Reporter No. 63, September 2010, English (PDF, 3502.00 KB)

63 

The Global Magazine of Leica Geosystems 

© CyArk

Editorial 

Dear Readers, 

New technologies are changing working styles and 

methods for almost everyone who captures, processes, 

or passes data on to others, or those who 

further process or visualize data themselves. Our 

everyday tasks and the whole job profile of our 

industry have changed over recent decades. The last 

10 years, especially, have seen expansion into new 

business areas. 

One of the technologies that has helped grow our 

CONTENTS 

03 

06 

08 

09 

12 

14 

17 

20 

22 

Scanning on 

Washington’s Shoulder 

Accreditation 

Creates Confidence 

Speeding Up on Channel Project 

Embracing Point Clouds 

Russian Marvel 

Virtual 3D Urban Design 

from Laser Scan Data 

Big Ship, Tight Space 

Utility Mapping with GNSS 

CORS-Qatar: Updating Maps 

in Real-Time 

industry is laser scanning, which allows users to capture 

millions of points – whether from the ground or 

24 

Reacting to Climate Change 

from the air – in the shortest possible time. Laser 

scanning has hugely expanded the range of possible 

applications of traditional surveying, while also cre- 

26 

Modeling Istanbul: World’s 

Largest Scanning Project 

ating entirely new ones. Some extraordinary projects 

have already been completed with the new Leica 

29 

Controlling Vertical Towers 

ScanStation C10, such as the scanning of the Mount 

Rushmore National Memorial in the USA, featured 

on the front cover of this Reporter. Scott Macleod 

of Loy Surveys, who took delivery of one of the 

first ScanStation C10s in Great Britain, has written 

an exciting article on his first experiences with the 

instrument. 

Another new system, the Leica Viva Series, which we 

introduced at the last Intergeo, is playing the leading 

role in Swiss mobile phone operator Swisscom’s 

major infrastructure project, while models from the 

proven Leica GPS1200+ and TPS1200+ series are in 

use on the Russian bridge “project of the century” 

over the Bosporus. 

Now if we’ve piqued your curiosity, I look forward to 

your visit at our booth at Intergeo in Cologne. 

Juergen Dold 

CEO Leica Geosystems 

Imprint 

Reporter: Customer Magazine of Leica Geosystems 

Published by: Leica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 Heerbrugg 

Editorial Office: Leica Geosystems AG, 

9435 Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Phone +41 71 727 34 08, 

reporter@leica-geosystems.com 

Contents responsible: Alessandra Doëll 

(Director Communications) 

Editor: Agnes Zeiner, Konrad Saal 

Publication details: The Reporter is published in English, 

German, French, and Spanish, twice a year. 

Reprints and translations, including excerpts, are subject to 

the editor’s prior permission in writing. 

© Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg (Switzerland), 

September 2010. Printed in Switzerland 

Cover: CyArk 

2 | Reporter

Scanning on 

Washington’s 

Shoulder 

© CyArk 

by Elizabeth Lee 

3D laser scanning has already changed the fields 

of surveying, engineering, construction, and 

forensics. Now, 3D laser scanning is changing 

the fields of education, cultural tourism, and 

cultural heritage preservation and management. 

With help and support from Scotland and 

Leica Geosystems, the non-profit organization 

CyArk carried out the first comprehensive documentation 

survey of the Mt. Rushmore National 

Memorial. 

In May 2010, teams from CyArk and the Scottish Center 

for Digital Documentation and Visualisation (CDDV), 

with additional support from Leica Geosystems, 

deployed an array of Leica Geosystems laser scanners 

to digitally capture the famous Mt. Rushmore National 

Memorial. The memorial is a spectacular sculpture 

carved high into the granite face of Mount Rushmore 

in South Dakota (USA). It features four 18 m sculptures 

of the heads of former US presidents George Washington, 

Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and 

Abraham Lincoln, or as many surveyors know them, 

“three surveyors and some other guy (Roosevelt).” 

>> 

The Global Magazine of Leica Geosystems | 3

© CyArk 

The memorial park site covers more than 5 km² and is 

1,745 m above sea level. 

The data capture is the first phase of a five-year project 

between CyArk and the U.S. National Park Service 

(NPS) to provide both engineering-grade data for 

tasks such as rock-block monitoring, analysis, and site 

resource management, as well as a base data set to 

create virtual tourism and educational materials for 

public outreach and data dissemination. 

The project deployed up to three teams, operating 

five scanners at once, in various locations throughout 

the park and on the mountain. Complete coverage of 

the mountain sculpture was a necessity for the engineering 

and interpretive needs of the park; therefore 

it was critical that all surfaces be scanned at a high 

level of accuracy and resolution. 

Four Leica Geosystems scanner models were used: 

Leica ScanStation 2, Leica HDS6000, Leica HDS6100, 

and the new Leica ScanStation C10. Each scanner model 

was strategically deployed within the site to utilize 

its unique strengths; for example the ScanStation 2 

with its long-range capabilities was used along the 

base of the mountain. The speed and dense data capture 

abilities of the HDS6000 and HDS6100 were used 

to capture all the details in the canyon behind the 

sculpture and throughout the park grounds. Because 

of its blend of range and speed the ScanStation C10 

was used as the workhorse atop the mountain for 

wide-view scans of the sculpture. 

The new compact design of the ScanStation C10 and 

its on-board controls were essential for using the 

scanner in precarious positions on the mountain. In 

one setup location, the NPS ropes team and scan team 

lead, Douglas Pritchard of CDDV, rappelled from the 

top of the monument down to George Washington’s 

shoulder with the scanner. With the scanner secured 

on the president’s shoulder and the scan settings 

selected, Pritchard and the ropes team then rappelled 

off the side of the shoulder to avoid obstructing the 

scan. Scans captured from these positions were critical 

to the success of the project. 

To ensure accuracy and complete coverage of the 

mountain, a data command center was set up on 


The CyArk 500 and the Scottish 10 

The non-profit organization CyArk was created to 

apply the advantages of 3D laser scanning or High- 

Definition Surveying (HDS) to the field of digital 

heritage preservation. Rather than transporting 

engineers to a digital plant, CyArk virtually transports 

students and web travelers inside Native American 

ruins at Mesa Verde National Park (USA) or to the 

top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Instead of 

capturing a crime scene for analysis, CyArk works to 

capture cultural heritage sites around the world to 

create a shareable, 3D digital record of humanity’s 

tangible history. 

CyArk was created shortly after the Taliban’s dramatic 

destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan. 

Often credited as the Father of Laser Scanning, 

Ben Kacyra knew the power of laser scanning to capture 

the built environment. Envisioning the creation 

of a cyber archive for humanity’s cultural wonders of 

the world, Kacyra (who also founded Cyra Technologies 

– now the laser scanning business unit of Leica 

Geosystems), founded CyArk in 2003. 

To date, CyArk has utilized HDS technologies to capture, 

process, archive, and disseminate digital data 

for over 30 heritage sites around the world. This 

progress became the catalyst for launching the 

“CyArk 500 Challenge”, a challenge to digitally preserve 

500 important heritage sites. Upon hearing 

about CyArk 500, the Scottish Minister of Culture, 

Michael Russell, was impelled to get involved. Already 

using HDS technology within Scotland and eager to 

contribute to CyArk’s global mission, the visionary 

Scottish Minister made the generous commitment of 

the “Scottish 10”, the contribution of 10 projects 

to the CyArk 500. These projects consist of the five 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites within Scotland and 

five international projects. 

site and all team members were equipped with twoway 

radio systems. CyArk’s Justin Barton used Leica’s 

Cyclone software to do daily registrations of the data. 

This allowed the scan-team members on the mountain 

or on the visitor’s trail to radio the command center 

for up-to-date information on the scans and instant 

feedback on proposed scanner setup locations. 

The project was a tremendous success, resulting in 

the first comprehensive survey documentation of Mt. 

Rushmore. The capture of this American icon complete, 

CyArk is now at work creating the engineering 

and educational deliverables to supplement the laser 

scan data in the CyArk archive. There, a digital 3D 

Mt. Rushmore will sit alongside world treasures from 

around the globe as the CyArk team takes on future 

challenges to bring state-of-the-art survey and documentation 

techniques to other heritage sites for the 

benefit of future generations. 

About the Author: 

Elizabeth Lee is Director of Projects and Development 

at CyArk. http://archive.cyark.org/ 

© CyArk 


Accreditation 

Creates Confidence 

by Sabine Reischmann 

Leica Geosystems is one of few surveying instrument 

manufacturers in the world that is allowed 

to issue calibration certificates as a nationally 

accredited body. This expertise means increased 

transparency and better comparability. Accreditation 

and certification creates confidence in 

the mind of the customer. And to take this a 

step further: Leica Geosystems customers also 

gains from the confidence that their clients 

place in them. 

René Scherrer and Wolfgang Hardegen, the current 

and future managers of the accredited calibration 

laboratories for Leica Geosystems in Heerbrugg, 

compare calibration certificates with the fuel pump 

gauge at filling stations: “The customer must be able 

to trust that the gauge shows the actual quantity of 

fuel being pumped. The customer can be sure that 

what we promise is delivered.” A calibration certificate 

can be traced back to national standards and the 

measurement uncertainties of the measured values 

are fully documented. For the customer, this means 

that he can be certain the actual parameters and 

specifications of his Leica Geosystems product correspond 

with those quoted in the product literature. 

Several factors are critical to attaining the status 

of an accredited body. Hardegen identifies the first 

as quality management: “Our quality management 

system, which is certified in accordance with ISO 

9001, forms the basis for accreditation.” The expertise 

of our staff is crucial: “All employees who work 

in the calibration laboratory at Leica Geosystems 

are trained accordingly.” Further prerequisites include 

an appropriate technical and organizational 

infrastructure. Technical infrastructure includes the 

premises; facilities and procedures; and consists of 

the measurement baseline as well as laboratories for 

distance, angle, frequency, and level measurements. 

A further accreditation is being sought to augment 

these five laboratories with a test laboratory for 

laser classification. 

Baseline 

The baseline is not a typical laboratory, as it is situated 

on the west bank of the Rhine river at Kriessern, 

a village near Heerbrugg. “The bank of the Rhine 

here is straight for a length of three kilometers with 

no obstructions to the line of sight – something seldom 

encountered in the densely populated Rhine 

valley among high Alpine peaks,” explains Hardegen. 

Leica Geosystems can check the standard deviation 

of distance measurements over lengths of 500 m, 


1,000 m, 2,000 m, or 3,000 m. The accurate determination 

of atmospheric parameters, such as temperature, 

pressure, and humidity is essential to obtain 

precise results. 

Calibration Laboratory for Distance 

The calibration laboratory for distance, dubbed the 

“railway line” by staff because of its length and 

design, is used to determine deviations from linearity 

over distances of 60 m and 120 m. The results 

from this test determine the deviation of the highly 

accurate interferometer distance compared to the 

measured distance. 

Calibration Laboratory for Angles 

The calibration laboratory for angles is used to determine 

the standard deviation of horizontal and vertical 

angle measurements. Leica Geosystems developed 

a very complex, highly accurate theodolite 

testing machine (TPM), the only one in the world, to 

carry out this task. This machine checks the horizontal 

circle and zenith angles of the instrument completely 

automatically. 

Calibration Laboratory for Frequency 

In the calibration laboratory for frequency the accuracy 

of electronic distance meters (EDM) is checked 

in a climatized cabinet that can be set at any temperature 

between - 20° C and + 50° C. Analysis of the 

frequencies determines the scale error of the EDM. 

Calibration Laboratory for Levels 

In the calibration laboratory for levels compensator 

setting accuracies or horizontal optical line of sight 

of levels are determined. 

Accreditation of 

Calibration Laboratory 

In 1997, the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS), 

which forms part of the State Secretariat for Economic 

Affairs (SECO), confirmed Leica Geosystems in 

Heerbrugg as an accredited body with a calibration 

laboratory for distances and angles. Through multilateral 

agreements with international organizations 

such as EA (European cooperation for Accreditation) 

and ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation 

Cooperation), these certificates are internationally 

recognized in well over 100 countries. “Calibration 

certificates are legal documents. Their falsification is 

considered forgery and perpetrators would be appropriately 

punished,” stresses Wolfgang Hardegen, as 

he highlights the credibility of the certificates. 

The demand for certificates is continuously rising 

for various reasons. Wolfgang Hardegen cites the 

increased competitive capability of customers in tendering 

for public works contracts as a strong driver. 

Large private companies also often ask for certificates 

or customers themselves like to be accredited 

according to ISO 9001. But the main value added 

for the customer is still increased transparency, confirmation 

of confidence in the instrument by Leica 

Geosystems, and the improved comparability with 

respect to other products. 

About the author: 

Sabine Reischmann is Marketing Communications 

Executive at Leica Geosystems in Heerburgg/Switzerland. 

Calibration laboratories have to be accredited by the 

Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS) every five years. 

Annual audits are carried out in accordance with 

ISO/IEC17025 by the supervisory authorities between 

accreditations. Official information about Leica 

Geosystems’ accredited laboratories (SCS 079) can 

be found on the SECO website (see below; search for 

079 under Search “Accredited bodies”). The document 

lists the tests the laboratory can carry out, as 

well as measurement accuracies and uncertainties. 

http://www.seco.admin.ch/sas/ 


Speeding Up 

on Channel Project 

by Daniel C. Brown 

A 3D excavator guidance system is helping 

earthmoving subcontractor Ebert Construction 

beat the schedule by 15 percent on a 9-million 

USD channel repair project for the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers in Topeka, Kansas. 

Ebert Construction Co., Wamego, Kansas, is using 

Leica Geosystems machine control systems on its 

excavators to help reshape 2.5 miles (4 km) of the 

channel at Soldier Creek, which is contained by two 

parallel levees spaced 300 feet (91.5 m) apart. In 

2005 a major flood eroded the creek banks. This 

project will repair the damage, helping to prevent 

further flooding upstream of the reconstructed area. 

Ebert has engaged a fleet of earthmoving equipment 

to remove 350,000 cubic yards (270,000 m³) of 

earth from the side slopes and take them to waste 

areas behind the levee. Some 170,000 cubic yards 

(130,000 m³) are being moved from cuts to fills on 

the slopes. 

Two hydraulic excavators, each fitted with a Leica 

PowerDigger 3D machine control system, are being 

used to shape the side slopes. Each slope is designed 

with an upper and a lower bank, both on a 3:1 slope 

and separated by a gentler 10:1 slope. Jim Ebert, 

project manager for the contractor, says the Leica 

PowerDigger 3D systems improve the excavators' 

efficiency because no grade checking is needed. He 

further states that the systems save Ebert 40,000 

USD a year by eliminating the grade checker. The 

PowerDiggers' screen shows the operators the cuts 

and fills on a continuous basis. “Plus”, says Ebert, 

“we can work underwater without having a grade 

checker climb into the water.” 

“The Leica Geosystems GPS system takes the guesswork 

out of grading for the operators,” says Trent 

Ebert, project superintendent. “And there's no more 

calling us to say the stakes got run over by a dozer. 

There's no downtime. Nobody has to watch the operators; 

they can dig, back up, find the next place to 

cut and keep on going.” Completion is scheduled for 

February 2011, but the contractors hope to achieve 

substantial completion before winter. 


Daniel C. Brown is the owner of TechniComm, a communications 

business based in Des Plaines, Illinois/ 

USA. 


Embracing 

Point Clouds 

by Scott Macleod 

Loy Surveys had been aware for a number of 

years that laser scanning was going to be the 

next big thing in surveying and would eventually 

become a mainstream technology. They knew 

they would have to master it in order to stay at 

the leading edge of surveying. The only question 

was, when? Senior Surveyor Scott Macleod on 

how they met the challenge. 

With the technology changing at a rapid pace and 

becoming increasingly more affordable, it was a case 

of finding the right balance. Fortunately we had the 

opportunity to purchase the first commercially available 

Leica ScanStation C10. This is a bit of kit that 

appealed to us and our style of workflow in a big 

way. Not only was it a significant step ahead of previous 

scanners, it provided us with an excellent entry 

point into scanning. Being both faster and lighter 

it was ahead of the game and looked as though it 

would be the pacesetter for the next few years. The 

fact that everything came in a single manageable 

package and did not need cables, external batteries, 

and laptops to operate it, meant it fitted perfectly 

into our flexible working system. Once in possession 

of the Leica ScanStation C10 we were able to put it 

straight to work. 

>> 


Monitoring Cooling Towers 

With a job in the pipeline we were able to get an 

early delivery of the ScanStation C10. The job was 

to carry out a survey of three cooling towers at 

the Grangemouth Oil refinery on Scotland’s Firth of 

Forth. The ScanStation C10 was delivered to us on 

the first morning of the job by Steven Ramsey from 

Leica Geosystems. Steven was there for more than 

just delivery. He had been involved in the testing and 

development phase of the ScanStation C10 and, as 

we were going to be the first company to use it on 

commercial work, he joined us so that he could demonstrate 

its capabilities and observe the scanner in a 

commercial environment. 

The purpose of the job was to survey the cooling 

towers with a view to identifying any movement 

and changes of shape or deformations in the tower 

structures. Previous surveys had involved observing 

points at set heights along a number of vertical lines 

around the tower. Although these surveys had not 

been carried out by Loy Surveys, we believed that 

this method of setting out and surveying fixed points 

around the tower could take two or possibly more 

days per tower. By using the ScanStation we were 

able to survey the three towers over the course of 

two days, with a survey time for each individual tower 

of approximately 2 ½ hours. 

Not only was this a massive saving in site time, we 

were also able to record infinitely more data on the 

cooling towers. Each tower was scanned by placing 

the ScanStation C10 over known control points. 

A total of five overlapping positions were used on 

each tower and they were scanned at a 30 mm grid. 

Importing and registering the individual scans proved 

straightforward with the Leica Cyclone 7 software 

and in less than an hour’s office time we had a 3D 

model of the tower. 

Dounreay Castle 

One of our most recent jobs has been to carry out 

a 3D scan of Dounreay Castle on Scotland’s north 

coast. The castle, a scheduled monument (protected 

national monument), is unique in this area of Scotland, 

as it has an L-shaped footprint that is more 

commonly found in the Scottish Lowlands. This 

makes it an important part of the history and heritage 

of the area. 

“... future comparisons 

between 3D scanned 

models will not be so 

cumbersome ...” 

As the castle is in a poor state of repair, Historic 

Scotland are keen to see something done in order 

to maintain and preserve the castle. It is currently 

owned by the Dounreay nuclear facility and is 

trapped by the coast on one side and the nuclear 

facility on all others. The nuclear plant is currently 

being decommissioned and the security and monitoring 

controls in place during this process mean that 

it is not viable or affordable to carry out a physical 

restoration of the castle at present. 

With this in mind we were approached by Dounreay 

Site Restoration Ltd and asked to carry out a 3D scan 

of the castle as a means of preservation by record. 

Only an exterior survey of the castle was possible. 

Its dilapidated condition meant that for health and 


safety reasons we were not allowed within 10 m of 

the structure. The ability to scan the castle was ideal 

as it meant we could record it quickly and efficiently 

at relatively low cost (compared to physical restoration), 

and at the same time remain at a safe distance 

from the structure. 

The survey itself was carried out over two days with 

a total of eleven overlapping scan positions. At a 

different site, without the security protocols, we 

could potentially have completed the survey in a day. 

The castle was surveyed with an overlapping grid of 

8 – 10 mm or less so that we had enough information 

to see and record the individual stones within the 

coursework. The end product for the client was the 

full point cloud data, which they could present to Historic 

Scotland as a record of the castle in its current 

state for future use and reference. We also produced 

2D elevation drawings. 

Convincing Clients 

Looking at the long term, we see scanning as becoming 

the norm in the survey world, and are aiming to 

reach an ideal position where we will carry out the 

scanning, register the data, and then pass the raw 

point cloud straight to the client so that they can use 

the data as they see best. This has huge benefits for 

both us and our clients. For us it means less office 

time and accordingly more survey time, which boosts 

“… we have made the 

right move at the right 

time …” 

our productivity. For our clients, they are able to get 

full 3D surveys in a fraction of the time and at an 

affordable price. At present however, only a small 

number of our clients are in a position to accept and 

deal with full point cloud data, but this is something 

we are keen to rectify. 

With the purchase of the Leica ScanStation C10, Loy 

Surveys has taken a major step into the world of 3D 

scanning. In doing so we are expanding our capabilities 

as a survey company and keeping ourselves at 

the leading edge in a competitive industry. Having 

put the ScanStation C10 to use, it is easy for us 

to see the huge advantages to be gained through 

highly detailed rapid 3D surveys, produced in record 

time. Although new to scanning and still with much 

to learn, we have no doubt that we have made the 

right move at the right time. 


Scott Macleod originally worked as an archaeologist, 

but soon developed an interest in land and building 

surveying and joined Loy Surveys four years ago. 


Russian Marvel 

by Pavel Antonov 

Once finished, the “Bridge to Russky Island” 

will connect the city of Vladivostok with Russky 

Island and it is no exaggeration to say it is “the 

project of the century”. The bridge will be the 

largest in Russia and one of the longest worldwide, 

with a total span length of 3,100 m. The 

1.2 billion USD project, also proudly called “The 

Russian Bridge”, is scheduled to be finished 

by the opening of the Asia-Pacific Economical 

Cooperation summit to be held in 2012 in Vladivostok. 

Leica Geosystems equipment was chosen 

to execute the surveying work. 

In September 2008 the main contractor, USK MOST, 

started construction work for the “Bridge to Russky 

Island” across the so called “Eastern Bosporus”, 

connecting Russky Island to the city of Vladivostok. 

Before it even started, it had already gained the status 

of one of the most demanding building projects 

in history. Not only because of the sheer dimensions 

of the bridge – the unique central span of 1,104 m 

will be the longest in the world, the 320 m tall bridge 

pylons will be the highest – but also because the 

works are to be carried out on a tight schedule while 

extreme winds, sea currents, and seismic activity are 

a great challenge for the professionals involved. 

Due to very strict project requirements, all surveying 

tasks are being carried out with the highest possible 

accuracy: from construction design to post-construction 

control. This is why Leica Geosystems equipment 

was chosen to help complete this demanding job. 

Surveying Tasks During Construction 

The first task for the contractor was to supply a 

precise and reliable control network. A geodetic network 

(complying with the requirements of the State 

Geodetic class II network) was created on Nazimova 

Peninsula and Russky Island. The contractor had to 

re-determine position and height coordinates of the 

network points every six months, but as this was 

nearly impossible to do with optical equipment, GNSS 

sensors were chosen for the task. A reference station 

mounted by Leica Geosystems’ Russian dealer 

and partner Navgeocom was already available in 

nearby Vladivostok, to deliver correction data for 

precise RTK measurements. Two more reference 

stations were mounted on Nazimova Peninsula and 

Russky Island, both equipped with Leica GPS 1200+ 

GNSS sensors. 

Before starting measurements in real time surveyors 

had to determine transformation parameters from 

WGS84 datum to the local coordinate system, so that 

RTK jobs could be used in the local coordinate sys- 


Bridge to Russky Island 

Total bridge length: 1,885.5 m 

Bridge width: 29.5 m 

Number of driving lanes: 4 (two in each direction) 

Under clearance: 70 m 

Number of bridge towers: 2 

Bridge tower height: 320.9 m 

Number of cable stays: 168 

Longest/shortest cable stay: 578.08 m/181.32 m 

The bridge piles will be driven 77 m below ground. 

On the island side 120 auger piles will be piled under 

each of the two 320 m high bridge towers. The bridge 

towers will be concreted using custom self-climbing 

forms in pours of 4.5 m. Due to the A-shape of the 

towers the use of standard forms is not feasible. An 

individual set of forms were constructed for each 

bridge tower. (Source: www.wikipedia.org) 

USK MOST 

USK MOST was founded in 1991. A highly professional 

team, experienced in another “construction 

project of the century” – the long term construction 

of Baikal Amur Railway Project (BAM, 1975 - 1990) – 

runs the company. Nowadays “USK MOST” is a holding 

consisting of 15 different companies. Its activities 

cover repair and construction works for bridges, 

pipelines, tunnels, etc. 

tem. Anton Shirokov, senior surveyor at USK MOST: 

“Every construction stage was thoroughly controlled 

by different geodetic methods; this is why we were 

able to fulfill all requirements of geodetic tasks. The 

difference between parameters obtained by TPS and 

GNSS measurements were no more than 3 – 4 mm, 

which was within the required tolerances. GNSS surveying 

is really important when there is no way to 

perform TPS measurements.” 

Due to the strict requirements, surveyors had to 

draw from their wealth of professional know-how 

and experience in every construction phase. For 

example: to obtain the most precise positioning for 

bridge pylon parts, engineers used “conductors” (or 

“towers”). Connected within different levels of concrete, 

these elements helped strengthen the whole 

construction. There came a time when it became too 

difficult to use total stations for this task, so Leica 

Geosystems GNSS receivers were used to position 

these “towers” in their proper place in real-time. 

GNSS-technology helped reduce work time from 

approximately 1.5 hours per “tower” to 15 min. The 

time benefit is obvious. 

Leica Geosystems Was the Best Choice 

“We only started to work with Leica Geosytems equipment 

in February 2010,” says Anton Shirokov. “In this 

short time, it has completely fulfilled and surpassed 

our expectations! Firstly, Leica Geosystems sensors 

have a comprehensive, friendly user interface – this 

means less loss of work time. Secondly, the equipment 

performed magnificently in our severe environment 

with snow, wind, and low temperatures, all of 

which never interrupted our sessions.” 

USK MOST professionals have also remarked on some 

of the exceptional functions of Leica Geosystems 

equipment, such as the excellent performance of 

the Leica TPS1200+ laser pointer by night. With this, 

measurements could be performed even 450 m from 

the total station. After the pylon height exceeds 

100 m, triangulation will not be possible any more, 

so professionals working with a combined TPS/GNSS 

system. “Leica Geosystems equipment is modular 

and scalable,” says Anton Shirokov, “you can work 

with a total station or combine it with a GNSS system, 

to set up a Leica SmartStation or a Leica Smart- 

Pole. This way, you obtain baseline measurements to 

perform tasks even when the visibility is poor.” 


Pavel Antonov is head of the technical department 

of Navgeocom, Leica Geosystems’ authorized dealer 

in Russia. 


Virtual 3D 

Urban Design 

from 

Laser Scan Data 

by Konrad Saal 

The Inselhalle in Lindau, Germany, a conference 

center on an island in Lake Constance, was to 

be refurbished and extended to meet modern 

requirements. Since only incomplete records of 

the original building existed, project organizers 

decided to capture the existing features of 

this old conference hall and its surroundings 

using laser scanning. The acquired data is now 

available to architectural consultants for their 

designs and for virtual “tours”. 

Consulting engineers Zimmermann & Meixner Z&M 

3D Welt GmbH, from nearby Amtzell, won the contract 

for the building inventory documentation and 

3D visualization. Their task was to capture the details 

of the whole hall (interior and exterior) and the adjacent 

features including the bank of the lake in the 

vicinity of the conference hall. 

Survey of Existing Features Using 

3D Laser Scanning 

Surveying technician Viola Leibold and graduate 

engineer Benjamin Sattes arrived on the island with 

a Leica ScanStation 2 to produce as-built recordings 

of the original buildings and surrounding features. 

This versatile 3D laser scanner captures up to 

50,000 points per second and has a range of up 

to 300 m. “Laser scanning provides surveyors with 

a way to overcome the hurdle of capturing the features 

of existing objects at an adequate level of 

detail precisely and cost-effectively,” explains Benjamin 

Sattes. 

“The 3D laser scanner is linked to a laptop and controlled 

using the Leica Cyclone software package, 

which consists of several different modules. This 

arrangement allows the user to define the required 

scan window and point density and store the captured 

point data. Targets are set up and scanned at 

the same time as the object to permit subsequent 

geo-referencing, the linking of all captured point 

clouds into a single, consistent system. We captured 

an area of about 73,000 m² from 38 stations in five 

days. The interior, for which we needed about 21 

stations over three days, involved a total area of 

5,000 m²,” says Viola Leibold. The Lindau fire brigade 

even made a turntable ladder available to capture the 

roofscape. 


To edit the point clouds Leica Geosystems offers 

modules that can interface with a number of engineering 

CAD programs, allowing users to work in 

their familiar software environment. The expanded 

and partially automated functions in Leica CloudWorx 

for AutoCAD allowed Benjamin Sattes to generate a 

3D model of the whole object from the point clouds. 

“Any section or view can be generated from the 

model once complete.” Two cross-sections; layout 

plans of the basement, ground, and first floors; as 

well as four views were generated for the Inselhalle. 

The 25 architectural consultancies selected for the 

design competition used the model as the basis for 

their designs. With a maximum deviation of one centimeter 

from the actual dimensions of the building, 

the data is considered equivalent to surveys of the 

highest quality. 

3D Visualization and Virtual Tours 

“The particular aim of the exercise was to capture 

the features of the Inselhalle at such a level of detail 

and precision that the architects would have access 

to a robust and comprehensive survey of the existing 

building and would not have to produce one themselves,” 

explains Benjamin Sattes. “At the same time, 

we were able to use Leica Geosystems’ free Internetbased 

visualization software TruView to allow people 

to take a virtual tour of the Inselhalle.” 

Leica TruView can be used to analyze and take measurements 

within large point clouds in a CAD or other 

3D technology environment, even for users without 

3D laser scanning experience. The point clouds are 

presented as photorealistic images. Architects can 

move around in a virtual world inside the point cloud, 

measure distances, highlight details, make annotations, 

and save the results. The project participants 

can also use the processed data to communicate 

effectively over the Internet. Using 2D layouts and a 

3D model of the existing building, and with TruView 

as a substitute for a site visit with the additional 

feature of being able to take measurements, each 

architect has the optimum basis for expressing his 

ideas and designs. 

Linking Designs to the Real World 

Thanks to the visualization concept developed inhouse 

by Z&M 3D Welt, the architects, civil engineers, 

and landscape planners can see how their 

proposals and plans would look in the context of the >> 


Z&M 3D Welt is able to visualize the real environment 

from the raw laser scanning results. The captured 

point clouds visualize the existing objects and do not 

have to undergo further processing into 3D models 

with the customary loss of detail and accuracy. 

Leica TruView: Moving around in a virtual world inside 

the point cloud to take distance measurements. 

real situation. The design results can be delivered to 

Z&M 3D Welt as 3D models or 2D views. The company 

will then develop 3D models from the 2D drawings 

or directly import the 3D models created in the customer's 

own choice of software module. The data 

is visualized in three-dimensional space with a new 

road layout, open space design, landscape architecture, 

and the existing real buildings and features. 

The process is particularly interesting because of its 

cost-effectiveness compared to previous methods: 

The Sustainability of Using 3D Models 

Users are often faced with the question of how best 

to make data available for future use with minimum 

cost and effort. The data obtained from laser scanning 

can be accessed immediately to provide measurements 

from the 3D model and pass them on to 

the judging committee. The competitors particularly 

appreciate the ease of operation – it is so easy that 

no experience is needed to move about freely within 

the model. 

The future designs and animations for the “Inselhalle 

Lindau” project can be found at: www.zm-3dwelt.de/ 

inselhalle. 

About the Author: 

Konrad Saal is a surveying engineer and Marketing 

Communications Manager with Leica Geosystems in 

Heerbrugg, Switzerland. 


Big Ship, 

Tight Space 

by Brad Longstreet and Dave Murtha 

The crane’s designers knew this, and planned to 

cut and fold the cranes shortly before passage was 

With a clearance of about 226 feet (69 m) 

attempted. But this still left plenty of uncertainty. To 

between Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) and the 

be sure he was making the right call, Murtha would 

span underside of the San Francisco Bay Bridge, 

have to precisely equate tidal elevation values and 

there’s usually plenty of room for the world’s 

NAVD 88 (North American Vertical Datum of 1988), 

biggest ships to pass through on their way to 

determine the absolute Bay Bridge clearance, and 

the Port of Oakland. But when one of those 

verify the total height of ship and cranes. And just 

ships is loaded with three of the world’s tallest 

container cranes, maybe there’s not enough 

real-time; the San Francisco Bar Pilots who oversee 

to complicate matters, he would have to do it all in 

room … or maybe there is. The job of deciding 

large vessel operations in the Bay wanted verification 

of sufficient clearance as the cranes approached 

fell to Dave Murtha, the Port’s chief surveyor. 

the Bay Bridge. The Bay Bridge, incidentally, is known 

The cranes in question are “Super-PostPanamax” 

to have several feet less clearance than the Golden 

and they’re monsters – PostPanamax ships are too 

Gate Bridge, so Murtha’s work would automatically 

big for the Panama Canal, and as more are built, 

confirm that the cranes could pass under the Golden 

ports around the world are installing cranes that can 

Gate. 

accommodate them. In this case, the cranes being 

delivered are wide enough to reach across vessels 

Murtha had an idea that made use of his extensive 

carrying up to 22 Sea-Land style cargo containers 

experience with leading edge survey techniques: 

side by side. Of more concern to Murtha was their “Since RTK GPS methods are now being used to measure 

elevation profiles of airport runways, it didn’t 

height: 253 feet (77 m). When loaded on a ship big 

enough to carry them, this would easily exceed the 

seem like a big stretch to adapt RTK methods to 

Bay Bridge’s clearance. verify load clearance. I told people in my organiza- >> 


tion that I could measure the height of the cranes 

as they approached the bridge. Eventually my claim 

got passed on to the San Francisco Bar Pilots, and 

they were very interested in having me provide that 

information.” Airport runway profiles can be postprocessed 

and re-measured if necessary … but given 

the inertia of giant cargo vessels, there would 

be no second chances to re-measure as the cranes 

approached the bridge. 

Laying the Groundwork 

Providing real-time information for this project required 

painstaking preparation for several reasons. 

For example, Murtha knew he needed a backup plan. 

“Redundancy was a very important part of the survey 

plan,” he says, “Two different RTK rovers would 

be used at the top of the load of cranes, one using 

cellular modem communication equipment, and the 

other using a spread-spectrum radio modem.” 

The cellular modem could access a Leica GRX1200 

Pro permanently installed at the Port’s headquarters. 

This receiver is part of RTKMAX, a subscription 

real-time network operated by Haselbach Surveying 

Instruments (Leica Geosystems’ authorized dealer 

for Northern California). But for reliable radio link 

RTK, he would need a base station with line-of-sight 

from both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. “The 

levee on the west side of Treasure Island was the 

perfect location,” says Murtha. 

Work was already underway to verify the Port’s reference 

station and relate it to tide station values. 

Murtha says: “I included the Port’s reference station 

in a GPS control survey which I am submitting to 

the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). The control survey 

was mostly conducted in June 2009 using Leica 

ATX1230GG antennas. Additional vectors focusing on 

height differences were measured in August 2009. 

This control survey consists of more than 100 vectors 

and also includes several miles of leveling conducted 

in June 2009 with a Leica DNA03 digital level 

and a calibrated pair of Wild GPCL3 Invar rods. Four 

different tidal bench marks were part of this control 

survey.” 

To supplement the work for the crane height survey, 

Murtha planned a static control survey with two 

objectives: establish the needed base station location 

and elevation on Treasure Island, and relate local 

tide datums to NAVD 88. He included six stations in 

the final network. With control firmly established; 

tide related to available benchmarks and NAVD 88; 

and the Treasure Island station set, Murtha could 

move on to additional tasks in this challenging project: 

verifying Bay Bridge clearance and crane height 

above the deck of the transport vessel. 

Tricky Measurements on the High Seas 

In 2000, when a shipment of Post-Panamax container 

cranes was delivered to the Port of Oakland 

at the Navy’s former Fleet Industrial Supply Center 

(FISCO) in Oakland, Port personnel measured the Bay 

Bridge’s mid-span clearance by trigonometric leveling 

methods. This time, Murtha used RTK to establish 

a spot elevation on the upper deck of the bridge, 


then used a Leica TCRP 1201 total station to transfer 

elevation from that point to a magnetically mounted 

prism target that was visible from the upper deck and 

from the base of the nearest suspension tower pier. 

Then, in what must have been a fun day in the field, 

Murtha took a boat to the pier and set up his total 

station. Two CalTrans (California Department of 

Transportation) employees, certified to climb on the 

bridge, used safety harnesses and belaying equipment 

to set another prism directly on the bridge’s 

bottom chord. Murtha was able to confirm a clearance 

of 226 feet (69m) above MLLW. 

The three cranes, standing their full 253 feet (77m) 

tall, arrived at Drake’s Bay, north of San Francisco, on 

March 12, 2010, loaded on the Zhen Hua 15, a tanker 

with a specially modified low deck. While anchored at 

Drake’s Bay, the crew of the Zhen Hua 15 spent three 

days folding over the crane apexes. Two days later, 

Murtha traveled by boat to the vessel to verify the 

final crane height, and to set GPS antenna mounts 

at the top of the middle crane. It turned out to be 

another exciting day in the field: “The crew of the 

Zhen Hua hoisted our equipment up to the boom 

level of the crane, which is about 180 feet (55 m) 

above the deck of the vessel. Since the apex had 

been folded over more than 70 degrees, the stairs 

to reach the boom of the cranes were much more 

difficult to climb – think of a jungle gym 200 feet in 

the air slowly rocking back and forth with the waves. 

Once we got to the top we set ourselves to the task 

of setting up the GPS antenna mounts. I had modified 

two old tripods by removing the metal points 

and replacing them with three inch (7.6 cm) diameter 

disk magnets attached to the tripod legs by 

metal hinges. Since tripods are excellent for setting 

up over non-level surfaces, I figured these modified 

tripods would be the best way to setup the antenna 

mounts.” 

With antenna mounts in place, Murtha and his crew 

returned to the deck to take total station measurements. 

Since the rolling of the deck ruled out the use 

of the vertical compensator – “I could see the bull’s 

eye bubble moving back and forth” – Murtha turned 

it off and took a series of measurements intended to 

define the deck plane and crane height above deck. 

Back in the office, he “performed a classic sevenparameter, 

three-dimensional coordinate transformation,” 

which confirmed what the crew’s engineers 

had told him – the cranes had been lowered even 

more than planned, and should clear the bridge with 

about 10 feet (3 m) to spare. 

The Big Day 

The transit was set for March 16 th . The Port of Oakland 

employees once again climbed to the boom 

level, donned safety harnesses, and climbed to the 

top of the center crane. Even with all the checking 

and rechecking, it was still a tense moment; “We 

got there just a few moments before the Zhen Hua 

reached the Golden Gate Bridge,” says Murtha, “and 

we were happy to see it pass under with what looked 

like 15 feet (4.5 m) of clearance.” 

Murtha put his equipment into stakeout mode and 

started gathering data: “We hadn’t yet reached Alcatraz, 

so we were still more than three miles away 

from the Bay Bridge, and I was able to tell the pilot 

that we had 9 feet (2.7 m) of clearance. I called him 

again when we were between Alcatraz and Treasure 

Island, and he called me once more when we were 

much closer to the Bay Bridge to confirm the clearance 

values. Shortly after that I realized I could see 

the bottom of the bridge, so I called him on the radio 

one more time and said, ‘I can see the bottom of the 

bridge. We’re definitely going to clear it!’” 

About the authors: 

Brad Longstreet is a freelance writer who specializes 

in construction and surveying. Dave Murtha is the 

Chief Surveyor for the Port of Oakland. 


Utility Mapping 

with GNSS 

by Thorsten Schnichels 

Reliable digital data acquisition, robustness, 

and ease of use – these were the requirements 

stipulated by Swisscom AG when it set out to 

acquire new GNSS instruments to determine 

the positions of telecommunication infrastructure 

in the company's country-wide fixed-line 

network. After a detailed evaluation the Swiss 

telecommunications company decided in favor 

of Leica Viva GNSS. 

“Determining and recording the position of items in 

our telecom network has been a long-standing daily 

chore for us – in particular since cables were first 

buried underground,” explains Andreas Häsler, Technical 

Project Manager at Swisscom. The conventional 

methods being used were time-consuming and error 

prone. Swisscom was therefore seeking a more efficient 

and reliable method of data acquisition that 

would reduce these recurring daily costs to a minimum. 

Measuring System Requirements 

The first requirement was for the measuring system 

to provide reliable digital data acquisition to 

allow data transfer to be extensively automated. 

Furthermore, the system had to be robust, easy to 

transport, and able to be used by staff who had no 

detailed knowledge of surveying. The new satellitesupported 

surveying system Leica Viva GNSS fulfilled 

all these requirements – in addition to the GNSS 

and communications technology, the client was also 

impressed by the systems’ newly designed, easy to 

use software, Leica SmartWorx Viva. 


GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receives 

GPS satellite data as well as signals from other systems 

(e.g. the Russian GLONASS satellites). The higher 

signal density provides more reliable reception, 

which is necessary since Swisscom has to carry out 

most of its surveys in urban areas. Corrections are 

transmitted via mobile phone to the swipos reference 

service to achieve an accuracy of 1 – 2 cm. 

Example of an imported DXF infrastructure map on 

the Viva Controller. Measured points and items are 

shown immediately. 

Comprehensive Training and 

Support Concept 

At the same time, Swisscom and Leica Geosystems 

worked together to devise a comprehensive training 

and support concept: ten people identified as Super- 

Users, would, after intensive training, pass their 

knowledge on to the 150+ Swisscom field engineers 

who have access to the large pool of Leica GNSS 

Viva instruments. The instruments are managed and 

the firmware kept up to date through the myWorld@ 

Leica Geosystems Internet portal. The same system 

offers Super-Users a continuous overview of all support 

and service cases. 

Besides capturing the positions of existing cables, 

the Leica Viva GNSS Rovers will also be used to set 

out new telecom cables. 


Thorsten Schnichels is sales and support engineer at 

Leica Geosystems AG, Glattbrugg/Switzerland. 

Instruments and Software 

Leica Viva GNSS (GS15, CS10) 

used by approx. 150 engineers 

Leica SmartWorx Viva software 

Objective 

Higher productivity with 

better quality at lower cost 

Benefits 

Simple to operate 

Rapid, accurate, and safe capture of objects 

Reliable and robust system 


CORS-Qatar: 

Updating Maps 

in Real-Time 


In the past few years the State of Qatar, a peninsula 

on the Arabian Gulf, has experienced 

extensive infrastructure development. More 

than twenty years ago the results of a user 

needs assessment carried out by the government 

clearly indicated an enormous need for 

a fully integrated nationwide GIS. The government 

then established the Centre for GIS (CGIS) 

as a department of the Ministry of Municipality 

& Urban Planning. It is based in the capital 

Doha and became the official mapping agency 

of the State of Qatar. Since the end of October 

2009, many public and private survey and mapping 

communities have been benefiting from a 

nationwide Continuously Operating Reference 

Station (CORS) network. 

The CORS network was set up with receivers, antennas, 

high-precision tilt sensors, and GNSS Spider 

software from Leica Geosystems. Delivering highly 

accurate data and comprehensive customer services, 

the CORS network now plays a major role in all 

geodetic and topographic surveys to update Qatar’s 

maps, as well as in integrating collected GIS data into 

the common nationwide GIS database. 

CGIS setup the CORS network to help achieve country-wide, 

homogenous horizontal and vertical accuracy 

and to ensure the availability of RTK corrections 

for all survey and mapping communities in Qatar. 

Many agencies can now log on to the CORS network 

to carry out their tasks without needing to setup 

single base stations. The new CORS-Qatar network 

consists of nine reference stations and helps many 

organizations using RTK and GIS rovers receive differential 

corrections for their day-to-day activities. 

All reference stations are homogenously distributed 

throughout the country and were established at Al 

Shamal, Al Thakhira, Al Jumailiya, Dukhan, Al Kharanah, 

Abu Samra, Mesaieed and Sawda Natheel, and 

finally, at the Qatar University in Doha. Each of the 

nine reference stations is equipped with future proof 

Leica GRX1200+ GNSS receivers and highly accurate 

Leica AR25 choke ring antennas. Due to the high 

temperatures in Qatar, the receivers are installed in 

air-conditioned indoor and outdoor cabinets. The 

control center of the CORS-Qatar network is located 


at the Urban Planning sector building in Doha. CGIS 

decided in favor of Leica Geosystems equipment 

because of its high quality, outstanding customer 

service, ease of use, and product durability. In the 

meantime, the system has already passed durability 

tests in the Middle Eastern summer temperatures. 

Reliable GNSS Data and 

Comprehensive Service 

The physical stability of the antennas fixed on rigid 

masts is monitored to ensure the CORS network 

delivers reliable and precise data. They are monitored 

by Leica Nivel220 dual-axis high-precision tilt 

sensors that deliver an accuracy of 3 mm @ 1,000 m. 

The data is continuously streamed to check stability. 

Tilt measurements at the Al Thakhira site for testing 

purposes had proven that the position of the 

Leica AR25 is very stable at 0.45 mm. Additionally, 

the stability of the climatization inside the cabinets is 

monitored by meteo sensors measuring temperature 

and humidity. 

The CORS-Qatar network is managed by CGIS. With 

Leica GNSS Spider, CGIS provides correction data for 

precise measurements for RTK surveys through TCP/IP, 

network processing, raw data streaming status, and 

satellite tracking for its customers 24/7. Leica Spider 

Web is used for the convenient distribution of GNSS 

data sets for public or internal access via standard 

web browsers. The software allows keeping track 

of data, downloads, users, and costs while providing 

additional services such as automatic coordinate 

computation and a constant overview of file availability 

and data quality. Registered clients can simply 

upload their GNSS raw data. SpiderWeb then uses 

one or more nearest reference stations to calculate 

the coordinates of their data sets. Leica GNSS Spider 

with SpiderNet software then processes the raw 

data to issue correction information to the users in 

the field. The network and the services of CGIS bring 

numerous benefits to users of RTK for land surveys. 

The system operates without downtime and since 

its establishment has routinely been used by land 

surveyors and GIS professionals to position themselves 

with high accuracy anywhere within Qatar. 

Leica Geosystems Spider Business Center makes it 

easy to manage and track customers’ access to the 

RTK network services. 

Many public and private survey and mapping 

communities now have access to CORS-Qatar. 

Points were automatically recorded at regular intervals 

of 5 m. No office processing of the data was 

required and the data could be quickly integrated 

into the common CGIS database via GISnet highspeed 

network. Qatar is the first country to implement 

a comprehensive nationwide GIS and is internationally 

recognized as having one of the finest GIS 

implementations in the world. 

The CORS network is now constantly in use for GIS 

and GNSS surveys to keep Qatar’s maps up-to-date. 

The network is also used for hydrographic surveys, 

offshore and ocean navigation. 

In the years to come, as Qatar’s infrastructure develops 

further, many of the organizations working with 

GNSS will benefit from the homogenous CORS network 

that provides consistent, high accuracy 24/7. All 

installed Leica Geosystems receivers and antennas 

are ready for future signals. 

Quick and Accurate Update of Maps 

After the installation of the CORS network, agencies 

began mapping Qatar’s main roads in real-time. 

More information about the Centre for GIS in the 

State of Qatar at: www.gisqatar.org.qa 


Reacting to 

Climate Change 


‘Sweden facing climate change – threats and 

opportunities’ is the title of final report 

SOU2007:60 presented by the ‘Swedish Commission 

on Climate and Vulnerability’ in 2007. 

Appointed by the Swedish government in 2005, 

the commission’s task is to assess the impact 

of global climate change on the country. Over 

the last decades Sweden has suffered from significantly 

rising numbers of floods, landslides, 

and erosion. The persistent and increasing risk 

will affect buildings, roads, and many other 

infrastructure facilities. The Swedish government 

has granted a considerable amount of money 

to protect Sweden’s society, infrastructure, 

industry, and agriculture. One of the preventive 

measures is a new digital elevation model delivering 

highly accurate elevation data of Sweden. 

As the Swedish mapping, cadastral, and land registration 

authority, Lantmäteriet is responsible for 

the national co-ordination of the production, cooperation, 

and development of geo-data. In 2009, 

Lantmäteriet received a special grant from the government 

to start the new terrain elevation database 

using airborne laser scanning technology. “The existing 

national Digital Elevation Model (DEM) database 

covering Sweden is unsuitable for most of today’s 

tasks. It was initially created only for in-house production 

of orthophotos. Over time, it has become 

obvious that a better DEM database is of great 

importance for many required activities in the coming 

years,” states Gunnar Lysell, Business Developer 

at Lantmäteriet. Furthermore, the existing model 

provides a height accuracy of only ± 2 m and has a 

50 m grid spacing. 

Highly Accurate LiDAR Data Acquisition 

In summer 2009, Blom Sweden AB, a subsidiary 

of Norway based Blom ASA, started the five-year 

project. They were chosen to provide LiDAR data 

to Lantmäteriet, but before the project could start 

the Swedish mapping authority needed to verify the 

LiDAR data from test flights. Among the equipment 

chosen for data capture was a Leica ALS60 airborne 

laser scanner. It delivered outstanding results that 

fully met Lantmäteriet's expectations. 


Visualizing Historical 

Shorelines 

A first processing of the data has disclosed patterns 

of historical shorelines after hiding the vegetation. 

“These shorelines are remains of the raised sea 

level after the last ice period some 10,000 years 

ago. Ice melting caused an uplift of the land, up to 

almost 300 m in some parts of Sweden,” explains 

Lysell. “Before the new, accurate elevation data, this 

pattern could only be found through field research, 

but now we can see it easily by viewing the elevation 

model on our computer screens.” The old elevation 

model with 50 m grid and a height accuracy of 

approximately ± 2 m could not resolve the patterns. 

Even today, the land is still rising at a rate of approximately 

1 cm per year in the central part of Sweden. 

BLOM Group is a leading international company specializing 

in the collection and processing of highquality 

geographic information using airborne sensors 

and the development of software applications 

and services. Andreas Holter, Head of Resources at 

BLOM, says: “LiDAR has become an efficient technology 

to create digital terrain models of large areas. 

The Leica ALS60 meets Lantmäteriet’s specifications, 

delivering a height accuracy on hard and well defined 

surfaces of 20 cm or better.” BLOM uses Leica Aero- 

Plan60 to set up the ALS60, and the Leica FPES software 

for cost efficient and detailed flight planning 

and evaluation. The software computed a total flight 

length of 550,000 km in approximately 12,500 lines 

for the entire project. 

According to the flight plans created in FPES, the 

sensor is automatically activated for data acquisition 

by the Leica FCMS Flight & Sensor Control Management 

System. Up to 70,000 “shots” are captured 

per second. The collected data is geo-referenced via 

GNSS base stations which provide ground control 

points. This data is post-processed through different 

software, such as Leica IPAS Pro, NovAtel’s Graf- 

Nav/GrafNet, Leica ALS Post Processor, Terrasolid's 

TerraScan/TerraMatch, and BLOM’s own TEPP software, 

and finally converted into ground coordinates 

including latitude, longitude, elevation, and intensity 

values. Andreas Holter confirms, “We are very satisfied 

with the support from Leica Geosystems in 

the integration of Leica ALS Post Processor with our 

own software TEPP. This has sped up the processing 

workflow. The accuracy of the final processed data 

is very good, mainly because of the high accuracy 

Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). This, combined with 

good flight and processing procedures, including 

strip adjustment and ground truth verification, has 

produced very good results.“ 

Great Benefits for Many Organizations 

Lantmäteriet uses the geo-referenced point cloud 

data to calculate the new digital elevation model. 

“The benefits of the project appear to be many. We 

have noticed a great interest from potential users 

of both the DEM database and of laser data,” says 

Gunnar Lysell. “The data can be used for almost anything. 

We expect all Swedish Municipalities will use it 

for their planning of new infrastructure and for flood 

protection planning.” The data can also be imported 

into GIS software suites and advanced software 

packages to simulate floods for future infrastructure 

planning. “The forestry industry will definitely use 

the laser data for investigations on the wood yield of 

Swedish forests,” continues Lysell, “and even Swedish 

orienteering clubs will use it for production of 

orienteering maps.” 

For public authorities, municipal and governmental, 

the elevation data will be available as part of the 

European wide “Inspire” project. “When the new 

data is available to end users, we will publish references 

on our website to various applications where 

the data is being used,” concludes Gunnar Lysell. Of 

course, Lantmäteriet will use the data to update their 

orthophoto production and to put height values on 

cartographic features mapped in 2D. 


Modeling Istanbul: 

World’s Largest 

Scanning Project 

by Geoff Jacobs 

With a population of over 12 million, Istanbul 

is the world’s 5 th largest city. Its rolling terrain, 

rich architecture, and Bosporus Strait views also 

make it one of the most magnificent. In 2003, 

UNESCO designated large portions of the historic 

Istanbul peninsula as protected areas. All further 

development of these areas was stopped 

until a detailed and highly accurate as-built 3D 

city model could be created for use by the city 

planning commission. It was urgent to complete 

the 3D city model as quickly as possible to lift 

the moratorium on development. 

The need to create the model quickly and with high 

accuracy triggered the largest terrestrial scanning 

project ever undertaken: 48,000 buildings (11,000 

of which had great historic importance), 1,500 hectares, 

5.5 million m² of facade, and 400 km of city 

streets. Included in this project was the creation of 

highly accurate and detailed 3D models of many cultural 

landmarks, including the famous Topkapi Palace 

and Hagia Sophia mosque. 

The project was conducted by IMP – BİMTAŞ, the 

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Directory of the 

Protection of Historical Environment. Over a period 

of 18 months it involved approximately 120 field & 

office staff and five Leica Geosystems HDS scanners, 

including one in mobile mode. 

Requirements 

Requirements of 1/500 and 1/200 scale for the first 

and second degree protection areas were critical. 

This translated into a requirement of 2 cm point density 

for scanning facades. Landmarks, such as the 

Süleymaniye mosque, required an even higher scan 

density of 5 – 10 mm. All scan data had to be georeferenced 

for use in a city-wide GIS. Of course, the 

other critical requirement was the 18-month schedule. 

After the data was collected, three types of deliverables 

were required. One was a 3D wire frame model 

of all of the external building facades and walls. For 

cultural landmarks, fully textured 3D models were 

required. For key city landmarks a third type of deliverable 

was needed: a physical, solid 3D model made 


from computer models by a 3D printing device. These 

“exact replica” models are used on official occasions 

by city personnel. 

Field Methodology 

To accomplish the data collection of the building 

facades in the city’s narrow and crowded streets, 

BIMTAS used four short-range, Leica HDS phasebased 

scanners (HDS4500) on tripods. Each featured 

scan speeds > 125,000 points/sec. Scans were registered 

and tied to control using scan targets placed 

on tripods, facades, or other convenient locations. 

Control points were surveyed with total stations. 

For cultural landmarks, BİMTAŞ turned to Leica 

Geosystems’ versatile, high accuracy time-of-flight 

scanner (HDS3000). Although not as fast as phasebased 

scanners, this scanner was needed to achieve 

high-accuracy (6 mm), high-density (5 – 10 mm spacing) 

scan data at long ranges. The Süleymaniye 

mosque, for example, features a 76 m minaret and 

55 m dome. 

Scanning the Suleymaniye Mosque required a longrange, 

high-accuracy Leica Geosystems laser scanner. 

As the project progressed, it became apparent 

that even with four static phase-based scanners, 

the schedule for the mammoth undertaking was in 

jeopardy. To remedy this, BİMTAŞ secured the system 

integration services of VisiMind from Sweden 

to develop a mobile scanning system for one of the 

phase-based scanners. BİMTAŞ was able to scan 

while driving up to 5 km/h in the crowded city streets 

and still achieve the required accuracy and 2 cm point 

density. 

>> 


Deliverables 

After the scan data was cleaned, registered, and 

geo-referenced (in Leica Cyclone Register software), 

office staff worked within a custom 3D CAD environment 

to create the final 3D wire frame CAD deliverables, 

including detailed stonework. These CAD 

models were, in turn, combined with high resolution 

photographs in 3D Studio Max to create final, 

textured models of stunning visual quality, all with 

2 – 3 cm overall accuracy. 

Happy Clients and More Customers 

Working with a highly accurate 3D city model, Istanbul 

city planners were extremely pleased. Prior to 

this, they made important planning and zoning decisions 

based solely on 2D drawings and photos. With 

an accurate 3D model, they can better visualize proposed 

projects, overlaying them in 3D against the 

current city model. In particular, they can assess 

the impact of proposals on views across the city’s 

many beautiful areas. Another big plus is their ability 

to accurately account for the rolling terrain and its 

impact on views affected by new proposals. 

The Istanbul 3D City Modeling project was so successful 

that BİMTAŞ has received similar requests from 

other cities for their scanning and modeling services 

and executed additional projects with impressive and 

valuable results. 


Geoff Jacobs is Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing, 

for Leica Geosystems’ HDS business. 

All laser scan data were accurately geo-referenced. 

3D point clouds of facades along Suleymaniye Kirazli Mescit street. 


Controlling 

Vertical Towers 

by Joël van Cranenbroeck 

time the surveyor needs to know exactly how much 

the building is offset from its design position and at 

There has been considerable interest in the construction 

of super high-rise and iconic buildings 

at the instrument location. Construction vibrations 

the same time he must know the precise position 

recently. From a surveying perspective, these 

in the building and building movement further complicate 

this situation, making it very difficult, if not 

towers present many challenges. The Burj Khalifa 

in Dubai and the Al Hamra tower in Kuwait, 

impossible, to keep an instrument leveled up. 

for example, have risen into territory previously 

uncharted: methods and processes normally 

Leica Geosystems has developed and tested a surveying 

system, the Core Wall Control Survey System 

used to control tall buildings have needed a rethink. 

Leica Geosystems’ Core Wall Control Survey 

System (CWCS) delivers precise and reliable 

sensors combined with high precision inclination sen- 

(CWCS), using networked GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) 

coordinates on demand that are not influenced 

sors and total stations to deliver precise and reliable 

by building movements. 

coordinates on demand that are referenced to the 

design frame, where the construction was designed 

In addition to being very tall, high-rise buildings are and projected, and that are not influenced by building 

movements. These coordinates are used to con- 

often quite slender and during construction there is 

usually a lot of movement of the building at upper 

trol the position of the climbing formwork systems 

levels due to wind loads, crane loads, construction 

located at the top of any vertical structure, such as a 

sequence, and other factors. It is essential that a 

tall building under construction, as well as to monitor 

straight “element” be constructed that, theoretically, 

the dynamics and behavior of the structure implemented. 

moves around its design center point due to varying 

loads and, if all conditions were neutral, would stand 

exactly vertical. This ideal situation is rarely achieved Active Control Points and 

due to differential raft settlement, differential concrete 

shortening, and construction tolerances. 

As on most construction sites, surveyors typically 

Inclination Sensors 

work around steel structures and obstructions and 

Structural movement creates several problems for 

beneath or beside materials being lowered by crane. 

correct set-out of control: at a particular instant in The working areas are congested with materials, >> 


equipment, and people, and of course working at 

height requires a special regard for safety. Under 

these conditions surveying becomes difficult. 

In time, surveying becomes very much a steering of 

the vertical alignment of every single wall element by 

making discrete corrections to the position of each, 

but with strict limitations placed on the amount of 

correction per rise. This needs to be done while the 

structure continues to move as usual. The optimum 

method for placing survey control for tall buildings 

needs much consideration. The use of conventional 

methods such as optical plumbing of control through 

slab penetrations is very limited for such structures. 

Core walls are constructed in a sequence of several 

concrete pours. After each pour, three to four GNSS 

antennas combined with a GNSS permanent reference 

station and a total station are set up. The total 

station observes the geometry of the GNSS antennas 

by measuring angles and distances to the 360° collocated 

reflectors (Active Control Points). This information 

and the GNSS data are either post-processed 

at the survey office or calculated in real-time on site. 

The resulting coordinates are transferred to the total 

station to update its coordinates and orientation. 

Precise dual-axis inclination sensors are installed at 

ground level and at about every given number level 

above. The information from the inclination sensors 

is logged at the survey office and the exact 

amount in Δx and Δy that the building is offset from 

its vertical position is applied as corrections to the 

coordinates of the Active Control Points. The total 

station then observes the control points (nails set in 

the top of the concrete) to derive the corrections to 

be applied to the formwork structure. These coordinates 

are in relation to a continuous line of the 

building as defined by the control lines and therefore 

when the points are used to set the formwork for the 

next pour, the construction progresses as a straight 

element regardless of building movement. 

From WGS to Gravity Vertical 

All the results from GNSS surveying refer to an ellipsoidal 

normal as reference for the Z component 

(WGS84). Therefore a transformation is carried out 

to transform the results obtained by GNSS to the 

same local coordinate reference frame as the primary 

survey control network. If this transformation is 

limited to a single point, the difference between the 

gravity vertical (that could be visualized by a plumb 

line) and the ellipsoid normal (deflection of the vertical) 

will introduce a bias that will impact the vertical 

alignment of the construction. The transformation 

needed to get GNSS to provide coordinates and orientation 

for the total station is derived by using the 

coordinates of the reference frame and the coordinates 

obtained for the same marks with GNSS. 

To summarize, GNSS receivers, automatic total stations, 

and precise inclinometers must all refer to the 

same reference frame, where the gravity vertical is 

the most sensitive component as the building’s main 

axis reference. 

Benefit 

The real advantage is that the surveyor is able to 

continue to set control – even when the building has 

moved “off centre” – confident that he will construct 

a straight concrete structure. With the networked 

dual-axis precise inclination sensors he also obtains 

precise information about building movement. 

Burj Khalifa in Dubai (828 m) 

The analysis isolates factors such as wind load, crane 

loads, and raft slab deformation and also relates 

movement to the construction sequence. This information 

is of great benefit in explaining to the client 


what is actually happening to the structure. If there 

is a trend in any one direction it can be identified and 

an RFI (request for information) submitted for a correction 

based on reliable data obtained over a long 

period of time. 

Another advantage is that the surveyor is able to 

get precise positions at the top of the formwork 

without the need of sighting external control marks, 

which become increasingly difficult to observe as the 

building rises. The control surveys are completed in a 

shorter time, improving productivity, and the instruments 

do not need to be leveled during the survey, 

which is an important consideration when the building 

is moving or there are vibrations. 

A Tribute to Chief Surveyors and 

Structural Engineers 

Doug Hayes, an Australian surveyor who worked on 

a number of large construction projects world-wide 

and was Chief Surveyor at Samsung Engineering & 

Construction, United Arab Emirates, immediately recognized 

the merit of Leica Geosystems’ Core Wall 

Survey Control System proposal and largely contributed 

to the success of its implementation during the 

construction of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. 

similar system and a professional surveyor that would 

be able to drive it. Soang Hoon from South Korea 

was willing to accept the challenge and became Chief 

Surveyor for the contractor. Even though the system 

was similar to the one delivered for the Burj Khalifa, 

he made necessary adaptations and we learnt how 

tall buildings are different even if, from a surveying 

point of view, they have the same specifications. 

A year after the installation in Kuwait, we were asked 

to provide a CWCS system for the Landmark tower 

in Abu Dhabi. This tower was again slightly different 

and the contractor had great interest in having the 

system run in real-time mode. Mohammed Haider, 

structural engineer for the contractor, oversees the 

system and has been an outstanding supporter. 

In this article I tried to review the state of the art 

of an innovative surveying method to support the 

construction of outstanding vertical structures. The 

dedicated involvement of the surveyors and engineers 

in this process has contributed greatly to the 

sophistication of our system. In the near future we 

would not be surprised to receive requests for semi 

or fully automatic systems. After all, it is only the 

first step in a long journey. 

A short time after the installation of the CWCS in 

Dubai we were contacted about the Al Hamra tower 

project in Kuwait. The contractor was requesting a 


Joël van Cranenbroeck is Business Development Manager 

for Leica Geosystems, Heerbrugg, Switzerland 


www.leica-geosystems.com 

Head Office 

Leica Geosystems AG 

Heerbrugg, Switzerland 

Phone +41 71 727 31 31 

Fax +41 71 727 46 74 

Australia 

CR Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd. 

Melbourne 

Phone +61 3 9823 1555 

Fax +61 3 9827 7216 

Finland 

Leica Geosystems Oy 

Espoo 

Phone +358 9 75120200 

Fax +358 9 75120299 

Korea (Republic of) 

Leica Geosystems KK 

Seoul 

Phone +82 2 598 1919 

Fax +82 2 598 9686 

South Africa 

Hexagon Geosystems Pty.Ltd. 

Douglasdale 

Phone +27 1146 77082 

Fax +27 1146 53710 

Austria 

Leica Geosystems Austria GmbH 

Vienna 

Phone +43 1 981 22 0 

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France 

Leica Geosystems Sarl 

Le Pecq Cedex 

Phone +33 1 30 09 17 00 

Fax +33 1 30 09 17 01 

Mexico 

Leica Geosystems S.A. de C.V. 

Mexico D.F. 

Phone +525 563 5011 

Fax +525 611 3243 

Spain 

Leica Geosystems, S.L. 

Barcelona 

Phone +34 934 949 440 

Fax +34 934 949 442 

Belgium 

Leica Geosystems NV 

Diegem 

Phone +32 2 2090700 

Fax +32 2 2090701 

Germany 

Leica Geosystems GmbH Vertrieb 

Munich 

Phone + 49 89 14 98 10 0 

Fax + 49 89 14 98 10 33 

Netherlands 

Leica Geosystems B.V. 

Wateringen 

Phone +31 88 001 80 00 

Fax +31 88 001 80 88 

Sweden 

Leica Geosystems AB 

Sollentuna 

Phone +46 8 625 30 00 

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Brazil 

Comercial e Importadora WILD Ltda. 

São Paulo 

Phone +55 11 3142 8866 

Fax +55 11 3142 8886 

Hungary 

Leica Geosystems Hungary Kft. 

Budapest 

Phone +36 1 814 3420 

Fax +36 1 814 3423 

Norway 

Leica Geosystems AS 

Oslo 

Phone +47 22 88 60 80 

Fax +47 22 88 60 81 

Switzerland 


Glattbrugg 

Phone +41 44 809 3311 

Fax +41 44 810 7937 

Canada 

Leica Geosystems Ltd. 

Willowdale 

Phone +1 416 497 2460 

Fax +1 416 497 8516 

India 

Elcome Technologies Private Ltd. 

Gurgaon (Haryana) 

Phone +91 124 4122222 

Fax +91 124 4122200 

Poland 

Leica Geosystems Sp. z o.o. 

Warsaw 

Phone +48 22 260 50 00 

Fax +48 22 260 50 10 

United Kingdom 

Leica Geosystems Ltd. 

Milton Keynes 

Phone +44 1908 256 500 

Fax +44 1908 256 509 

China P.R. 

Leica Geosystems Trade Co. Ltd. 

Beijing 

Phone +86 10 8569 1818 

Fax +86 10 8525 1836 

Italy 

Leica Geosystems S.p.A. 

Cornegliano Laudense 

Phone + 39 0371 69731 

Fax + 39 0371 697333 

Portugal 

Leica Geosystems, Lda. 

Moscavide 

Phone +351 214 480 930 

Fax +351 214 480 931 

UAE 

Leica Geosystems c/o Hexagon 

Dubai 

Phone +971 4 299 5513 

Fax +971 4 299 1966 

Denmark 

Leica Geosystems A/S 

Herlev 

Phone +45 44 54 02 02 

Fax +45 44 45 02 22 

Japan 

Leica Geosystems K.K. 

Tokyo 

Phone +81 3 5940 3011 

Fax +81 3 5940 3012 

Singapore 

Leica Geosystems Techn. Pte. Ltd. 

Singapore 

Phone +65 6511 6511 

Fax +65 6511 6500 

USA 

Leica Geosystems Inc. 

Norcross 

Phone +1 770 326 9500 

Fax +1 770 447 0710 

Illustrations, descriptions, and technical data are not binding. All rights reserved. Printed in Switzerland. 

Copyright Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, Switzerland, 2010. 741802en – IX.10 – RVA 


Heinrich-Wild-Strasse 

CH-9435 Heerbrugg 

Phone +41 71 727 31 31 

Fax +41 71 727 46 74 

www.leica-geosystems.com

Reporter No. 63, September 2010, English (PDF, 3502.00 KB)

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