Rauno Heikkilä

The Efficiency of a 3-D Blade Control System in the Construction of Structure Layers by Road Grader-Automated Design-Build of Road Construction in Finland

The paper reports on the research work in the domain of automated road construction. A new method and prototype of automated road grader has been developed in Finland. The working experiments show measurable influence and quality as well as economic profit to be achieved by the new technology.

Connecting 3-D Concrete Bridge Design to 3-D Site Measurements

This paper describes the first results of an R&D project “Intelligent Bridge” carried out in Finland. The aim of the project is to develop new methods for 3-D design of concrete bridges and further connect and bring the design models to the source information of site measurements. A new design concept for 3-D concrete bridge design was developed and preliminarily tested in a pilot design office. The site tests of the first implementations of real time CAD/CAM measurements using a 3-D robot tachometer, as well as a 3-D laser scanning technique, are presented and evaluated.

Use of 3-D product models in construction process automation☆

Abstract Current construction design methods are not able to produce all the information necessary for the construction process. Increased exploitation of building design information, especially dimensional control and identification, is necessary. The construction industry should take advantage of automation to increase productivity and quality. ‘Product model thinking’ is designed to solve these problems, but demands advanced devices and changes in traditional working methods. This paper describes some key aspects of product model thinking and its exploitation on the construction site in the near future.

AUTOMATION OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION - THE STATE OF THE ART IN EUROPE

Due to the development of 3-D techniques and methods, the utilization of different automated and 3-D based working methods has increased a lot in Europe during last few years. In the paper, this present situation is introduced based on the practical observations and tests gathered from five different Europe countries. Different experiments as well as achieved benefits are described. Conclusions about the important role of automation in road construction is outlined. Next major development challenges connecting to the model of automated total process are introduced.

Stop & Go Scanning for Highways - 3D Calibration Method for a Mobile Laser Scanning System

A 3D calibration method was developed for a mobile laser scanning system developed in Finland. The measurement accuracy was validated using a robotic total station for reference measurements, with comparison of reference points with the triangulated surface measured by the laser scanning system. The calibration results are presented and analyzed. Propagation of random and systematic errors is analyzed mathematically. The adequacy of the accuracy is discussed while comparing the results to the tolerance requirements set by the owner, the Finnish Road Administration. The use of the laser scanning system in a design-buildmaintenance-operate project of a motor way in Finland is briefly illustrated.

Integrating 5D Product Modelling to On-Site 3D Surveying of Bridges

In this paper a new process integrating 5D product modelling and 3D on-site surveying for bridge construction is presented. This enables faster and less error prone surveying session preparations, fluent communication of design plans between survey teams, design office and other parties related to the construction project. A prototype system based on a total station and Tekla Structures CAD software is defined, and implemented by programming a .NET add-on to Tekla Structures and tested in field tests in an actually bridge construction project. Tests indicate prototype as a viable tool for surveying, but it still needs further development in usability and measuring features. Results are applicable also to building and road construction surveying.

Towards Model Based Automation - Different Types of 3-D Machine Control Models for the Automatic Control of Road Construction Machinery

In this paper the type of CAD model-based automation is studied for the domain of infra construction tasks. The needs for machine control models vary from machine to machine. This paper describes as examples the machine control models needed for road graders, asphalt pavers, excavators, milling machines and steamrollers – the most typical work machines used in road construction activities. The paper also describes how these machine control models can be conducted from the product models. The usability of the control models was tested by on-site experiments using applicable automation systems. Furthermore, the necessary feedback from automated construction to the product model was also considered. This was done by measuring the quality and accuracy of the constructed work. In all and as a final conclusion, these tests represent and model the total process of road construction automation: what are the parts and how they work together.

Intelligent Road Construction Site - Development of Automation into Total Working Process of Finnish Road Construction

Numeric road construction processes and their parts are today developed worldwide. This paper describes research in Finland, which is conducted with companies using national technology funding in a research and development project entitled ”Intelligent Road Construction Site”. In its entirety, four public research projects and two product development projects are today ongoing. One development project has already been completed, producing a Finnish version of an automated 3-D blade control system of road grader. New projects are in design and starting. In total, there are four research units and 16 companies or other infra organizations carrying out these activities. The financial investment into this research and development is EUR 2 million for the years 2001-2005.

BRIDGE INFORMATION MODELLING (BrIM) AND MODEL UTILIZATION AT WORKSITES IN FINLAND

The paper introduces and discusses bridge engineering, design and construction R&D results in a Finnish bridge cluster consortium (5D-Bridge). Development of national bridge information modelling guideline in Finland is introduced, as well as latest developments in 3D modelling in practice. A library of frequently used bridge components was developed to the use of the Finnish bridge cluster. Also the latest developments in integrating the information model with surveying and machine control is discussed. Results vary from success utilizing new tools to model concrete bridges and rebars in Tekla Structures and relative success through iteration regarding bridge blueprint production in actual bridge modelling and construction project, and the relative failures of creating and maintaining a national custom bridge components library for different CAD softwares. Machine control applications for bridge construction, such as excavating the foundations and piling are still tested mostly in limited pilots or simulations and waiting to be actually used in real bridge construction sites. Overall, the transition to using 3D information models for bridge construction projects is clearly inevitable as more and more bridge projects are being designed via information modelling.

3D Calibration of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) for Bridge Measurements - Case Kajaani Varikko Bridge

D calibration was performed for a GPR measurement system for concrete bridge decks. An old bridge having been repaired approximately two years prior with a new bridge deck part was considered in the test results. The deck, including then visible subsurface features, was measured earlier during the construction phase using a 3D laser scanning system, then after construction by two different GPR measurement systems and antennas. Several subsurface structural layers as well as the deck reinforcement were measured by the GPR systems. These 3D point clouds were compared with the mid-construction laser scanned point clouds. The results showed high accuracy in measurements of reinforcement, but less accuracy in measurement of concrete surface under road layers. Future development possibilities are also discussed.