When working with GPS-enabled heavy equipment, CAD services are necessary to get the machine working. Some of the major benefits are increased accuracy, reduced waste, faster time to completion, and improved safety. ECI’s CAD Services include earthwork takeoffs, linework, 3D models, and as-builts. Each service is offered a la carte and delivered to our clients promptly to help avoid digging delays on the job site.

Today, most projects have coordinate systems because of CAD design. Often, the coordinate systems being used differ between what the architect uses versus what the civil engineers use versus what the structural engineers use versus what the surveyors use. As a result of the different systems, the measurement units differ, and the plans don't align.

How do you know when to hire out and when to do it in-house? Well, like many things…it depends. When it comes to your digital modeling needs, you thankfully have options. We’ve put together a list of pros and cons to help with your decision.

There have been many advances in the technologies used for creating precise maps for use in earthwork projects. However, have you struggled with getting your point cloud into your takeoff software? You are not alone!

The main purpose of an as-built drawing is to record any changes made during the building process that deviate from the original plan. As-builts are useful for many reasons, one being the value they bring to water lines which in our opinion are some of the most troublesome proposed utilities on a job site.

The primary advantage of CIM is the benefit it provides to our client partnerships. We seamlessly integrate our modeling work into their workstreams, which allows them to plan their resources and their projects most efficiently. When CIM processes are incorporated into civil engineering workflows, the result is far better than when it is not, including higher profits for contractors!

Cut & Fills (aka takeoffs) are among the topmost critical components of bidding, planning, and executing earthwork projects. For an inexperienced person, it can be a very time-consuming task. Additionally, it is a process that has little room for error. Mistakes in cut & fill analyses result in extra time, resources, and expenses.

One can never be too careful when it comes to underground utilities detection and digging. According to Common Ground Alliance (CGA), which represents a body of industry stakeholders that advocate for the 811 service, U.S. damages cost $30 billion every year! Contributing to the vast expense of damages are: failure to notify, excavating issues, and locating issues.

It’s no surprise that most people don’t associate the construction industry with technology like they do jelly to peanut butter. The reason is, it has been one of the slowest adopters of technology when compared to most industries. The term Big Data has increasingly gained momentum over the last twenty years, but depending on which industry it's referring to, its meaning and use vary widely.

Whether it’s something you’ve read in our blogs or elsewhere, you know that utilizing drones and other technologies are advantageous in executing, managing, and controlling earthmoving projects in today’s fast-paced world. The days of looking at a job site with 2D paper models are mostly behind us. 3D Models, Digital Elevation Models, 3D Point Clouds and Orthophotos are way more common nowadays.

Companies have been using GPS technology on their construction equipment for a very long time. In most cases, companies stick with one manufacturer, but the brands used on their fleet vary for others. Is having a hybrid fleet viable? We say - Yes.

Milling machine manufacturers have developed technology that has enabled significant process improvements since the invention of the Roto-Mill in the mid-1970s. The amount of asphalt that a milling machine could cut during, let's say, two hours back in the 1980s compared to today is night and day. If you're still handling your paving jobs without the advanced machine technology, it's time to take your process to the next level, which will save you time and money!

In our industry, precision is one of the most fundamental factors to successful project execution. Precise measurements lead to precise calculations, precise calculations lead to precise specifications, and ultimately that all leads to better project outcomes. Being able to calculate accurate local elevation for job sites is essential. However, our planet is not the perfectly round, smooth shape that some think it is. Earth is very bumpy and irregular. This irregular shape is called the geoid.

Depending on which brand of GPS equipment you’re using the file types and therefore file extensions will differ. The reason for this is that the brands each have their proprietary systems with their own file types as opposed to universal ones. For example, have you received files ending in .ttm, .dxf, .csv, .tn3, .ln3, or others and wondered what’s the difference between them?

Trenching and excavating – these top the list as the most hazardous operations in our industry. They cannot be avoided, however, as they play a significant role in civil engineering. Being careless or making mistakes could lead to fatalities among your work crew. So, what can you do to keep your job site and workers in the safest possible conditions?

Geometry is the basis for civil engineering. You may have heard the term TIN when speaking with a civil engineer about a surface model for your project. So, what is this TIN thing you hear them talking about? Basically, it’s a bunch of triangles all joined continuously together at their points (vertices). TINs provide a visual of a topographical surface and are the building blocks for creating 3D surface models of civil works.

Over the years, we have come across different reasons for suboptimal bids. The most common reasons are all related to, you can probably guess it, changes! Many changes occur throughout a project's lifecycle. Sometimes they start as early as the bid phase. Changes to the project's scope that happen pre-bid are usually referred to as addendums. A few of these pre-bid changes come to mind.

A construction project’s success factor begins with accurate survey data and the coordinate system it is based on. The coordinate system is the source for obtaining the precise survey data. Coordinates are necessary when laying projects out, whether it’s a highway, bridge, site work, utilities, or another type of construction project.

CONEXPO CON/AGG 2023 is coming up quick and if you’re headed to Las Vegas you’re sure to see many cool Artificial Intelligence options that can be useful in construction project management. From the bidding stage through completion, there are many reasons why you might want to consider adding AI into your workflows.

Are you wondering how a surface model will work with your heavy equipment? Although it can seem complex, it is simpler than you may think. Some machines already come equipped with the technology and others can be retrofitted with aftermarket technology systems. Either way, the most important thing to understand is that they run off GPS.