Connected Construction

New developments in the software sector will improve construction efficiency. Standards organisation BSI is working with government, industry bodies, and private construction practices to create best practice standards for implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM). In 2011 the UK Government announced that all suppliers that wish to bid for public sector construction contracts must use BIM tools and techniques from 2016, making its implementation commercially critical for companies that wish to apply

Leica Geosystems has high hopes for iCON, described as its pioneering portfolio of tailor-made positioning and measuring solutions for construction professionals. Said to be more than a new product line and a software package, the iCON range consists of four elements. iCONstruct provides tailor-made hardware and software solutions for positioning and measuring tasks on site.

Sokkia has launched its new FX reflectorless total station – said to come with the construction industry’s most complete package of innovative technologies. The FX includes on-board Magnet Field application software, the TSshield telematics-based communications module, and a long-range wireless communications system using Bluetooth Class 1 technology.

Topcon Europe Positioning has launched a new total station range to its mid-range engineering grade portfolio. Available in three different angular accuracy models (2.54cms, 7.62cms and 12.7cms), and running the latest version of Windows CE 6.0, the OS Series is said by Topcon to redefine this class of optical measuring device.

Topcon has produced a new imaging station which, it claims, will dramatically increase productivity when used in two-man auto-tracking or single operator robotic modes. Using prism auto-tracking scanning interface technology the IS-3, when used with Topcon’s RC-4 remote control system, will track prisms up to 1,000m away.

Sokkia has combined its SRX robotic total station with a gyroscope which, the company says, makes it even better for tunnelling, pipeline work, mining and shipbuilding. The Gyro X Gyro Station now has auto-pointing capabilities and a newly equipped image sensor. It finds true north and determines the azimuth with 15" precision regardless of work site environment.

Dutch surveying company Geomaat says it is taking millimetre accurate measurements in record time to aid a range of highway design, construction and maintenance projects. Using the mobile laser mapping system StreetMapper, and specially developed point cloud software, Geomaat says it can calculate highly accurate cutting, milling and asphalt figures, create as built models and undertake change detection.

The use of GPS-inclusive technology is proving invaluable to contractors responsible for major transport-related construction projects across the globe. Guy Woodford looked at some of the latest and imminent site solutions featuring GPS Staff at Trimble Heavy Construction based in Sunnyvale, California recently finished developing three new solutions for connecting the construction site. The Trimble Connected Office, the Trimble Connected Controller and the Trimble Connected Machine, are all now available t

Australia's increasingly popular 12D Model software package for road design, terrain modelling, surveying and drainage has been selected as the main design and survey tool for the coordinated earthquake rebuild of Christchurch in New Zealand The 12D Model software will be the common platform for a group of consultants and contractors making up the recently formed SCIRT, standing for "Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team". They will use it for survey, repair and rebuild of both the road netwo

One of Canada's largest provinces, Ontario, has decided to go with the latest Power InRoads suite of design tools now being offered by Bentley Systems as a complete stand-alone version As well as the Inroads tools, that means Ontario's Ministry of Transportation will use drafting and document production by the MicroStation CAD tool, and mapping and GIS functionality from Bentley Map. It previously used InRoads for highways work but on an AutoCAD platform. The whole new package is also designed to work co