Singapore is home to some of the most profitable financial services, manufacturing and oil-refining corporations in the world. But with its accomplishments come some very specific challenges for a city-state which is limited by space but still demanding growth.

Determined to future-proof Singapore’s success, the country has embarked on one of the most ambitious digital twinning projects the world has ever seen – creating a dynamic 3D city model and collaborative data platform, including 3D maps of the region.

At the initial stage of the project it quickly became apparent that aerial imagery alone would not be able to capture ‘void decks’ – open spaces typically found on the ground floor of the city’s apartment blocks. These areas, which are sometimes underneath the tower block structure, are used for everything from games areas, bicycle parking, hosting wedding receptions and wakes, and, as estates grow, facilities such as shops, medical centres and even schools.

In the face of fierce competition, GeoSLAM’s ZEB Revo was selected as the most innovative and efficient solution to collect data from these important community spaces.

“A huge time saving exercise which would ordinarily have taken 40 times longer using traditional surveying methods“

With a handheld “go-anywhere” ZEB Revo, field teams quickly captured a dense and accurate point cloud of an entire void deck, which was then used to model the deck geometry and incorporate this into the existing building models.

376 buildings with void decks were scanned using the ZEB Revo, taking approximately 100 hours – an enormous time-saving exercise which would ordinarily have taken up to 40 times longer using traditional surveying methods.

The ZEB Revo is often used alongside terrestrial hardware as the products are highly complementary. The data output can be easily combined through geo-referencing or scan-to-scan matching and then used to build complete 3D models. In this instance, the combination delivered highly detailed and rapid results while significantly minimising costs too.

Canadian 3D geospatial experts Smarter Spaces engaged in a partnership with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) to laser scan a tunnel in a hydroelectric dam – producing a point cloud model to be overlaid with photogrammetry.

The Grand Falls Generating Station is a hydroelectric dam built in 1931 on the Saint John River in the Canadian province of New Brunswick and is operated by the NB Power corporation. The dam’s tunnel is shut down every 4 years for maintenance, inspection, and future life cycle planning.

This presented Smarter Spaces with the opportunity to utilise the mobile, handheld GeoSLAM ZEB Revo to scan the tunnel – creating an accurate point cloud model. In four years’ time the process will be repeated – allowing for the first side-by-side comparisons of the tunnel’s performance to be made.

In addition to this, NB Power has started exploring whether to build a 100-megawatt generating station in Grand Falls to produce more clean energy. The corporation is carrying out environmental and geotechnical studies, site tests, and consultations with First Nations and local residents before applying for an Environmental Impact Assessment later this year.

“It was a simple case of ‘walking and scanning’ through the tunnel environment“

The tunnel is approximately 3,000 linear feet in length and, because of its unique geometry, proposed an interesting set of challenges to scan. The tunnel environment was found to contain a lot of moisture – with a small stream running through the base. The IP67-rated ZEB Revo – which began life in mining environments – is rugged enough for such environments. The tunnel was dark, visibility was low, and walking conditions were slippery and wet. Smooth-sided surfaces also cause data collection issues for mobile scanners.

To overcome the risk of data slippage, 4 foot-high pylons were placed every 10 feet in random locations throughout the tunnel. This has the effect of ‘breaking up’ the monotony of the smooth-sided tunnel walls, ensuring that no data slippage occurs.

The scan data was processed in GeoSLAM Hub software to filter, subsample and merge multiple data sets together. The final models and datasets were sent to the University of New Brunswick to support an engineering graduate with their thesis research.

Precision Property Measurements | Words by Greg Davis

“We were tasked with surveying a vast private house in order to generate accurate as-built construction drawings for renovation. The unique challenge was that the 20,000 sq. ft Santa Barbara residence was occupied at the time, requiring the survey to be completed quickly and in an unobtrusive manner.

PPM (Precision Property Measurements) chose the ZEB Revo over other terrestrial scanners for our residential projects because of the speed and volume of data acquisition at exactly the level of accuracy required by our clients.

In order to keep disruption to residents to a minimum, we decided to tackle the task in two swift scans over two days. The first scan consisted of data collection of the extensive ground floor and communal areas, and took around 90 minutes to complete. The private, bedroom wing was off limits on this day.

The second scan incorporated these sleeping quarters, as well as gathering plenty of overlap from the lower floors to enable the 2 scans to be merged. After just 140 minutes of scanning, the entire house had been surveyed.

“We’ve always been confident in our ability to keep our projects to the nearest inch or less. In bringing the ZEB REVO into our arsenal of tools, we’ve kept the accuracy we’ve always had, but introduced an efficiency that allows our experts to get out there and do more for our clients“

A typical residential property of this size would have usually taken around 4 days on-site for one surveyor. PPM were able to slash this time and complete the majority of the survey work in less than 2 and a half hours with the ZEB Revo.

The use of GeoSLAM Hub software for post-processing and merging of the two datasets allowed the project team to generate a complete digital twin of the complex structure. GeoSLAM’s cutting edge mobile mapping technology was able to deliver an accuracy down to the nearest inch.

Paragram | Words by Jose Vargas

“In the city of Belo Horizonte, there is a distinct mix of contemporary, classic and historic buildings on display, making it a really attractive destination to visit. What comes with the architecture on offer however, is the need to preserve it for tourists and future generations to enjoy.

Often the fragility of buildings or lack of resources means that many buildings go untouched for decades, leaving them to crumble. It’s my job to ensure these relics remain.

When the chance to retrofit electrical installations and a fire prevention plan to a 130-metre art deco skyscraper, the Acaiaca Building, became available, the team at Paragram knew we had to be involved.

“We were very impressed with the quality of information captured by the ZEB Revo.“

Built in the 1940s and once used as a nightclub, cinema, shops and air-raid shelter, the building required some attention in order for it to meet safety standards. Having initially planned to measure the 8,357 square metre building using manual survey methods, estimates told us this would have taken three employees over 40 hours to complete an as-built structure.

Working alongside contractors at Criar Projetos E Consultoria, Paragram decided to use GeoSLAM’s ZEB Revo, known for its ability to quickly generate images to within a few centimetres of accuracy. With the handheld device, the job was expected to take around 10 hours in total, reducing the workload dramatically.

With just two operatives and in under 10 hours, we managed to complete a scan of the building’s interior, with one walking through the building holding the device and another taking a photographic record. This innovative way of working meant we were able to gather much more information than first anticipated, including the registration of beams and roof trusses, electrical installations and engine room areas.

“The ZEB Revo is a real game changer for the architecture industry.“

As a team, we were very impressed with the quality of information captured by the ZEB Revo, which was easily incorporated into a BIM representation using Revit software.

Almost every renovation project is governed by strict time constraints, but with GeoSLAM’s device and its ability to rapidly scan large areas, it is a real game changer to our industry. With products like this at our disposal, I am excited about what the future will hold for heritage buildings in need of a little TLC.

Oxford Archaeology | Words by Jamie Quartermaine

“48 hours to scan three historic sites in Israel – ambitious or impossible? Equipped with a handheld 3D mapping device from GeoSLAM, we were determined to find out. Our first stop was the Schneller building in Jerusalem. In its 160 year history it has been used as an orphanage, barracks and ammunition arsenal. A few years ago, an archaeological team unearthed the remains of a Roman bath house and winery underneath the site. The next stage of the building’s history is a conversion into a museum of Judaism – hence the requirement for a complete, high-accuracy survey of the site.

Made up of four floors, 130 rooms, an outer courtyard and a number of stables, we needed to work quickly to scan the entire site. Using the handheld ‘go-anywhere’ ZEB Revo, in three – 30 minute scans he captured the entire building, including survey control points to georeference the data. Using traditional scanners, this would have taken several weeks and involved multiple set-ups.

“With the ZEB Revo, what use to take weeks can now be done in hours“

Next stop was an elegant and beautiful 12th century Benedictine monastery. With no more than 30 minutes between the end of the Vespers – the evening service – and the time when the public would be allowed into the monastery, we carried out a quick reconnaissance and accurately captured the unique domed building, only possible using GeoSLAM’s ’go-anywhere’ device.

Final port of call was a delapidated 19th-century merchant house in the ancient Arab town of Jaffa. The challenge here was to record the building while construction works were in progress, with hoardings and scaffolding obscuring structures. A near impossible task, but the ZEB Revo was still able to collect survey-grade data in a matter of hours, which formed the basis of a working record of elevations, sections and plans.

In under 48 hours Jamie had captured highly accurate 3D images of 3 heritage buildings. Proof indeed that with the ZEB Revo, what used to take weeks can now be done in hours.

Surveyors need to accurately capture, manage and utilise 3D spatial information – often in environments where there is very limited time on site. Omega Geomatics, a land surveying practice in the UK, took on one such task when they produced 2D floorplans for a nursing home, while the site was occupied 24/7. Paramount was ensuring minimum disruption to residents, while still achieving a high level of accuracy.

With the building measuring 663m2 and with 23 residential rooms, communal and staff areas, the project team needed to find a new surveying method that meant they could walk and scan each resident’s room quickly without disrupting their daily routines.

Two surveyors visited the nursing home and coordinated five spheres by the building exits on multiple levels. With GeoSLAM’s ZEB Revo, and its speed of capture capabilities, the team were able to walk around the building and capture the data needed from each room within just 10 to 20 seconds.

With just two team members required for the project and less time expended on site, the overall cost was dramatically reduced

The team conducted long-distance checks and height measurements. External scans took place, as an extra accuracy check. The entire scan took just 30 minutes, and the client was provided with accurate 2D floorplans within 24 hours, notably without any distress or disturbance to residents.

The project required just two team members and this rapid data collection had huge cost-saving benefits. In turn, this led to less time spent on site, which also contributed to reducing the cost, all without compromising on accuracy. The scan achieved an average +/-15mm which met the needs of the client.

Words by David Johnson | Midland Survey

“Midland Survey are experts in surveying complex and difficult to access spaces where there is limited or no GPS, but Oriel College with its labyrinthine network of historic buildings brought a particular set of challenges.

 Oriel College, part of the prestigious University of Oxford in the UK, is nearly 700 years old, with around 200 rooms across five stories including an “island site”, accessible only via tunnel. The structure has been extended over the years and no accurate floor plans or elevation drawings exist.

As a world-class institute, it is occupied 24/7 and opportunities to accurately scan with minimal disruption are few. Traditional tools were not an option due to the network of rooms spread across 5 stories.

Due to the lack of GPS coverage in the tunnel, the only option was to use GeoSLAM’s ‘go-anywhere’ ZEB Revo. The unusual shape of the building, with its unconventional layout and complex network of rooms, meant it was too difficult and time-consuming to survey with traditional static scanning methods (as this would require multiple individual set-ups and increased post-processing work). We needed a lightweight, mobile tool that works well in enclosed environments.

“The entire project was completed in around half of the total time that would have been required using static equipment. The ZEB Revo is a real game-changer for us.“

Using the ZEB Revo around 200 rooms were scanned, amounting to 12,000m². Across 5 days, 12 individual rapid ZEB Revo scans were completed each taking just 30 minutes. The entire project was completed in around half of the total time that would have been required using static equipment.

We frequently work in hazardous environments, as well as in complex and difficult to access spaces where there is limited or no GPS coverage such as heritage buildings with thick stone walls. We often have limited time on site to accurately create a 3D model. Access to user-friendly technology such as the ZEB Revo that scans multi-level environments and produces accurate and high-quality 3D survey data, is a real game-changer for us.

Public works and energy utilities are continually looking for new ways to protect the safety of their personnel in the field. With the help of the GeoSLAM ZEB Revo mobile laser scanner and the specially designed GeoSLAM Cradle, the cramped and hazardous spaces in manholes can now be captured in 3D without putting field workers at risk.

 “An engineering survey firm scanned the interiors of 4,500 manholes with the ZEB Revo for a Minnesota municipality,”

What lies beneath the manhole covers found in nearly every city and town varies considerably. Some are access points to extensive storm water and sewer pipe networks. Others are entries into utility conduits through which water mains and electric lines are run. A few manholes are simply tight underground spaces where key pieces of municipal infrastructure reside.

Regardless of their function, manholes and the assets they contain are difficult and sometimes hazardous to map. Not only are the interior spaces dark, dirty, confined and usually wet, they pose potential risks related to cave-ins, poor ventilation and rodent infestations. Above ground, the manhole access points are often in the middle of busy streets requiring set-up of a cone zone to try and protect workers from passing traffic.

“You capture the data you need for one job and then have information someone else might need for another without a second site visit.“

This combination of hazards compels workers to spend as little time inside the manhole as possible. As a result, they have traditionally captured only the measurements they need for the project at hand – usually with a surveying level rod.

You capture the data you need for one job and then have information someone else might need for another without a second site visit. One of the most common applications is measuring the elevations of pipe inverts to map a water supply or drainage network in preparation for system expansion or maintenance. Personal hazards aside, making accurate asset measurements in a tight underground space with a long level rod can be challenging.

The ZEB Revo is increasingly being turned to for these jobs because the handheld laser scanner is fast, accurate, and captures comprehensive point clouds. Most importantly, it keeps personnel out of harm’s way. Favoured for manhole environments because of its high IP rating, which means it can be used in dirty and wet conditions, the ZEB Revo can be lowered into the underground space with the GeoSLAM Cradle.

In just a few minutes, the lightweight device can capture 360-degree scans inside the space regardless of available lighting. Even if the assets being surveyed are offset from the opening or several meters down tunnels, the ZEB Revo captures the 3D scan data needed to generate an accurate point cloud of the subsurface space.

“The first benefit of laser scanning [in manholes] is safety. The second is you collect a very comprehensive and complete data set. You capture the data you need for one job and then have information someone else [in the organization] might need for another…without a second site visit.

The Importance of Accurate Measurements in Construction

In Denmark, inaccurate data of floor space in residential or office buildings can have legal implications. Therefore, building contractors must provide accurate measurements for the built floor area for each apartment before a purchase could be finalised.

LIFA Surveyors is one of the leading surveying companies in Denmark. They were recently tasked with collecting floorplan data for a 13-story waterfront apartment building in Vejle. The apartment building, totalling 58,000 sq. ft, was going through construction, and each apartment required accurate measurements of the floor space.

Consequently, LIFA Surveyors needed a solution that could precisely map each apartment at speed and with minimal disruption.

How GeoSLAM Technology is Beneficial for Surveyors

They decided to work with handheld SLAM laser scanners and found that GeoSLAM’s ZEB Revo was the best solution for the job.

The ZEB Revo appealed to LIFA for various reasons but above all the scanner is easy to use, requiring minimal training. As a result, the entire building could be scanned by one person in 30 minutes. Further, the ZEB Revo’s speed of capture combined with its accurate measurements, meant that LIFA could achieve its goals cost-effectively.

We surveyed an entire 13-storey residential building in one and a half hours with only 30 minutes needed for the actual scanning.

Using accurate measurements and point clouds to Create BIM Models

The 3D point cloud data collected by the ZEB Revo was used to create a Building Information Model (BIM). Technicians used the BIM to take measurements of the apartments and common spaces, such as hallways and elevator shafts. During this process, the team visually compared the model against the original design plan to ensure that all building elements were constructed correctly. Due to the efficiency of the scanner, LIFA achieved the accuracy needed for their client.  

The speed of capture and ease of use resulted in LIFA surveyors dramatically reducing their time on interior building survey from days to hours, whilst maintaining high levels of accuracy.

Within days of the scan, LIFA delivered the final measurements to the contractor – a cost-effective solution for both companies.

Words by Tina Greensfield | Iowa DOT

At Iowa State DOT (Department of Transport) it is our job to make sure over 24,000 miles of road remains clear and safe to use in winter. We have 109 maintenance areas across the state where stockpiles of salt are kept for distribution. Each facility can each hold up to 1200 tonnes.

Throughout winter salt is loaded onto trucks and spread on roads to stop the surface from freezing. Pay loads are measured in weight as salt is loaded onto spreading trucks and supplies are depleted. But as the salt is used, there is a clear discrepancy between the volume of salt in the shed and the paper records – it is not reliable to just look inside a half-empty shed and assess how much material remains.

 If volume of salt is too low or we don’t know how much is available, we may find ourselves forced to make snap decisions about redistribution which is both costly to the state and inconvenient to residents and businesses alike.

 We needed another solution and following a few severe winters where salt reserves around the country ran out, the Great Lakes froze and shipments were halted we were determined to invest in a reliable measuring process for managing stockpiles in future, which led us to a GeoSLAM volumes solution.

“In terms of speed and accuracy, this was a real game changer for us!“

Using the handheld SLAM device, we can produce a three-dimensional model of the stockpile in just a few minutes. We have never experienced this level of accuracy before and capturing data was as easy as surveying the site with the naked eye.

The surface of the stockpile is very uneven with lumps on one side and big cliffs on the other where loaders have dug-out salt for spreading, in the past our ‘best guess’ used to involve looking at the stockpile against some markers on the walls of the shed which provided limited accuracy to say the least, so this was a real game changer for us.

Data is then processed using GeoSLAM Hub and imported to the volumes software. As the granules vary in size, we apply a bulk density value as well as defining a floor and perimeter of each pile calculate the total volume of the stockpile in tonnes.

From start to end, the entire process took around twenty minutes. We now have depot staff going out and scanning the stockpiles regularly. This new level of insight means we don’t have to worry about compromising road users’ safety across the state of Iowa as we always know what volume of salt we have available to use.

Kidd Mine, Glencore | Natural resource company

When creating underground mapping for mines, mining engineers are often faced with having to work in hazardous and rugged environments, in difficult-to-access spaces and without GPS coverage. In order to address these challenges, mining companies are continuously searching for ways to plan efficient site operations, streamline tunnelling processes and optimise production and personnel safety.

Kidd Mine, an underground base metal mine in Canada and the world’s deepest copper/ zinc mine, epitomises this by adopting new and advanced survey technology. With the aid of GeoSLAM’s 3D mapping technology, the mine is able to assess risk associated with ground and support systems failure, magnitude seismic events, large-scale deformation or rock bursts associated with mining at extreme depths.

Built for harsh and demanding environments, GeoSLAM’s handheld laser scanners are robust, splash-proof and dust-tight (with ratings up to IP64 level). They’re adaptable to any environment – inside or outside, in daylight and darkness – without the need for GPS.

Lightweight and easy-to-use, you can walk and survey accessible areas quickly and easily – even those which are normally off-limits. For more confined or unreachable places, they can be attached to trolleys or mine vehicles for remote monitoring.

“It’s critical data that will help us lower the risk to personnel and keep mines safer“

David Counter, a senior ground control engineer at the Kidd Mine, emphasised the importance of using a hand-held laser scanning device to map the underground areas at the mine. “It produces a continuous 3D animation image of whatever underground areas are being scanned as the user walks along the drift. This allows the mine to map out problem areas and to carry out ground support rehabilitation in those areas.”

“The ZEB Revo provides a background dataset that can be used for comparative purposes if a future high-magnitude seismic event occurs or for determining how much static deformation has been occurring due to regional mine closure over time.”

Despite needing to rapidly map mines under intense time constraints, traditional underground survey techniques have proved to be slow. Mine engineers and surveyors all need access to user friendly technology that is easy to install and use,  but is robust and reliable enough to do the job quickly and accurately. Within minutes anyone can be using a GeoSLAM scanner and immediately start creating a 3D point cloud of the area. Data is collected continuously while walking the survey area – with no time-consuming or cumbersome set-up required.

GeoSLAM’s award-winning software instantly turns data into actionable 3D information. So, you can rapidly gain insight into rock mass behaviour and map out deformations in rock walls & complex tunnel profiles. Plus, accelerated survey workflows help you deliver productivity and efficiency improvements, at the same time as helping you hit your zero-harm targets.

“There is a sound basis for SLAM laser technology to define areas where the ground support systems need to be replaced or rehabilitated,” Counter concluded.