Skip to content

3D Scanning Construction and Demolition Waste

Location

Egypt

Scan time

17 minutes per scan

Size

82,823 m2

Scanned

Construction and demolition waste

Industry

Construction

ZEB Revo RT | Housing and Building National Research Centre

The government of Egypt (GoE) are leading several initiatives to reuse and recycle the ever-increasing quantities of construction and demolition Waste (CDW) around the country. These initiatives include a national strategy and action plan to effectively manage around 40 million tons of CDW generated annually. They target to recycle 50% of CDW materials by 2030. One of the major challenges facing Municipalities in Egypt is calculating the amount of CDW accumulated, due to illegal dumping of waste being common place in cities.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and the GIZ institution, HBRC (Housing and Building National Research Centre) have been tasked with finding effective methods for quantifying and characterising the amount of CDW in four Egyptian Governorates (Gharbia, Kafr-El-Sheikh, Assuit and Qena).

This project paves the way to developing an optimal construction and demolition waste management strategy in Egypt. The research team used GeoSLAM’s ZEB Revo RT SLAM laser scanner to map the construction waste piles. The scan data is a sound method for quantifying waste volumes over a period of time, due to the ease of capture and accurate data.

The traditional surveying of CDW accumulations was not practical as CDW locations are difficult to walk through and experience rapid changes to the waste quantities.

The ZEB Revo RT is ideal for rapid data capture in real time, making it the perfect tool for this job. By walking through the construction and demolition waste sites, the team are mapping as they go, shortening the amount of time spent in a hazardous environment, reducing health and safety risks.

The simplicity of the solution means that anybody can capture the data, with minimal training, making the scans repeatable as often as needed. Covering an area of 84,823 m2, the research team conducted 12 scans, dividing the route into zones and each scan lasted an average of 17 minutes.

Once the scanning was complete, they opened the data in GeoSLAM Hub where the point cloud can be viewed and prepared for GeoSLAM Volumes. Using GeoSLAM Volumes, the researchers could accurately calculate the quantity of construction and demolition waste. The findings were reported back in a presentation during the third International conference on Smart Cities.

This way of calculating volumes is fast, efficient, cost effective, safer than other methods and repeatable, making the SLAM scanner the right tool for the job. The research effort opens the door into the utilisation of 3D modelling of construction waste management sites.

The application of laser technology would enable the quick and accurate estimation and modeling of waste quantities.

https://youtu.be/3iEXCsonWBg
View the PDF here

Get in touch

If you’d like to learn more about how GeoSLAM solutions can help you, submit the form below.




    Please select your Country

    How did you hear about GeoSLAM?

    Opt in to the GeoSLAM mailing list for updates and offers

    Your information will be used by GeoSLAM and our authorised partner network.

    Where in the World is LiDAR Being Used? Top 6 Uses from 2021

    With increasing awareness of LiDAR technology, its applications are becoming more diverse. From helping to prevent natural disasters to mapping historic caves and restoring architectural wonders, our ZEB laser scanners have been involved in a range of interesting projects over the past 12 months.

    Referencing using control points

    What are control points?

    Control points are points within a given area that have known coordinates. They are a key tool in the geospatial industry and can be utilised in a variety of ways, including georeferencing point clouds and aligning aerial images to terrestrial data. By using control points, surveyors are able to accurately map larger areas and position overlapping surveys of an area together. They can also be used in non-geospatial industries, such as construction and mining, to show clear temporal comparisons between multiple surveys of the same area. This method of georeferencing is also referred to as adjust to control.

    Previously, checkerboards and spherical targets have been used as control markers – these items are captured in surveys and can be identified for georeferencing or aligning. The main drawback with these methods is that they rely heavily on human interpretation when processing, meaning that the processed datasets may be susceptible to an increased amount of error.

    When capturing handheld surveys, GeoSLAM systems are able to collect reference points. These can then be matched with known control points to reference scans and increase the level of accuracy.

    What makes GeoSLAM referencing different?

    • More accurate: GeoSLAM scanners are used with known control points and survey grade pins, rather than more traditional moveable targets. This reduces the margin of error within point clouds.
    • Save time: using known survey control points means there is no need to manually position individual targets before every scan. Data capture can then be repeated regularly, faster, easier and with no concerns that reference points are captured in different places each time.
    • Safer: in dangerous or inaccessible areas, targets are not required to be physically positioned on pre-defined control points prior to each scan. This reduces the time exposed to hazards and unsafe areas.

    Industries using control points

    Geospatial

    Geospatial

    Easily reference point clouds and produce reports highlighting accuracy values.

    Utilities

    Mining

    Regularly monitor site operations (e.g. stockpiles) and hazards.

    Security & Defence

    Construction

    Compare changes over time and map progress onto predetermined CAD/BIM models.

    Using control points with GeoSLAM

    Capture

    All GeoSLAM ZEB systems are able to capture reference points using the reference plate accessory. These reference points can simply be measured by remaining stationary for periods during a scan and will be recognised during the processing stage. Points can be captured from a horizontal or vertical position, depending on which ZEB system is used, making it easier than ever to georeference datasets.

    Process

    Using the Stop & Go Georeferencing workflow in GeoSLAM Connect, datasets can be automatically referenced through a rigid or non-rigid transformation.

    Rigid Transformation

    Scans are rotated and adjusted and reference points are matched to the known control points without changing the scale factor. A single transform is applied to every data point in the point cloud.

    Non-Rigid Transformation

    The scale factor of datasets is altered to suit the control points – every data point is moved to a new position; this means the relative positions of these points also changes. This method is better suited for poor SLAM environments.

    A clean georeferenced point cloud is produced using both methods. An accuracy report of the transformation is also generated and includes an RMS error value.

    Point clouds with endless possibilities

    Once georeferenced using control points, point clouds can be optimised further using leading third party software:

    • Comparisons with existing CAD/BIM models
    • Point cloud to point cloud registration showing changes over time within a given area
    • CAD/BIM model creation

    For more information about our third party partnerships, head to our integrations page.

    Case Study

    Mapping hazardous mines under intense time constraints

    Beck Engineering, an Australian mining engineering consultancy specialising in mining and rock mechanics analysis, needs to rapidly map mines under intense time constraints using versatile technology which is adaptable to any environment. GeoSLAM’s handheld mobile mapping solution was chosen as it is compact, portable and delivers a high level of accuracy. With GeoSLAM’s “go-anywhere” 3D technology in hand, Beck Engineering has been able to supply invaluable data regarding the direct effects of mining to better understand the implications of a deforming rock mass. Beck Engineering is now able to accurately measure the shape of an excavation or tunnel over time. As a result, tunnels are safer, better designed and more cost efficient.

    We have continued to use GeoSLAM products as they have proven to be affordable, lightweight and sufficiently robust devices for their application underground. GeoSLAM continues to produce a high-quality device that is at the forefront of practical mobile laser scanning devices.
    – Evan Jones, Senior Rock Mechanics Engineer at Beck

    Read the full case study

    Contact us





      Please select your Country


      How did you hear about GeoSLAM?

      GeoSLAM and its authorised partner network will use the information you provide to contact you about products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.

      Opt in to the GeoSLAM mailing list for updates and offers

      Blogs

      Keep up to date with the latest news and thought leadership from GeoSLAM.

      Load More

      On-demand Webinar

      Watch a previous webinar in your own time

      Increasing Productivity in Architecture with Mobile Mapping

      In this webinar we are joined by GeoSLAM customer SLA Architects. Jordan JD Dixon is an Architect who specialises in renovation work. SLA wants to stay on the cutting edge of technology, and were using some of the traditional tools like laser distance measures and phone photography, their goal was to improve on accuracy.

      Key takeaways:

      • Learn about the GeoSLAM ZEB Family of laser scanning solutions
      • How GeoSLAM technology fits into BIM-LOD
      • Learn about SLA architects, the type of work they do and the role of GeoSLAM technology in their workflow
      Watch on-demand

      GeoSLAM Sample Data

      View and download data in our free point cloud viewer

      Here’s some helpful tips for the best viewing experience

      • If your internet connection allows, move the Point Budget slider to the maximum amount available to view all the points in the cloud.
      • Making the point size smaller using the Point Size slider makes the data easier to view and interpret.
      • In the tools section of the viewer, you can measure the distance and angles of features within the pointcloud.
      • Using the materials section of the viewer, you can use the Select Attributes dropdown to view by intensity, elevation and RGB (if point cloud is coloured).

      St. Botolphs Priory

      Location: Essex, UK
      ZEB Scanner: ZEB Revo RT
      Scan time:       20 Minutes

      This data was captured as part of GeoSLAM’s Big SLAM Tour in 2021. Click here to learn more about the scan

      View data

      Would you like to see a specific dataset that’s not on this page? Contact [email protected]

      GeoSLAM Sample Data

      View and download data in our free point cloud viewer

      Here’s some helpful tips for the best viewing experience

      • If your internet connection allows, move the Point Budget slider to the maximum amount available to view all the points in the cloud.
      • Making the point size smaller using the Point Size slider makes the data easier to view and interpret.
      • In the tools section of the viewer, you can measure the distance and angles of features within the pointcloud.
      • Using the materials section of the viewer, you can use the Select Attributes dropdown to view by intensity, elevation and RGB (if point cloud is coloured).

      Distillery

      Location: Europe
      ZEB Scanner: ZEB Revo RT
      Scan time:       20 Minutes

      GeoSLAM’s ZEB Pano was used to capture images of the distillery.

      View data

      Would you like to see a specific dataset that’s not on this page? Contact [email protected]

      Mapping the Future – The Now or Never pod with Willmott Dixon

      GeoSLAM were invited by Willmott Dixon to be involved with the beginning of this process, by scanning the existing used timber units provided by Carter Accommodation. Using the ZEB Revo RT, Willmott Dixon were able to capture data of all 4 cabins, in 4 minutes, registering over 8 million number of points.

      Poole’s Cavern

      Chartered land surveryors, GeoTerra were invited by the BCRA (British Cave Research Association) to scan the cavern, so they could gain a better understanding of the geological formation. Using GeoSLAMs ZEB Horizon, GeoTerra’s goal was to map both areas accessible to the public and the narrow spaces just big enough to crawl through – a system of caves measuring 300metres long and 50metres wide.