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Connected Construction

Big measuring from TinyMobileRobots
February 27, 2017
Small is beautiful, especially when it comes to robots, explains Jens Peder Kristensen, director of Danish company TinyMobileRobots With the increased functionality of outdoor robots, the market for autonomous robots as a replacement for human work has widened. The human touch is still needed when dealing with terrain that is difficult to navigate or with a crowded construction site.
Leica Geosystems new machine control tool
February 7, 2017
Leica Geosystems is aiming to improve compaction quality with its new machine control tool. The Leica iCON roller package can deliver benefits to both compaction quality and productivity. The package provides the compactor operator with an on-screen visualisation of completed passes, displaying where they have occurred and where more are needed for consistent results. The different colours on the display show the operator where work has been carried and to what degree. Using this system means that costly
Compact compaction units are now available
February 7, 2017
New compaction solutions also come in compact form - Mike Woof writes New compaction tools are now being made available for the rental market, increasing efficiency over previous generation units. These new tools are more productive than earlier equipment, while also being quieter and safer to operate. Atlas Copco is introducing three new LF forward plate compactors, which can be used for soil compacting and asphalt patching applications. These now benefit from integrated water distribution systems a
Smart compaction at new airport project
February 7, 2017
A new airport project is benefiting from some of the latest developments in compaction technology Work started on a new airport for Istanbul in June 2014, with the facility set to be one of the world's largest and to set new standards when it opens for business. BOMAG has been playing a key role in the construction work at the new site, which is located close to the Black Sea coast. The construction equipment company has worked closely with the engineering team on site and BOMAG machines are now carr
Software innovations boosting construction efficiency
February 6, 2017
Software innovations can help road construction and asset management – Mike Woof writes New developments in construction software offer major benefits for civil engineers, contractors and maintenance firms. The latest advances will help optimise the construction process, while also allowing easier monitoring of existing assets. In terms of construction, Bentley Systems is again pushing the bar with regard to advanced software solutions. Its latest OpenRoads ConceptStation package is said to combine en
Arizona uses 1Spatial for inventory for the FHWA requirements
February 6, 2017
The US state of Arizona is using 1Spatial’s technology to send a yearly update of its entire road network to the Federal Highway Administration. As required by law, all state governments must do this and many have created a data set of their road network. But much of this is held at county level. The challenge, now that data has been collected, is how to keep this information up-to-date and accurate. 1Spatial software will automate the data validation process and also the change process. The technology w
Bluesky Aerial Mapping sees the trees and not the forest
February 6, 2017
Scientists at the University of Lancaster in England are using 3D data produced by Bluesky to refine a tree failure-risk model Pinpointing trees that might collapse onto roads and other infrastructure currently uses complex wind analysis techniques to assign a level of risk to individual trees. The data is Bluesky’s UK National Tree Map, laser mapped 3D height models, colour infrared (CIR) data and soil data. It will help identify individual trees and their proximity to roads as well as electricity insta
Sokkia is offering new field service solutions for GNSS
January 31, 2017
Sokkia is introducing new field and office software solutions for its total stations, robotics and GNSS rover systems. These are the GeoPro Field and GeoPro Office packages. GeoPro Field provides a graphical user interface designed to collect field measurements for land surveying and construction activities. Sokkia GeoPro Office is the office-processing complement to the field software and can clean, process, and analyse field data into an easy-to-use form. The office software can also be expanded wi
Nicaragua building new coastal highway
January 26, 2017
Nicaragua is planning to build a new coastal highway that will improve transport connections between capital Managua and Rivas in the south of the country. Work on the design of the first section of the new highway is now commencing. The route will run close to Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast and is intended to boost trade and transport. The contractor that will carry out the construction work has yet to be finalised although initial plans had suggested that the firm Inocsa-Edicro would be responsible. A 131km hi
Power Curbers performing on machine control
January 25, 2017
And Power Curbers based in Salisbury, North Carolina reports steady throughput at its factory. Becky Lane at Power Curbers said, “A lot of domestic customers are ordering machines now.” This improvement has come because the market for work in parking lots and housing sub-divisions in the US has seen a steady gain. Demand for new machines has increased as a result and particularly as many contractors had previously held off on purchasing new equipment. Lane said, “The markets have picked up and prices are hi