Advanced technologies like BIM, digital twins, and IoT are becoming essential tools for the industrial and commercial construction sector. LiDAR is another major player among these technologies, indispensable to projects requiring more advanced surveying.
Whether you’re assessing terrain for a potential build or retrofitting a historic structure, digital surveying with LiDAR is a more efficient way to gather required information and complete the work with accuracy and precision. Keep reading to learn how this technology can expedite your construction site’s progress.
What is LiDAR and How Does it Work?
LiDAR (or Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that emits rapid laser pulses to draft 3D models of its surroundings. It was initially developed in the 1960s to measure vast terrain, and is now also used for construction development projects in retail, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Some examples of how LiDAR is used today include:
- Producing digital twins for BIM (Building Information Modelling) and facility management
- Monitoring environmental conditions for land conservation
- Creating 3D cloud data and floor plans for real estate development and renovations
Benefits of Using LiDAR in Construction
Accurate Data: LiDAR scanners are more accurate than traditional data collection methods, allowing you to create more precise 3D models for planning, design, and construction.
Fast and Efficient: Traditional surveying involves gathering manual measurements of entire buildings, landscapes, and terrain, which can take a significant amount of time to complete, and is also susceptible to human error.
In many cases, LiDAR surveys can be completed much faster than manual surveys, capturing thousands of measurements within seconds of deployment.
Reduces Worksite Hazards: Surveying is a job rife with hazards. Whether you’re working on uneven terrain, in inclement weather, or near potentially dangerous machinery, there are plenty of opportunities to suffer accidents.
LiDAR removes the need for employees in dangerous zones, allowing you to get the information you need while mitigating the risk factor.
Cost-Effective: Traditional surveying requires many employees and expensive equipment. Paying everyone’s wages and operating these expensive machines can cause bills to skyrocket. Hiring a professional LiDAR surveyor with their own equipment can be more cost-effective in the long run.
How to Use LiDAR For Your Upcoming Project
Here are just a few ways to implement LiDAR technology in your upcoming construction project:
Project Planning: LiDAR can be very useful for early-stage planning, especially when assessing the safety and stability of the terrain where you plan to break ground.
LiDAR can discover potential issues with slope, vegetation, flooding, and more to determine whether your potential construction site is safe.
Cost Parameters: It is also important to determine your project’s expenses early on. LiDAR-generated data can support more accurate project estimates via building measurements and precise terrain scans. This software can help you build an accurate budget that reduces the risk of hidden or last-minute fees.
Inspections and Analyses: Once you have put the final nail in your build, you can use LiDAR scanners to inspect the building, check that it meets the predetermined requirements, and point out any potential issues.
If you’re restoring or renovating a historic site, you can also use LiDAR to conduct non-invasive analyses of the building to detect which structural details cannot be disturbed during the construction process.
Choose Planit for Digital Surveying: LiDAR, Digital Twin, and More
Partner with Planit and expedite your commercial and industrial construction projects. Contact us today to learn more about our digital surveying with LiDAR, digital twins, and more. You can also learn more about our services by reading our Blog.
