The Riegl field system has successfully advanced the quality of data, reduced data collection and post-processing time, and improved the overall efficiency of field operations. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a prime example of the effectiveness of this system.

Riegl USA partnered with Mississippi Department of Transportation for a project that demonstrated the increased field productivity of 3D scanning systems for transportation infrastructure. During this project Riegl and Mississppi Department of Transportation tested a new roadway survey toolset in MicroStation (for 3D data processing). The project showed that the Riegl USA Transportation Infrastructure Survey System is a clear and quantifiable improvement over traditional survey methods.

The project consisted of 1.3 miles of congested roadway. It was executed using the Riegl USA Workflow; all requirements of standard topography were applied. A crew of four people set up targets and controlled traffic. All data acquired was traceable to control datum within .02 feet. It took just 3 days to complete the data collection.

The post-processing for this project was done using Riegl’s software tool suite, which is able to use 3D imaging data content to extract features and develop road topography within MicroStation environment. The tools simplified the extraction of curb and road break lines, road spot shots, utilities and ground shots from the 3D imaging system which includes scanner LiDAR data and calibrated image data. The effectiveness of the tool set is demonstrated in the quantity and quality of features that were extracted without sending crews back to the field and maintaining safety.

The 3D image technology used for this project shifts the intelligent feature identification and extraction from the field to the office. This results in an increase in CAD processing time. However, according to the estimates made by the Mississippi Department of Transportation,the Riegl System reduces total project time by 50%.