innovation for efficiency
The complete architectural 3D documentation of the historic D15 Gasholder, located in Technopolis City of Athens, was an essential prerequisite for its maintenance and restoration works. The project was assigned to Astrolabe Engineering in 2014 by Technopolis City of Athens SA, and led to the monument’s current status, finalized in 2016.
Technopolis City of Athens, one of the most renowned cultural hubs in the city nowadays, is house in the historic Gasworks Plant of Athens, which was established in 1857. It is considered to be the most recognizable and important monument of the industrial heritage in Athens. The unique industrial monument has now transformed into the most vibrant cultural multispace in the heart of the city, open and accessible to all, with more than one million visitors per year. Concerts, exhibitions, performances, screenings, educational programs and actions of the Industrial Gas Museum, seminars and workshops dedicated to new technologies, initiatives for the development of entrepreneurship and innovation and events of social nature are only some of the 900 events that take place every year in Technopolis.
The D15 Gasholder was the largest of the four gasholders of the historic plant, with a capacity of 15.000 cubic meters. It is also the largest gasholder ever constructed and operated in Greece. The metallic structure was built in 1909 in a telescopic form with an open spaceframe by the French company Bonnet Spazin & Co.
A complete set of digital documentation products was generated, which was used as background information for subsequent design and construction works:
NOVAL PROPERTY is one of the dominant Real Estate Investment Companies in Greece. Its portfolio of assets consists of office buildings, shopping centres, hotels and former industrial buildings of a total built-up area of about 430,000 sq.m. The total portfolio’s estimated value is about 300 million euros.
One of its latest development projects is the urban regeneration of the former Viohalco industrial asset (currently HALCOR sales department) at 252 Pireos str. in Athens. This is an investment of 120 million euros for the creation of the first supra-local pole of tourism and culture in the center of Athens (city resort). The plan features two hotels, a park of more than 30,000 sq.m., playgrounds, a museum, a technology research and development center, catering and leisure facilities, sports facilities and a rehabilitation center. The uses of culture will cover more than 30% of the built-up areas, while the tourist infrastructure will cover 45%. The investment has already received the green light from the inter-ministerial committee on strategic investments. It will provide for the creation of 800 new jobs.
The industrial building complex resides on a land parcel of 72569 sq.m. and consists of 26 buildings with a total built-up area of 43868 sq.m. The purpose of this industrial Scan2BIM survey, being executed by ASTROLABE is the complete documentation of the as-built status of the buildings. An accurate and up-to-date BIM model, as well as detailed architectural and structural 2D drawings will be generated . For the field data collection, we have engaged two 3D laser scanning crews. They are both equipped with FARO Focus scanners, capturing pointcloud data and high resolution panoramic images. As a result, we expect to conclude the survey, consisting of more than 1,000 scans, in 10-15 days. Our Scan2BIM team has already started to process the first 3D data coming from the field.
Stay tuned for an upcoming case study!
Field data capture has been concluded on schedule. 3D poincloud processing is almost completed for the whole complex. For better project development, three partial deliveries have been arranged (building groups A, B and C). Enjoy a 3-minute “sneak preview” video of our ongoing Scan2BIM processing:
We are excited to announce that, after a long anticipated approval decision, our 3D4Delphi Research Project is finally starting! You are invited to check what it is about. More information to be published as the Project progresses.
The objective of the 3D4Delphi project is the development of new innovative methods of documentation, analysis and promotion of cultural heritage monuments combining modern techniques of 3D surveying and mathematical modeling of archaeological uncertainty, with its integration in the three-dimensional reconstruction of archaeological monuments itself.
In archaeological representation, it is common to create diverse scenarios of the original state of a monument and to revise such plans based on more recent information.
In the area of Delphi, there are important monuments which inherently communicate elements of uncertainty regarding the reconstruction of their past form. For these monuments, diverse non-invasive 3D data capture techniques will be applied, through terrestrial and aerial (via drone or UAV) imagery, laser scanners or optical scanners of varied principles of operation, ranges and accuracies, the results of which will be integrated, in order to be optimally used for the scientific documentation of cultural heritage.
Then, based upon the 3D captured data, the development of mathematical models of archaeological uncertainty will be conducted in relation to the potential form of an archeological structure in the past. This will provide multiple variants of three-dimensional reconstructions based on historical data and excavation findings, which will offer a whole new set of uses for archaeological 3D models that will broaden the horizons of archaeological research, such as investigating archaeological hypotheses, comparing uncertainties between different models, and identifying areas where further archaeological research may be required.
The results and the three-dimensional documentation and reconstruction methods that will emerge from this project will be presented in a pilot interactive demonstration setup, that will be designed and installed at the Museum of Delphi. Furthermore, the 3D documentation methods will provide the basis for the development of Augmented Reality (AR) applications, implemented with modern software development tools.
Visitors will have the opportunity to browse the archaeological site while receiving, on a mobile phone or on a specialized AR display, 3D information in relation to the archaeological monuments as they may have existed in the past, including elements of archaeological uncertainty, combined with real-world exhibits, so that they can acquire the sense of “cultural experience” and broaden their knowledge.
Astrolabe Engineering recently completed an important Scan2BIM project for the Firefighting Training Center building complex, located in Nea Makri, Attica, Greece. A former USA military base, the Nea Makri building complex has been since the 1990s under the authority of the Greek Fire Service (FS).
In the summer of 2018, in the aftermath of the devastating fires that hit Greece and cost the lives of more than a hundred of citizens, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) had announced a donation of € 25,000,000 to support the FS. The construction of a fully specialized and equipped training center for the training of FS employees was set as a priority, the creation of which had been a confirmed and ongoing need since the establishment of the Service (1930). With the donation of the SFN, the fulfillment of this need will become a reality at the facilities of the former USA base in Nea Makri.
A team of experts from the architectural firm Betaplan SA determined the scope and cost of construction work at the training center based on the technical specifications drafted by the FS. Additional technical specifications for the use and operation of the center have also been defined. The total cost for the creation of the training center is estimated to reach € 15,300,000.
The FS and Betaplan SA on January 2020 signed a contract for the elaboration of the “Complete Design and Supervision of the Fire Service Training Center in Nea Makri”. As part of this main contract, Betaplan SA hired Astrolabe Engineering as a sub-contractor for the Survey of the as-built condition of the buildings.
Astrolabe Engineering performed a detailed 3D laser scanning survey of 21 existing building in total, which, in combination with additional detailed measurements, enabled the generation of 3D Building Information Models (BIM), detail drawings and inspection maps of the structural metallic frames per building. These deliverables are already being used as a background for all subsequent design (architectural, structural, etc) and construction activities under the main contract.
A detailed case study will be availabe on our website’s related section soon. Check out some sample images!
We are pleased to announce the participation of ASTROLABE ENGINEERING at BUILD-EXPO GREECE 2019 which will take place at the Metropolitan Expo in Athens from October 18th to 20th.
You are invited to visit our booth (27A at Hall 1, Coriddor A) to learn more about the capabilities, methods and products related to our 3D laser scanning – Scan to CAD and Scan to BIM services.
Dates (alternatively): Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 OR Thursday, Nov 30, 2017
Time: 11:00am to 12:00pm
Duration: 1 hour
Presenter: Michael Xinogalos, Surveying Eng. NTUA
The aim of this project is to generate a sector-specific theoretical and practical syllabus essential for the specialization process of the Mediterranean Ecoengineering sector.
Also, to jointly develop a long-term interaction scheme among the stakeholders of the ecoengineering sector and to deliver a training courses programme technology enhanced in “Soil and Fluvial ecoengineering, Hazard Assessment and Techniques Selection in Mediterranean Environment”.
This new syllabus will be generated during the implementation of the long-term strategy of the proposal “Specialisation process for the ecoengineering sector in the Mediterranean environment (ECOMED)”.
Concession Self Financing Projects have been, during the last decade, a common practice for the construction of road transport networks. The basic concept is that a large private J/V undertakes the construction of a new highway section and in the same time takes the responsibility for the maintenance (and improvement) of an existing highway section, from which it collects the toll fees, in order to finance the whole project. After completing the project, the J/V has its full exploitation for a certain number of years, according to the concession contract.
An obvious need for detail surveys of the existing highway sections arises from the whole process. These surveys usually require:
Terrestrial Laser Scanning techniques have been applied in two cases of existing highways (dual carriageway, 2-3 lanes & shoulder), using two different approaches:
Korinthos – Tripoli highway (length 80 km, J/V MOREAS) was surveyed in 2006-2007 using a static (scan & go) approach with an Optech ILRIS 36D Laser Scanner.
Elefsina – Korinthos highway (length 60 km, J/V APION KLEOS) was surveyed in 2008 using a mobile approach with the newest Optech LYNX Mobile Mapper.
a. Korinthos – Tripoli: Field work tasks and parameters
b. Elefsina – Korinthos: Field work tasks and parameters
c. Common post-processing tasks
While the newest mobile TLS approach using the LYNX Mobile Mapper is obviously the method of choice, the static approach with the ILRIS still has some advantages and can be applied at least for smaller road sections, taking into account also the cost of the two systems. The comparison conclusions between the two methods, in terms of data quality, accuracy and productivity are presented below:
Data Quality
LYNX:
ILRIS:
Accuracy
LYNX:
ILRIS:
Productivity
LYNX:
ILRIS:
During a refinery’s operation, it is a common maintenance task to periodically check tanks and other equipment for deformations, in comparison to their theoretical geometry. Significant deformations are a sign of tank wall weakening and pose a risk of critical damage, thus repairing measures have to be consider.
A cylindrical and a spherical tank at HELPE SA Aspropyrgos refinery were checked for deformations using 3D laser scanning methodology. The cylindrical tank was empty and was scanned internally from a single position, while the spherical one was operational and was scanned externally from 3 positions. After basic processing and alignment of scans, the final pointclouds were used for tank wall inspection. In particular, a cylinder and a sphere where best fitted to the respective pointclouds and deviations from those ideal primitive geometries where calculated. Results were presented in 3D, as well as in 2D sections properly spaced, in order to facilitate locating and quantifying the deformations.
3D laser scanning is an ideal methodology for this kind of maintenance inspections of industrial facilities’ equipment due to fast data capture, non-contact measurement, high accuracy and, most important, complete 3D coverage of the scanned objects. Thus, the whole object is efficiently being checked, while specialized software makes inspection tasks quite easy to perform and their results comprehensively presentable.
Hellenic Petroleum SA holds a leading position in the Greek energy sector, as well as in the greater area of Southeast Europe. In Greece, the Group owns and operates three refineries, in Aspropyrgos, Elefsina and Thessaloniki. The three refineries, combined, cover 76% of the country’s total refining capacity.
As in many refineries and other industrial facilities all over the world, the as-built status of existing equipment and components of the Aspropyrgos refinery is poorly documented. Documentation consists mainly of 2D drawings which are geometrically inaccurate, incomplete and eventually obsolete. Furthermore, for many years, all designed expansions, repairs and maintenance works have been based on those existing drawings, resulting in on-site undocumented interventions, making the situation worse.
Everyday maintenance and management tasks represent a significant part of the refinery’s operation cost. To reduce these costs, HELPE SA investigated methodologies to create a reliable as-built registry of its existing equipment, which, through industry standard solutions will incorporate the results in everyday operation of the facility.
Thus, a pilot plant survey and intelligent 3D modeling project was awarded for the Vacuum Gas Oil Storage Area (of medium difficulty), in order to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methodology under real conditions, to reveal possible problems, to clarify the owner’s requirements regarding the contents and level of detail of the intelligent 3D model and attached information, to define the format of deliverables (3D model and digital drawings’ specifications) and finally to ensure the smooth incorporation of the results to the operational procedures of the refinery.
The pilot project’s area is approximately 27,400 sq.m. large and includes, among other equipment, 4 storage tanks, about 300 pipes and a rather complicated pump station with 19 pumps. The project’s tasks were elaborated in two phases:
Phase A consisted of the 3D laser scanning survey works, including:
Phase B consisted of the intelligent 3D modeling process, using industry standard plant 3D modeling software, including:
The above 3D model was made easily available to the owner in 3D PDF format, together with its attached component database tree structure. Furthermore, the final intelligent 3D model was used to automatically extract updated sample digital drawings for the surveyed pilot area.
Intelligent 3D Models of plant establishments have proven to be an essential tool for plant management, maintenance and design. In addition to the geometric accuracy that a simple 3D CAD model can provide, an intelligent 3D model associates every object with a library of components and their full specifications, thus reflecting the true as-built geometrical and – most important – functional state of the plant at the time of the site survey.
Using appropriate reverse engineering software tools, an intelligent 3D model can be used to automatically generate any kind of drawing (PlotPlans, General Arrangement, Isometrics, P&IDs, EFDs), to design expansion components, to perform collision checking, to extract material lists, to schedule maintenance tasks, to perform stress analysis and other calculations and even to totally monitor, control and manage a plant environment.
SAUDI UNICOM Group, with its headquarters located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is a major player in the Arabic, as well as in the global market, in many sectors (trade, industrial, telecommunications, software, media, etc). Its Geoinformation subdivision, U-MAPS, made in 2011 a strategically significant investment by purchasing a high-end mobile mapping system from OPTECH, the LYNX M1. The system was delivered by OPTECH together with the standard company’s high quality on-site setup, calibration and training services.
UNICOM, having undertaken a quite large mobile mapping project, the survey of major corridors for the “Jeddah Storm Water Drainage Program”, realized the urgent need for extended on project training and support, in order to:
For this purpose, UNICOM engaged Astrolabe Engineering, investing in its extensive experience in “start to finish” mobile surveying workflows using the OPTECH LYNX Mobile Mapper. Astrolabe responded swiftly by providing training and support during field data collection in Jeddah, KSA, training UNICOM’s personnel in Riyadh, KSA and Cairo, Egypt and also undertaking some urgent post-processing tasks to assist in on-time delivery of the first project sections. On-line remote extended support was also made available according to UNICOM’s needs.
As a result, UNICOM / U-MAPS successfully and timely completed all undertaken tasks for the project, having gained the trust of a major client in the area. Furthermore, UNICOM possesses now a fully trained, productive and efficient field and office team for mobile surveying services, having elevated mobile surveying using the OPTECH LYNX Mobile Mapper to the company’s major mapping activity.