Costain uses Google Earth on highways job

Grant Prior 9 years ago
Share

A Costain team is using Google Earth to help build its £193m A556 upgrade in Cheshire. 

Costain experts said Google Earth is easier for all members of the team to understand than CAD software.

James Heaton, Costain BIM Technician, has devised a way to export the scheme’s 3D model information to Google Earth.

This can then be viewed and shared with all Google Earth users on the project, from administrative staff to senior engineers.

Heaton said: “Publishing it on Google Earth makes it very accessible.

“Not everyone is familiar with CAD software, which can be a bit intimidating, but everyone knows how to use Google Earth.”

He added: “Information comes from many different parties and in different formats. Now the project team has it all in one place, and they will also be able to add more data as the job progresses.

“It’s been very useful for new starters: they can just load up Google Earth and instantly see where we are on the project.”

The Highways Agency projec began in November and includes construction of a new section of dual carriageway, and de-trunking to the existing A556 trunk road between M6 Junction 19, near Knutsford, and M56 Junction 7 near Bowdon.

Work is expected to be complete in winter 2016/2017.

David Owens, Costain Design and BIM Manager, said: “This is a long, thin linear scheme spread over 7.5km with lots of interfaces with features such as local side roads.

“We’re also working in an environmentally sensitive area with populations of newts and badgers and the tool show us exactly where they are.

“We’ve also been able to add information such as the location of the two temporary compounds.

“I believe it’s a tool that could prove very useful on any linear project, be it road, rail or utility.”

Latest news

Kier wins £118m civil service Darlington hub

Work is expected to start towards the end of this year
15 mins ago

LHC starts race for major retrofit and decarb framework

Hunt starts for firms to help with 6.1m social homes upgrade target
5 hours ago

Windows giant Everest crashes into administration

Around 350 jobs at risk while hunt starts for a buyer to salvage business
5 hours ago

Green light for £500m Newcastle health complex

Mixed use scheme will promote healthy living across all stages of life
5 hours ago

Olympian Homes gets go-ahead for Bristol’s tallest building

Work on student and co-living towers to start this summer
4 hours ago

ISG gets nod to start £20m Glamorgan school job

Ysgol y Deri specialist needs school is to built at Cosmeston, near Penarth
4 hours ago

Walker Modular lands £5m bathroom pod contract

Specialist to work with Graham and Watkin Jones on major build-to-rent scheme

Banned building boss jailed for fraud

Court hears how disqualified director siphoned off cash from new housing company
5 hours ago

Osborne staff start looking for new jobs

"Open to Work" flags appear on LinkedIn profiles
3 days ago

Plan rejected for 42-storey tower above historic building

Councillor describes as ludicrous plan to build 300 flats above Georgian mansion
3 days ago

Ventilation deal could hike product prices for contractors

Watchdogs at CMA launch probe after duct firm acquires rival
3 days ago

Tide gets go-ahead for London 412 student flats scheme

Volumetric developer secures planning for West Ealing project
3 days ago

Green light for £75m Friar Gate Goods Yard in Derby

Construction set to start this summer on revamp of historic buildings
3 days ago

Robertson to deliver £45m Newcastle NHS Trust works

Capital works will be focused on Freeman Hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary sites
3 days ago

Winners named for £2bn Healthy Homes framework

CHIC reveals line-up of over 40 firms for net zero and building safety works
3 days ago

Plan lodged for tallest skyscraper outside London

Developer Salboy submits plan for 76-storey Manchester resi tower
4 days ago

Curo starts £170m race for new homes framework

Bath housing association plans to build up to 300 homes a year
4 days ago

Gove approves major Cambridge North mixed-use scheme

Government backs controversial scheme of 424 flats and 600,000 sq ft of tech and lab space
4 days ago

Pontins holiday park to house Sizewell C builders

Suffolk holiday park to house 500 nuclear construction workers
4 days ago

Adrian Bloor targets 1,000 homes-a-year

Expansion plans after major investment into challenger house building business HarperCrewe
4 days ago

Housing firm fined £528,000 after cable strike

Maintenance workers given no information on underground services
4 days ago

Berkeley subbies face six weeks without payments

Introduction of new finance software means payment hiatus for suppliers
5 days ago

Pagabo reveals 56 winners of latest £1.6bn retrofit deal

Decarbonisation Solutions Framework launched: Full list of winners
5 days ago

Go-ahead for £100m Liverpool Love Lane flats

500-flat scheme will be built across four blocks in Vauxhall area of city
5 days ago

Unions win HS2 site access battle at Old Oak Common job

Skanska, Costain, Strabag JV now the last denying unions access to HS2 sites
5 days ago

Contractors jack 1,100t viaduct into place in 13-hour operation

158m-long composite deck structure jacked into place 10-hours ahead of schedule
5 days ago

Wates wins former Daily Mail printworks transformation

British Land advances major cultural venue at London’s Canada Water
6 days ago

Mace poaches Ramboll chief to be Head of Engineering

Martin Feakes will develop civil and structural engineering offer at Mace
6 days ago

Subcontractors form alliance for major civils jobs

Trio of specialists join forces to collaborate and offer Tier 1 contractors a turnkey solution
6 days ago

Fear of supply chain failures boosting collaboration

Procurement survey also reveals project bank account use is rising
6 days ago

Contractor services