How Digital Surface Models Enhance Construction Planning

As data collection and 3D modeling become more advanced, options such as digital surface models (DSMs) have become increasingly common in construction planning. Modern construction projects need to be planned precisely to limit downtime, material waste and overspending, and DSMs provide the construction planning accuracy and efficiency needed to complete projects effectively.

What Is a Digital Surface Model?

A DSM is a 3D elevation model that includes both artificial and natural features, showing the topography of components such as trees, buildings, and power lines. Due to this perspective, this model is often referred to as a canopy model. You get elevation data about the highest points in a location and a detailed understanding of a potential construction site.

How Digital Surface Models Are Created

DSMs can be made using:

• Satellite imagery: Satellite images provide unique top-down perspectives of elevation once distortion is removed.
• Photogrammetry: Photogrammetry takes multiple images via drones, capturing different angles from multiple locations. The resulting images are imported into software to gather calculations and insights.
• Point clouds: These coordinate sets describe the size and shape of objects in a 3D space, made using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology.

DSM vs. DEM and DTM

Other digital modeling options exist to focus on different aspects of a land area, and they differ slightly from a DSM:

• Digital Elevation Model (DEM): A DEM displays the bare ground, excluding natural and artificial features that are visible in a Digital Surface Model (DSM). DEMs are commonly made with LiDAR technology. They can be used to study flow direction and soil or for planning land use and infrastructure.
• Digital Terrain Model (DTM): A DTM displays elevation data of the ground, including terrain features and contours. They comprise 3D data with X, Y, and Z coordinates, showing height and elevation. This more detailed model can be used for landscape and water studies, as well as for planning infrastructure, such as roads and railways. These models can be created using ground surveys, photogrammetry, satellite imagery, or components from a Digital Surface Model (DSM).

The Role of DSMs in Construction Planning

Because it provides information about geometry, material composition, and elevation, a DSM can be used in every stage of construction planning.

Site Assessment

Evaluate potential job sites with construction site modeling. With a comprehensive view of all 3D structures and surfaces of a location, you can assess terrain, determine potential environmental impact, and decide whether a site will suit your project’s needs.

You can then use the model to easily communicate your site selection and related decisions to planners and stakeholders so they understand the scope of the project.

Grading

Use a digital surface model to determine the earthwork needs of a construction project. With an accurate understanding of the site’s cut and fill needs, you can effectively allocate a budget for materials, equipment, and labor.

Construction Scheduling

A data model aids in effective construction sequencing. Easily determine the necessary phases of a project and order tasks in a way that makes efficient use of time, labor, and resources. With a clear sequencing plan, your team can minimize downtime while communicating necessary timeline information to additional parties, such as engineers, architects, contractors, and suppliers. You can also plan additional logistics, like access routes and equipment placement.

Environmental and Visual Impact Assessments

Easily illustrate the impact of your construction project. You can demonstrate the visual impact of your proposed construction plan, which can help you address concerns from community members and obtain the necessary permits. Modeling can also aid in determining environmental impact, from the steps you need to take for erosion control to how your project may potentially impact local wildlife.

Monitoring and Maintenance Planning

Once construction is complete, you can use models to monitor landscape changes, precisely tracking issues such as surface deformities in roads, ground shifts under railways, the impact of trees on powerlines, and problems with drainage systems.

Benefits of Digital Surface Models for Construction

Digital surface models enhance construction planning by providing a streamlined visualization of a site. When you use DSMs for construction planning, you benefit from:

• Increased accuracy: Thoroughly analyze sites before choosing them or making purchasing and scheduling decisions to improve construction planning accuracy. DSM data can integrate with building information modeling (BIM) and computer-aided design (CAD) software to create more accurate representations of sites
• Enhanced efficiency: Enhance construction efficiency with DSMs, leveraging their high-resolution visualization capabilities and up-to-date surface data. Reduce the risk of reworks or unexpected site issues by having accurate measurements, selecting the right materials, and having an organized schedule and timeline.
• Transparency: With detailed site planning and environmental or visual impact assessments, you can communicate choices to clients, stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and community members as needed. Foster a better relationship with those your construction project can impact. You can also maintain a positive relationship with clients by communicating accurate timelines and budgetary concerns.
• Cost savings: When you know precisely what materials and how much you need, you can order accurately without overspending or acquiring too little, thereby avoiding the need to reorder, which can occur under a rushed timeline and result in additional fees. A DSM will also give you an idea of the construction equipment you’ll need to use to expand your fleet with smaller or larger machinery, if needed.

Best Practices for Using DSMs in Construction

To maximize the effectiveness and accuracy of a DSM in construction planning, follow these steps in data collection and modeling:

• Determine project scope: Establish the information that will be pertinent to your application. By understanding the data you need, you can save time and resources by avoiding the collection of excess information. This efficiency helps keep your construction project on track with its timeline.
• Collect comprehensive and accurate data: During data acquisition, information should be collected about the locations, shapes, sizes, elevations, and textures of relevant features. Collecting all the necessary data at once helps prevent roadblocks later.
• Use specialized software: The software used should be compatible with the data and the method of collection. Geographic Information System (GIS) software interprets data, while 3D modeling software helps visualize it.
• Keep data organized: Clean and organize information by classifying data points, applying filters to them, and reducing their density. This step helps create usable models.
• Conduct quality control checks: Inspect models for errors by comparing the rendered output to the collected data. This check ensures that choices made in your construction project, from material acquisition to general layout, are backed by accurate DSMs.
• Partner with a data preparation company: Outsource takeoff and modeling to 3D construction data experts for accurate interpretations of your site information. The experienced team at TOPS streamlines the data visualization processes to ensure you get a reliable model.

Partner With TOPS to Enhance Construction Efficiency With DSM

Take-off Professionals has decades of experience specializing in 3D data. We undertake over 1,000 projects annually, continually evolving our technology to stay at the cutting edge. With every project, we strive to become your reliable partner, now and in the future. Our dedicated engineers and technicians are prepared to undertake DSM projects of any scope, delivering accurate and meaningful results.

Supply your CAD files, paper plans, and work orders for a high-quality DSM — contact us to get started.