Digital Terrain Model of the Netherlands’ Busiest Bridge

The Van Brienenoordbrug bridge is the busiest in the whole of the Netherlands, with an average of 235,000 vehicles driving over it every day. Approximately 150,000 ships and boats pass under it annually, and it is raised around 150 times a year to allow them through. To keep this bridge safe – now and in the future – it was necessary to gain a complete picture of its current state of repair, so Geomaat designed a digital terrain model (DTM). The Van Brienenoordbrug is a large twin tied-arch bridge on the eastern side of Rotterdam. It carries the 12-lane A16... (read more)

2020-04-14 08:18:45

Bentley Systems’ Acceleration Fund Announces the Launch of Virtuosity

Bentley Systems has invested in launching Virtuosity to bundle the virtually delivered services of experts for infrastructure practitioners based on Virtuoso Subscriptions. Bentley Systems, Inc., a leading global provider of comprehensive software and digital twins services for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure, has announced that its Acceleration Fund has invested in launching Virtuosity, a Bentley company. Virtuosity exclusively offers Virtuoso Subscriptions that bundle – with a Bentley infrastructure modelling, simulation, or construction application – the virtually delivered services of Virtuosity’s experts to accelerate and advance the success of an infrastructure practitioner. Allan Murphy, Virtuosity CEO, said: “The... (read more)

2020-07-14 08:47:52

GNSS Receivers – Evolution or Revolution?

Past, Present and Future of Positioning

Satellite surveying… are there any industry professionals out there not using it on (almost) a daily basis? Over the last 30 years, GNSS has become the main positioning instrument for most applications, writes Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk. Of course, there are still some exceptions where correct relative positioning is needed and dedicated optical systems such as a total station or level instrument are used, but even these are often set up over control points determined using GNSS techniques. This article investigates the developments in GNSS over the last decade and attempts to predict the future. Around a decade ago, a review of... (read more)

2019-01-30 08:43:20

Leica Geosystems and Geomap Support Digitizing Facility Management

Leica Geosystems and Geomap, a cloud and GIS-based integrated workplace management system (IWMS), have announced global cooperation to support customers in the digitalization of their facilities and asset support services. The integration of Geomap's IWMS platform with Leica Geosystems’ reality capture solutions provides customers with the ability to extend the life of mission-critical assets, assess maintenance remotely, provide managers with accurate and reliable information and use geospatial information for indoor navigation and location-based services. Digitizing building portfolios in the Geomap IWMS software solution has significant benefits in terms of asset and maintenance tracking and cost savings. Managing buildings and maintenance... (read more)

2020-04-24 01:38:57

3D Modelling for Property Valuation in China

A High-resolution Remote Sensing-based Approach

Rapid urban development in China has transformed the cityscapes, with a dramatic increase in high-rise buildings. However, the current 2D property valuation methods neglect the vertical dimension, even though that aspect contains significant indicators that impact property value – such as types of views, scope of vision and daylight. 3D modelling of geographical data can help to change this in high-rise and high-density areas, going beyond 2D to enable identification of complex property characteristics in the vertical dimension too. This article presents research to explore a 3D modelling approach using remote sensing data for more precise property valuation. The accelerating... (read more)

2019-09-26 10:00:54

Nearmap Unveils Streaming 3D Online Platform and AI Technology

Nearmap, an aerial imagery company, has launched a 3D product in a move that could potentially change the way industries such as urban planning, architecture, construction, government and councils view and shape cities across Australia and the USA. More than 400,000 km2 have already been covered. Nearmap 3D allows customers to stream and export 3D imagery on demand on a massive scale, through its proprietary MapBrowser web application. Additionally, because the imagery is updated frequently, businesses can work with the most current information to make better-informed decisions. Nearmap has developed AI technology that is turning millions of aerial images, captured over a... (read more)

2019-06-14 10:49:47

3D Repo Wins Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge

3D Repo has come out on top as winner of the Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge, winning a cash prize for their innovative 3D solution that aims to make the planning system more accessible. The awards ceremony took place at the London City Hall to mark the end of the challenge, which originally started with more than 125 entrants, there to take on the most pressing problems facing London. The Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge not only delivers benefits to Londoners, but also offers a fantastic opportunity for tech start-ups with a route to market. London’s Chief Digital... (read more)

2020-03-31 11:21:39

Coronavirus Outbreak: European Construction Sector Calls for Urgent Action

The European construction industry calls for urgent measures to protect workers’ health, support economic activity and accelerate the recovery in the context of the current coronavirus crisis. In a common declaration, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other leading European organizations representing the construction sector, an industry worth 9% of the EU's GDP and employing more than 16 million Europeans, urge the European institutions and the European Member States to act in full coordination. The following steps are required, according to the European construction sector: Put in place required and tailor-made health and safety measures, protocols and guidelines... (read more)

2020-04-28 09:07:13

FARO Introduces 3D Lidar Solutions for AEC Industry

FARO, one of the leading companies in 3D imaging solutions for construction BIM, has showcased an innovative set of 3D solutions specifically developed for AEC professionals at Intergeo 2019 in Stuttgart, Both solutions will be formally announced and available soon. As 3D laser scanning – also known as Lidar – becomes more ubiquitous across various industries, there is an ever increasing need to make the scanning process and data processing more efficient. Conventionally, this has been addressed with a variety of mobile mapping solutions. However, these solutions typically have limitations in terms of accuracy and data fidelity. Kinematic 3D scans According... (read more)

2019-09-24 10:20:50

Drone Roof Surveys and Aerial Inspections

Roof surveys and building inspections using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or 'drones') have become a more efficient data collection process for many building and construction projects, compared to traditional ground-based methods. Major cost savings and speed of collection are the main reasons why an increasing number of companies are using drone mapping software. Drone Photography Services, based in Cornwall, UK, uses various DJI drones with zoom cameras and the latest software to deliver efficient, high-quality surveying and mapping data. Drones are not practical in all surveying applications, but the company has recently done surveys of a church roof and structure... (read more)

2019-11-19 10:23:13