Introduction  The use of remote sensing methods to monitor 3D deformation across large areas is rapidly increasing. Radar, INSAR, Aerial LiDAR, and Drone-based LIDAR and photogrammetry can all be cost-effective and unobtrusive methods for routine monitoring of slope and ground surface deformation over large project areas.   However, one of the ongoing challenges with these remote methods is consistently maintaining high accuracy and precision of the results over extended periods of time.  Best practice in remote sensing requires frequent comparisons to points (control points) on ..read more

Australia’s economy has largely arisen from a number of disparate industries: mining, tourism, cattle farming, construction, to name a few big players. But behind all of these industries, since the dawn of the 19th century, sits Australia’s railway network. Serving every sector of the economy in some fashion, whether as freight or passenger transport, railways have long been the silent companion that makes everything else function smoothly – but they’re starting to become outdated. An October 2020 report from the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) estimated that $155 billion of rail invest ..read more

Data helps to provide some of the valuable and transparent insights in mining and is often at the core of many decisions made on site. The importance of data is not lost on industry leaders, however finding new and holistic data driven solutions may be the next step to evolving in this digital age. Using data to make mining safer, more productive and more sustainable will be the key to improving the industry as a whole. So how can data achieve all of this?  One way data can be used to improve mining safety is through the use of interconnected sensors and monitoring systems. These technol ..read more

Mining technology is experiencing an innovation boom as the industry is eager to address modern challenges surrounding sustainability, economic stability and operational efficiency. With the lucrative nature of the mining industry, the premium technology coming out of this period will certainly be the catalyst in modernising safety and operational improvements across many similar fields. This article will explore the fascinating technology of tomorrow and how it will improve the industry.  Australia’s economy relies heavily on exporting our natural resources as our vast country is bountif ..read more

Managing ageing assets in engineering is a critical aspect of keeping the integrity and efficiency of industrial operations. As legacy infrastructure ages, it may become increasingly prone to risk and failures, which can result in costly downtime and repairs. To minimise these risks, it is important to develop a comprehensive strategy for managing ageing infrastructure assets. The issue faces further complications when accounting for the industry’s need to manage extremes in weather and climate impacts which are predicted to increase. The most important aspect of managing ageing assets is con ..read more

Earlier this year in August on a construction site in Canberra, hundreds of tonnes of earth, concrete and scaffolding collapsed into the excavation pit on site, prompting the ACT Government to ask all builders to ‘double-check’ their work.  Builders were told to be more proactive in their safety precautions and ensure regular site inspections, especially when building around high-risk systems like pipes and drains. 20 metres below the site, large parts of the car park road and retaining wall had collapsed into the trench which would underpin the multi-million dollar commercial and reside ..read more

Displacement is a measure of how much an object or surface has changed in position. In the field of geotechnical engineering, displacement monitoring is important to ensure that structures such as buildings and bridges remain stable and safe. Displacement monitoring can help geotechnical engineers to identify potential problems early before they cause serious damage. It can also be used to track the progress of construction projects or to monitor how a structure is settling over time. There are many challenges and limitations associated with managing displacement, but it remains a key indicat ..read more

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is the ongoing, near-real-time, or real-time observation and measurement of the structural performance of civil infrastructure. Buildings and structures are always undergoing some degree of stress. That could be due to weather or environmental impacts, construction on, in or around the structure, or simply the age of the structure. Establishing an SHM system is therefore crucial and is achieved through the collection and analysis of data from a variety of sensors installed on or near the structure. The main aim of structural health monitoring is to identify e ..read more

The internet of things (IoT) is connecting devices and sensors to the internet so that they can communicate with each other and share data. This interconnectedness is transforming how we live, work, and play. In the future, IoT sensors will become more ubiquitous and sophisticated, collecting ever-more detailed data about our environment. With the rise of global, smart cities, the additional strain on infrastructure due to changing environmental impacts, and growing populations, the hunger for high-quality, timely data has never been greater. As a market, the Internet of Things (IoT) is predic ..read more

Displacement monitoring is an increasingly important part of geotechnical engineering. By collecting accurate data on displacement, engineers can make better-informed decisions about the stability of a structure or landform. However, traditional displacement monitoring solutions can be expensive and time-consuming. Automated displacement monitoring solutions offer a more efficient, frequent and cost-effective way to collect displacement data. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of automated displacement monitoring solutions for geotechnical engineers. Capture displacement data to bette ..read more