Espoo-Salo rail line with model-based general planning

A fast train service between Helsinki and Turku is a significant project both regionally and nationally. It will enhance labor mobility and have an impact on the operational environment, competitiveness, land use, and apartment production of companies. The project can be divided into four different parts: the Espoo urban railway line, the Espoo–Salo direct rail line, the Salo–Turku double track, and the Turku railway yards.

The aim is to devise a generally approved general plan for the Espoo-Salo direct rail line by the end of 2020. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency has provided Infrakit as an information model environment for the project, which has been dubbed ESA. The project has been divided into three different tasks, where a combination model will be compiled into one shared model in Infrakit. We interviewed Proxion’s Infrastructure Team Leader Henri Lindholm on the direct rail line. Proxion is involved in the project as an expert in information modeling and cost management and as an Infrakit user.

What makes the ESA project special?

“Very early planning and the length of the track, which is 95 km, is what makes the ESA project special. So far not that many general plans have been devised using information modeling, meaning that the project is also used to develop modeling in the general planning stage. During general planning the information modeling accuracy level is fitted to correspond to the requirements of the general planning stage and to serve the needs and objectives of general planning”, Henri Lindholm explains.

What are the objectives of the modeling?

”Objectives of the modeling in the project are specifically:

– Using models in planning and as meeting material

– Keeping initial data up-to-date during the project

– Assuring compliance and quality of planning solutions

– Integration of plans

– Utilizability of the information model in client’s quality assurance

– Reuse value of information”

What benefits does Infrakit bring into the project?

“We intend the combination model to be open to both the client and the stake holders during the planning. Infrakit’s browser-based user interface enables this, leaving no need for separate installable applications. We hope that the 2D map user interface of Infrakit will provide benefits for example to the option comparison of geometries.”

“A special challenge in this project is the long stretch of line (closer to 100 km) being planned, followed by a vast amount of data and of course a considerable amount of users for the combination model with diverse roles (client, experts of the client, planning consultants, stake holders).”

More information on the Espoo-Salo direct rail line can be found on the website of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

Using Drone Data with Planning

A construction site is efficient only when the data it uses is accurate and up-to-date. Intelligent project information can be shared and received in real-time using Infrakit. Maps are a useful tool to understand the big picture, but most map services have outdated basemaps or satellite imagery and that might confuse more than help the perception. Drones are already a common tool at work sites, but the data is usually hidden from all others than the data specialists. By using ortho images and point clouds collected with drones as basemaps in construction softwares, all workers can utilize the data to its full potential. Once completed tasks are documented and shared quickly, all parties and workers can understand the benefit of data capture and will be able to take full advantage of the knowledge.

Accurate and timely drone data is used to design temporary constructions and traffic arrangements during the constantly changing construction site.

Thanks to Pointscene, you can bring your drone or aerial ortho images into Infrakit as a basemap, combining your plan and the up-to-date status of the construction site. By bringing in the real images, activities and status of all site-related items will be visualized and integrated together with the design model. For example, stockpile information or site equipment, that can be visually located and taken into account in work tasks and temporary logistics or route planning.

“Once I started actively using our drone at our site, I cannot imagine why I wouldn’t use it anymore. Instantaneously the drone became irreplaceable as it provides new tools for site documentation and monitoring” –

states Tero Maijala, who is the Head Surveyor for Destia’s E18 Turku ringroad project. In this almost 10 kilometer long, 39 MEur project Maijala is in charge of land surveying and machine control data management on the site.

You will never need to doubt if you data is accurate and up-to-date, when you have drone data to support your designs in the same interface. The actual state of the construction site is comprehensive and easy to communicate to all parties. Once the drone data is updated regularly enough when the site progresses, e.g. weekly or monthly, Infrakit users can see their heavy machinery on the map working in the correct place instead of the middle of the woods or ocean of the outdated basemap imagery.

Up-to-date aerial images bring the plans and designs to life. The design is now much easier to understand, as it is for sure in the right place.

Progress is easily tracked and managed once you have up-to-date imagery of the area under construction. Infra-construction projects are done so rapidly, that there is no point of making 3d models of all the phases and all changes into the designs. Of course worksite visits are necessary, but you can expand the observation and knowledge with a new and wider perspective from above. Regularly updated aerial images are great for training new workers and for public announcements. “We have our orthophotos in Pointscene and now all parties can access the data even straight into their design software.” Maijala shares his experiences. “Up-to-date drone maps bring designs and plans alive into the actual world” Maijala continues. Once the data is updated with the newest one, old data is still used for comparison and archiving. Detailed images can be useful evidence for possible insurance cases.

Also point cloud data from laserscanners or photogrammetry can be converted into ortho images and integrated into Infrakit . © SRV Infra Oy / Kehä1 Keilaniemi

If you are already using drones at you worksite or you are curious of utilizing drone data in your Infrakit project, please contact Pointscene or your Infrakit contact person and we’ll set up a demo and put your drone data on the map!

Pointscene.com

Lauri Hartikainen, CEO
lauri@pointscene.com +358 50 5435444

Reeta Ojala, Customer Experience Lead
reeta@pointscene.com

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new office in Sydney

Espoo 14th August 2019

Infrakit Group Oy opens a new office in Sydney. In addition to existing offices in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and France, we are opening an office in Sydney, Australia.

The office address is 14 Narabang Way, Belrose NSW 2085, Australia. Jan-Erik Björni has been appointed General Manager for Australia. He worked before at Infrakit as a Key Account Manager in Helsinki office.

Infrakit is a cloud service for infra-project management and it offers a solution in handling large amounts of data between different parties, contractors, subcontractors and owner, enabling everyone to have the latest version in real time.

“Infrakit is widely used in Europe and continues to take new market shares, the opening of the office in Sydney strategically strengthens Infrakit’s presence on the Australian market”, says Jan-Erik Björni.

“It is a big step for a company to open its first office in a new country and we are optimistic about the new opportunities Infrakit can bring to the Australian market and its customers. You have to have local presence to build relationships locally. Even with today’s teleconferences and virtual meetings, it is difficult to build long lasting relationships without meeting your customers face to face”, says Managing Director Jan-Erik Björni.

Contact information:

General Manager Jan-Erik Björni, tel. +61 (0)443986386, jan-erik.bjorni@infrakit.com

Vice President, Business Development Pasi Joensuu, tel. +358 44 768 4424, pasi.joensuu@infrakit.com

Photo by Laura Cros