Cal Stadium Renovation - Trimble

A Publication for Surveying and Mapping Professionals 

Cal Stadium Renovation 

Dulles Metrorail Megaproject 

Issue 2012-1 

Studying Shifting Sands 

Preserving Ancient Artwork

Welcome to Technology&more: 

More Than a Decade of Worldwide Projects 

Dear Readers, 

It’s hard to imagine, but this issue of Technology&more begins our eleventh year of bringing 

you articles about our customers' innovative surveying projects around the world. From our 

first issue in 2002 to today, Technology&more seeks to showcase projects that demonstrate 

the enhanced efficiencies and expanded capabilities that can be gained through the use of 

Trimble® technology solutions. As always, we hope that the articles will provide useful ideas 

and information that will benefit you and your business today—and tomorrow. 

In this issue, you can learn how 3D scanning created a complete record of the before—and 

after—configuration of the University of California football 

stadium during a major renovation project; GNSS and 

GeoSpatial solutions aided the early recovery efforts in the 

city of Christchurch, NZ, following a disastrous series of 

earthquakes; integrating optical and GPS/GNSS surveying 

gear enables one person to measure and record the often 

rapid changes in the coastline of South Wales in the UK; all 

aspects of construction for a major Metrorail extension project 

near Washington, DC, were controlled through a Trimble 

Connected Site solution; “pre-surveying” helps speeds track 

laying in central Germany; and 3D scanning makes it possible 

to accurately record 40,000-year-old cave artwork in Spain. 

Chris Gibson: Vice President, 

Survey Division 

Published by: 

Trimble Engineering 

& Construction 

10355 Westmoor Drive 

Westminster, Colorado 80021 

Phone: 720-587-6100 

Fax: 720-887-6101 

Email: T&M_info@trimble.com 

www.trimble.com 

In all of these projects, Trimble solutions, whether incorporating 

GNSS, Optical, Spatial Imaging, GeoSpatial, GIS or 

VRS technologies, helped users do their jobs faster and more 

efficiently—and in some cases, do work that literally couldn’t 

have been done a few years ago. 

You’ll also learn how progressive surveying professionals are utilizing specialized application 

software tools for Trimble surveying systems. The Trimble Access Software Development Kit 

(SDK) enables software developers to meet specific localized customer needs by developing 

application-specific software solutions. Trimble Access SDK offers surveying professionals a 

variety of customizable opportunities, allowing them to perform projects faster, more easily 

and more productively. 

If you’d like to share information with Technology&more readers about your own innovative 

project, we’d like to hear about it: just email Survey_Stories@trimble.com. We’ll even write 

the article for you. 

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Trimble Dimensions International User Conference, 

which will be held November 5–7, 2012, at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. 

Nearly 3,000 surveying and construction professionals attended Dimensions 2010. We hope 

you’ll be able to attend this year: Dimensions 2012 promises to be another powerful experience, 

providing extensive educational options, unmatched networking opportunities—and 

a whole lot of fun. 

And now, enjoy this issue of Technology&more. 

Chris Gibson 

Editor-in-Chief: Shelly Nooner 

Editorial Team: Angie Vlasaty; 

Lea Ann McNabb; Omar Soubra; 

Heather Silvestri; Eric Harris; Kelly Liberi; 

Susanne Preiser; Christiane Gagel; Lin Lin 

Ho; Bai Lu; Echo Wei; Maribel Aguinaldo; 

Stephanie Kirtland, Survey Technical 

Marketing Team 

Art Director: Tom Pipinou 

INSIDE: 

U.S. Pg. 4 

New Zealand Pg. 8 

Germany Pg. 12 

Spain Pg. 14 

© 2012, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. 

Trimble, the Globe & Triangle logo, GEDO, GeoExplorer, Pathfinder, 

Ranger, RealWorks, TSC2 and TSC3 are trademarks of 

Trimble Navigation Limited or its subsidiaries, registered in 

United States Patent and Trademark Office. Access, Business 

Center, Connected Site, CU, FX, GeoXR, GeoXT, GX, Integrated 

Surveying, NetR9, POS LV, ProXH, Survey Pro, VRS, VRS Now, 

and VX are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited or its 

subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their 

respective owners. 

Cover Image by Tom Pipinou. Thanks to KOREC for initially 

developing the Studying Shifting Sand article.

Surveying Wind Farms 

The rugged terrain of the Appalachian Mountains in 

Pennsylvania and West Virginia can present challenges 

to travel and commerce. But the high ridges 

contain an important opportunity for new projects and 

revenue: they are ideal locations for wind power. According 

to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 

wind in southwestern Pennsylvania can provide more 

than six percent of the state’s existing electricity needs. 

And the region generates more than electricity—in 2010, 

observers reported that Pennsylvania’s wind power industry 

supported more than 3,000 jobs in manufacturing, 

construction and operation of the state’s wind farms. 

From its offices in Pennsylvania and Maryland, CME 

Engineering LP provides services for wind farm development 

in southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 

CME Project Director Dan Llewellyn said that wind farms 

call for a range of surveying skills. A major portion of each 

project is cadastral work to create maps and descriptions 

for the easements and rights of way that host the turbines, 

access roads and power lines. Additional work includes 

construction surveys for road improvements to handle 

the long trailers hauling turbine blades and towers to the 

ridge tops. Post-construction surveys include as-built 

locations of transmission towers and other facilities. 

The difficult terrain demands a variety of surveying 

techniques and tools. CME Engineering Technician Asa 

Maust uses Trimble R8 GNSS with a Trimble TSC3® 

Controller running Trimble Access Software for both 

static and RTK surveys. Whenever possible, CME 

utilizes the KeyNetGPS Real-Time Network (RTN), based 

on Trimble VRS technology, for its RTK work. 

“Because of limited cell phone service in many areas, we 

often use the Trimble HPB450 radio modem for RTK,” 

Maust explained. “We use repeaters to carry the RTK 

signals into the deep, narrow valleys.” In areas where 

total stations are needed, CME technicians set control 

with GNSS and use a Nikon DTM-332 Total Station to 

run traverses between the GNSS control points. Roughly 

60 percent of control is set using static methods, with 

the remainder placed by RTK. Most work is done with a 

precision of 3 mm (0.01 ft). 

While the required precision varies, Maust said that wind 

projects have short construction cycles that require 

flexibility and quick response. He cited West Virginia’s 

Pinnacle Wind Farm, which has 23 turbines and will supply 

power for 14,000 households. Construction began in spring 

2011 and the farm was in full production by the end of 2011. 

Two CME crews used static GNSS to establish more than 

100 control points for construction, aerial photography 

and cadastral surveys. CME also provided surveying for 

roads, turbine foundations and transmission lines. 

Work on the wind projects is not letting up. Like many 

states, Pennsylvania has voter-approved requirements 

for increased use of wind and other alternative energy 

sources. It’s an important opportunity, and surveyors 

with flexible tools and techniques will be well positioned 

to meet the demand. 

-1- Technology&more; 2012-1

Studying Shifting Sand 

Older residents of Cwm Ivy in South Wales remember tossing pennies from the cliffs above the coastline onto anchored 

boats below. Today, the edge of the sea has slipped out nearly 500 m (1,640 ft), and where there was once deep water is 

now sand dunes. 

Wetland hydrologist Charlie Stratford is studying those 

shifting dunes and one of his key research tools to record 

the land’s movements is the Trimble S3 Robotic Total Station. 

Using optical as well as GNSS surveying techniques, 

Stratford and his research crew are able to monitor and 

survey this dynamic site using Integrated Surveying 

techniques. 

Stratford works for the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology 

(CEH) and collaborates with the British Geological Survey 

(BGS), both part of the Natural Environment Research 

Council, to study freshwater ecosystems and their interaction 

with the atmosphere. 

The dunes and salt marshes are located on the Gower Peninsula 

in Swansea, on the north coast of South Wales. 

Managing Change with Change 

The South Wales site is of particular interest to the Centre 

because it is constantly changing; one storm can remodel 

vulnerable parts of the coastline overnight, while over many 

years erosion can significantly alter the land’s contours. As 

the landscape changes, the water in the wetland becomes 

transformed as well. The salt water loses its salinity, enabling 

new plant and animal life to inhabit the area. 

“Few landscapes can exist as freely and as independent from 

human intervention as the one we are seeing in South Wales, 

and that makes it particularly significant and exciting for us," 

Technology&more; 2012-1 

-2- 

Stratford explains. “This is a dynamic ecology that really is 

doing its own things and the key to observing, monitoring 

and understanding these changes—in fact, the linchpin in 

our research—is reliable topographic survey data.” 

The joint CEH/BGS team aims to monitor the South Wales 

site over the next 5–10 years and wanted to upgrade their 

equipment and take advantage of any relevant technological 

advances since their last purchase. 

Stratford planned to carry out most of the survey work using 

optical surveying methods which would also sidestep any 

problems caused by carrying out GNSS surveys in a forested 

area near the site, located in the Whiteford Burrows National 

Nature Reserve. Also, he hoped to do most of the surveying 

himself, so he needed lightweight, portable gear. His choice 

was a Trimble S3 Robotic Total Station and Trimble TSC2® 

Controller using Trimble Access Software. 

On the GNSS side, the upgrade included a Trimble R8 GNSS 

System to enable surveys to pick up both GPS and GLONASS 

satellite signals to capture the data he needed, even in the 

ever-changing coastal dune site. 

So that Stratford wouldn’t have to re-measure things or 

use permanent markers, he also chose to use the Trimble 

VRS Now Network subscription service providing instant 

access to RTK corrections throughout the UK.

“This is an evolving site so permanent markers may be buried by sand or 

washed away during storms,” explains Stratford. “The obvious solution 

was the R8 GNSS which, on the one hand, would take away a whole layer 

of uncertainty for us and on the other, provide us with excellent mapping 

functionality and the ability to do repeat surveys.” 

Integrated Surveying 

The idea of Integrated Surveying is to seamlessly integrate GNSS or GPS 

receivers and optical total stations so that surveyors see them as a combined 

system. The field controller and software provide a common file 

and interface to GNSS/GPS and conventional survey instruments. 

In Stratford’s case the key to the seamless connectivity of the two systems 

is the Trimble TSC2 Controller using Trimble Access Software. With this 

system, Stratford can simply toggle between optical and GNSS data collection 

while the Trimble Total Station and GNSS Rover are both active. 

“If sand hills compromise our line of sight with the optical instrument, or 

heavy tree canopy affects our GNSS signal, we simply push a button and 

switch over,” Stratford said. 

“The TSC2 controller connects with the two systems at the same time. 

It’s a simple process that has increased our productivity enormously; 

depending on the task, by 50 to 100 percent compared to using our old 

systems individually—it’s fantastic.” 

“In many cases the robotic total station has turned our surveys into a oneperson 

operation, freeing up the second site-surveyor to carry out other 

pressing work while the reflectorless option allows us to get a general feel for 

heights of dune ridges which is particularly useful. The VRS has also worked 

well. Some of these coastal areas are very challenging but with Integrated 

Surveying we are always confident of getting good data.” 

Using the Trimble R8 to position the total station, Stratford carried out a 

resection to establish himself on the Ordnance Survey grid and was ready 

to go. Having a choice of GNSS or optical instruments provides positions 

always recorded to a six-figure OS grid value, which in turn can cut back on 

any post processing and give Stratford maximum flexibility for his surveys. 

Once data are collected they are downloaded back at the office and 

Trimble Business Center Software is used to display the data or to overlay 

collected data on to Google aerial maps. Additional analysis can be 

carried out in Esri ArcGIS software. 

Stratford concludes, “Spatial analysis is the key to our team truly understanding 

the changes. We’ve still a long way to go with this project but 

already, using overlays of our collected data, we can look back at old 

aerial photographs and identify clear differences between then and now. 

We expect to repeat our surveys annually, possibly more if we know a major 

storm has taken place, and build up a time series of topography. Through 

continued training we will ensure that we are taking advantage of the full 

functionality of our survey instruments and our project will continue to 

benefit as a result." 

See feature in GeoConnexion’s October 2011 issue: www.geoconnexion.com 


Stable Footing at 

Berkeley’s Stadium 

A major renovation of the football stadium at the University of 

California – Berkeley will provide protection against earthquakes. 

Tucked into the hillside at the mouth of Strawberry Canyon on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley 

(UCB), California Memorial Stadium—known simply as Cal Stadium—is considered one the most beautiful settings in 

college athletics. Since it opened in 1923, the stadium, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has 

welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans to UCB football games and other events each year. But after nearly 90 years of 

service, Cal Stadium needs an update. The stadium has fallen behind the standards for services and facilities available at 

other large university stadiums, and will receive improvements including a new press box and renovations to concourses 

and concession areas. In addition, the playing surface will be lowered and new seating will provide better sightlines for 

spectators. 

While the modernization is important, the primary reason for the upgrade comes from deep below ground. Cal Stadium 

sits astride the Hayward Fault, an active geologic fault that runs through the Berkeley area. Much of the renovation includes 

improvements that will reduce damage and protect human life in the event of an earthquake. 

UCB is home to strong academic programs in geophysics and engineering, and the university’s professors and scientists 

played an important role in developing ways to incorporate the best concepts of science and engineering into the new 

facilities. Rather than try to resist the motion of an earthquake, modern structures are designed to move with the quake. 

The new press box was designed to rest on its own pre-stressed concrete support walls and shock absorbers. It is structurally 

isolated from the rest of the stadium and can sway up to 30 cm (12 in) in a large quake. At the ends of the stadium, 

seating sections were removed and rebuilt as floating surface-rupture blocks that will allow the stadium to flex and move 

with even large-scale earthquakes. 


-4- 

COVER STORY 

Chad Mathias (left) and Devin Finn conduct measurements at Cal Stadium. Finn's Trimble S6 provides control points for the Trimble GX used by Mathias.

The construction manager and general contractor, Webcor 

Builders, was required to preserve the stadium’s massive 

west wall and minimize disruption and environmental 

impact. Webcor selected F3 & Associates to provide surveying 

services for the project. One of the first activities was 

setting control and defining a center point and axis for the 

stadium coordinate system. F3 Principal Sean Finn said that 

F3 surveyors used a Trimble 5700 GPS System and Trimble 

5601 DR200+ Total Station connected to Trimble Ranger® 

Handhelds running Survey Pro Software to establish discrete 

targets on the stadium wall and set control points 

around the stadium perimeter. After tying the stadium to the 

control and making measurements to the existing walls, F3 

worked with design and construction teams to make a collective 

decision on the location of the stadium center point. 

“It was complicated,” said Webcor Project Manager Victor 

Elliot. “We’re located on the fault and obviously there has 

been a tremendous amount of movement over the years. We 

are tying into an existing stadium and it was critical that we 

knew the point of origin. Sean and his surveying technology 

made it possible.” 

Surveying and Scanning on the Construction Site 

During demolition, stadium seating and structural components 

were removed, exposing the interior of the stadium’s 

west wall. F3 survey crews used a Trimble GX 3D Scanner to 

scan the newly exposed surfaces immediately after excavation. 

The crews used the scanner’s survey workflow to tie 

into the stadium control, ensuring that the data matched 

previous scans. While the Trimble GX conducted 360° scans, 

the F3 crew used a Trimble FX 3D Scanner to capture detailed 

scans in critical areas. By using the two scanners in a 

complementary fashion, the surveyors optimized the time 

spent on data collection. In the office, dedicated technicians 

used Trimble RealWorks® Software to combine the scans and 

model the columns and other components of the wall. 

Keeping the scans precisely on the control network is a major 

part of the project’s success. Over the course of the work, 

F3 teams have collected more than one hundred individual 

scans; each scan is precisely registered into the stadium 

control network. The result is a single 3D point cloud of the 

entire stadium, consisting of upwards of a billion points. The 

combined data of the two scanners provides a good picture 

of the stadium as well as the ability to zoom in on areas where 

more detail or dense data is needed. “That’s the beautiful 

part of scanning within a project datum,” Finn noted. “You 

can scan something and it drops right into the point cloud.” 

Campus officials were adamant about keeping the look 

and design features of the original stadium. Meeting this 

requirement called for detailed measurements and data on 

the existing structure. Accurate information was especially 

important in areas where new construction tied back into 

the original 1923 design. It was, Finn said, an ideal fit for 

scanning. For example, several sections of the stadium wall 

contain windows that are more than 7.6 m (25 ft) high. To 

fabricate new glass for the windows, glazing contractors need 

A gap in the stadium wall reveals the displacement caused by motion of the Hayward Fault. New construction will allow the stadium to move with the Fault's motion. 


precise dimensions of the window openings. When 

the wall is fully exposed, the tops of the window 

openings can be up to 21 m (70 ft) above the ground. 

The F3 crews used the Trimble FX to scan each window 

opening, eliminating the need for scaffolding 

to measure the windows. F3 technicians created 3D 

models of the window openings and delivered fully 

dimensioned 2D drawings to the glass fabricators. 

The scanning data has a long lifetime. Following 

the initial deliverable, it’s common for a client or 

subcontractor to request additional information or 

detail. Rather than sending a survey crew back to 

the site, Finn can turn to the point cloud and extract 

new information from the existing models. It’s an 

important time saver, and is especially valuable in 

providing information about objects that have been 

concealed by subsequent construction. Webcor’s 

Elliot recalled an occasion when an architect needed 

additional information related to clearances for 

egress. “They asked for very specific locations and 

elevations of existing conditions,” Elliot said. “The 

beauty of the scan was that when we needed more 

information, F3 had the ability to just pull it up from 

the scan rather than have to revisit the site.” As stadium 

construction progressed, F3’s tasks evolved to 

include as-built documentation. They used Trimble 

FX and Trimble CX scanners to measure the new 

press box and club level, capturing data on the steel 

and concrete structural elements. 

Cal Stadium illustrates how F3 combines Trimble 

technologies to produce speed and precision. For 

example, they created a procedure that uses total 

stations as a quality check for the scanning. On 

each scanning task, crews use a Trimble S6 Total 

Station and direct reflex measurements to measure 

a number of discrete points in the scanned area. The 

office technicians bring the total station data into 

Trimble RealWorks to conduct additional checks 

and quality control. “The combination of scanning 

technology and surveying is the way it should be,” 

Finn concluded. “It takes a surveyor to orient a 

scan to a specific location on the earth. In the end, 

I believe that scanning should and will become an 

everyday part of survey life. I fully expect the scanner 

to become just another tool on the survey truck.” 

This article is an update to the feature article in POB's 

October 2011 issue: www.pobonline.com 

Top: Sean Finn approaches the stadium entry. Scanning 

provided precise measurement of the archway 

without need for scaffolds or lifts. 

Bottom: F3 surveyors prepare a scan using the Trimble 

FX. They used the data to prepare detail drawings for 

fabricators and designers. 


-6-

Restoring Arches 

In December 2008, a routine inspection of the Chaudière Bridge linking Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec 

revealed structural cracks in two of the bridge’s masonry arches. Because the Chaudière Bridge is a crucial interprovincial 

connector, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) determined that both arches 

needed substantial rehabilitation. 

The project provided engineering and logistics challenges. 

Because of the 180-year-old bridge’s historical 

significance, its original structural characteristics needed 

to be preserved, and traffic demanded that restoration 

occur without completely closing the bridge or impacting 

the Ottawa River. Engineering teams developed a plan 

to install pre-fabricated concrete support panels into 

the arches, and PWGSC awarded the construction 

contract to Peter Kiewit Sons’ Infrastructure Group 

(Kiewit). Denis Dubois arpenteur-géomètre inc in Saint- 

Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, was selected to provide 

surveying services. 

The restoration required detailed measurements of the 

existing structure. “This work is ideal for 3D scanning,” 

Dubois explained. “It’s a challenge to capture the precise 

shape of an arch. Site access was difficult, and conventional 

total station surveys would be time-consuming 

and could not produce a comprehensive view of the 

arches.” The measurements needed to be absolutely correct. 

Once the panels were fabricated and delivered, they 

could not be changed. 

To gather the information, Dubois combined GPS and 

3D scanning to create a georeferenced 3D model of 

the arches. After establishing five control points via 

RTK GPS, the team used a Trimble VX Spatial Station 

to conduct the scan. Occupying the GPS points along 

the river, they collected 80,000 individual 3D points in 

roughly five hours. The points, spaced 5 cm (2 in) apart, 

were measured with a precision of 3 mm (1/8 in) and tied 

to the local geodetic coordinate system. In the office, the 

surveyors used Trimble RealWorks Software to integrate 

the scans and deliver 3D surfaces in DXF format to the client. 

After comparing the point cloud to previous engineering 

data, Kiewit Project Engineer Robert Cornell was 

confident they had the spatial and positioning information 

to build the arch panels. “I was surprised by how 

Denis used the VX to shoot the bridge with that amount 

of precision,” Cornell said. “The point cloud gave us the 

confidence to design and build our pre-fabricated panels 

with assurance that we could successfully complete this 

project.” Dubois said that the precision measurements 

and dense data were the keys to success. The data 

revealed irregularities in the arches that conventional 

surveying might have missed. “We produced better information 

in less time,” Dubois explained. “Without the 

scanning functionality, fieldwork would have stretched 

for many days, and produced less detail.” 

Seven months after the initial survey, twelve 20-ton 

concrete arch panels were ready for installation. 

Dubois’ survey team returned to the site, this time 

using the Trimble VX as a robotic total station to set 

control and align rails used to move the panels into 

place. Less than two years after the discovery of the 

deteriorating arches, the restoration was complete and 

all four lanes of the Chaudière Bridge were re-opened to 

traffic and pedestrians. 

See feature article in POB's June 2011 issue: www.pobonline.com 


Surveying Sunken Suburbs in 

Christchurch’s “Orange Zone” 

After the June earthquake, engineers divided Christchurch 

into four zones representing whether repair 

and rebuilding were viable: green—yes; red—no; 

orange—need more data; and white—not yet mapped. 

Approximately 9,000 properties comprising the orange zone 

needed to be quickly surveyed to better determine whether 

they were “red” or “green.” For many of these properties, the 

main problem was land sinkage resulting from liquefaction— 

some land had sunk by up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft), making it less 

able to support construction. Engineers required survey 

data to understand what would be needed to bring land 

back above the flood level—and to determine whether it 

was worthwhile economically to do so. 

Tonkin & Taylor, Ltd, geotechnical consultants working for 

the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), 

awarded the Orange-zone survey contract to Paterson 

Pitts, providers of land survey and resource management 

services to New Zealand’s Otago region. GeoSystems 

New Zealand, Ltd, provided nine additional surveying 

systems comprising Trimble R8 GNSS Rovers and Trimble 

TSC3 Controllers running Trimble Access Field Software. 

The company’s iBASE Network, based on Trimble VRS 

technology, has reference stations installed inside and 

outside the quake zone and provided control; access to 

the network was free for all surveyors during the initial 

recovery period. 

Due to the large surveying area, time constraints and number 

of surveyors from different companies, the project’s 

success relied on all data being consistent. “We couldn’t 

afford to have any mistakes,” said Paterson Pitts Project 

Manager Mike Botting. “People’s livelihoods and properties 

were at stake.” To ensure that consistency, GNSS surveying 

expert Reece Gardner of 3D World in Christchurch defined 

all surveying procedures for the project. Gardner was also 

responsible for processing, quality checking and ensuring 

data completeness. 

Up to 20 surveying teams were on the ground each day; 

at peak demand, the iBASE network reached a record 

number of concurrent users. Surveyors focused on the 


Earthquake Recovery in 

-8- 

In the pre-dawn quiet on September 4, 2010, New 

Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch, was 

struck by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake—with thousands 

of aftershocks following the quake since then. 

In particular, a magnitude 6.3 quake on February 

22, 2011 resulted in 181 fatalities and wreaked havoc 

on buildings, city infrastructure and land already 

vertical movement of each property, taking measurements 

every 10 m (32.8 ft), or 8 to 10 measurements per property. 

They also measured from the berm and, if possible, the 

centerline of the street, which typically didn’t move as 

much as the surrounding land. Most points gathered were 

GNSS measurements, with GLONASS satellites proving 

especially valuable in areas of tree canopy. The internal 

modem on the TSC3 controller also made data capture 

easier because no external call phone was required to 

access the network. 

The project was completed in just two weeks due to the 

streamlined project processes and team efficiency. “It was 

just basic survey work, but at such a large scale—over 

860 ha (2,125 acres)—that the VRS network and the speed 

at which we could operate made a significant difference,” 

said Botting. “Teams could go straight to a site and start 

surveying in a couple of minutes thanks to the network.”

Christchurch, New Zealand 

weakened by the September quake. Although 

smaller in magnitude, the February event was 

shallower and harder, and produced one of the 

world’s highest recordings of peak ground acceleration 

at 2.2g. Yet another major quake, a magnitude 

6.4 on June 13, 2011, significantly set back the city’s 

recovery. 

Post-Quake 3D Scan Aids in 

Christchurch Cadastral Recovery 

Within hours of the February earthquake, Christchurch’s 

central business district (CBD) was 

cordoned off behind army barricades as strong 

aftershocks continued to bring down city buildings. A team 

of spatial imaging experts ventured into this virtual war 

zone to capture 3D data of the damaged city. 

Through GeoSystems New Zealand, Ltd, Trimble offered its 

MX8 Mobile Spatial Imaging System with an operator to the 

government agencies responsible for all spatial data. The 

offer was immediately accepted. 

The Trimble MX8 system was installed on GeoSystem’s 

Business Development Manager Martin Hewitt’s SUV. A 

“pod” on the vehicle’s roof held two scanners, installed 

at 270° to each other, and four cameras—three facing 

forward and one rear-facing. A rack of computers running 

Trimble Trident Data Capture Software was installed 

where the passenger seat had been. An Applanix POS 

LV System, using its integrated combination of inertial, 

GNSS and distance measurement technologies, provided 

precise position and heading information under even the 

toughest conditions. 

With the assistance of the Ministry of Civil Defence and 

Emergency Management, the three-person spatial imaging 

team gained entry to the CBD after an intensive introduction 

that included briefings on safety procedures plus hazards 

such as major aftershocks and sinkholes. Still, the team was 

in for a shock. Says Hewitt, “It was eerie and so surreal.” Even 

though Hewitt is a Christchurch local, with familiar buildings 

now crumbled it was often difficult for him to determine 

where he was apart from the GNSS data. 

Data capture was completed in just two days, even though 

debris and other obstacles limited driving speeds to about 

20 km (12 mi) per hour. Trimble's Montreal office then 

postprocessed the data, using control data from a Trimble 

NetR9 Reference Station in Geosystem’s iBASE Network. 

To make the CBD safe for rebuilding, numerous damaged 

buildings have been rapidly demolished and cleared. 

This process has eliminated many survey marks, making 

re-measuring property boundaries extremely difficult. 

Additionally, the physical boundary of many commercial 

properties came down to the occupation on the site as the 

primary definition of the property. When buildings were 

cleared away, those physical occupations were lost. 

“Thanks to the scanning operation, we have a unique 3D 

model of the CBD accurate to around 5 cm (2 in),” says 

Hewitt. “And it’s available for use by anyone who requires 

it for the recovery process, future development, or for a 

historical point of view, potentially making the Trimble 

MX scanning data critically important in the cadastral 

recovery process.” 



New Connections to 

Washington’s Airport 

Located in the Northern Virginia suburbs west of Washington, DC, Washington Dulles International Airport is the largest 

and busiest airport in the Washington/Baltimore area. In 2010, it handled more than 23.7 million passengers and the bulk 

of the region’s international flights. But for passengers, traveling between downtown Washington and the Dulles airport 

is a 48-km (30-mi) trip that requires a taxi, bus or car, and can take an hour or more depending on traffic. But a new transit 

option is coming soon. 

Thanks to the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, work is 

underway to extend Washington’s Metrorail rapid transit 

system to provide rail service to Dulles. When complete, the 

Metrorail extension will serve the airport and the large employment 

centers of Northern Virginia. Construction began 

on the project’s first phase in March 2009, with completion 

planned for 2013. The lead contractor on Phase 1 is Dulles 

Transit Partners, LLC (DTP), a team led by Bechtel. 

Everything about the project is tight, including the site, 

schedule and budget. According to DTP Survey Manager Joe 

Betit, PLS, the scale and complexity of the project requires 

advanced surveying technology and rigorous survey techniques, 

tied together with well-defined processes and rapid, 

reliable communications. 

The DTP surveyors draw from a variety of positioning tools. 

Optical instruments include digital levels, total stations and 

3D scanners. Each technology offers unique strengths, and 

Betit’s team is skilled at selecting the best approach for each 

task on the project. Surveyors and contractors use GNSS for 

site positioning, including a Trimble GNSS Reference Station 

and Trimble GCS900 Grade Control Systems for machine 

control. The surveyors use GNSS RTK for preliminary layout, 

and for staking pilings to support structures and excavations. 

When they are too far from the DTP GNSS reference station, 

-10- 

they connect to the KeyNetGPS, a RTN based on Trimble 

VRS technology. As construction progresses to the steel and 

concrete phases, the surveyors turn to Trimble total stations 

and digital levels. The project calls for more than 5 km 

(3 mi) of elevated track in each direction (inbound and 

outbound), which requires precise measurements and 

positioning of piers and guideways to make sure everything 

fits correctly. 

Monitoring is a big part of DTP surveying activities. Many of 

the excavations are along highway medians or in developed 

areas, and must be monitored to ensure that existing structures 

aren't subsiding or slipping into the new construction. 

The team monitors active excavations once a day, issuing 

alerts if they detect movement in excess of 6 mm (1/4 in). 

“High-precision instruments and EDMs are critical to our 

mode of surveying,” Betit said. “For much of the optical 

work, our crews use Trimble S6 or S8 Total Stations, or a 

Trimble VX Spatial Station.” A Trimble GX 3D Scanner collects 

information for quality control, volume computations 

and excavation monitoring. Control for the positioning work 

comes from a network of 2,000 reference points, previously 

surveyed and established, alongside the project corridor; the 

surveyors perform resections to establish instrument coordinates. 

Behind the scenes, a common database for project 

information helps prevent systematic positioning errors.

The Connected Site 

The project has introduced challenges 

beyond the physical needs of construction 

machines and materials. DTP needs to move 

a large amount of information among the job’s 

offices, trailers, machines and personnel. To 

accomplish this, the project utilizes a communication 

system integrated with DTP’s 

secure Information Technology (IT) network. 

Creating the Trimble Connected Site for the 

Dulles project required strong collaboration 

between Trimble and DTP to ensure security, 

reliability and performance. “The key to success 

was open communication of the goals 

and system requirements between DTP and 

Trimble,” said DTP Senior Project IT Manager 

Misha Nikulin. “The collaboration addressed 

substantial technical issues as well as strategic 

business IT concerns.” 

Many of the site’s communications needs are 

handled using wireless technologies. DTP 

installed radio-frequency (RF) communications 

equipment at fixed locations along the 

alignment. In other areas, trailer-mounted, 

solar-powered wireless access points ensure 

signal strength and extend secure IT wireless 

service to the ends of the project corridor. 

GNSS corrections and two-way machine 

control data are carried by the DTP network 

between the GNSS base station and Trimble 

access points, where it switches to Trimble 

communications equipment for delivery 

to the construction machines. “It’s a very 

complex, two-way communication system,” 

Betit said. “A construction machine is basically 

like a printer in one of our offices—it’s 

treated like a device inside the DTP network.” 

Job files, work requests and monitoring data 

move quickly and seamlessly. The system 

also transmits GNSS data for single-base RTK 

positioning using the project’s reference station, 

and provides the wireless internet link 

needed to access the KeyNetGPS RTN. 

DTP’s instrumentation and two-way communications 

network is especially important 

in troubleshooting. The system makes it 

possible to observe machine operations, and 

even capture as-built information in real 

time. If there is a suspected problem, office 

technicians can look at the design models 

onboard a particular machine and can push 

a new model into the field when needed. The 

survey crews use the project’s wireless system 

in the field as they work on their laptop computers. They have direct access 

to the project IT network, and can obtain and deliver up-to-date plans and 

survey data. 

The site’s connectivity and attention to detail have paid off. As part of the 

project’s quality assurance, DTP crews conduct post-construction as-built 

surveys when a construction stage is completed. The as-builts are compared 

to the design, and any differences must be resolved by adjusting the alignment 

of the track to be laid on the concrete structures. Betit said that there has been 

no need for any revisions. “We put a lot of effort into our survey control and 

processes,” Betit said in discussing the success, “and we use state-of-the-art 

equipment. This has been a major savings for the project." 

See feature article in POB's January issue: www.pobonline.com 


Pre-Surveying 

Helps Keep 

Railroads on 

Track 

The need for speed and ride comfort for both passenger 

and freight operations puts high demands on the 

fundamental elements of railway infrastructure—the 

roadbed and tracks. Roadbed and track quality must be 

established during initial construction and maintained over 

time. This involves proper ballast laying and grading, sleepers 

(ties) positioning, and, especially, ballast tamping and 

compressing for exact rail positioning. Since much of the 

work—whether new construction or routine maintenance— 

depends upon accurately establishing or verifying the track 

position, high-accuracy survey technology is critical. 

Track Renewal in Central Germany 

All photos by Bernd Schumacher 

In 2011, Germany’s primary railway service provider Deutsche Bahn AG awarded a contract to Spitzke SE, one of Germany’s 

biggest rail infrastructure companies, for a track-renewal project in the state of Hessen. The project required 

replacing the existing sleepers and rails along roughly 8 km (5 mi) of the route between the towns of Sontra and Cornberg. 

Part of a main north/south line, the route is used primarily by freight trains as well as regional and night passenger trains. 

As a first step, a track-renewal train replaced the old 

sleepers and rails with new ones. Next, the approximately 

placed track was precisely aligned, both horizontally and 

vertically. For this, Spitzke SE used a Stopfexpress 09-3X 

tamping machine from Plasser & Theurer. These huge, 

rail-bound machines raise the track by the required 

amount, compress the ballast beneath every sleeper 

using hydraulic tamping picks, and perform the lateral 

alignment during the same run. The amount of horizontal 

or vertical correction required depends on the track 

deviation from its specified position after track-laying or 

ballast maintenance work has been done. This deviation 

is determined by a process called pre-surveying. 

“Before starting any tamping run, the pre-surveying process 

precisely captures the current track position in order 

to determine the deviation and to obtain the right lifting 

and displacement values for the track,” explains Spitzke 

SE Surveying Engineer (Dipl. Ing. (FH)) Falko Soffner, in 

charge of pre-surveying tasks for the Sontra/Cornberg 

track renewal project. 


-12- 

To perform pre-surveying work, Spitzke SE uses the 

Trimble GEDO® CE Trolley System. This track measurement 

system consists of two lightweight trolleys, each of 

which can be easily moved along the rails by the surveyor 

or assistant. One trolley is equipped with a Trimble S-series 

Total Station, while the second carries a fixed prism. 

The trolleys also have sensors to measure the distance 

between the rails, the cant (superelevation) and other values. 

All the data is transferred wirelessly to a Trimble TSC2 

or TSC3 Controller, which calculates the track deviation 

from the specified position. The trolley system, combined 

with Trimble GEDO Vorsys, Trimble GEDO Office and 

Trimble GEDO Tamp software, provides railway-level accuracy 

with operational speed and flexibility. 

Measurements are made using control points typically 

installed in each catenary support. The total station accurately 

measures the distance and the height difference 

to the control point and sends the data to the TSC2 (or 

TSC3) controller. The measurement is repeated at the 

next catenary support. The prism trolley is then moved

ack to the position captured at the first support, and 

the prism's position is measured. This creates an optical 

chord between the measured coordinates. When the 

prism trolley is moved along the track, the total station 

exactly follows the prism displacements and records any 

track deviation from the optical chord. The data is immediately 

evaluated by the TSC2 and used to calculate 

the actual position data. 

Since the full set of alignment data is stored in the TSC2, 

the vertical and horizontal shifts, the gauge and cant 

(superelevation) values, as well as all the significant points 

where the track geometry changes can be seen at any 

time. This is a big advantage over other methods which 

require manual calculation of the actual values. Because 

the surveying work is often performed very shortly before 

the tamping machine starts working, decisions on the 

tamping run parameters, such as the amount of ballast 

required, must be applied on short notice. Having accurate 

data readily available as early as possible makes the 

construction manager’s life a bit easier. 

A Quick Alternative to Manual Pre-Surveying 

The Trimble GEDO CE Trolley System offers significant 

advantages over conventional surveying technology for 

rail applications. Manual pre-surveying is a very lengthy 

and labor-intensive procedure, involving manual sighting, 

calculation and marking of data on the track. A 

well-organized and experienced team of three persons 

can survey approximately 600 m/hr (0.37 mi/hr) in one 

pass, but needs three passes to collect the full amount of 

information. 

By comparison, the trolley system requires only a twoperson 

crew and one pass to collect all the data, moving 

at speeds of 1,200 m/h (0.75 mi/h) to 1,500 m/h (0.93 

mi/h). This results in staff costs about six times lower 

than with manual pre-surveying. In addition, the trolley 

system’s measurement speed reduces the amount of 

expensive tamper time and the digital capture, transmission 

and calculation of data eliminates numerous 

potential sources of human error. 

“The time needed for pre-surveying is particularly significant, 

because it must be done so often. Track renewal 

requires three successive tamping runs; pre-surveying is 

essential before each,” explains Soffner. “At completion, 

a final check measurement must be carried out, and 

about six weeks after opening the line to traffic, another 

tamping run requires pre-surveying as well. Obviously, 

there are numerous reasons to carry out pre-surveying 

as quickly as possible, and the Trimble GEDO CE Trolley 

System helps us to reach maximum efficiency.” 


Preserving Ancient Artwork 

More than 40,000 years ago, humans living in Europe left evidence of the beginnings of society and culture. In addition 

to the everyday rigors of hunting, gathering and simple survival, the prehistoric people began to document their lives 

and environment. Some of this documentation remains today, in the form of drawings and pictographs in the caves 

where the people lived. This early artwork—typically on cave walls or other large natural facades—is known as parietal art. 

In the Catabria region of the Principality of Asturias in northern 

Spain, two caves—La Lluera and El Pindal—are home to an 

array of paintings, inscriptions and sculptures created during 

the Paleolithic Era. The region is designated as a World 

Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific 

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Part of this designation 

calls for local organizations to preserve the artifacts and 

conduct scientific research that protects the sites and shares 

the historical information. In support of this effort Ramón 

Argüelles, a student at the University of Oviedo, conducted 

studies and surveys of the artwork in the La Lluera and El 

Pindal caves. 

Ancient Artisans 

Parietal art provides important clues to how humans lived 

during the Paleolithic Era. It often depicts the animals encountered 

by the humans as well as outlines of human hands 

and fingers. Artists used chisels, scrapers and other stone 

tools to produce drawings and diagrams that have lasted for 

millennia. They created colors by mixing local minerals with 

animal fats, applying the color to the walls using fingers or 

brushes made from plant fiber or bundles of hair. The art in 


-14- 

the La Lluera and El Pindal caves consists of drawings of fish, 

aurochs (an ancestor of modern cattle), deer, horses, goats— 

and possibly a mammoth. 

The art in the two caves is interesting because it is threedimensional. 

The ancient artists combined carving with 

painting to create images of animals. They prepared the 

work surface, sometimes by fashioning a chiseled “canvas” 

on which they then painted the figures. In other works, 

artists incorporated the rock’s natural texture into the 

drawn or chiseled figure. The most notable art in La 

Lluera is called the Gran Hornacina, a natural cavity that 

Paleolithic artists stained with ocher stripes mixed with 

gray-blue accents. In one location, the artists engraved a 

panel 3 m wide and 1 m high (9.8 by 3.3 ft). It contains the 

most beautiful images of the cave: a group of six or seven 

aurochs and a horse. The animals appear to be descending 

a hill, surrounded by natural furrows in the stone wall. 

Archaeologists estimate that the Gran Hornacina art was 

created between 16,500 and 21,000 years before present 

times (BP). The El Pindal art was done between 12,000 and 

14,500 years BP.

Capturing Underground Art 

The traditional approach to documenting cave art includes conventional 

surveying combined with graphic and textual documentation. 

Terrestrial photogrammetry has been used to document cave art; it 

can produce high-quality 3D models. But precise metric studies have 

often been limited by the location of the cave art. The artwork in El 

Pindal is roughly 240 m (790 ft) inside the caves. Access is only by foot, 

and even that is challenging. Total darkness, high humidity, low temperatures 

and irregular, unstable footing combine to create a difficult 

environment for precise location and documentation of the artwork. 

Even simple photography of 2D parietal art requires heavy camera 

equipment and extensive lighting. Capturing the 3D artwork in La 

Lluera and El Pindal is even more challenging; researchers must pay 

close attention to lighting and camera positions to accurately capture 

the scene. In recent years, 3D scanning has emerged as a valuable tool 

for archaeologists. The scanners can collect precise, detailed data on 

the surfaces to create 3D models and images. 

To conduct the scanning, Argüelles selected a Trimble VX Spatial 

Station. He determined that the Trimble VX was the best option to 

collect the information needed to accurately depict the artwork. This 

included tightly spaced 3D points as well as high-resolution digital 

images. The compact size and light weight of the Trimble VX made it 

easier to carry into the rugged caves, and the instrument could readily 

withstand the cold, wet conditions deep underground. 

To capture the Gran Hornacina in La Lluera, Argüelles completed scans 

from two locations, collecting more than 87,000 individual points and 

18 digital images with the Trimble VX. In El Pindal, Argüelles scanned 

three different panels, gathering more than 55,000 points. In addition 

to the internal camera of the Trimble VX, Argüelles used a digital 

SLR camera specially equipped for the difficult lighting conditions. 

Argüelles paid special attention to the positioning the instrument in 

the cave; he needed to gather complete information and prevent any 

voids in the scanned data. In order to capture the detail of the rock 

surface, Argüelles set the Trimble VX to collect points with spacing of 

1 mm (0.003 ft). 

The field data was downloaded from the Trimble CU Controller 

directly into Trimble RealWorks Software. Argüelles used the software 

to register the scans and manage and visualize the dense data sets. 

He created both mesh and rendered 3D surfaces, and then added the 

digital images to produce detailed orthophotos of the artwork. The 3D 

models can be loaded into the Trimble RealWorks Viewer for use and 

analysis by researchers around the world. The data can be used for 

multimedia animations and to build perfectly scaled 3D replicas of the 

artwork. With the successful completion of the work at La Lluera and 

El Pindal, Argüelles is now conducting further research in the use of 

3D scanning for mining and other underground applications. 

-15- 

Technology&more; 2012-1

Customizing Trimble Access 

There’s a new way to improve surveying performance and productivity in the field. The Trimble Access Software 

Development Kit (SDK) enables software developers to create customized applications and make them available for 

sale through the Trimble store. The SDK provides a focused, step-by-step approach to developing and integrating 

new modules into Trimble Access Field Software. The result? Streamlined workflows, new applications and customized 

solutions that provide a tight fit to the needs of surveyors and their clients. 

Trimble users have put the Trimble Access SDK to work 

around the world. In China, a special application created for 

electric utilities makes field computations and stakeout faster 

and easier. A developer in Spain used the SDK to implement 

trigonometric leveling functionality for Trimble total stations. 

Another developer has created an automated process for setup 

and orientation of a total station that matches a required 

workflow. Other examples include applications that simplify 

data collection procedures to enable non-trained surveyors 

to follow basic survey processes. 

The Trimble Access SDK was developed to meet the increasing 

volume and variety of specialized applications for Trimble 

surveying systems. According to Jason Rossback, Trimble’s 

third-party solutions manager, the SDK is a professional-grade 

tool for use by distributors, end users and other developers 

familiar with Microsoft Visual Studio and C++ programming. 

It provides a platform to enable surveyors to use Trimble 

surveying instruments and systems to address specific 

customer or project requirements. And it paves the way for 

Trimble systems to be used as the positioning components 

for integrated systems involving other third-party solutions 

or hardware. The customized approach can simplify field 

operations and increase surveying productivity. 

Trimble Access SDK consists of software, documentation and 

support that enable a software developer to create applications 

that are integrated into Trimble Access software. 

The SDK software components include: 

• An applications programming interface (API), which allows 

a user-generated program to interact with Trimble Access 

and utilize the program’s general survey functions; 

• A Trimble Access emulator, which increases programming 

productivity by providing a convenient, immediate tool for 

testing new code, and; 

• Sample source code, which the developer can study and 

modify to create new applications. 

In addition to these software components, the Trimble Access 

SDK includes a dedicated program of technical support. 

As developers create their new applications, they can tap into 

the knowledge of Trimble specialists and software developers. 


-16- 

All photos by Bernd Schumacher 

SDK users also have access to an organization within the 

Trimble Connected Community where they can exchange 

information with Trimble experts and other developers. 

When using the SDK, a developer gains access to the powerful 

functions built into Trimble Access. An application can 

incorporate the Trimble Access library of calculations, data 

management, forms and displays into a customized workflow. 

As a result, the new application can have the same look 

and feel of other Trimble Access modules. Because the SDK 

handles all interfacing with Trimble surveying instruments— 

including GPS/GNSS receivers and total stations—the 

developer can concentrate on the application and workflow. 

Developers can save time by utilizing existing functions in

Trimble Access. For example, by using existing routines for instrument setup 

and orientation, coordinate system computations and coordinate geometry, a 

programmer can avoid months of work. 

“The bottom line for the developer is significant time savings and shorter test 

cycles,” Rossback said. “It’s a powerful tool for users to have customized applications 

that are tightly integrated with their Trimble hardware and software.” He noted 

that most customized applications create standard Trimble Access job files 

that operate seamlessly with Trimble Business Center desktop software and the 

Trimble Connected Community. 

Rossback expects the number of customized applications to grow. Disciplines 

such as archaeology, forensics and oil and gas exploration require specialized 

procedures for surveying, and are likely areas for developers to use the SDK. 

Rossback pointed out that Trimble developers used the SDK to create the new 

Land Seismic module for Trimble Access, and significantly reduced the time 

needed to develop and test the new module. 

Sharing the Wealth 

Some developers may wish to share—or sell—their applications, while others 

may want to provide applications only to in-house users. To address these 

needs, all applications created with the Trimble Access SDK are delivered via 

the Trimble Access Installation Manager (TAIM). Trimble provides the developer 

with control over the distribution and use of customized applications, preventing 

unauthorized use. It also ensures a smooth process to install and license 

custom applications onto Trimble controllers. To assist in distributing an 

application in multiple countries, the Trimble Access SDK uses the same 

language translation tools as Trimble Access. When an application is completed, 

developers can translate it into different languages. Developers can create 

new applications for a single user, a group of users, or for distribution around 

the world. During development, developers can collaborate with Trimble’s 

software experts for detailed, high-level technical support. Trimble tests the 

applications to confirm that they can be deployed via TAIM to function on the 

desired hardware. 

Some organizations want custom applications but don’t have the programming 

capability. To assist these groups, Trimble has identified a number of qualified 

developers (known as Trimble Access Development Partners) capable of 

creating customized applications using the SDK. Interested firms can contact 

Trimble (see web link below) for assistance in getting their solution developed 

by a Development Partner. 

Trimble Access applications operate on all platforms supported by Trimble, 

including the Windows and Windows Mobile environments. They can run on 

the Trimble TSC2 and Trimble TSC3 Controllers, Trimble Tablet, Trimble CU 

and onboard the Trimble M3 Total Station. The SDK is also supported on the 

Trimble GeoExplorer ® GeoXR Network Rover. Field data created using Trimble 

Access can be shared using Trimble Access Sync and the Trimble Connected 

Community. For more information, visit www.trimble.com/developer. 



GIS Technology Vehicle: 

“Superhero” 

By day, the GIS Technology Vehicle supports asset 

mapping; by night, the vehicle serves as mobile 

command center for public safety operations in 

Monroe County, NY. 

In 2008, a suspected drug dealer fled into one of Monroe 

County’s many wooded wetland areas. Winter snows 

covered the maze of frozen marshes and ponds, making 

pursuit dangerous for law enforcement personnel. The 

suspect’s body was found in the marsh the next spring. 

Officials in the county’s Department of Environmental 

Services (DES) believed the manhunt could have ended 

differently if their vast GIS and GNSS resources could have 

been put into the hands of public safety personnel onsite. 

The idea for a mobile GIS vehicle was born. 

Monroe County, New York, is home to 750,000 residents living 

in 19 towns, 10 villages and the state’s third largest city, 

Rochester. More than a decade ago, the county launched 

an enterprise GIS based on the concept of two-way data 

sharing among the county and local governments. From 

the start, the county adopted Trimble GNSS technology to 

collect asset information to populate the GIS. 

Today, the DES’ GIS Division (GISD) supports nearly every 

county office with mapping services. The department 

decided to improve access to data collection and GIS 

capabilities for the entire 1898 km 2 (733 mi 2 ) county by 

taking the services on the road. Rochester’s Eastman 

Kodak Company made the concept a reality by donating 

a van. 

Monroe County turned the van into a GIS Technology 

Vehicle by installing three workstations, ruggedized laptops, 

a 36-inch plotter, printers, a SmartBoard, big-screen 

monitor, radios and wireless communications equipment. 

The onboard computers use this communications link to 

access the enterprise GIS as well as the county’s GNSS base 

stations. During asset inventories, GIS feature layers can 

be updated from the field with data uploaded directly from 

the mobile GNSS receivers carried in the van. Data can 

also be broadcast to the county’s Emergency Operations 

Center (EOC). 

The GISD rotates GNSS equipment from its main office to 

the vehicle, but it usually carries Trimble GPS Pathfinder® 

-18- 

Pro XR receiver backpack systems and newer GPS Pathfinder 

ProXH receivers. These mapping receivers are used 

alongside Trimble GeoXT GNSS handhelds. The county 

has established three base stations including two Trimble 

R8 GNSS receivers. The survey rovers typically receive 

real-time corrections in the field through cell-phone 

connection, while data from the mapping receivers is 

post-processed in the vehicle with Trimble GPS Pathfinder 

Office software. In both cases, the GNSS data is differentially 

corrected before it reaches the enterprise GIS. 

During the day, the vehicle works onsite at major engineering 

and construction projects, generating GIS 

maps of where utility assets and property boundaries 

are located. As construction progresses, crews capture 

as-built data with the GNSS receivers to instantly update 

the enterprise GIS. Accurate records of newly installed or 

relocated infrastructure are never more than a few hours 

out of date. 

When not involved in a construction or repair project, 

the vehicle is dispatched throughout the county for asset 

mapping using the Trimble GeoXT GNSS handhelds. The 

vehicle was also used extensively during a county-wide 

project to extend fiber-optic cables to all towns and hamlets. 

The GIS shows the field crews precisely where parcel 

boundaries are so that trenching on private property can

e avoided whenever possible. And if field crews must enter a property, they can address the homeowner by name 

when making the request—thanks to the GIS database. 

DES Senior Operations Manager Steve Schwartzmeier likens the vehicle to a "superhero" that has one identity by day and 

another on nights and weekends. 

“It’s used day-to-day for just about any mapping service you can imagine [related to] county maintenance, operations 

and construction,” Schwartzmeier said. “Then at night, we serve a completely different audience, bringing a full complement 

of mapping capabilities to fire, police and Emergency Management folks.” 

The vehicle is often requested by the Monroe County Director of Public Safety. These duties are typically divided into 

emergency and non-emergency assignments. The majority of the planned, non-emergency activities involve festivals 

and other public events that are likely to draw large crowds. The vehicle plays a critical role in coordinating public safety 

logistics in these situations. 

At an annual air show, for example, the vehicle arrives in advance and its crew maps out the locations of vendor booths, 

power sources and staging areas, as well as public evacuation routes and emergency vehicle ingress/egress lanes. These 

points are added as layers to the GIS and maps are printed in the van for distribution to the public safety personnel who 

work the show. 

At least once a month, the GIS Technology Vehicle is called to the scene of a rapidly evolving emergency. Recently, an 

escapee from a detention facility was eluding the state police. The van arrived just as the police lost their communications 

link to the EOC. They quickly moved to the GIS van for onsite command operations. GIS maps and color air photos of the 

area were printed onboard and circulated among the officers for use on foot and in the air. The result was an incident-free 

apprehension—a more positive outcome than the situation three years earlier that first inspired the van’s creation. 

“The hard-copy maps we provided from our large-format plotter gave the officers a good feel for the surrounding terrain, 

and they made an apprehension within an hour or two,” said GISD Operations Manager Scott McCarty. 

The GIS Technology Vehicle is a resounding success and is now in great demand county-wide. The van has saved thousands 

of personnel hours both in the field and in the office. Its greatest benefit is that it puts information—some of it 

potentially life-saving—into the hands of experts when and where they need it. 

“We are able to get information out into the field,” said Schwartzmeier, “and good information supports better 

decision making.” 


Once again, we included our Trimble Survey 

Facebook fans in judging this ever-popular 

photo contest. After our editors chose 

the three top photos, Trimble Survey Facebook 

fans chose the first place winner. First place—and 

a Trimble 4-in-1 all-weather jacket—goes to the 

Through the Fog image on page 21 and the back 

page. Our congratulations to all three winners for 

their creative photographs! 

Be part of the action: check out our TrimbleSurvey 

Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TrimbleSurvey) 

for the next issue’s photo contest contenders. 

For each contest we randomly select one of the 

Facebook voters to win Trimble-branded items. 

Join in the fun! 

This issue’s Honorable Mention winners will 

receive a limited-edition Trimble watch: 

A Royal Survey 

Germany’s City of Bielefeld Surveyor Ullrich Gaesing 

contributed this image taken during his survey 

at Sparrenburg castle, a Bielefeld landmark. Built 

about 1200 on a mountain in Teutoburg forest to 

defend the young town, the castle also boasts many 

underground pathways. Gaesing was working on 

a new map of the area surrounding Sparrenburg 

castle to show all the changes and archeological 

excavations in the area. 

"A 'One-Man, One-Animal' Kind of Survey!" 

Studio Tecnico Topografico Surveyor Benedetto 

Domenico sent in this fun photo, which he shot 

using automatic self-timer mode. Domenico was 

completing a survey of a rural building near Albenga 

in northwest Italy for inclusion in a cadastral 

map. Using a Trimble R6 GNSS System—both as a 

base and rover—and a Trimble TSC2 Controller, 

Benedetto worked in one-person mode. But while 

Benedetto was the only surveyor in the field, he 

soon found he was not alone: the structure was 

surrounded by several animals, including a 

donkey. Intrigued by the controller’s LED lights, 

the donkey ran away every time the controller 


Photo Contest 

-20-

'beeped' (signaling a surveyed point), only to 

return immediately and show its interest in the 

survey—and Trimble technology. It was truly "a 

'one-man, one-animal' kind of survey!" writes 

Domenico. 

Through the Fog 

Bulgarian Surveyor Stoian Stoianov took this 

fascinating image above the city of Varna, 

Bulgaria (photo was taken on small hill about 

19 km (12 mi) west of Varna—at 43°14'45.87"N 

27°46'24.87"E). “We were making RTK measurements 

to create a 3D model of the terrain of the 

street network for several villages around Varna,” 

Stoianov says. “The model was used to design the 

plumbing and new roads between the villages. 

During the two-day survey there was a very dense 

fog, working conditions were very bad, but we got 

great results!”

Photo Contest 

Enter Trimble’s Technology&more Photo Contest! 

The winners of the Trimble Photo Contest receive 

Trimble prizes and the photos are published in 

Technology&more. This issue's first place winner is 

the Through the Fog photo on page 21. If you would 

like to enter the contest, just send a photo taken with 

an 8 megapixel (or greater) digital camera to Survey_ 

Stories@trimble.com. Please make sure you include 

your name, title and contact information. 

To subscribe to Technology&more for free, go to: www.trimble.com/t&m. 

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