In 1971, as Apollo 15 astronauts journeyed into space, they brought with them a laser altimeter to map the surface of the moon. This technology, called light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning, or 3D scanning for short, has come a long way since then and is now used across a wide range of applications. Today, industries across the board are realizing the impact 3D scanning technology can have on their projects by providing a big-picture view of a site design with exceptional accuracy.
What exactly is 3D scanning?
3D scanning is a sophisticated technology used to create detailed representations of objects in the real world. By emitting laser pulses from a scanning device and measuring the time it takes for the lasers to return after they bounce off objects, 3D scanners create a detailed, three-dimensional point cloud of the scanned area. This point cloud consists of hundreds of millions, or even billions, of individual points, each assigned precise 3D coordinates.
3D scanners create a detailed, three-dimensional point cloud of the scanned area.
The limitations of standard drawings and photos
Understanding the scope of any project is essential to developing an engineered design that solves your site’s problems. But aren’t site drawings and photos enough? Not always, and here’s why:
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Site drawings may not be available to analyze constraints or review existing layouts.
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Standard photos can assist with these efforts, but dozens or even hundreds of photos can be challenging to manage for an entire existing system.
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Explaining the context of each photo to other engineers who are not familiar with the site is time consuming.
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Even if the context is effectively communicated through the photos, measurements between existing objects are missing.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much more is a complete three-dimensional point cloud of the entire scope area worth?
The many advantages of 3D scanning technology
Could your project benefit from 3D scanning technology? Here's a deeper look into its many applications:
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Capture existing project site conditions with exceptional accuracy.
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Document potential interferences that must be avoided when installing new equipment and determine where the equipment can integrate with existing infrastructure.
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Validate the dimensions on existing engineering drawings by comparing the coordinates of any two points within the point cloud.
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Create detailed models that assist in engineering and design processes, using the point cloud as the foundation. These models can then be used to complete structural and piping analyses and generate new engineering drawings.
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Record changes over time. By scanning the same area multiple times over a designated period and noting the differences between the multiple point clouds, you can monitor and document variations and developments within a given space, making it useful for long-term project planning or ongoing maintenance.
3D scanning in action
3D scanning is a powerful and versatile solution used to capture detailed spatial data, facilitate precise measurements, support engineering and design processes, and monitor changes over time. We’ve used 3D scanning technology in a variety of projects, including the two examples below, to provide a more accurate picture and deliver exceptional results for our clients.
Capturing the integrity of an existing structural steel bridge
One of our power sector clients discovered an essential bridge on their site had worse corrosion than initially anticipated. In fact, the entirety of the bridge’s underside required an inspection to capture the integrity of the structural steel. Scaffolding was erected above the river mouth below to allow engineers to assess the integrity of the underside of the bridge. Barr’s structural engineers determined that 3D scanning was the best solution because it would allow them to create a model of the entire structure. From the scan results, loading conditions were developed based on the size and integrity of the existing structural members. Using 3D scanning, dozens of dimensions were extracted from the point cloud, and the design team used this information to develop a recommended solution for the client.
3D scanning allowed engineers to create a model of the entire bridge structure.
Replacing and installing large equipment
When one of our power clients needed to replace two existing oil-fired auxiliary boilers with natural gas boilers, it was paramount to understand the facility’s design and limitations first. The first challenge: how to maneuver the large existing boilers out of the building to be demolished. The second challenge: how to get the new boilers into the building and installed, amidst all the existing equipment. Barr’s engineers recommended taking a 3D scan of the facility to identify equipment that could be temporarily relocated and equipment that must remain in place.
3D scans were taken in seven different rooms spanning three floors to accurately capture the facility’s layout, which included the area outside, the garage, the boiler house, the auxiliary boiler room (including on top of the 15-foot-tall auxiliary boilers), a stairwell, and two nearby rooms where peripheral equipment would be installed. The singular point cloud contained links between all these scans to capture the entirety of the project installation area, and dimensions could be taken from any two points within the scanned area. A mechanical piping model was created from the point cloud to assist with the routing of piping and conduits; this model also included the new natural gas piping system that would tie into the new boilers.
A 3D scan provides a better overall picture of a facility prior to an expansion.
Ready to see the full picture?
Barr uses 3D scanning on a wide range of projects in various industries to holistically solve clients’ problems with precision, even when existing documentation is lacking. Contact us to discover how we can address your design challenges with the aid of 3D scanning technology.
About the authors
As a mechanical engineer, Dean Kuharevicz has five years of experience in engineering, design, and project management in the power and fuels sectors. When not developing detailed designs, he can be found at various client sites leading Barr’s 3D scanning and cathodic protection field presence in Michigan.
John Kubiak, reality capture technology coordinator, is Barr’s technical lead for survey, 3D scanning, and drone technology research, development, and education. He became a Federal Aviation Administration-certified (Part 107) small UAS pilot in May 2018 and has flown hundreds of projects, collecting nadir and oblique imagery and video for inspection, construction observation, radiometric thermal inspections, and topographic surveys.
Paul Tokarczyk, senior civil engineer and land surveyor, has over 22 years of civil engineering, design, and land surveying experience encompassing preliminary planning and estimating, design engineering, surveying, mapping, and drafting. Paul provides surveying services including plat drawings and reviews, topographical mapping, materials testing, and CAD drawings, as well as topography, easement, property, and construction surveys.
Related projects
Retrofit engineering for ash conveyance
At two of its power plants—one in North Dakota and the other in South Dakota—Otter Tail Power enlisted Barr to support the conversion and retrofit of its bottom-ash and economizer-ash conveying from wet to dry systems. Barr conducted three-dimensional scans, developed three-dimensional computer models of the areas slated for new equipment, performed preliminary engineering to establish the design basis, and developed equipment procurement specifications. We then provided detailed design of the mechanical, structural, and electrical auxiliaries and site civil layout including construction specifications, and provided construction support.
Engineering and design services for new truck dumper
At its M.L. Hibbard Renewable Energy Center in Duluth, Minnesota Power uses a truck dumper to unload trailers full of hog fuel, which is used to produce steam for the adjacent paper mill and to generate renewable electricity. When the structural steel on the 25-year-old dumper had reached the end of its repairable lifespan, Minnesota Power decided to replace it with a new truck dumper designed to lift both the truck and trailer during unloading. Because the larger dumper required a stronger foundation and larger hydraulic power unit, Barr provided structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering design services to help install the new dumper, hydraulic power unit, and hydraulic-power-unit building.
To develop layout and design, we conducted a 3D scan of the site and equipment. We also prepared a demolition plan to remove the old dumper, specified the new dumper, designed concrete foundations for the new truck dumper, and provided controls and electrical design for the hydraulic power unit. For the hydraulic-power-unit building, we designed the concrete foundations and hydraulic piping, plant air piping, and HVAC, and provided on-site construction observation.
Steam-line evaluation at Rapids Energy Center
Minnesota Power wanted to evaluate potential modifications for a paper machine at its Rapids Energy Center. The proposed tie-in would direct steam in a singular path that would allow use of desuperheaters to reduce steam temperature and provide better operating control. After performing an initial evaluation, we suggested a review of the 50-pound steam line to determine actual pipe routing, existing turbine loading, defective support locations, and sagging piping locations. We performed 3D scanning to create a model and develop a baseline of the existing system. Barr then conducted a pipe stress analysis and recommended two options for analyzing the piping system before modifying tie-ins and pipe and routing supports. We then analyzed three load-case conditions and designed the new piping system, verified piping changes, and sized new supports.