Automatic As-Built Generation with Utility Trenchers
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 131, Issue 6
Abstract
The proper functioning of the subsurface infrastructure is vital for the public, industry, and government. As is demonstrated almost daily, small disruptions or malfunctions of public utilities, such as power, gas, or phone, can result in catastrophic events on local, regional, or national levels. This paper addresses a known weak point in protecting buried utilities from damage, the lack of accurate as- builts. It is suggested to take advantage of enabling technologies to automatically create as-built drawings relying on electronic sensory data collected real-time from operating machinery. A significant portion of the paper discusses the development of a spatially integrated trencher, a prototype that was subsequently used to execute field experiments. The encouraging outcome of those tests, which are supported with actual data, demonstrated the soundness of the concept and the level of accuracy that can be expected. The relevance to the industry lies in that it addresses a real and complex problem, proposing and demonstrating a workable technology to close a large gap in the way we track our subsurface infrastructure. It is hoped that researchers will be encouraged to extend the concept to other relevant applications while applying a similar rigorous method of experimental field testing.
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Acknowledgments
The presented research has been partially funded by the Center for Construction Technology and Integration (CT and I) and a grant from Purdue University. Raleigh’s Dept. of Public Utilities loaned the Ditch Witch trencher for the field tests without which the field tests would not have been possible. The writer would like to acknowledge the work by his former graduate research assistant, Mr. Piti Jarukamjorn, who returned to his beloved Thailand, leaving him the honor to write this paper alone.
References
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© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 21, 2003
Accepted: Sep 20, 2004
Published online: Jun 1, 2005
Published in print: Jun 2005
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