Vertical Images: From Film Making to Inspection, and Why the Future of Drones Doesn’t Lie in Flying
Successful drone entrepreneur Petr Lněnička went from award-winning filmmaker to drone inspection leader in his native Czech Republic. Here he lays out 3 pieces of advice and explains why for him, the transition seemed logical, and why he believes the future of drone mapping services will place less and less emphasis on drones and more and more weight on mapping data. Petr Lněnička was working as filmmaker when aerial footage became a hot commodity. “In 2011 it was something pretty new and un...
The Hills on Governors Island Reshapes New York City Harbour
A photo from Outlook Hill during construction highlights Tensar’s Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Slope Design that included detailed geogrid layouts in elevation and plan view for every 2.5 feet of grade change to allow for precisely placed geogrid segments, seamlessly blending the MSE zone (right) with the lightweight fill material (left). When backfill was placed and grading completed, Outlook Hill approached 60 feet of MSE height, while the crest of the hill sits 70 feet above sea lev...
Surveying Is Fun and Data Is Cheap: Bentley Systems Sets Pace of Reality Capture
A 3D engineering-ready reality mesh created in ContextCapture comparing photogrammetry, LiDAR, and a hybrid input. Image courtesy of Bentley Systems and City of Strasbourg Surveyors are accustomed to working with sophisticated and powerful technology, such as GNSS, laser scanning, and photo capture, which makes their jobs so much easier than it used to be. Even 30 years ago, gathering geometric data about the real world used to be hard work, performed solely by well-trained experts. And, data...
Engineered Solutions: Sydney Airport Optimizes Multidiscipline Collaboration with Infrastructure Facilities Management System
Occupying 2,239 acres with more than 400 buildings, three terminals, three runways and associated taxiways, Sydney Airport is one of Australia’s most-important pieces of infrastructure, generating economic activity equivalent to 6.4 percent for New South Wales and providing 306,700 jobs. The airport’s design team is responsible for maintenance, documentation and guardianship of civil, architectural, airfield design and services databases as well as leasing documents, airspace protection and nume...
Make a Steel Building Sail: BIM and VDC Bring Church of the Resurrection to Life
When people think of churches, what often comes to mind is a square white building with a triangular roof and a steeple on top. When the congregation of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection envisioned its new place of worship, they imagined something much different. With a growing community of more than 20,000 parishioners in the Kansas City area, the church was bursting out of its existing facilities. The congregation needed a new community space to physically accommodate its me...
Autodesk Previews Enhancements for Advance Steel and Steel Connections for Revit at NASCC 2017
By Udo Haedicke and Michael Gustafson Autodesk Revit and Advance Steel better connect structural design and fabrication Since acquiring Advance Steel in 2013, Autodesk continues to work towards better support for BIM-centric workflows for structural steel design and detailing. For instance, we have been working to strengthen the interoperability between Autodesk Revit design software and Autodesk Advance Steel software. In advance of tomorrow’s opening day of the NASCC conference, we’re happy...
Sponsored Content: BIM Boost - Essential Techniques for Infrastructure
Everybody is talking about BIM, but how many have actually taken the time to learn the latest technologies and techniques? After all, continual learning is the key to keeping up—and staying ahead. Whether it’s aerial surveys by drone or point cloud extraction, technological advances in civil engineering keep marching right along. So if you’re still on the fence, it’s time to take your data to the next level. It’s time for a BIM breakthrough. Start with Surveys Let’s start at the beginning:...
2017 Infrastructure Industry Outlook
Each year, the Informed Infrastructure editorial team reaches out to members of its Editorial Advisory Board to take the pulse across civil and structural engineering practices. The board includes a diverse range of practitioners with a wealth of experience in project and technology development. For this year’s outlook, we asked the same questions of each board member to see how different people with different perspectives would respond to the same questions. Our goal is to help find common gr...
Sponsored Content: Attend the IECA Environmental Connection Conference
Gain the Knowledge and Tools to Succeed! Join the industry’s most innovative minds at the IECA Environmental Connection Conference being held Feb. 21-24, 2017, in Atlanta. Learn and experience the latest knowledge, advancements and insight critical to your professional success. Don’t miss out on the following: Outstanding Keynote Speakers—Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel will discuss changes in weather patterns, predictions for the future and how it all affects our industry....
Use the Cloud to ‘Make It Rain’
By Mark Scacco, P.E. Hybrid cloud solutions provide immediate access to project data regardless of internet connectivity Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock or locked in an abandoned MySpace chat room for the last several years, you’ve undoubtedly come across the buzz surrounding “the cloud” and how everything, including your toaster, soon will be connected to it and doing all sorts of wonderful magic. And although using the cloud to determine which bathroom stall is available i...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
