Connected Construction

Trimble has launched what it claims is an affordable and easy-to-use site positioning System for superintendents, foremen and field engineers on heavy civil construction sites. Instead of using paper plans, the Trimble SitePulse System empowers field managers with the same 3D constructible model and digital information that is used by construction surveyors, grade checkers and machine operators. Trimble SitePulse field software is ideal for construction managers who do not have a surveying background. The

Innovations in construction software are helping boost project efficiency and optimising project operations – Clive Davidson writes Over the past decade, while construction engineers have been putting up buildings or infrastructure, software engineers have been developing a parallel universe where virtual buildings or infrastructure can be created in ever increasing detail. What started with 2D architectural drawings in computer-aided design (CAD) systems, has become a multi-dimensional world, with 3D ge

Demand for telematics technology is growing, as equipment users begin to lean the value of these systems – Alan Dron reports With construction projects increasingly operating to wafer-thin profit margins, any technological assistance that can keep the accounts in the black is welcome. This is particularly the case with those projects where contractors can share a larger slice of the profits if they complete their work ahead of schedule. The downside, of course, is that they also share the pain if the

Yotta is now offering the latest version of its Horizons visualised asset management platform. Version 2.6 of the package is said to provide a better user experience with improved visualisation. The latest version of the cloud-based solution also offers improved transparency with upgraded reporting providing clear and auditable work trails. Users of Horizons 2.6 can now directly link documents and images in Horizons, improving access to detailed information about a specific asset through the use of phot

Marco Cecala, president of Take-off Professionals, based in the state of Arizona, will show attendees to this year’s HxGN Live in Las Vegas how to make a project run like clockwork using Computer Aided Design – CAD – and data in field. Take-off Professionals has been preparing 3D models for clients for more than 15 years, riding the wave of modelling since its inception. Hexagon’s HxGN Live international users’ conference, from June 1-4, will be an event not to miss if 3D machine control is an essenti

They may not be pushing the actual dirt around a construction site, but wireless comms for machine control need to be just as rugged and robust in their own right. Attendees to HxGN Live in Las Vegas next month will also hear real-life examples of how to get the best out of Leica’s 3D machine control products iCON Site and iCON Grade for dozers and graders in a presentation by Jana Wegner, chief executive of Texas-based J.A.L. Contracting. J.A.L. is one of the state’s fastest growing and most sought afte

Complete implementation of 3D machine control systems ensured that K A Aurstad became one of Norway’s fastest growing and in-demand contractors because of effective production improvement in both quality and accuracy. Combine this with web-based project hubs and machines can then start work on the correct project only minutes after the latest design leaves the drawing board. The use of machine control is important for K A Aurstad, based in Sunnmøre and whose 140 or more employees work in heavy constru

Bentley Systems continues to develop its portfolio of software solutions - Mike Woof writes One of the leaders in the field of construction software, Bentley Systems is developing its array of solutions for industry users. The company is growing both by acquisition and organically, using its financial strength to buy up smaller niche firms as well as developing the capabilities of its in-house software further. The company has recently made three key acquisitions, for EADOC, Acute3D and C3global. The

Geophysical Survey Systems (GSSI), a manufacturer of ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment, has launched a more affordable version of its non-destructive system, called RoadScan 30. The system is designed for measuring pavement thickness, conducting base and sub-base evaluations and measuring available asphalt prior to milling operations. Hundreds of miles of pavement layer thickness data can be collected in a day. RoadScan 30 can collect data densities not obtainable using coring or other labour-i

Researchers at Nottingham Trent University in the UK are developing smart scanning technology using existing cameras to detect early signs of pothole development The technology scans roads for ravelling - the loss of aggregates from the asphalt which leads to potholes and cracks. Combined with 2D and 3D scanners on a pavement monitoring vehicle, a computer vision algorithm can examine the road with accuracy at traffic speed during day or night. The system works by detecting different textures of th