R&D Projects

Project description

Coordinated by the Montanuniversität Leoben, Geodata and several other partners are working on the topic of BIM (Building Information Modelling) in tunnel construction. In the project, Geodata is contributing to the development of BIM-compatible data models for geotechnical monitoring. 

The project is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) under the Collective Research funding scheme. 

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH
Montanuniversität Leoben
TU Wien
9 company partners

Project start: June 2020

Project end: May 2023

Project description

Goal is the development of a modular system for drone-based tunnel inspection consisting of four parts: A new lightweight 360° laser scanner with highest accuracy will be designed and integrated into a novel UAV platform.

Further sensors and software enabling the calculation of a highly precise trajectory of the system will be developed. Finally, the data will be fused and integrated into a virtual reality based inspection system. Together, DoTIS enables an efficient, flexible, objective and digital monitoring of underground facilities such as tunnels, mines and shafts. The particular task of Geodata is to develop the point cloud data evaluation and 3D viewer software, and the VR visualisation system. 
The project is funded under the Eurostars programme of Eureka. 

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH (AT)
AirRobot GmbH (DE)
Elaboratorium (ES)
Fraunhofer IPM (DE)

Project start: June 2020

Project end: May 2022

Project description

The aim of the project is to research the fundamentals and possible applications of the inclinodeformeter method for the simultaneous measurement of inclinations and diameter change along a measuring tube for the derivation of earth pressures. 
Subsequently, a new probe concept will be developed and a prototype built. 
The project is nationally funded under the Bridge-programme of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

Project consortium

Geodata MT GmbH
TU Graz, Institute of Soil Mechanics, Foundation Engineering and Computational Geotechnics
GDP ZT GmbH

Project start: April 2020

Project end: March 2023

Project description

In the project, Geodata is working together with the VRVis Zentrum für Virtual Reality und Visualisierung Forschungs-GmbH on the development of interactive VR visualisations of tunneling data, in particular monitoring data, and on related VR systems. The project is funded under the national program COMET (Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies).

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH
VRVis Zentrum für Virtual Reality und Visualisierung Forschungs-GmbH

Project start: January 2021

Project end: December 2024

Project description

In the project, the applicability of machine learning technologies for geotechnical monitoring in tunnelling was investigated in cooperation with Graz University of Technology and a prototype application for the detection of critical 3D displacement data was developed. 
The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) via an innovation voucher. 

Project consortium

Geodata IT GmbH
TU Graz, Institute of Rock Mechanics and Tunneling

Project start: April 2019

Project end: March 2020

Project description

In the project, the technical and other requirements for implementing the idea of a short-range gyro calibration were developed and evalutated in cooperation with Graz University of Technology, and a measurement laboratory was set up. 
The project was supported by ÖBB and funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) via an innovation voucher.

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH
TU Graz, Institute of Engineering Geodesy and Measurement Systems
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)

Project start: April 2019

Project end: January 2020

Project description

In the project, a new approach of using seismic methods during tunnel excavation for site investigation ahead of the tunnel face is investigated. The idea is to use pilot signals from available machinery such as hydraulic excavators and drill rigs.
The project was funded under the Bridge-programme of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

Project consortium 

Geodata ZT GmbH
Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Subsurface Engineering (SE-MUL)
Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG)

Project start: September 2018

Project end: August 2021

Project description

In the project, Geodata developed a mixed reality remote support system. With the system, staff of a construction site can use a smartphone to connect to a remote project manager/expert and transmit a live-video of a problem scene. The project manager/expert can draw information into this video right from his workplace which the staff then see instantly and at the correct spatial location. In this way, problems can be better communicated and solved, and employees can be effectively supported from remote not only by voice but also visually. 
The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) under the Collective Research funding scheme. 

-> to the project video

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH
FH OÖ
FH St. Pölten
FOTEC (FH Wiener Neustadt)
IMC FH Krems
TU Wien
20 company partners

Project start: September 2018

Project end: February 2021

Project description 

The project goal is the development and implementation of a training course for mining engineers organised by the Montanuniversität Leoben, in which specific topics and problems of deep mining are dealt with. Geodata is responsible for the module Monitoring and Field Work in the course. 
The project was funded by EIT RawMaterials.

Project consortium 

Geodata ZT GmbH
Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Mining, Engineering and Mineral Economics
7 further science and industry partners

Project start: August 2018

Project end: December 2020

Project description

In the project, Geodata developed a new measuring system for the digital 3D documentation of the tunnel face and tunnel lining (excavation, shotcrete lining). It consists of a 360° panoramic camera including lighting equipment, with which digital images of the tunnel face area are taken from 3-5 tripod positions within a very short time. The images are then processed to create a georeferenced 3D model (point cloud). Based on the 3D model, further project specific results can be derived (tunnel plots, profile diagrams, cubatures, shotcrete thickness, geologically induced overbreak).

The R&D project was an internal company product development.

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH
Geodata MT GmbH
Geodata IT GmbH

Project start: July 2019

Project End: December 2020

Project description

The aim of the DefDrone research project is to detect deformations in large objects such as buildings, dams and slopes using drones. For this purpose, the objects are flown over automatically with one or more drones using a flight plan adapted to the object. A high-resolution, geo-referenced 3D model is then calculated from the measurement data (digital images) in photogrammetric evaluation software and compared with the results of previous flights. The participating partners jointly developed and tested the measurement system from the drone to the evaluation software. 

The project was funded within the framework of the Eureka funding programme.

-> to the project video

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH 
3GSM GmbH
Georesearch Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
Geodata Andina (Chile)

Project start: May 2017

Project end: July 2019

Project description

The project Impact-sXR (Industrial Manufacturing, Process And Collaboration, Tools for Sustainable XR) is about the systematic evaluation of XR technologies (Augmented Reality + Virtual Reality + Mixed Reality) for industrial use. In the course of the project, prototypes will be created in various industrial application environments and areas. Geodata plans to implement an AR prototype for the visualisation of tunnel data at the tunnel face. The project is funded by the FFG in the Collective Research funding programme.

Project consortium 

Geodata ZT GmbH (AT)
ecoplus (AT)
FH St. Pölten (AT)
FH Oberösterreich (AT)
FH Joanneum (AT)
18 further industry/company partners

Project start: September 2021

Project end: August 2023

Project description

Goal of the project is the development of a methodology and software package for the calculation of gravity terrain effects using Digital Elevation Models (SRTM-data) and also a digital bathymetric model of the world’s ocean (GEBCO_2021), and the calculation of various synthetic gravity functionals by combining terrain effects with the results of an evaluation of the Earth Gravity Model 2008 (EGM2008). The main output is the direction (= the deflection of the vertical) and the magnitude of the gravity vector, that can be computed automatically for both above-ground and underground points of geodetic (tunnel) control networks. The results are used to correct gyro-measurements during the evaluation of high-precision control networks in tunnelling projects.

Project consortium

Geodata ZT GmbH (AT)
Department für Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Forschungsbereich Höhere Geodäsie, TU Wien (AT)

Project start: March 2020

Project end: November 2021

Project description

In the project, a hydrological measuring system as well as a measuring system (=Murenei) for the detection and alerting of terrain movements by means of acceleration sensors are developed in cooperation with the University of Innsbruck. The systems are specially designed for use in debris flows or landslides.

The project is financially supported by ÖBB.

Project consortium

Geodata MT GmbH

Universität Innsbruck, Department of Infrastructure, Geotechnical Unit

ÖBB

Project start:  January 2022

Project end:  December 2022