The future of infrastructure projects

Do you know what the future holds for your company? The future is fast approaching, especially in the area of infrastructure projects. Duncan McCormick, Construction Software Sales Specialist at Topcon, is a true expert in this field. He knows all about the challenges construction companies face in the field and he knows how to help them. In this article, he shares his extensive knowledge to give us insight into the future of infrastructure projects.

Digitization and optimization opportunities
One of the big changes of our time is digitization. As we continue to digitize, we have the opportunity to optimize even more in the future, Duncan McCormick believes, "I think everyone has their own opinion about digitization and optimization. I believe that Internet of Things, AR and VR will allow us to explore virtual scenarios that impact our real world. Currently there are 36 billion connected devices and this number is still increasing. The construction industry is not exactly known for embracing new technologies quickly. However, governments are playing their part, being painfully aware that we cannot expect to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if all stakeholders are not prepared to act proactively and predictively based on the data they now have."

And he goes on to make a bold statement about the future of the industry as a whole: "The real potential lies at the feet of contractors. In my humble opinion, the construction industry is the most interesting place to operate right now. There is an abundance of solutions there that can solve a number of problems, including avoiding failure costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The technology is there. We just have to capitalize on it."

The smartest way to efficiency
The primary goal of any infrastructure project is to get it right the first time, avoiding failure costs due to rework or inefficient management of soil materials. 60 percent of infrastructure projects involving earthworks are over budget or behind schedule. 25 to 50 percent of materials are wasted due to inefficient management. 30 percent of construction costs result from things that have to be redone. These are all costs that can be avoided by working smarter. Rather, use software that helps get it right the first time.

Reduce your carbon footprint while saving time
There is a strong carbon-cost relationship between the emissions attributed to moving earth materials on large construction sites and the cost of moving earth. So reducing the cost of moving earth also means reducing the carbon footprint. It's actually that simple, there is a strong correlation. This is why you can save time, money and emissions by getting it right the first time if you want the project to be a financial and environmental success.

DynaRoad is great proof of how we put smarter working into practice.

Good advice for changing times
If you want to move with the changing times as a company, you need to make sure you avoid certain pitfalls. Duncan McCormick is very clear on this, "First, I would avoid any software and hardware solutions that are not future-proof. Second, look at the current product portfolio and determine if these products are interconnected and can work with systems from other key vendors in the market. Ask who the vendor has worked with. Third, don't believe the hype! Ask the supplier of products and services for a proof of concept or better yet, ask to see real projects that have benefited from using these technologies. That's the proof."

The future-proof solution
Duncan McCormick is Topcon's expert when it comes to software that improves the complete infrastructure process from start to finish. He knows all about DynaRoad, Topcon's software: "DynaRoad comes in three different modules: Plan, Schedule and Control. Plan is for optimization based on transport distance and material type. So you're not just looking at how far you have to move the material, but also at how to use the material optimally. With Schedule, scheduling work and working to schedule is very simple. This is due to the "mass haul diagram. The software also has a powerful tool for detecting 'clashes' between time and distance. With the controls, progress can be tracked by manually updating the mass haul plan. Or, if you use Topcon SiteLink 3D, you can download transportation information from our management solution in the cloud."

DynaRoad is a wonderful demonstration of how we put smarter working into practice. To do this, a company must change its methodology, and that can be quite exciting, Duncan McCormick explains: "Learning to use new software and applying new methods can be scary. But once it becomes part of your daily routine, you ask yourself why you didn't start using DynaRoad years ago. I always joke that DynaRoad's special sauce consists of two simple ingredients. One is an Excel spreadsheet, which contains only the basic dig and fill volume data. The other is the unique way DynaRoad creates pdf drawings based on geolocation. These can be turned on and off as desired. If you have these two simple ingredients, which every contractor or project owner has, you're already halfway to making sure your project doesn't fall victim to a budget overrun or overrun schedule."  

What makes DynaRoad different from other systems in the market?

• The software is proven and has been on the market for more than 20 years.
• A new version called MAGNET Project will be released in 2019. 
• This version also includes a powerful open BIM tool. 
• Its user-friendly interface makes it easier to work with than many of the individual systems previously used by clients.
• Includes a drawing tool that allows you to graphically plan and schedule work.
• Show as many pdfs of the construction site as you want through geolocation.
• Features a powerful tool for detecting "clashes" between time and distance.
• Can be applied to both area and linear projects.