Integrating Survey and GIS
Integrating Survey and GIS Case Study: Hamilton Southeastern Utilities enhances GIS with New Innovations Gary Kent, PLS Michael Morefield Bruce Strack, PLS The Schneider Corporation Indianapolis, Indiana
The Schneider Corporation and Hamilton Southeastern Utilities • The Schneider Corporation – Consulting firm specializing primarily in Land Surveying, Civil Engineering & GIS – Staff of 250
• HSE GIS first implemented in 1994 – GIS Data on a survey-quality basemap – Online Maps – Schneider maintains Multi-Level Web Site
Hamilton Southeastern Utilities (HSE) • Serves more than 36,000 customers in 3 townships covering a 38,000 acre area • Hamilton County, Indiana – 21st fastest growing county in the country – Between 2000 and 2002, population grew 12.5%
• Sanitary Management and Engineering Company, Inc. (SAMCO) – Facility Management Contractor
HSE Utility Locate Statistics • 2003 – Processed 600 +/- locate requests
• 2004 – Estimated 16,000 to 18,000 locate requests
• New Sewer Connections – Approximately 1600 a year and expected to rise
Multi-Level Access • HSE and SAMCO Employees – Requires a password – Users can see all data attributes – View projects that are pending full approval
• Engineers and Contractors – Requires a password – Users can retrieve real-time GIS data • Robust attribute table • As-built drawings
• Public – Users can see location and type of infrastructure • General attributes
IUPPS—One Call does it all • Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service – Free Statewide Utility Notification Service
V.locate™ • • • •
Created by The Schneider Corporation Launched in May 2004 Automated Utility Locate Application Combined with one of Schneider’s other creations provides a seamless process – From contractor or private owner locate request to location in the field by SAMCO
The V.locate Process • User contacts IUPPS – Telephone – Facsimile – Online
• IUPPS compares – The location submitted by the user to the service area of a utility provider to determine the need to contact that provider
• If the location submitted falls within HSE boundaries, an email is sent to SAMCO’s Holey Moley email account
The V.locate Process • The V.locate application running in ArcMap is set up to receive emails from the address at a given interval • V.locate processes each email, pulls key information, and enters them into a record in a geodatabase • Attempts to locate the request in the following order – – – –
Latitude/Longitude Subdivision/Lot Number Street Name/Address Number Grid (15 Second by 15 Second Lat/Long Grid)
The V.locate Process • If location is not found – The record is marked as such – Request is forwarded via email with the error message
• If location is found – Geometry is added to the geodatabase – Query is performed to detect if any utility facilities fall within the given location
The V.locate Process • If no facilities are found in the geometry – An email is forwarded with the request, an image of the map, and a message that no facilities are found
• If facilities are found in the geometry – An email will be forwarded with the request, an image of the map, and a comma delimited point file of all of the surveyed facility points within a user defined buffer
The V.locate Process • Email Distribution – Central Address – Responsible Personnel
• Emergency Status – A location request with an emergency status will send a notification to responsible personnel via pager or cellular telephone
• Locates around perimeter of HSE boundaries – Fall under a “may need to locate” rather than a “need to locate” category – These will be sent to personnel for manual interpretation
V.link™ • Created by the Schneider Corporation • Launched in April 2003 • Retrieves Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS correction data via the internet for long range baseline resolution • Combined with a single permanent GPS base station or network of multiple permanent GPS base stations creates real-time “out of the truck” initialization
Traditional RTK • GPS Base Station set onsite – Gather an established position – Key in a published position
• Correction Broadcast – Via Radio (limited distance) • Would be required to move base station for multiple locates
– Via Cell Phone (loss of voice capabilities) • Cellular Coverage • Safety
V.Link Alternative • Eliminates onsite base stations and costs • Software program which uses a wireless broadband connection to retrieve correction data from an IP address of any number of GPS base stations • Purely digital wireless network via aircard • Uses PDA – Computing power – Voice communication
• Provides significantly longer RTK baseline resolutions as compared to current, traditional methods
V.Link Versatility • Access Closest Station
• Access Optional Station
V.Link Versatility • Data is accessed quickly and easily
Combining V.locate and V.link • The points file created by V.locate is uploaded into a GPS controller (data collector) • Field personnel access the correction data from Schneider’ Indianapolis, IN office base station – Other base stations • Avon, IN office • Lafayette, IN office
• RTK initialization is gained • Points file can be laid out on the ground
Combining V.locate and V.link • During the process of staking out an existing utility – Physical structure coordinate values are compared to the coordinate values in the GIS database • Report is automatically generated if discrepancies are present • Database can be updated if need be
From Request to Completion • The combination of V.locate and V.link has allowed HSE to provide utility locates from request to completion in a manner that the IUPPS nor the original requestor is aware of • Seamless solution to a daily task – More efficient – More accurate – More productive
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The Schneider Corporation and Hamilton Southeastern Utilities • The Schneider Corporation – Consulting firm specializing primarily in Land Surveying, Civil Engineering & GIS – Staff of 250
• HSE GIS first implemented in 1994 – GIS Data on a survey-quality basemap – Online Maps – Schneider maintains Multi-Level Web Site
Hamilton Southeastern Utilities (HSE) • Serves more than 36,000 customers in 3 townships covering a 38,000 acre area • Hamilton County, Indiana – 21st fastest growing county in the country – Between 2000 and 2002, population grew 12.5%
• Sanitary Management and Engineering Company, Inc. (SAMCO) – Facility Management Contractor
HSE Utility Locate Statistics • 2003 – Processed 600 +/- locate requests
• 2004 – Estimated 16,000 to 18,000 locate requests
• New Sewer Connections – Approximately 1600 a year and expected to rise
Multi-Level Access • HSE and SAMCO Employees – Requires a password – Users can see all data attributes – View projects that are pending full approval
• Engineers and Contractors – Requires a password – Users can retrieve real-time GIS data • Robust attribute table • As-built drawings
• Public – Users can see location and type of infrastructure • General attributes
IUPPS—One Call does it all • Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service – Free Statewide Utility Notification Service
V.locate™ • • • •
Created by The Schneider Corporation Launched in May 2004 Automated Utility Locate Application Combined with one of Schneider’s other creations provides a seamless process – From contractor or private owner locate request to location in the field by SAMCO
The V.locate Process • User contacts IUPPS – Telephone – Facsimile – Online
• IUPPS compares – The location submitted by the user to the service area of a utility provider to determine the need to contact that provider
• If the location submitted falls within HSE boundaries, an email is sent to SAMCO’s Holey Moley email account
The V.locate Process • The V.locate application running in ArcMap is set up to receive emails from the address at a given interval • V.locate processes each email, pulls key information, and enters them into a record in a geodatabase • Attempts to locate the request in the following order – – – –
Latitude/Longitude Subdivision/Lot Number Street Name/Address Number Grid (15 Second by 15 Second Lat/Long Grid)
The V.locate Process • If location is not found – The record is marked as such – Request is forwarded via email with the error message
• If location is found – Geometry is added to the geodatabase – Query is performed to detect if any utility facilities fall within the given location
The V.locate Process • If no facilities are found in the geometry – An email is forwarded with the request, an image of the map, and a message that no facilities are found
• If facilities are found in the geometry – An email will be forwarded with the request, an image of the map, and a comma delimited point file of all of the surveyed facility points within a user defined buffer
The V.locate Process • Email Distribution – Central Address – Responsible Personnel
• Emergency Status – A location request with an emergency status will send a notification to responsible personnel via pager or cellular telephone
• Locates around perimeter of HSE boundaries – Fall under a “may need to locate” rather than a “need to locate” category – These will be sent to personnel for manual interpretation
V.link™ • Created by the Schneider Corporation • Launched in April 2003 • Retrieves Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS correction data via the internet for long range baseline resolution • Combined with a single permanent GPS base station or network of multiple permanent GPS base stations creates real-time “out of the truck” initialization
Traditional RTK • GPS Base Station set onsite – Gather an established position – Key in a published position
• Correction Broadcast – Via Radio (limited distance) • Would be required to move base station for multiple locates
– Via Cell Phone (loss of voice capabilities) • Cellular Coverage • Safety
V.Link Alternative • Eliminates onsite base stations and costs • Software program which uses a wireless broadband connection to retrieve correction data from an IP address of any number of GPS base stations • Purely digital wireless network via aircard • Uses PDA – Computing power – Voice communication
• Provides significantly longer RTK baseline resolutions as compared to current, traditional methods
V.Link Versatility • Access Closest Station
• Access Optional Station
V.Link Versatility • Data is accessed quickly and easily
Combining V.locate and V.link • The points file created by V.locate is uploaded into a GPS controller (data collector) • Field personnel access the correction data from Schneider’ Indianapolis, IN office base station – Other base stations • Avon, IN office • Lafayette, IN office
• RTK initialization is gained • Points file can be laid out on the ground
Combining V.locate and V.link • During the process of staking out an existing utility – Physical structure coordinate values are compared to the coordinate values in the GIS database • Report is automatically generated if discrepancies are present • Database can be updated if need be
From Request to Completion • The combination of V.locate and V.link has allowed HSE to provide utility locates from request to completion in a manner that the IUPPS nor the original requestor is aware of • Seamless solution to a daily task – More efficient – More accurate – More productive
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
