Site survey

While accuracy remains the primary issue with any surveying equipment, many contractors now expect its use to contribute more to their overall project productivity.

Speed, build efficiency and cost are becoming ever important in the Middle East’s construction projects and all processes within the construction cycle are expected to play their part in optimising these factors. So how can the available surveying products help contractors attain these benefits and how are progresses in technology affecting the surveying sector?

Equipment in demand

Currently optical surveying instruments remain in the biggest demand in the region, although there is a growing demand for newer technologies including GPS. This is due to several factors, including the types of projects under construction and the accepted working practices.

“Optical surveying instruments are most in demand due to a regional focus on high-rise towers and steel fabrication projects,” explains GeoMax division manager Geomatics Intakhab Alam. “The UAE surveying industry’s bread-and-butter earner is the five-second total station,” he adds.

Many smaller contractors who are winning larger projects are upgrading from the use of traditional theodolites to total station products, reports Alam. Meanwhile trends are also being seen in the use of equipment by those operating on larger scale projects. “Companies who are getting multi-storey or steel or aluminium facade work, relay on reflectorless total station instruments with laser pointer capability,” states Alam.

“Optical survey equipment like total stations, levels, theodolites and GPS for construction applications generate more than 80% of our revenue,” confirms Philippe Akl, sales and marketing manager Middle East & Africa, Topcon Corporation Dubai Office. “It’s a reflection of a traditional conservative attitude in general, and lack of knowledge about new technologies. Education and business justification of investment in new technology are absent in the region,” he adds.

So how can firms be convinced to change the technology they use? And could such investment be justified in the current economic climate in particular, when firms are aiming to cut financial outgoings where possible? “Huge room for cost reduction exists in most construction companies’ surveying department,” stresses Akl. “International suppliers like us should be making more efforts to assist local customers in modernising their construction and mapping solutions,” he adds.

Education must go further than simply introducing the new technologies however, stresses Alam: “There is big shortage of professional surveyors. An education drive must be put in place and a joint initiative started with civic bodies that will help every individual to come up to a high level of surveying [knowledge], adding value to their organisation.”

“The key to the success of any business is time management: [knowing] how to save time at every phase of every job will make the difference between success and failure, winner and loser,” stresses Katsuhiro Umino, general manager, Topcon Middle East and Africa. “This idea is important all the time regardless of the economy, but will be more critical today as everybody becomes more cost-sensitive on projects.” Advances in technology

A major factor in saving both time and money is technology, stresses Umino. The latest surveying equipment available on the market offers key savings in both areas.

Surveying equipment users are now placing more importance on the functions of a product that can increase speed and productivity as well as the basic functions such as accuracy and range. “Various segments from the construction industry are looking for this added value from positioning and measurement solutions,” reports Akl. As such, this new demand is changing both the role of the surveyor and the equipment they use.

The use of GPS in surveying equipment has become popular, having been available in the market for a number of years and prices are beginning to fall. “New satellite infrastructure will be mainstream within five years – the transition has already started,” predicts Umino. “Your GPS asset will be protected and guaranteed for years; furthermore you can start having new GNSS experiences and the performance keeps on increasing over time due to [the addition of] new infrastructure,” he adds.

Scanning is another technology that is set to make an impact in the surveying sector as firms battle to save time on site while increasing accuracy of build. New scanning technologies use lasers or total station technology to pinpoint thousands of points in an area before processing them to create an accurate picture of the scene in a fraction of the time this would have taken using conventional equipment and removing the need to make lots of individual measurements.

“This emphasis on efficiency is driving a profound change in the nature of surveying, whereby the surveyor is becoming more of a data manager,” explains Akl. “3D scanning and imaging solutions are an escalating trend and one of the hottest technological breakthroughs.” Mixing different technologies to create new solutions is the main criterion driving the technology advances in the sector, adds Akl.

But while new technologies are making a difference on some projects, the role of existing ones should not be forgotten says Alam. “Optical surveying instruments demands can’t be changed or overlooked as it’s mandatory to use them for various surveying applications, which can be steel structures, high-rise and infrastructure projects,” states Alam. “Advancement is an ongoing process but traditional optics can’t be replaced in the market,” he adds.

Any new products introduced must be capable of retaining their accuracy in use when exposed to the extreme climate conditions experienced in the region, stresses Alam. “Temperature is a major concern in this region as in summer the mercury hits up to 50 degrees or even more. The waterproofing and dust IP [ingress protection] rating must be high in order to avoid situations where the instrument screen gets sand inside or moisture in the screen,” he adds.

“From a regulation point of view, there are yet no visible quality assurance related criteria implemented,” reports Akl.

“Topcon encourages the local authorities to work more seriously on this matter as it will be beneficial, not only for end-users, but also for the manufacturers of quality products,” he adds.Further technology advances cover the control of on-site machinery such as excavators or pavers explains Akl: “The system will use differential GPS to compute sub-centimetre accuracy positions in real-time, which are then converted into machine positions relative to the project and design.

In addition, this precise positioning allows automatic control of the machine movement and graphical repre-sentation of the machine and surface on the in-cab display. As a result, the execution speed is much higher with less machines and human resources needed,” he states.

A web-based sensor asset tracking and management tool can be combined with such technology to reduce the time and cost involved in accounting for machine location, operating hours and maintenance schedules.

“During the global economic recession, many companies want to think about slashing the cost of project operation; on the other hand, the recession is opening up new dimensions and opportunities for forward-thinking companies, project managers and many progressive-thinking surveyors,” concludes Umino.