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Water Industry in Northern Ireland benefits from GPS Solution to Produce Record Drawings
If there's a problem, there's nearly always a solution! CCS Surveying has embraced the latest available technology to develop a customised solution for the accurate and efficient collection of data and the production of Record Drawings.
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The solution utilises RTK GPS accuracy coupled with the functionality and compatibility of GIS to produce digital record drawings in line with Water Service Code of Practice, addressing the age-old problem of Which Valve? Where's the Pipe? |
The Technological Approach
GPS is indeed a science on its own and recent moves by the US Government to make satellites readily available to the commercial market has seen an advancement in the use of GPS in areas such as Car Navigation, Outdoor Pursuits 'Geocaching' and offered as the latest function on board Mobile Phones.
GPS operates by establishing a radio link of communication between GPS receivers and the available satellites that are continuously orbiting the earth. These satellites are equipped with atomic clocks and send out radio signals relaying the exact time and their location. The GPS receiver picks up these radio signals emitted from the satellites. Once the GPS receiver locks onto four or more of these satellites, it can triangulate its location from the known positions of the satellites.
3 main types of GPS are available, offering varying degrees of accuracy
› Autonomous, accurate to within 15m in X & Y suitable for In Car
› NavigationDifferential (DGPS), accurate to <1m in X & Y co-ordinates (Z <5m)
› RTK (Real Time Kinematic), accurate to < 1 cm in X, Y & Z values Survey Grade
RTK is used by Ordnance Survey to create vector mapping and is therefore recognised for its accuracy. The accuracy achievable using the RTK GPS solution fall well within the water industry's surveying standards and provide the added benefit of elevation data for each point captured.
Coupling GIS with a GPS's ability to accurately collect and navigate to feature data and you have an extremely powerful tool within the utility sector.
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It is inevitable that Utilities will adopt the use of 'GPS handheld kits' and vehicle navigation as tools to aid the location of assets in the future - the success of which will rest on the accuracy of the original data capture solution. |
Data Capture Made Easy
CCS Surveying have produced over 50,000m of sewer and water 'As Constructed Records' using this innovative RTK GPS approach. The surveyor 'maps' the scheme using the RTK GPS equipment collecting all data such as the line of the watermain, location of surface fittings and records all associated attributes i.e. diameter, material, year laid and so on. Existing digital network records are imported onto the GPS data loggers to establish a more informative and correct representation of the task at hand. This recorded data is then processed and issued to the client in a format fully compatible with GIS and Water Service Code of Practice Guidelines.
A key benefit to this approach is the seamless transfer of captured data from GPS into GIS, increasing the overall efficiency and reducing the likelihood of human error, associated with data collection and record drawings in the past.
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CCS Surveying have used their new GPS approach on many other applications such as monitoring of Flood Defence settlements, data capture for Zonal/Drainage Area Studies, Wind Turbines (Height and Location for Irish Aviation Authority) and road realignment surveys. |
Ready For Change
With the Water Industry in Northern Ireland set to receive a considerable investment towards the upgrade of the water and sewer network over the coming months and years, it is time to apply a modern day solution to the production of 'Records Drawings', and ensure assets are adequately protected, now and in the future.
Published IWO April 2004 |
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