager in construction (or design, or both), such a role may cease to exist, and they may end up as a redundant ‘BIM-hand’ since the entire system is likely to be BIM-competent soon.

However, there might be a niche role for the strictly BIM personnel, responsible for maintenance of databases, etc. But then, this belongs to IT and not construction. For instance, new software, design modelling, and Cloud are bringing huge changes to the way the AEC industry works. But, other than an IT professional, would one survive in the AEC industry just on the basis of computer skills? On the other hand, one needs to have computer skills to be a manager. Similarly, hanging every-

thing onto BIM is likely to make a person outdated very soon. BIM is a management process which is quickly becoming the operational norm, and it will take management skills to survive. A degree in BIM is a sought-after commodity but it is not equivalent to a degree in Revit or ArchiCAD etc. BIM support can be rolled up with IT support role in smaller architecture and consultant firms.

Conclusion To keep short, BIM is a very viable career option. They are in great demand for carrying out projects and operations at various construction firms. BIM managers have a great role to play in AEC tasks — estimating the costs and time for implementation and use of the BIM software. BIM managers also strive to achieve customer’s complete satisfaction as well as maintain and establish relationships and partnerships. However, when it becomes a norm, even if the rest of the workers don’t want to be BIM experts, they are going to become BIM users or work in the BIM environment.

Now, when that happens, the ‘solely BIM’ people will not be that valuable.

So learn BIM, use BIM, and be a great manager by learning all the other leadership skills that make great managers.

For young professionals, becoming a ‘BIM manager’ is not the most exciting option.

Before they gather the experience to be a manager in construction, such a role may cease to exist, and they may end up as a redundant ‘BIM hand’ since the entire system is likely to be BIM-competent soon

Team Geospatial World Geospatial World | August 2013

55

BIM | Case Study

Erecting the diamond dome For the architecturally stunning new Vienna Central Railway Station project, Unger Steel Group embraced Tekla’s BIM software to plan, produce and assemble diamond shaped trusses for the roof of the station

3D design of the roof of Vienna Central Railway Station

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U

nger Steel Group is an Austrian group of construction companies with long experience in structural and architectural steel construction of projects. The group was commissioned to plan, produce and assemble 14 diamond-shaped steel trusses of the partially transparent, architecturally stunning roof of the new Vienna Central Railway Station, a major European traffic hub. The steel trusses had to be placed 15 metres above platform level. Another major challenge was the station was a development project with an attached shopping mall, residential buildings and a park, and work had to be done with precision on a crowded site and in close coordination with other parties. Unger needed a comprehensive solution to manage logistics, create constructible steel structures, model and detail structure and sub-structures, and collaborate with project parties like architects and structural engineers.

The challenge The roof was 5,000 tonne processed steel with an area of 40,000 square metre.

Each steel truss was 76 metres long and had one-of-a-kind appearance. The roof could not have any horizontally arranged component. Such a structure had to have nothing less than 254,000 screws, 54,100 frames and 271,100 metal sheets.

Unger had to create 52,700 individual and 22,200 welded components. Safety, precision and timelines were the first of many challenges Unger had to face.

The solution At Unger, BIM does not stop to the design office door. The company configures each new version of Tekla Structures according to their standards, enabling it to plan specifically for their cutting and production machines. It uses Tekla in tendering for informed estimations during bidding; even its salespersons are familiar with Tekla BIMsight.

For the Vienna Central Station, Unger created all transport lists and surveys directly from Tekla’s BIM model and used it to control production and assembly sequence. Tekla created constructible steel structures, modelled and detailed the main structure and substructures like

cable channels, and extracted data and drawings for production and assembly, simulated welding sequences of the complex components. The Unger team imported the architect model as 3D DWG files to Tekla Structures for designing and detailing the diamond trusses.

As numerous project parties operated on the huge construction site, Unger also included platforms with rails and concrete foundations to the model to notice possible clashes in the design phase.

Unger chose BIMsight for planning transportation lists since the work had to be done on time. For production at workshop, the required data transferred directly from design office to DSTV and interfaced with the cutting machines in workshop.

The Trimble Total Station helped assembly of roof components while they hung from a crane, and the team needed exact position data for lifting and fitting the components at 15 metres above the platforms. With the Total Station, Unger’s own staff could measure the structures and save on expenses of external surveyors. A combination of Tekla and Trimble solutions were used in a preassembly workshop to measure the components after welding to spot possible manufacturing tolerances before assembly, and later

to control the position of the structure.

BIMsight offered detailed information to carry out each task with great precision. As a result, the site staff was already assembling the first diamonds at the station while the workshop team produced the remaining ones. The entire process from cutting one truss to its final assembly took about three-and-a-half months.

Results and benefits BIM and automated data transfer accelerated the project while easing the logistical challenge with automatically generated transport lists and aid in controlling production and assembly sequence.

The measurements of the built structure were transferred directly to Tekla, saving time and labour because there was no manual data entry. The BIM solution ensured that each project party had the building information model available and could work together, including production and installation teams on the site. Unger started work in 2010, and the first trains arrived at the station in late 2012, and passengers could get the first glimpse of the city through the roof. The station is scheduled to be fully operational in 2015.

The project involved assembly of 14 unique diamond-shaped steel trusses of the roof. The structure had 254,000 screws, 54,100 frames and 271,100 metal sheets. Unger had to create 52,700 individual and 22,200 welded components

Courtesy: Tekla Geospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Feature

M FOR

ining ore

Global economic uncertainties, lower commodity prices and higher costs of extraction make it a difficult playing field for the mining sector which must embrace newer technologies to come out stronger Gone are the days when conversations about commodity prices were confined to industry analysts.

Today, mining is front page news – every day and across the globe. For mining companies, this greater visibility comes with greater responsibility.

— Tracking the trends 2012, Deloitte

M Courtesy: BHP Billiton

ining is at the forefront of the global economy and often an indicator of its health. Population growth and urbanisation in emerging markets, coupled with current requirements in the developed world, have created unprecedented demand for minerals and metals.

The increased output of metals and their value have resulted in the rise in value of the global metal and industrial minerals mining industry from $214 billion in 2000 to $644 billion by 2010, reports the International Council on Mining & Metals, which has also found that the demand for minerals and

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metals is directly proportional to the material standard of living. The effects on metal demands are dramatic as populous countries such as China and India undergo rapid development and urbanisation phases. Not surprising then that the world’s top 40 mining companies invested $98 billion in capital projects in 2011 and planned for a further $140 billion for 2012 (PwC).

However, with the ongoing economic downturn and uncertainty in the markets, the mining sector, like all others, is feeling the pinch — diminishing investments and plunging stock prices are prompting across-the-board cost cuttings, thereby exposing them to a range of competing trends and rapidly changing global business environment.

“Softening commodity prices, higher input costs, and volatile currencies are putting pressure on margins,” says Tom Albanese, CEO, Rio Tinto. Against this backdrop, miners need to maintain investment

pipeline in the midst of growing safety, environmental and community concerns as deposits become remote, and high crude oil prices and wage inflation drive up operating costs.

Tech enablement The mining industry is primarily dependant on data. “Information and spatial reference are essential through all phases of mineral production, from exploration through construction, operation and mine site closure,� emphasises Prof Jozef Dubinski, Chairman, World Mining Congress.

Compared to engineering designs in other fields, mines have more dynamic assets which are under constant pressure by natural and economic forces. Geospatial data allows planners to prepare for the staged development of a mine and react rapidly to slope hazards or when actual ore grades differ from expected, explains Nathan Pugh, Busi-

ness Area Director for Mining, Trimble.

In the background of increasing demand and diminishing deposits, discovering new sources ahead of the competition is the key for miners. In addition to exploration, remote sensing data can also help monitor the progress of mining and waste depositing on dumps by photogrammetric calculation of excavated volumes, stability of an area near the mine by regular interferometric measurements, environmental changes in surrounding areas, points out Lena HalounovĂĄ, Department of Mapping and Cartography Faculty of Civil Engineering in Prague. The final phase of the mining activity, reclamation, can also be controlled by using remote sensing data to detect forest reclamation quality, and interferometric data for the stability control of newly created land morphology etc.

Remote sensing data covers large areas in discrete moments, offering repetitiveness and comparativeGeospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Feature

Effects of urbanisation

ness, says Halounová, adding they are irreplaceable and the cheapest data for regular con5,000 trol and change detection.

Further, exploration 4,000 China’s per capita copper demand growth accelerated after the 30% urbanisation mark; requires analysis of different India looks like it is set to do the same 3,000 types of data such as satellite imagery, digital photo 2,000 mosaics, geophysics, surface geology studies, subsurface 1,000 and cross-section interpretations and images, and existing 0 borehole locations, which can 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% be analysed by a GIS, explains Urbanization ratio Geoff Wade, Natural ResourcCommodity demand intensity correlates with growth thresholds es Industry Manager, Esri.

Source: ICMM Additionally, large mines need versatile, workflow-oriented GIS applications to manage land rights and global business portfolios, and ensure safety.

However, the actual return on investment kicks in only in the production stage. The stage involves ore extraction and according to Dr Ryan Keenan, Project Manager, Leica Geosystems, it is here the whole spectrum of geospatial technologies are used in harmony to continuously model, survey, monitor and report on the mine environment.

Fleet management systems track the movement of vehicles, from drills and dozers to dump trucks. Regular surveying, scanning and monitoring is carried out on major tasks. Scanning systems Source: Raw Material Group, Stockholm are used to perform as-built surveys of proProject pipeline cessing plant interiors, Country Investment ($bn) Share (%) conveyor systems, shafts Latin America 192 28 and stockpiles.

In the production North America 124 18 phase, positioning Oceania 113 17 and communications infrastructure provide Africa 99 15 precision positioning Europe 75 11 throughout the mine, and augmentation systems Asia 73 11 are used in deep-surface Total 676 100 mines prone to GPS/ Mine investments by region 2011 GNSS outages, adds Copper demand per capita (kg per 1,000 persons)

China India

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Pugh. Safety is also addressed by slope and deformation monitoring of sidewalls, dams and structures. Underground solutions include drill positioning and tunnel scanning and surface comparison.

The world’s largest mining company BHP Billiton uses the entire range of technology such as remote sensing, GPS, aerial surveys and a GIS system as part of its workflow. The advantage is that it enables rapid, flexible assessments which yield an easy-to-interpret visual product as an output — a digital or hardcopy map — and also provides data storage and maintenance within the system, says Gary Brassington, Environment Manager, BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal.

Mining the benefits of g-tech They may not know it by the term ‘geospatial’, but all mining giants are either lining up significant investments for or have already embraced well-proven measurement technologies for precise and reliable geospatial positioning.

In addition to effective decision making and competitive advantage, new technologies in automation and machine control provide huge productivity gains immediately. Mining giant Rio Tinto has a fleet of driverless trucks which use GNSS to transport ore at a mine site in Australia.

Now, the company plans to spend another $483 million to make its trains driverless. It could save about $72 million per annum, cut workforce by 600 and reduce costs by 30 cents per tonne of iron ore if 50% of its trucks are automated.

On the other hand, Brazil’s Vale, world’s second largest mining company, has invested $8 billion for a ‘truckless’ system of long conveyor belts by automating part of the world’s largest iron ore mine at Carajás Serra Sul in the Amazon using GPS. The solution also enables automation of the recovery and piling through satellite positioning and 3D scanning. The process takes about 100 trucks off the site, reducing diesel consumption by 77%. In

2011, Vale’s production was 109.8 million metric tonne (mmt), which is likely to touch 230 mmt following full automation of the section in 2016.

Coal India uses geospatial technology in the pre-mining phase, surveying, exploration and compiling baseline data of environmental situation and land-use patterns; as also real-time trip counting system at opencast mines, truck movement monitoring etc. The world’s largest coal producer is planning to install GPSbased vehicle tracking by March 2014 after an internal study showed losses could run over $841 if any of its 170-tonne truck remained idle for half-an-hour. This would be double if the truck was of 240-tonne capacity. According to Chairman Narsing Rao, Coal India is open to further emerging ones too to meet its ambitious production targets, including 70 expansion/new projects in the next five years.

Coal India subsidiary Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) has initiated mapping of all major coalfields using satellite data. “Integration of remote sensing data with airborne, surface and subsurface geological, geophysical and geotechnical data on GIS provides useful information for mineral exploration,” says Narendra Singh, General Manager (Geomatics), CMPDI. South Africa’s Exxaro is using longrange laser scanners to support a range of expansion projects. The scanners are used to survey stockpiles for volume verification, provide height analysis on earth works and blasting, and collecting highly accurate measurements for terrain mapping and modelling. “I was given the task of looking for cost-effective solutions that would enable us to cope with the increased workload without the need for additional surveyors,” says Thys Smith, Chief Surveyor at Exxaro’s Grootegeluk Coal Mine. Laser scanning was the obvious solution with cost, safety, accuracy, speed of operation and confidence in the data as deciding factors. The technology will also

allow Exxaro to manage risk, minimise surveyor contact with moving equipment and potential fall of grounds, and reduce the need to work at height.

“Terrestrial laser scanners play a big role in the lifespan of the extraction process, continually documenting the site to provide real-time, 3D analysis of materials, volumes, structures, topography and safety,” says Thomas Gaisecker, Senior Manager International Sales, Riegl Laser Measurement Systems Gaisecker.

A long-range laser scanner can survey an entire mine site within an hour against the traditional time requirement of weeks.

The systems are fast enough to capture large areas, accurate at long-range measurements and can measure pit mines as wide as 4 km or even more.

Miranda Gold Corp, a gold exploration company with operations in Nevada, US and Colombia, has invested more than $100,000 in incorporating cutting-edge technology. “Our entire operation is based on geospatial technology, from field to office,” says Brian R. Cellura, Senior Geologist and Generative Manager. Use of geospatial technology has enabled it to develop an efficient exploration programme, resulting in a $700,000-a-year strategic alliance with Agnico Eagle for exploration in Colombia.

Kinross Gold Corporation, which has projects across Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Mauritania, Russia and the US, has witnessed drastic rise in productivity and reduction in costs after adopting these technologies at its Round Mountain gold mine, says Richard Musselman, Operations Support Engineer/Chief Mine Surveyor. The Round Mountain has a modular mining dispatch system for fleet management which uses satellite positioning while loading equipment, drills, and dozers use high-precision GNSS receivers. The receivers, robotic total stations, and a radar system monitor highwall and slope stability, keeping people and equipment

NUMBER CRUNCHING 45%

Of the global GDP is driven by mining

11.5%

Contribution of mining product revenue to global GDP

21-23%

Contribution of mining services to global GDP

$140 bn

Investment by the world’s top 40 mining companies in 2012; $98 billion in 2011.

7 mn

Jobs provided by coal mining globally

41%

Of world’s electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Feature

MINE LIFE CYCLE

Exploration • Identify valid ore deposits • Determine local topography

Design • Design of mine site • Plant transportation & support sites

Construction • Construct processing facilities • Transportation infrastructure • Create haul roads, dump sites etc

Production • Ore and burden extractions • Ore transportation and stockpiling • Processing • Waste transportation

Remediation • Land rehabilitation • Restore site environments • Environmental monitoring • Confirm site stability Courtesy: Leica Geosystems

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safe from rock fall hazards and allow for steeper pit designs, lowering production costs. “This requires less training than before and also means less man hours on the job,” adds Musselman.

Fortescue Metals Group, the World’s fourth largest iron ore producer, has implemented a new geospatial mapping system as part of an $8.4-billion plan to treble operations by 2013. “We are aiming for a new, secure and efficient way of operation to improve workflow efficiency and decision making,” says GIS superintendent Jen Thomson.

Australia-based Arrium Mining has export port facilities at Whyalla with current sales capacity of over 6-million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and work is underway to expand this to 12 mtpa.

GIS and spatial data management services play a crucial support role here.

Grant Young of Coffey International, which provides GIS solutions to Arrium, says spatial data and GIS are seamlessly integrated into its operations, and primarily used for the regulatory and environmental management of the mines.

Development of informative maps for tenement and regulatory applications, stakeholder consultation and communication are some of the key services.

Safe & sure Geoinformation and technology comes handy in analysis and evaluation of the surface effects of mining activity, safety as well as in environmental impact assessment. Following the infamous incident in 2010 when 33 miners remained trapped for over two months in Chile’s San Jose mine, the governments of Chile and Argentina made the use of GPS equipment mandatory in all their mines. A number of other countries like India and Canada, and some US states are also in the process. While GPS doesn’t work underground, there are several benefits for above-ground or in opencast situations. Fleet management

software is used by managers to monitor several aspects of vehicle and driver safety, improving compliance with safety standards.

“The need for geospatial technology is increasing as the value of mined material continues to increase and regulatory agencies continue to impose safety regulations,” says Bradley C. Burgess, Sales Manager-Laser Scanners, Topcon Positioning Systems.

Abandoned mines are a safety concern owing to roof cave-in threats or flooded boreholes. Other safety/security aspects include protecting personnel and facilities in unsecure environments and from natural disasters, which makes accurate maps of the mined areas an important aspect. Recognising the gravity, US Congress recently appropriated $10 million to Mine Safety and Health Administration for digitising mine maps and developing technologies to detect mine voids.

Approximately $3.9 million was allocated as state grants for digitising underground maps for abandoned mines and making them digitally accessible to the public.

Further, “mine operations in remote or dangerous locations are a growing issue for the staff and consequent costs for the company in terms of liability and health insurance, as well as logistical planning for protection, mitigation and possible evacuation of staff,” says Wade.

In India, CMPDI has initiated satellite-based thermal infrared mapping to monitor fires in mines and the status of remedial measures. Narendra Singh reveals satellite data is also being used to assess the siltation quantity in the reservoirs near coalfield area and the source of siltation.

With the proliferation of regulations governing the environmental and social impacts of mining activities, miners agree that corporate social responsibility is the way ahead. “We have to do it in a socially and environmentally responsible way,” says Narsing Rao. Accord-

ingly, CMPDI is generating a pre-mining environmental database for land use based on high-resolution satellite data for 28 major coalfields and monitoring the impact on surrounding vegetation.

Geospatial technology is also making its presence felt in the administrative processes. In Brazil, the System Geographic Information of Mining of the National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM) is integrating information regarding registered mining processes that is associated with other geographic information. The system is georeferenced and displayed by digital maps in vector and raster formats.

Illegal mining is a bane for any country. While GPS-tracking is a sure shot way of dealing with it, some countries are trying out innovative technologies like UAVs. For instance, DNPM in Brazil partnered with Brasilia University to focus on development of UAVs to monitor illegal mining activities. UAVs have low-cost operation and maintenance, and offer the possibility of acquiring high temporal resolution data at very high spatial resolution even in difficult-to-access areas.

Digging for profits Technology providers are bullish on mining and treading ambitiously. Trimble recently set up a complete business division around this industry. “Our organisational commitment at this level is the ultimate endorsement that the mining industry is very important to our business,” explains Pugh.

Similarly, Leica Geosystems has a ‘Life of Mine’ initiative offering a complete portfolio of class-leading measurement technologies capable of measuring and monitoring every phase of the mine cycle.

Gaisecker of Riegl says the company’s topographic and mining solutions have seen significant growth in sales over the years and work on future developments in the field of monitoring, geological virtual modelling and such is on.

TOP 5 MINING COUNTRIES Ranked as per their mineral reserves

Mining as % of GDP $749 bn

18% 33%

$510 bn

Russia

Ukraine 10% 6%

$22 bn

Australia Guinea $2.5 trn

26% “In a better economic climate, the potential is easily two times the current revenue stream,” says Wade.

A major variable in the profit equation controlled by mine managers is operating costs. Pugh says technology to improve efficiency, reduce rework and increase safety is justifiable when mineral prices are down, and is necessary to increase production to meet demand and profitability goals when the markets are up.

However, solution providers agree that despite the potential, the full benefits of geospatial technology in mining are far from being realised. As Wade says, many mining users see GIS applied principally to exploration and have not realised the cross-departmental benefits of geospatial technology. “They might have a GIS lead but they are embedded within an operational department, rather than being part of corporate IT,” he adds.

In fact, an Australian research project investigating practical methodology for assessing mining subsidence impacts found though a large number of mining companies are using spatial data and GIS, they could use it more effectively across a wider spectrum.

$737 bn

South Africa Source: hydralok.net

While GPS-tracking is a sure shot way of dealing with illegal mining and has taken off well with authorities around the world, some countries are trying out innovative technologies like UAVs Geospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Feature

MONEY MATTERS $140 bn

Total investments lined up for capital projects by the world’s top 40 mining companies for 2012, against $98 billion in 2011

$72 mn

Annual savings of Rio Tinto if 50% of its trucks are automated.

It could also cut workforce by 600 and reduce costs by 30 cents per tonne of iron ore.

77%

Reduction in diesel costs by Vale after automating world’s largest iron ore mine at Carajás Serra Sul in the Amazon at a cost of $8 billion.

$841

Losses suffered by Coal India if any of its 170-tonne trucks remained idle for half-an-hour. This would be double if the truck was of 240-tonne capacity.

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Topcon’s Burgess thinks the challenge is effective communication of the business value of updating field data collection technology and frequency of as-built updates to mining executives. “It is also ultra-important to create an understanding of the RoI.” The downsides also include availability of spare hardware, vendor response, network availability, and database space requirements, points out Musselman.

Some like Cellura think the biggest challenge is the field-related equipment. “There does not seem to be a nice medium between the handheld units and full tablets. To enable on-field data collection and review, we would prefer a device which has the screen size, speed and memory of a tablet yet fits into a worker’s tool belt.”

Way forward A whole range of emerging technologies have the potential to benefit the mining cycle significantly. For instance, Gaisecker says laser scanning is still an emerging technology and will find applications in unexplored segments like vehicle coordination and surveillance. Multiple long range laser systems enable near-real-time 3D monitoring.

Combined with GIS, this is projected to become a global standard.

The incorporation of point cloud data by enterprise mining (operations) software applications can increase data and decrease the amount of time to gather it, says Burgess. Dr Keenan sees data collection and handling, data management and access, visualisation and business intelligence reporting, and safety of life as the future areas of application. Augmented reality and 3D could also become must-have features in the coming years.

Developments in IT area use of GIS in the Cloud makes the access to geospatial information more universal, easier and intuitive. Its application can bring quick

tangible benefits, not only financial, but also improved decision making, information access and service quality, believes Prof Dubinski. Further, “developing the ability to store, edit, analyse and transfer data is useful in the context of the growing use of remote sensing data as an important source of data for GIS, panchromatic images, multispectral and hyperspectral image data as well as Synthetic Aperture Radar and other raster data.”

Since its inception, the World Mining Congress has strongly supported initiatives for development of mining science as a basis for economic growth of countries.

“Modern and innovative technologies in the recognition, extraction of minerals as well as the utilisation and disposal of mining waste should contribute to the rational and efficient use of natural resources,” elaborates Prof Dubinski.

In the past two years, the world’s top 10 mining companies saw around 32% growth in revenue and 156% increase in net profit. Dr Keenan says this clearly shows a growth market in which effective use of geospatial technology is resulting in maximum RoI. “Fortunately the mining industry has been willing to be early adopters,” says Pugh. Many companies now have technology advisory groups at the corporate level, streamlining introduction of new technology, but very few mandate adoption from top down. There is room to build a better connection between the mine and the corporate office with geospatial intelligence. As Pugh says, it would be beneficial to have a top-down and bottom-up approaches to educate on new technology. Also, first-hand demonstration of benefits is critical to gain further inroads.

Deepali Roy, Regional Product Manager, South Asia, Geospatial Media & Communications deepali@geospatialmedia.net

Interview

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Geospatial World | August 2013

Mining | Case Study

Aerial and ground survey for efficient mine development Geospatial technology plays a very critical role from aiding mining exploration to monitoring mines. A Malaysian mining company is using g-tech in the crucial development phases of the mine

T

he development of a mine site requires numerous layers of spatial data. Typically, companies utilise satellite data as a low cost broad-acre layer option and move to more accurate (and higher cost) layers as alternatives are refined and the decisions become more critical. While the temptation is to save costs and use existing or “under specified” data, the consequences of basing decisions on flawed spatial data can be dire.

A mining company in Malaysia combined aerial and ground survey techniques during the developing phases of the mine to increase accuracy. The mining company is currently conducting confirmation and exploration drilling and metallurgical test work on the deposits.

The project involved numerous components, all linked together to provide survey efficiencies.

These components are detailed below: »Survey control: Any field survey requires a sound network of reliable permanent survey marks (PSMs). In the early stages of exploration and development, little notice is given to the fundamental principal of “surveying from the whole to the part”. Exploration surveys often start at a single site and then expand to cover areas showing resource promise. This leads to poor survey geometry, and often no homogeneous survey network. This component involved AAM resurveying 15 PSMs across the site, with a

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braced DGPS network adjustment. »Data validation: As the mining company had recently acquired an interest in the project, there was a requirement to review and validate the existing survey data. This exercise is typical of such sites, where new owners are wary about investing further. The mining company was aware that survey shortcuts are often taken in the early stages of project development to save survey costs. Sound mining companies insist on basing significant investment decisions on known and reliable survey data and resource analysis. This component involved AAM resurveying existing drill hole collars to support a reliable review of the mineral resource. »Validate claim corners: This required deploying licensed surveyors to confirm that the claim corners marked in the field did actually agree with the locations nominated on the certified plans. Often mining companies start developing areas outside of their mining lease due to erroneous (or displaced) field monuments. »Previous LiDAR review: The mining company had existing LiDAR data which exhibited characteristics that it did not meet usual accuracy standards. This too is common as companies try to save costs by engaging survey companies not experienced in high-tech aerial surveys.

Virtual mine site

»New LiDAR survey: This required deploying a first order LiDAR sensor and experienced personnel to collect an accurate point cloud over the project area. Data points were collected at a point spacing of better than 1m, to accurately define the terrain surface across the site. The LiDAR sensor was able to define the terrain, even under dense Malaysian vegetation. This vital data layer serves many purposes over the life of the mine, including: • Accurate terrain surface to better assess the extent of the resource.

• Detailed terrain surface to access the resource and plan stripping operations to quantify development costs.

• Terrain definition to support planning of site infrastructure, such as access roads, plant sites and support buildings.

• Hydrological studies, to support flood management of Malaysia’s tropical rainfall, and optimise dam sites for the mine’s ongoing operations.

• Engineering studies to support design and maintenance of embankments.

• Baseline archive of the site before operations, to record current landscape and protect mining company against any possible future claims of erroneous land disturbance.

• Original surface definition, to support mine rehabilitation plans at the end of the mine site’s life.

• Canopy definitions, to archive the height and extent of site vegetation prior to development. »LiDAR spatial products: The LiDAR sensor defines the terrain shape, even under vegetation. There are a number of spatial products which can be extracted from the LiDAR data, including contours, cross sections, earthwork volumes, watershed boundaries and water flow models. »Colour aerial photos: The mining company l also received 20cm digital colour orthophotos of the site. This accurate pictorial record complements the spatial definition provided by the LiDAR. The field survey team established ground control points (GCPs) while on site, to tightly orient the aerial photographs to the ground. These photos also combine with the terrain data to provide 3D visualisations and flythroughs across the site. These data products are useful for community consultation, investor summaries and help site planners visualise the site.

David Jonas and Maziana Muhamad, AAM Pty Limited (Malaysia)

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Case Study

3D GIS aiding mine management The Chinese land resources department integrates 2D and 3D GIS for project clearance, security monitoring and mine resource exploration and audit

C

hongqing Municipal Bureau of Land Resources Department used to maintain paper records for mining management. The paper records made it difficult for the government to have clarity on the ownership of mine reserves and mining taxes. Moreover, since this data was locked up in different departments, it became difficult to process the data when the government wanted integrated data for a statistical purpose. Lot of precious time was wasted during government audits of mineral projects and in identifying the zones which are prone to geological disasters or have cross-border issues.

In order to resolve these issues, Chongqing chose to build a mine supervision and management information system. After completing verification of mine rights in 2009, the municipality began developing the system.

2D GIS leading the path Handmade paper documents were converted into electronic data and geographic and business databases were built. To solve the data sharing problem between different departments, several technologies were used.

SuperMap SDX+ database engine enabled the system to store spatial data in database like SQL server, Oracle, etc. Multi-source aggregation technology enabled access to different data types and data sources. The data was then exposed as Web service within SOA architecture and was integrated with the basic data management platform.

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Mine layer analysis

With the help of this platform, the staff was able to overlay various types of data on “one map� and continue with their day-to-day functions. However, the municipality still faced two major problems. The latest mineral reserves and the archives of the reserves were difficult to identify. Also, a lot of time was consumed in identifying projects with cross-border issues.

To solve these problems, a series of query and analysis functions were added into the system.

By defining a standard data structure, operations personnel were able to update the reserve data dynamically with mobile devices. Hence, they were able to perform current and historical query functions of the reserves.

3D view of the mine

3D GIS adds unimaginable possibilities Data has always been an issue in 3D GIS. 3D data needs time and money to develop.

Usually, 3D GIS only provides the viewing function while query and analysis functions are difficult to realise. SuperMap 3D GIS provided an intuitive way to interpret the whole framework of the mine. Based on the 3D view of the mine, effective planning and device monitoring was done. Device status and information are queried in the 3D scene.

The staff could precisely locate in case of a gas alarm. The system also integrated video monitoring device, and the real-time video could be displayed to monitor the mine. An emergency handling module was also added. The emergency plan could be carried out in the 3D scene through simulation.

The classification of different mining features in coal mining areas could be visualised in 3D scene. Through comparative analysis, drilldown analysis, regional analysis based on mining technology, unexploited coal areas could be calculated. The efficiency of mine exploring improved significantly.

Benefits The mine supervision and management system came into operation in 2011. The time needed for project approval, which is the main work in

Video monitoring of the mine

Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Land Resources Department, was greatly reduced with this system. By setting the rules that a project should not be in no-take zone, cross-border zone and geological disaster zone, the unqualified projects could be detected automatically, eliminating hidden dangers.

The economic benefit of resource utilisation was huge. Recovery percentage of coal mines improved by 2-3%. The annual producing reserves of Chongqing are 2,600,000 tonnes. So 52,000-75,000 tons of mine could be recycled. It brought 26 million RMB ($ 4.2 million) revenues to the district in 2011.

The income from taxes increased. With supervision and monitoring functions of the reserves, as well as day-to-day electronic monitoring of the output of the mines and mineral enterprises, the under reporting of production of mineral resources is avoided. The annual output of the coal in Chongqing is 1.5 million tonnes. A 10% rise in the production was inspected by the system and tax incomes increased by 15 million RMB ($2.4 million dollar).

In addition, the efficiency of the mining administration department improved while the costs reduced. It is estimated that about 500,000 RMB ($80,000) was saved in 2011. The project won GIS Excellent Engineering Gold project award in China in 2011. 

Geospatial World | August 2013

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Mining | Case Study

Going for gold with LiDAR Understanding underground geology is important for gold exploration. A Canada-based company utilises LiDAR technology to uncover the hidden dangers

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urface lineaments are linear ground features associated with complex subsurface geological structures, including faults, fractures, and other features such as contacts between different rock types. Sometimes just a half metre wide lineament may extend for hundreds of metres in length. Due to their large scale, these features can be difficult to spot from ground level, and they can be even harder to see in most remotely sensed imagery if obscured by vegetation or loose sediment.

Catching the gold fever The key to revealing this hidden surface geology is a powerful multi-pulse airborne laser scanner, or LiDAR. It is a fast and inexpensive

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means of gathering topographic information critical to the success and safety of mining operations. McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd., an engineering, mapping and surveying company, has introduced two new bare-earth mapping services developed specifically for the exploration and exploitation phases of the mining industry.

The Vancouver-based company verified the use of LiDAR bare-earth digital elevation models (DEMs) for lineament and fault identification in a gold mining district of British Columbia. “Lineaments provide clues to underground geology and are a valuable aide to geological mapping — a crucial part of any gold exploration or mine engineering project,”said AzadehKoohzare, Ph.D.,

P.Eng. “Geologists can interpret the pattern and direction of these surface features and, as many gold deposits are associated with geological structures, use this information when selecting and prioritising exploration targets.”

McElhanney, which owns three Leica Geosystems LiDAR scanners and two Leica Geosystems ADS digital cameras, initiated the lineament mapping project using the Leica ALS60 and is upgrading to the more powerful 500 kHz ALS70-HP system.

This LiDAR system provides the minimum 2 points per square-metre density required to generate bare-earth DEMs with the accuracy and resolution sufficient for revealing the narrow linear surface features. In the British Columbia pilot project, McElhanney operated the LiDAR at an altitude of 2,500-3,000 metre above the sea level to collect the data. Standard processing removed the returns associated with vegetation to generate a bare-earth DEM with 10 cm vertical and 30-50 cm horizontal accuracy.

Monitoring ground subsidence McElhanney devised its idea for ground subsidence monitoring in Saskatchewan where potash deposits are mined and used for fertiliser.

Potash extraction poses a higher risk of ground subsidence than many other types of mining because the evaporated deposits are found in soft rock formations that are structurally less than ideal for tunneling. As a result, potash mines must be continually monitored for subsidence or sinking, of ground above and around the excavation site.

“Subsidence above the mine gives advance warning that personnel inside may be at risk of a cave-in or collapse,” said Koohzare, adding that subsidence and uplift can cause problems for up to five kilometres in any direction from the mine site. In addition to dangers inside the mine, the ground movement can also sever pipelines, damage roads and crack building foundations in the affected region.

Monitoring subsidence around potash mines – and other mineral extraction projects – is typically carried out using traditional ground survey techniques, which are expensive and

DEM model

time consuming. Based on LiDAR operations in hundreds of projects, many involving energy and mining clients, McElhanney says that airborne LiDAR is the fastest and most cost-effective way to monitor ground subsidence.

The 10-cm vertical accuracy of bare-earth DEMs routinely generated from laser scanners can identify significant shifts in the ground surface — either up or down — that may signal dangerous conditions in the mine. McElhanney recommends collecting an initial baseline data set above each mine site and then continuing to collect new data every year. Once subsidence is revealed, monitoring flights should be repeated while steps are taken inside the mine to minimise the danger.

As is the case with the lineament mapping, the high-pulse rate of the LiDAR sensor is crucial to penetrating the vegetative canopy around the mine site to get extremely accurate elevation measurements of the ground surface, or bare earth, according to Koohzare Kevin Corbley, President, X-Media & Principal, Corbley Communications Inc

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Mining | Case Study

Draining out water woes

Using virtual reality techniques, a Mozambique coal mine developed a mitigation mechanism to solve its drainage problems

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Inclined belt at Moatize coal mine, Mozambique

he Moatize Coal Mine in Mozambique, built and operated by Brazilian mining giant Vale SA, faced challenges due to the unique characteristics of its surface drainage system and the local climatic conditions, which included high intensity rainfall.

The heavy rainfall periods often hindered planning of constructing water canals and reservoirs. Identifying the location of the canals and estimating their capacity was another major design challenge. An important goal in planning these drainage systems was directing the superficial water flow to avoid problems of hydraulic concentrated flow, water accumulation and erosion that may undermine the mine’s operations and worker safety.

The solution Coffey, a consulting firm specialising in geosciences, in partnership with Vale, developed a working methodology and technology tools that first enabled the integration of diverse data sources such as spatial geo-referenced databases, digital terrain models, aerial images and engineering CAD designs to generate threedimensional models that faithfully represented the current state of the mine and its planned expansion into three distinct temporal scenarios (from 2013 to 2015).

Using geospatial technology and virtual reality, the team created hydrological models and simulated the hydraulic behaviour

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of drainage devices in different mine pit scenarios. A set of tools was applied to analyse these models and extract the physical parameters to support the mathematical calculations with respect to the flow of water at critical points, surface flow lines, concentration times and watershed sizes.

A guided user interface was developed to enable process automation, which offered the speed needed for GIS users to simply enter their data to generate the necessary mathematical and spatial information results. The information generated was combined with 3D models which were then integrated into an intuitive VR interface providing real-time interaction and analysis.

The use of these resources allowed a collaborative and qualitative 3D analysis of the data generated by the mathematical model, empowering the technicians in defining the ideal type, location and engineering workdesigns required to solve the challenges they faced. Vale is now able to plan and model scenarios and is able to mitigate potential problems long before they occur. This in turn is reducing the need for large investments, complex interventions, loss of profits arising from production stoppages while increasing the safety of the work environment across its diverse operations.  Charles Rezende, Team Leader, Coffey GIS Pablo Reinhardt, Leader, Coffey Virtual Reality

Interview

The Largest Intelligence Event of the Year OCTOBER 13-16, 2013

The Honorable James R. Clapper Jr.

Director of National Intelligence (DNI)

Parag Khanna

Global Strategist, World Traveler, and Author

Dr. David Kilcullen

Author and President & CEO, Caerus Associates

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Geospatial World | August 2013

•

TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER

Ms. Letitia A. Long

Director, National GeospatialIntelligence Agency (NGA)

ADM William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command

Robert Scoble

American Blogger, Technical Evangelist, and Author

•

TAMPA, FLORIDA

Events

September

August

Mark Your Calender August 13-14 Africa Geospatial Forum 2013 Cape Town, South Africa

August 19-24 Summer seminar on GNSS

August 21-23

Japan

August 21-23 International Conference on health GIS 2013

http://www.africageospatialforum.

http://www.gnss-pnt.org/summer_

Thailand

Gurgaon, India

org/

seminar/index.php

http://healthgis2013.com/

http://www.teriin.org/ResUpdate/

TERI presents MDP on Smart Electric Grid

teri-mdps.php

September 11-13 Latin America Geospatial Forum 2013 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

September 12-13 GeoIntelligence Latin America 2013 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

September 16-18 Geo-empower Middle East Summit Dubai

September 16-19 URISA’s 51st Annual Conference for GIS Professionals Rhode Island, US

http://www.lagf.org/

http://www.geointla.org/

http://goo.gl/NzYQjO

http://www.urisa.org/gispro2013

September 17-18 Geospatial Defence & Intelligence Asia 2013 Singapore

September 24-25 5th International LADM Workshop Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

September 24-26 Asia Geospatial Forum 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

http://www.geospatialdefenceasia.

www.isoladm.org

org/

October 22-25 Symposium on GNSS 2013 Istanbul, Turkey

October 28-31 The year in infrastructure 2013 conference London, UK

October 30 2013 Blue Marble User Conference US

http://goo.gl/U9FUPY

http://www.bluemarblegeo.com/

http://www.asiageospatialforum.

October

com/Default.aspx?MAC=GSW

October 1-3 Conference on Earth from Space Russia

http://www.isgnss2013.org/

http://www.conference.scanex.ru/

bmuc/index.php

index.php/en/

AfricaGIS 2013 / GSDI World Conference (GSDI14) 4-8 November 2013 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia AfricaGIS is the largest regularly occurring GIS conference in Africa with participants from the entirety of the continent. The GSDI World Conference has built a reputation for excellence in content and moves across the globe to offer geospatial specialists in all parts of the world opportunities to better exchange ideas and learn from global peers in building spatial data infrastructure.

The joint AfricaGIS 2013 and GSDI World Conference (GSDI 14) theme is Spatial Enablement in Support of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction.

More information at: http://www.gsdi.org/gsdiconf/gsdi14 Main sponsor

Hosts

Lead collaborators

Collaborators

Endorser

Interview

Data courtesy City of Quebec

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Geospatial World | August 2013

Interview

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Geospatial World | August 2013