GIS Essentials in CAD: Aerial Imagery, Terrain & Google Earth Visualization

NICK CHANAKOULAS: Hello, everyone. First of all, I would like to thank you for joining me in this session. Indeed, it is truly an honor to once again participate in Autodesk University, introducing our software, Plex-Earth.

Before we begin, please allow me to share a bit about myself. I'm Nick Chanakoulas. I'm a civil engineer. And having worked both in design and construction allowed me to get valuable insights into the needs and challenges faced by engineers. So if you are a civil engineer like myself, you've likely encountered the need to incorporate GIS data into your work, simply because you cannot plan design and make decisions without knowing your project's area actual conditions.

And being here today means that you have faced issues with both the availability and the compatibility of such data. Do you remember how many times you have had a tough time dealing with the various data sources from getting the data on time to processing them with complicated GIS software? Well, these hurdles resonate with many of us, and that is why I'm here to show you a simple way.

But why is GIS data so crucial? Let's look at the numbers. Two very common causes of cost overruns in construction projects are inaccurate estimates and serious design errors. Actually, the third most important mistake an engineer should avoid is not having a holistic view of a project, because this leads to ignoring key components, which results to redesign and reworks. The redesign costs, on average, amount to 8.5% of the construction change cost, while the direct costs of reworks have been found to range between 10% to 15% of the construction value.

In addition, the sixth most important delay cause for the completion of a project is the underestimation of costs due to insufficient feasibility studies and surveys. Therefore, we can see that the decisions made during the early stages of design have a direct effect on the cost, the time frame, and the budget of a project. So you can imagine the impact key GIS data has to your project and business.

Now, let's think what kind of geospatial data are essential for any AEC project. Think of where your next project will be. What do you know about this area? Not only where it is located, but the general view.

For example do you know what kind of challenges will you face? Can you predict possible obstacles and challenges induced by its terrain morphology? Is your design aligned with its surroundings? Imagine all the advantages you could gain by suddenly having answers to all these and many more questions, that prevent you from having a complete understanding of your area, even before you draw the first lines in a drawing, from the very beginning of the preliminary design, so as to avoid all the design and budget threats discussed earlier.

So what we're talking about is the civil trinity of imagery, terrain, and visualization. Unfortunately, getting project data from the early stages of the design is not always possible. As you know, in order to collect geospatial information, surveyors visit the project area carrying with them a wide range of tools, such as [INAUDIBLE] stations, GPS, or now also drones. And although these data are highly accurate and useful, acquiring them is a time consuming and expensive process. Additionally, you may use comprehensive GIS software, which typically isn't cost effective and can be overly complicated, thus creating a bottleneck in the design flow.

So let's meet Plex-Earth, which almost 15 years ago revolutionized civil design workflows by offering a way to get design-ready geospatial data within a few minutes, without having to physically visit the project site. In other words, to be able to get the actual field conditions right inside AutoCAD, from the comfort of our office, thus making the design and construction process much easier, profitable, and efficient.

Here are the main features of Plex-Earth. First is the ability to import high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery into AutoCAD designs from the largest providers in the field, to use them as background to our designs. Additionally, you can access historical images data sets, to track projects and areas over various time periods. Second is importing terrain data, creating contour lines, and performing advanced terrain analysis for understanding the morphology of the field. And third is the communication of AutoCAD with Google Earth, by creating KML and KMZ files, and by importing or exporting 2D or 3D drawings for visualization purposes.

In order to gain a more practical understanding of how the above concepts are applied, let's showcase some real-life examples from our clients. In our first case, Stantec faced a challenge in presenting their design proposals to their clients and stakeholders. However, Plex-Earth enabled them to access high-quality imagery from various providers effortlessly. Integrating Plex-Earth with Infraworks allowed them to show what airport hangars would look like for securing a new contract.

For our second case, of the University of the Republic in Uruguay, Plex-Earth became an integral part of the curriculum within the faculty of architecture, design, and urbanism. This allowed the students to develop a sense of scale and context, as well as they were able to connect their designs with the real world.

Let's look at another example for Dynamic Engineering. They make smart use of Plex-Earth while designing, for quickly generating terrains and contours for the conceptual layout phase of their project, to identify important ground details and highlight critical problems. What's even cooler is that they create spatial KML files with points from their AutoCAD drawings, to help their survey teams when they fly over the project areas.

Lastly, Plex-Earth time use features was a game changer for Saleh Saeed Taishan and Sons, for their [? Bida ?] city road project. Dealing with a sandy and agricultural terrain, the historical imagery provided valuable insights into environmental changes over time. The resulting route was aligned with the natural topography, minimizing cutting materials for backfilling.

So enough with the theory. It's time to dive into the presentation of Plex-Earth. And for that, we will switch to our AutoCAD screen. We will start with the import of satellite and aerial imagery, as it is a very useful tool for any engineer, with various applications. This will allow us to use the image as a background on which to base our design, to identify potential locations for our construction site, choose the best route to transport our materials, measure distances for our project budget, plan or map a network, identify potential obstacles for our project, or even to spot damages and measure cracks on [? our ways. ?]

We will begin with a blank drawing, without the need for any initial setup at this point. All we have to do is to locate our project area in Google Earth. Here, we will create a placemark, and we will copy it. We return to AutoCAD and click on Plex-Earth's Quick View command. Plex-Earth will automatically identify the location, assign the respective coordinate system to the drawing, and import the image displayed in Google Earth in AutoCAD, georeferenced and in the correct scale.

On this side panel, we find additional information about this image. Moreover, most importantly, in this list, Plex-Earth displays all the available image providers for this location. Note that Plex-Earth offers access to Nearmap, Hexagon, Azure, [? OpenStreetMap, ?] or any other imagery provider available on the internet, by connecting to [? WMS ?] or [INAUDIBLE] servers.

As you zoom in, you may notice that the image becomes pixelated, and you may require higher quality. Since the quick view encompasses the entire area with just one image, we can click the Update View button to align the image with the extents of our viewport, thus determining the suitable zoom level for our requirements. Let's now see our premium content as well.

Hexagon offers 6 inches and 12 inches imagery, across the entire US. Their advantage is that their datasets cover whole states at uniform quality and resolution, in both urban and rural areas. Taking into consideration that they also update their datasets regularly, Hexagon allows us to design our projects over an up-to-date and seamless imagery background.

Nearmap, on the other hand, offers ultrahigh-resolution of 3 inches in urban areas, which is always very recent, as they update their content three to four times per year. You can see the level of quality available as we zoom in.

What happens, though, if we want to cover a large area with a specific zoom level? Let's switch to a larger-scale roadway design project, and see how to import high-resolution background imagery for the area that we are interested in. First of all, note that this drawing is already georeferenced. However, if we want to assign a specific coordinate system, we can do that from the thousands of coordinate system Plex-Earth supports worldwide, grouped by region. We can even preview our area in the background to verify that we have chosen the correct coordinate system.

Here it is. Yeah. So as we showed with Plex-Earth Quick View, you can easily determine the image quality that best fits your project needs. Let's click the Update view button to adjust the image to the extents of our viewport. Here it is. Zoom Level 19 here suits our needs.

We will now click the Create Image Mosaic button, and specify the area in order to cover the selected area with the same quality. Plex-Earth Image Mosaic Editor allow us to select exactly the image styles that we need for our project. Let's bring the selected images.

One characteristic that makes Plex-Earth unique is that, with each mosaic functionality, it brings each tile individually georeferenced to achieve the best accuracy possible. We wait until the operation is completed. And we can hide the Quick View, if we want, as well as the grid lines over here. And we send the image to back.

Plex-Earth also offers additional image customization options. For example, we can create clippings or cutouts, and also to rotate or move the image. But we can even adjust parameters, like the brightness and the transparency. Here it is. And of course, we can undo all our changes.

Finally, because these images are Plex-Earth elements, they will load into our design every time. We open our drawing from the program server. However, if we want we can save these images locally as simple image files, and have them inside AutoCAD as xref files, as we have done with any image added to a drawing, and export them to other software, as well. All I have to do is to click Create Raster Images from Mosaic Imagery from the Insert button.

So we saw that Plex-Earth enables us to import georeferenced, high-quality, and readily available image backgrounds for immediate use in our designs. It is also very important that we have the ability to make the best choice for each case, both in terms of image quality and of imagery provider. Through these images, we can very quickly obtain information about the conditions prevailing in our area, and get its general view, which will help us in our decision making.

In the field of imagery, however, Plex-Earth has one more unique feature-- that of extended historical imagery. In the example, we saw before, we were getting the most recent image available from the providers. But how recent is this? What if we want an image which is just a few days ago? What if we also want to see how a construction site, a coastline, or a quarry changed over time. Or what are the effects of a fire, a flood, or another natural disaster on an ongoing project of ours?

This is where the concept of historical imagery comes in. When we talk about historical images, we are referring to the vast data sets of our premium partners, [INAUDIBLE] and [INAUDIBLE], that contain satellite images spanning from just a few days ago, to even 15 years back. Let's open Google Earth. We will go to the Alliance Football Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

We can see that the image is from 2017, six years ago. In reality, this stadium has been torn down and been replaced with a new Sydney football stadium. Let's see what it looks like today.

We return to AutoCAD and click on Create Timeline. We specify the area and wait for Plex-Earth to fetch all the available datasets. We see that the most recent imagery is from just three days ago. Let's select it.

Here it is. We can see that things have changed a lot. Our image shows the new stadium, whose construction has been completed. Now, let's see what happens in between by tracking the different construction phases of the new stadium. In order to create a sequence of historical images, we just add more images to our timeline.

We bring up the list again. And we can see that the images span all the way back to 2018, and that apart from the capture date, additional information such as cloud coverage and whether the image is colored or grayscale, is provided to us here. Let's add an image from the 1st of January, 2022. Let's add it.

We can thus very easily see the various stages of the stadium's construction. Actually, let's add another date. This time from the 23rd of September, 2021. Here it is. Let's add this data as well.

Now that we've added the desired dates, we've created our timeline, and can click through the images, and view our project's progress over time. I have already done that, so we can see that here, over here. And of course-- let's click here.

And of course, this is not the only application of this exciting feature. For example, let's see two different projects types. In the first one, we can observe how a query has evolved over time. In the second one, we can see the fall of the water level in a hydraulic dam reservoir, due to the operation of the power generation facility during an extended heatwave period.

So we just saw all the amazing things Plex-Earth can do with top-down satellite and aerial imagery. Now, let's expand to three dimensions with our next two features. We will proceed with the terrain feature.

Terrain plays an important role in all civil engineering applications, such as infrastructure design, hydraulic studies, earthworks, and flood control. Through terrain models, engineers have a more accurate understanding of the morphology of the area of interest. In order to obtain elevation data, in situ measurements are usually required. But although surveying data of a great accuracy during the conceptual and preliminary design phases, as we already mentioned, it is not always necessary, or we do not have the time or the budget flexibility to acquire them.

Plex-Earth, however, offers the ability to easily create 3D terrain models, literally in seconds, by taking data from providers with global coverage-- namely Google Earth, [INAUDIBLE], and Amazon's AWS. It also provides the capability to rapidly create detailed 3D terrain models from existing points, [? polylines, ?] contours, or [? geotiff ?] files. Let's see this in practice.

This time, we'll use the New Terrain command, and once more select our area of interest. Plex-Earth will fetch elevations and automatically generate the contour lines for this area. All we have to do is to wait a little bit. Now that the created contours-- please note that the created contours can dynamically be parameterized. For example, we can change the color or the intervals of the major and the minor contour lines, and these changes will take place instantly.

Moreover, by using the [? Inquire ?] button, we can retrieve information about a specific location on our terrain. We can also add labels to see contour altitudes. Here it is. We can also choose to perform further terrain analysis, based on either of the following three parameters-- elevation, slope, or direction. We select Elevation, and define the number of ranges, the corresponding color, and click Create. Our analysis is ready.

We know that many of you will need to use terrain models created with Plex-Earth with other software and tools. For such cases, we can use the Insert command. Here, we see all the supported formats. We can import the contour lines as AutoCAD polylines, mesh object, as well as elevation points. Let's choose the thin mesh, for example.

However, our terrain capabilities do not end here. For example, we can combine imagery mosaics with terrain, thus creating 3D imagery. This can be done with the Drape Image command. Additionally, we can place AutoCAD objects on the terrain by snapping them on the surface, a feature that can expedite the design process, or help us achieve precise 3D representation of our proposals.

But bridging the design with its real environment does not stop here, because now we can move on to the next feature of Plex-Earth, which is visualization in Google Earth. We all know what a powerful tool Google Earth is, and with Plex-Earth you can take full advantage of its capabilities, in order to examine how a design interacts with its real-world environment and showcase your ideas in all their glory.

Going to the KML Tool command line, we click on the Export KML/KMZ command. We select the objects we want to export to Google Earth and we define how we want them to be placed in Google Earth. Plex-Earth then creates the corresponding KML file. I should emphasize that Gmail is a file that opens in Google Earth, and in this case contains our drawings information.

After creating it, if we open the file, we are automatically taken to our area in Google Earth. Thus, within a very short period of time, we have a complete picture of our project in its real environment. At the same time, all the original information and layers of our design have been retained so that, if we want, we can disable or enable a specific one.

Additionally, if we have a 3D model with textures and materials, like this one, we can use the Export 3D KMZ command. I have an example, in Google Earth here, of this wastewater treatment plant. And following the same process, we can view our project in Google Earth. We can also create various views and switch between them, in order to create short presentation videos and share them with our clients, colleagues, and partners.

Note that we can also go the opposite route, and import already created KML files that you may have directly into your AutoCAD drawing, with the command Import KML/KMZ. Or we can even use copy and paste for specific Google Earth layers. For example, this KML file shows the land uses of an area.

We want some of these areas to be transferred in AutoCAD. To do so, we just right click on the element, and copy and paste in AutoCAD, using CTRL+V. And if we want, we can also add one more of these element.

Now, as I promised, we will delve into the synergy with various software tools, and provide insights into how you can incorporate Plex-Earth elements into your design solutions. Plex-Earth can integrate with Autodesk Vehicle Tracking for accurate analysis of road design projects, like intersections, roundabouts, and parking layouts. Here, we use this integration to analyze vehicle movements in a roundabout surrounded by tall buildings.

We inserted the Plex-Earth image as a reference, and Autodesk vehicle tracking simulated vehicle paths. These predictions can be seen in AutoCAD, and [INAUDIBLE] with real imagery from Plex-Earth. The analysis can be viewed throughout animations, flyby cameras, or drivers POV. Exporting the analysis to Google Earth for better visualization is also possible by using Plex-Earth tools.

Moreover, our collaboration with Virto.CAD helps solar park designers to quickly calculate and analyze their projects using accurate terrain models, and Plex-Earth can be used to import terrain, so as to define the project area. Virto.CAD then figures out where to place solar panels within the area, avoiding places where the user-defined criteria, like slope and orientation, are not met. And if we want to see what the project will look like in the real world, again we can visualize it in Google Earth.

So if you are an engineer using other software tools within your design process that you believe would be boosted by Plex-Earth data, just give it a go, or talk to us if you require specific customizations. And if you are a plugin or software developer, let's talk to see how our solutions can work together much better.

So as we wrap up our presentation, let me summarize. Plex-Earth offers engineers a unique way to gather essential GIS data for their projects. By importing imagery and terrain data, and providing Google Earth visualization, you optimize your design workflow, avoid mistakes, and gain valuable insights necessary for accurate decision making.

Unfortunately, all things have come to an end, so thank you all for your time and attention. If you are interested in learning more, please don't hesitate to contact us at support@plexscape.com, or visit our website, www.plexearth.com. You can explore our software's capabilities through our seven-day, fully-functional, free trial, and we're here to support you at every stage of your journey.

Once again, a big thank you to Autodesk for their exceptional hosting. Until next time, take care.