One of Balpara's more distinctive offerings is its 3D scanning and modelling service. As one of the first companies to bring this service to the electrical distribution industry, Balpara's 3D scanning and modelling provides a significant value add to a range of projects, from road to utilities works.  

Balpara has been using this technology for a few years, most recently for a 2.5km long project in Port Melbourne. Here, Balpara’s surveying and 3D scanning team explain more about the processes involved, and how this service benefits clients. 

When you dig trenches for installation of new distribution power cables the trenches can be kilometres long and be up to three metres deep. Where soil is contaminated in needs to be disposed of, requiring significant backfill after the installation is complete.

When you install high voltage power cables the backfill often needs to be special material for thermal resistivity because the cables get very hot and if the heat isn’t allowed to dissipate properly they don’t meet their efficiency requirements. All of this is material handling is really expensive.  

So we get our surveyors to pick up all the geometry of these trenches when they’re open. They use what is essentially a 360 degree camera, along with traditional surveyor's equipment such as GPS data collectors. They set the scanner up on a tripod at various locations, and you end up with a whole lot of 3D snapshots, which can then be overlaid or stitched together to get a complete 3D picture. We can then produce a 3D model, and calculate the volume of that trench. This volume calculation is extremely accurate, which is quite a powerful thing. 

For example, it allows the client to cross check to make sure they are being charged accurately for the disposal of soil. The bill for disposing of large quantities of contaminated soil can be very substantial, so it's easy to see the value of having a safeguard like our highly accurate calculations based on 3D modelling.

The 3D model also provides an excellent record to companies, so they always know in the future exactly where a given trench was, and where those cables are in the ground. This is valuable for design of future works, repairs or upgrades required in the area. 

We can also use 3D scanning to produce visual records, for example if there are joints needed between lengths of 66kV cable. These joints are massive and complex. We can produce a 3D point cloud of the joints and overlay them onto the 3D model of the trench. So the client gets a completely accurate record both of where the joint bay is, and of other relevant features or equipment inside the joint bay. Again, this is valuable if there is any future need for a redesign or modifications. 

Balpara is one of the first companies to bring this service to the electrical distribution industry. We have both the technology and capability to provide the service with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency. We have a very long history of providing services to utilities and this is another way for us to meet our clients' needs to the high standard they have come to expect. 

Contact Balpara to find out how our 3D scanning and modelling service can support your next project.