GPS Grading...

[D6c10K]

We're doing the survey work for a new landfill cell in which we are responsible for the site control, pipe staking, and as-built survey.

We set 5 control points around the site and the contractor set his secondary control from that for his D6R w/GPS. They've finished 3 sides of the cell (finish graded and rolled 3:1 & 5:1 slopes) and we went out today to check the grades on a 50' grid.

I was impressed.....
On any area they had finished about the most error I found was about 0.10 ft. with most shots less than 0.05 ft. and quite a few at 0.01 ft. The break lines were all nice and crisp and lined up almost perfectly to plan.

Considering there will always be some error in our control....some error in the contractor's secondary control....some error in the dozer's positioning....and some error in our as-built measurments, it's amazing that the final product can come out so close. (plus the contractor has to know how much to leave it high so the compactor roller will bring it down to finish grade)

As I said...I was impressed.

 

[grunk36]

all of us that has been using gps for several years has been trying to tell peopls that are not into gps about how good it works but its hard to turn peoples opinions
something like this helps alot
and gps is a fantastic tool:notworthy:notworthy

 

[oriden]

the problem with gps is you need people that know how to set it up and run the system and for smaller outfits this wont work to well for $$ wise


do you have any pictures of this project and the system?

 

[farm_boy]

Generally speaking....the initial investment in hardware will pay for itself in the first job. After that....its all gravy. I don't know very many investments that you can make in this industry that will pay itself back that fast. In fact, more and more "little guys" are going to find it harder to compete with the other "little guys" once they have made the jump to laser, GPS and/or total station machine control.

This is one time that continuing to do something the same way "because that's the way grandpa did it" won't keep you competitive for very long.

 

[D6c10K]

I snapped a couple of pics with my cell phone, but they're not worth posting....I'll try to remember to take my camera along the next time we head to the landfill.

 

[CM1995]

I moved this thread over to the Construction/Excavation Technoloy forum. Interesting stuff thanks for posting!:thumbsup

 

[willemdegrader]

The company i work for mostly uses machines equipped with gps...my grader for example is equipped with laser augmentated gps an total station.here´s a link to a little movie of a railroad construction in the netherlands


http://www.mvogroep.nl/admin_assets/content/content_files/public/ballastbed_betuweroute.wmv

 

[D6c10K]

Interesting.....never seen steel plates used to make a road...Is that used to keep from tearing up the finished grade?

 

[willemdegrader]

no actually it's to get acces with trailers so they won't get stuck in the sand.