Reaping the rewards of monitoring services
Marco Di Mauro, Monitoring Solutions Manager, Leica Geosystems part of Hexagon
MONITORING involves taking repetitive measurements of the same subject with the goal of comparing the results over a period of time to record changes, deformations, movements and other variations from a given baseline.
Monitoring helps improve safety
In the survey industry, monitoring usually refers to the continuous tracking of movement and structural changes. The reason for doing this might be to compare and/or track the movement of a structure over time to determine if it is safe. With buildings, for example, these changes in movement might be due to the effects of varied temperatures or weather events.
Monitoring provides the data to understand the impact of tunnel excavation on the buildings above it, to see if a bridge can manage additional load, or if a new skyscraper core is being built within the verticality tolerances included in the design.
Alternatively, in construction, surveyors might use monitoring techniques to track how applied loads and stress can alter the shape of a wall, a pile or a foundation.
A common analogy for monitoring is a surgical operation. In a hospital, patients are constantly monitored, with their vital parameters displayed in real time so that the surgeon can react to unexpected changes instantly. The main benefit of monitoring is the ability to manage risks more efficiently, due to access to consistent control over time. Let’s look at some examples we might find in the survey industry.
Monitoring provides the data to understand the impact of tunnel excavation on the buildings above it, to see if a bridge can manage additional load, or if a new skyscraper core is being built within the verticality tolerances included in the design. In all these cases monitoring allows us to track and analyse the behaviour of a structure, to mitigate risks effectively.
A current project demonstrating the value of monitoring is HS2. HS2 works involve tunnelling underneath or nearby existing live railway lines, and to ensure safety and reduce risk Leica and Hexagon Geosystems monitoring systems are used to constantly measure the railway’s key parameters to ensure the line is safe at all times.
Why should survey companies consider providing monitoring services?
The majority of survey companies are already providing monitoring services. Every time a job requires periodic measurements to report changes in movements or coordinates, it can be defined as monitoring.
In the survey industry, monitoring usually refers to the continuous tracking of movement and structural changes. The reason for doing this might be to compare and/or track the movement of a structure over time to determine if it is safe.
What most survey companies may not be aware of is that Leica Geosystems offers dedicated solutions to optimise and improve monitoring workflows, manual or automated, making them easier and faster, which ultimately increases efficiency and boosts revenue for our clients.
What are the benefits of providing monitoring services?
Technological advancements
From periodic campaigns to fully automated solutions, monitoring workflows have evolved using new technologies and smart algorithms like IoT communications and Edge computing.
This means saving time and money making, for example, manual data capture more efficient with dedicated tools (like the Leica Geosystems TPS monitoring APP) for manual campaigns which ensure surveyors can check deformation results directly in the field which means reducing to the minimum the risk of errors and the need or remeasure which means saving time and money.
The same workflow, thanks to the advanced programming on board, allows to perform semi-automated monitoring and have a report straight from the field, which means fast and cost effective deployment of short term monitoring scheme and delivery of the results.
The integration of IoT comms also allows now for direct connection from field to online visualisation and reporting platforms with no need to manage data in Microsoft Office or create PDF report files manually.
Simple configuration
From periodic campaigns to fully automated solutions, monitoring workflows have evolved using new technologies and smart algorithms like IoT communications and Edge computing.
Fully automated system configuration is quick and doesn’t require any telecommunications and power supply system knowledge. Complete systems are plug-and-play and available to buy or rent for the duration of a customer’s project. Powerful imaging features of modern total stations provide remote set up capabilities, which means saving time on site, safer system configuration and less possible errors.
Manual or campaign based monitoring are made now virtually free from site errors that allows results sharing directly from the field with streamlined reporting capability reducing processing and reporting time, human errors and therefore ultimately increase productivity.
Improved resource management and personnel safety
Instead of one project requiring one person or site team, thanks to automation multiple projects can be managed remotely by a single surveyor/engineer.
This not only improve efficiency and free resources for other tasks but also improves safety, by reducing the need to send people on site, perhaps in dangerous conditions or involving driving and commuting.
Widen service offering
From a business perspective, survey service providers offering monitoring solutions improve and differentiate their service offerings leading to business growth. Repetitive survey works, validation and verification workflows can be made more efficient and when the risk or the required data update is too high, automated monitoring solutions can put survey companies in a more competitive position.
Instead of one project requiring one person or site team, thanks to automation multiple projects can be managed remotely by a single surveyor/engineer.
How to expand into providing monitoring services
Adoption of new interfaces and workflows changes are never easy but, as mentioned, new technology and innovation have disrupted the traditional market by offering plugand-play extremely more efficient solutions. Consultations can help you face these challenges, and full training provides competence and confidence with rental solutions mitigating investment risks.
If you’re considering a move into providing monitoring services, then it’s absolutely the right time. The technology has never been easier to approach as a first-timer. First, start with what you’re already doing and simply try a dedicated monitoring workflow for your manual campaign. With this data, begin delivering professional monitoring reports. Consider, for your actual opportunity, if automation could improve the efficiency of your project, as automated structural monitoring is, in essence, just an automated survey.
What products and software are required?
A monitoring system consists of sensors connected to a software that’s able to collect, process, store and distribute the data. Every project has different requirements and different parameters to control. For example, a bridge in Scotland could be constantly monitored for wind and swing to make sure it’s safe. A skyscraper in Manchester could be checked against temperature rotational movements to mitigate risks before they arise. As projects require uniquely different products, experts can guide you in recommending the right solutions for every need.
And with rental options, you can try it out first to see the benefits, and then justify the business case for purchasing outright.
A combination of sensors and software helps mitigate risks for construction professionals
A single sensor provides data, and multiple sensors describe a behaviour. If we take the London skyscraper example, it’s possible to observe the settlement of a building in the zone of influence of a tunnel boring machine operating nearby with one sensor, a total station and prisms or a GNSS station. But to determine cause and effect data correlation is needed. With multiple sensors, we can track and compare multiple nearby building, foundations, temperature, weather, soil conditions, vibration levels and TBM position.
When trying to understand the cause of a change, generally different tests and information are required to obtain the full picture. When monitoring railway embankments, as different example, tiltmeters on stakes are excellent early warning systems providing real-time alerts if something starts to move.
However, very little can be said about how much the soil is actually moving, or in which direction, until optical or radar instrumentation is integrated.
How to start providing monitoring services
By adopting monitoring software and products, businesses are expanding their service offering, saving money through automation and process streamlining, and improving efficiency within their processes.
Marco Di Mauro, Monitoring Solutions Manager, Leica Geosystems part of Hexagon
marco.dimauro@leica-geosystems.com