Where LiDAR Technology can be Seen in Today’s Projects

New technologies arise in every industry. While these advancements gain attention for what they are and what they can do, seeing how they are applied to today’s projects is their most important feature. For the civil engineering industry, LiDAR surveying is a technology most discussed for its possibilities in the industry and not for the projects that commonly use it every day. Here is a list of where LiDAR surveying is applied and changing how modern civil engineers conduct their projects.

​Transportation 
Prioritizing aerial scanning in transportation projects shortened the time and the difficulty of those projects. Airborne LiDAR scans and collects data on various forms of terrain. The mapping of these areas generated through aerial photogrammetry allows civil engineers to accurately plan and design transportation systems. Instead of engineers planning and building a road as they go until they come across an obstacle, they can see the obstacle in advance then create their plan around it. A project example is the national highway in Honduras known as the CA-5, which used aerial surveying to help construct the highway. 

​Dams 
​Designing effective and efficient dams is a complicated process. The position and structure of the dam are reliant on the amount of water and the general terrain of the land. LiDAR is able to see what humans cannot. The data points collected displays the depth of the water, the types of land surrounding it, and other critical design elements. After analyzing the information, the engineers can calculate what materials will be needed, create the proper structure, and note any environmental complications that could arise such as earthquakes. One dam that utilized LiDAR surveying in the design phase was Jiniguare Water Supply Dam located in Honduras. ​What each project example has in common aside from LiDAR surveying is that ACI managed and/or designed these works. ACI keeps up with the next level technologies in civil engineering and ensures their used accordingly to each project. Contact us and learn how ACI can assist in your next project with the best technologies.