Developed new solution for Stavanger University Hospital

When Aas-Jakobsen and COWI, together with Nordic Office of Architecture were designing the new Stavanger University Hospital, they realised that they needed a more advanced solution to manage the large and complex building pit models. They asked Powel Construction for assistance.

It was civil engineer Erik B. Hersleth of Aas- Jakobsen who contacted Powel. He saw the need to generate a complex building pit model in the most automatic way possible while having the opportunity to regenerate an updated model in the event of changes.

“Models that are geometrically correct based on current input and assumptions give the project an intuitive understanding of the building pit and its relationship with the rest of the project. Accurate models also provide a better basis for further design, engineering, and decision-making,” Erik B. Hersleth says.

Development started in the autumn of 2018 and has become a success story. The developers of the software company found a method to further develop existing functionality in Gemini Terrain by exploiting the underlying calculation grid and converting this to a point cloud that is triangulated.

Great cost savings
“When engineers manage to find a practical approach to how a building pit should be blasted and at the same time succeed in making the geometric simplifications required in order for the work to be practically feasible, significant savings are possible in terms of work and resources. For example, accurate blasting results in more optimal use of materials for the base plate/foundations and backfill around/underneath the building,” the civil engineer says.

A major value for the project was also that the excavator operators could read accurate models for machine operation and know what they had to do step by step, without the use of drawings or other documentation. Additionally, all disciplines had a better and more accessible basis to continue work with.

“All of these factors lead to better understanding, fewer mistakes, and a more optimal building pit, which for the project as a whole should result in a significant financial gain,” says Hersleth with Aas-Jakobsen.

Hersleth is very pleased that Powel Construction took the challenge in its stride.

“It is uncommon that software development can be carried out so quickly and purposefully as in this case. Powel should take pride in this,” he says.

Several customers will benefit from this
The solution that has been worked out in connection with the development of Stavanger University Hospital is available in Gemini Terrain as new standard functionality.

“Gemini Terrain has been developed over several years in close cooperation with our customers. The hospital project in collaboration with Aas-Jakobsen, AART Architects, COWI, and Nordic Office of Architecture is an example of how we as a company want to develop good solutions and meet the market requirements,” says head of Product Strategy at Powel Construction, Magnus Tandberg.