Why

‘Coping with risk situations can be complex and controversial. Government and industry have devoted considerable resources to developing and applying techniques of risk analysis and risk characterization in order to make better informed and more trustworthy decisions about hazards to human health, welfare, and the environment, yet these methods often fail to meet expectations that they can improve decision making (National Research council, 1996, pp. 1-2)’.

Adequate, measurable and sufficient knowledge of our built environment is a crucial source of information in planning for the event of natural disasters, accidents and terrorism.

Currently, time-consuming techniques, such as Theodolithes, Total Stations and Photogrammetry are being used; these tools only provided limited information to decision makers and authorities. Most of the spatial information used in prediction of hazards is two-dimensional: plan, sections and elevations, these deliverables have proven to be insufficient in meeting requirements for risk characterization.

In recent times, a number of innovative approaches have been developed using laser scanning to improve the way the real world is captured, everything is acquired three-dimensionally providing the potential of manipulating space with a three-dimensional approach. Information about these projects is scattered throughout institutions and companies worldwide and basically outside Europe.

The built environment consists of complex components with irregular geometries and surfaces, the use of laser scanning offers an outstanding opportunity to capture and model reality. These resulting models can be used for more accurate simulations in risk awareness.

This advanced three-dimensional technique using laser scanning has proven to be the best as-built documentation solution, providing highly accurate measurements to provide a consistent and up-to-date "digitized environment", reducing costly investment in time-consuming prediction of risk in prevention for disasters.

The result in using these techniques is translated in reduced costs, optimized schedules, increased quality and improved safety, with infrastructure renovation investment for improving security reduced by more than 80% and therefore generating at least ten times investment return.

However, these technologies are not currently present in the formal training at professional level (under and graduate level – short specialized courses), most training activities are carry-out by resellers of the technology, this makes these technologies inaccessible to an increasing number of engineers.

This project from the community standpoint seeks to address these issues by providing a number of  ‘ICT-supported learning training tools’ that can be used and adopted by academic institutions in their current curriculum. 

In the long term, this will improve the capacity that ‘spatial information’ is acquired by adapting advanced three-dimensional recording techniques, such as laser scanning. Spatial information is a very important component for better ‘meet expectations that they can improve decision making’, especially in studying the built environment.
In addition, the project also seeks to link the needs for risk awareness in studying the built environment and the development in high precision measurement.

Risk management in this proposal is associated to the need of identifying and/or characterizing ‘hazards’ posed by the current state of our built environment. By improving the amount knowledge gathered using these advanced mapping instruments the characterization of those risks will be improve a better informed decision will be taken.

Who

The project group consists of eight partners coming from six EU countries : 4 academic institutions (KaHo Sint-Lieven Ghent (BE), Universitate a tehnica “GH.Asachi” Iasi(RO), University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna(AT),  (Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (ES), 2 surveying companies BnS (BE) and Globe (BE), a large experienced company Plowman Craven and Associates PCA (UK) and an independent quality expert DelftTech (NL) .

The multidisciplinary group of experts represented by these institutions consist of information users, technology providers and information providers.

The academic institutions and BnS (BE) represent the information users group, while PCA and Globe represent both technology and information providers. As mentioned above DelftTech (NL) will serve independent quality controller to the training package results.

What

a modernisation of European education and training systems in three-dimensional spatial information acquisition for risk characterization using laser scanning.

Tangible and intangible training approach outcomes:

Tangible outcomes:

A European academic curriculum covering the ‘spatial information’ requirements for adequate characterization of risks that includes:

1. Produce an electronic and easy accesible teaching package for 3D- spatial information surveying with focus on the use of laser scanning, based in practical case studies and exercises where the trainees can develop competences
2. An electronic training tool consisting of interactive tutorials, and examples/good practice.
3. An Information System consisting of decision making flowcharts illustrated with images and examples of deliverables (output), in which the user will learn how to decide and apply these tools in preventive surveying for risk awareness (management).
4. An information hub, containing a reference database of techniques, methods and technology
5. A network of academic institutions and industries capable for providing support and training on risk characterization and ‘spatial information requirements’

This developed learning package can be disseminated to surveying companies and universities via the European surveying network EEGECS and other international remote sensing organizations. The proposal partners are associated to these organizations.

Intangible outcomes:

1. Improving the procedures that spatial information is gathered for risk characterization in the built environment
2. Better informed professional in the field of three-dimensional mapping and its application in risk management
3. Contribution to European standards for requirements of three-dimensional spatial information for risk characterization.
4. Encouraging an European labour market in this field
5. Facilitate exchanges of experiences and good practices among European partners.
6. Contribute to the competitiveness and entrepreneurship in Europe in this field

How

Produce innovative training tools using ICT tailored to initial vocational levels: under and gradate at University level, as well as at professional levels.

The project will be developed throughout a number of phases:

Phase 1 (WP3):  Training tools: requirements: identification of particular user group in each country, current ‘state of the art assessment and market study’ carried out by partners, but more specifically by the academic instituions.
Phase 2 (WP4): Training tools: development: based on phase 1 deliverables, development of training tools with collaboration of ‘hands-on opportunities’ provided by companies and reflecting results on ‘course material development’ to be prepared by all universities
Phase 3 (WP5): Training tools: valorisation: testing and feedback targeted to ‘optimising the study-material’ is organised by testing groups in all universities, ‘intermediate and final project evaluation’ will be carried out by the independent expert from the Netherlands. Please review E1 for specific Work Packages and partner’s roles in the development of the project.
Phase 4 (WP6): Training tools: dissemination and deployment: after testing phase, identified problems will be improved, a tool will be deployed and evaluate, a final report will be drafted. Please review E1 for specific Work Packages and partner’s roles in the development of the project.

References:
Stern, P. Fineberg, H. ed. ‘Understanding risk: informing decisions in a democratic Society National Academy Pres, Washington, D.C. 1996