Following the severe floods that struck Tweed Shire in February 2022, Bennett + Bennett (B+B) was tasked by SMEC, GHD, and Tweed Shire Council to survey more than fifty landslide locations as part of a $61 million road restoration effort. The floods had caused significant damage, particularly to the road network and to prevent further damage and assess the integrity of existing sites, the damaged sections were required to be surveyed and analysed. B+B employed a new RIEGL VUX-1UAV system attached to a helicopter strut, which allowed them to collect high-quality data without the logistical issues typical of remotely piloted aircraft. The helicopter could safely fly over active traffic routes and private properties without needing special permissions. Moreover, it enabled rapid deployment and data collection from up to 14 sites in a single day, far surpassing the drone's capacity of three sites per day. The collected data was processed and verified against ground survey data before developing the terrain model. This involved categorising the exposed ground within the point cloud and creating a digital terrain model. The aerial data was then integrated with the ground survey data to produce a unified 3D survey model. Additionally, detailed 2D drawings were prepared for each site, incorporating all the gathered information to meet the requirements of all stakeholders involved. Bennett + Bennett worked closely with construction contractors to assist in the set-out and as-constructed surveys for the repaired sections of roads. For our work on this project, Bennett + Bennett was awarded the Regional Winner of the Geospatial Excellence Award for NSW in the Geospatial Enablement category.
SERVICES:
Established in 1968 on the Gold Coast, we have been privileged to play a significant role in key projects and areas of development that have helped shape South East Queensland and NSW.