Trimble and Condor Earth Technologies of the US have announced that they will work together to provide real-time global positioning system (GPS)-based equipment for monitoring the structural integrity of dams.
Real-time GPS 3D monitoring technology provides engineers and plant managers lead-time to mitigate potentially hazardous situations without the need for expensive and time-intensive data postprocessing.
Condor's 3D Tracker is a software package that will use Trimble's survey-grade GPS receivers to compute real-time millimetre-level 3D positions. Data from GPS receivers located on the target structure is transferred, via a modem, wireless radio or network connection, to a personal computer in an office, which processes the data in real time. The positions are reported through a series of maps, charts and numerical outputs for each site monitored.
Once configured, the system requires little maintenance. The software provides notification by pager, e-mail or cell phone when motion thresholds are exceeded. Operators can have full remote control over the system from anywhere in the world.
