Infographic: What is Reality Capture?
Thousands of dams were constructed all over the globe after World War II, before the dawn of computer-aided design (CAD). Built without digital models, the task of maintaining and protecting these designated critical-infrastructure assets-and the people they serve with water and power-is difficult and costly. But it’s becoming more urgent in a era of escalating climate change.
Enter realilty capture: Through technology, civil engineers can collect highly detailed data, create 3D models, and use them to repair and maintain dams for hundreds of years.
Dams around the world
There are more than 800,000 dams (58,519 of them large dams) on the planet. More that have operated for more than 50 years and many need maintenance and repair. Here’s snapshot of five large dams on four continents that could be better maintained with help from reality capture technology.Once engineers capture accurate measurement, GPS data, and images, they can use the information to create a 3D model. Then they can merge the model with real-time performance data, which becomes an invaluable tool for dam operators to manage facilities, identify issues, and mitigate risks.