Point cloud collection speeds of up to 30,000 points per second and a range of 150m can be achieved with Topcon Positioning Systems’ new GLS-1500 laser scanner. When the unit’s built-in 2.0 megapixel digital camera is connected to a PC and used with Topcon’s ScanMaster software, a live video feed of the jobsite can be streamed to aid in scan setup and data acquisition. Also, it has an onboard data collector with a keypad and LCD display that allows use as a stand-alone laser scanner. Data collected can be stored onboard on an SD memory card or logged into a PC. A built-in wireless LAN connection allows control of the scanner on a PC from the inside of a vehicle.
Gulf Coast surveying, mapping and laser scanning specialist Dale Stockstill & Associates (DS&A) recently developed an as-built survey of a vessel’s five-story accommodation module and helipad using the predecessor to the GLS-1500, the Topcon GLS-1000 (pictured).
The structure was scanned on all four sides and top and the ‘point clouds’ registered in DS&A’s ScanMaster software. The company also provided color maps of the bulkhead walls, which showed the amount of ‘hogging and sagging’ in the bulkheads. The 3D model of a given section and the cloud were placed together in PolyWorks software. The color map DS&A presented to its client revealed a color-coded picture of the structure represented by different colors for each specified measurement range. This allowed the client to define the deviations to a structural engineering firm to analyze the as-built structure in a global structural analysis in order to certify the integrity of the accommodation module. It was critical for fabrication tolerances to be within tolerance due to the direct relationship to the results of the initial structural analysis.
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