Venice - Leica

Dear Readers, Leica Geosystems is a renowned leader in the development and manufacturing of surveying measurement instruments. With a history dating back to Wild and Kern we have plenty of track records and “world’s first” products to back up this statement.

Since Hexagon acquired Leica Geosystems, extensive planning has been done in order to also position us as a leading supplier of measurement instruments and tools for construction applications. One key area we are focusing on is Machine Control (MC), using GPS technologies to monitor and direct construction vehicles. In this issue of the Reporter you will see some exciting projects realized with Leica Geosystems Machine Control technology around the world.

Since last summer we have acquired three companies in this area: Scanlaser, a leading systems integrator of MC, Mikrofyn, a leading sensor and laser manufacturer within the MC segment, and SBG, a leading software manufacturer for MC solutions. With these companies and combined with the inherent knowledge within Leica Geosystems for sensors (TPS and GPS) and software, we now have a strong technical as well as commercial base in MC in Europe. We will continue our growth in this expanding market during 2007.

In the past year we have put a lot of effort into enhancing our product offering in the measurement tools area. At BAUMA we will show you the integrated solutions we recognize as the key to success on every construction site. Beyond our range of MC products across all applications – from Grading and Excavating to Paving – construction and indoor tools like the new Leica Rugby 50 and Leica Rugby 55, and of course the brand new Leica LINOTM L2, underline our power in the world of the construction site.

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CONTENTS

Editorial

in this issue: 03 Leica Geosystems protects Venice 06 Swedish Underground 08 In the middle of the Rhine 09 Non-stop paving 10 Leica Builder in the “Green Industry” 12 Rising High with GPS Network 14 Russia goes for Leica ADS40 16 Earth Dam Monitoring with GPS Survey 18 Keeping track of moving structures 20 Beyond Scanning 21 Keep Up With the Youngsters 22 Sharp lines on site 23 News/Imprint

Get a taste of the new Leica Geosystems construction venture for yourself – with the Reporter 56 and at BAUMA!

Ola Rollén CEO Hexagon and Leica Geosystems

Leica Geosystems protects Venice

by Emilio Palchetti

The 20th century has certainly endangered Venice’s ability to keep itself above water in the Venetian Lagoon. The city ever more frequently falls victim to intensive flooding, which not only reduces the quality of life for Venetians but also causes considerable damage to their architectural heritage. Following the evaluation of numerous alternatives the “Mose” project, an ingenious protection system, which includes adjustable floodgates, is now being imple-

mented. A machine automation solution with GPS from Leica Geosystems has been chosen to ensure their exact positioning.

Over the last one hundred years Venice has subsided relative to mean sea level by about 23 cm, while the tidal range has increased by about 8 cm due to morphological changes in the lagoon bed. The Ministry for Infrastructure designed an integrated intervention system to protect the city against high water levels: these include local protection measures to save the lowest-lying parts of the city and flood defences at

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A

1

Exact Control The experts at Leica developed a navigation system consisting of two antenna (A1, A2), a GPS receiver (B) and a special control program to allow the machine operator to position the piles as simply as possible. The piles can be placed exactly at the position specified on the drawings and driven into the sea bed by the rig. An inclination sensor (D) provides the machine operator with all the necessary information to sink each pile exactly vertically.

A

2

C

D

B A ,A 1

2

Antenna

B

GPS receiver

C

Computer with control program

D

Inclination sensor

As soon as the water level exceeds the critical value of 110 cm, air is pumped into the floodgates, which rise from the sea bed to keep back the water.

the entrance to the lagoon, both of which will come into action as soon as the water level rises by more than 110 cm.

The Mose system As soon as this mark is reached, 78 adjustable floodgates at the entrances to the lagoon (18 in Chioggia, 19 in Malamocco and 41 at Lido) are activated to separate the city from the open sea. Further protection measures include various initiatives to lower water levels in the lowest-lying areas of the city during the very frequent flooding. All measures are augmented by an extremely effective protection system, which optimises the management of the gates and limits closure of the inlets to 3 to 5 occasions per year to preserve water quality and protect morphology, landscape and harbour activities.

Works at sea One of the first contracts, for the foundations to anchor the floodgate modules was awarded to Grandi Lavori Fincosit Spa. The work was situated in the area of the harbour entrance at Lido di Venezia: 176 steel piles, each 24 m long and 508 mm in diameter, were to be anchored in the sea bed more than 16

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m below water level in a 3 x 3 m grid. What is a routine operation on land had to be performed at sea without fixed reference points and in occasionally unfavourable environmental conditions such as marine currents, tides and strong Bora winds. At the same time, the requirements were very strict with the maximum permissible deviation from plan being 15 cm.

Surveyor Giulio Salvador of Grandi Lavori Fincosit Spa. and engineer Filippo Rettondini of the subcontractor VIPP Lavori Spa., technical manager of foundation works, explained the challenging task they faced to me and my team from Leica Geosystems Machine Automation: First, a piling rig had to be transported into position at the driving site and similar measures taken as on land to secure it in place. Then it was up to the machine operator to drive the piles to the highest possible accuracy directly over the specified design coordinates.

transport large machines over water, in our case a piling rig, and when required transforms into a fixed platform anchored to the sea bed with the aid of four telescopic elements attached to its sides. The team from Leica Geosystems specially developed a GPS system to determine the coordinates of the Lynx, which would guide the pontoon operator to the best possible anchoring position. The objective was to obtain the ideal position for the rig so that it could place as many piles as possible from each set-up and reduce to a minimum the time needed to reposition the pontoon when finished at one site.

Positioning the piles

Positioning the piling rig

For the second requirement, namely to help the rig operator place the piles exactly in the specified positions, we developed a supporting navigation system based the Leica GSM5-M20 GPS receiver. The receiver, two antenna and appropriate control software display the planimetric position of the antenna on the rig in relation to the specified coordinates to the rig operator.

To complete this first part of the operation we used the self-elevating platform “Lynx� provided by Grandi Lavori Fincosit. This pontoon is specially designed to

The operator simply compares the reference points on the monitor graphically and numerically and is

able position the ram’s antenna very quickly over the coordinates for the pile, taking into account the minimum tolerances. The software can also provide stored reports on the driving of the piles if necessary with information on how far the installed position deviates from the specified position of the pile.

This provides a simple way of creating a certification report attesting to the quality of the work performed in relation to the required standard.

Thanks to this innovative GPS positioning solution, the foundation works for the Mose project in Venice were completed in the shortest possible time. With this project Leica Geosystems was able to contribute to saving the city of Venice, which is unfortunately still at the mercy of natural forces of decay, in a very real way.

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