Craweled on Oct. 19, 2024, 4:51 p.m.

Slope Stability: How EAL uses Equator to source topography

How Egmond Associates Ltd. uses Equator to source topographic data and complete slope stability assessments faster

Overview

Founded in 1987, Egmond Associates Ltd (EAL) offers engineering services in Slope Stability, Environmental, Geotechnical, Hydrogeological, and Hydrological Assessments. They have completed thousands of investigations across Canada and the United States. With over 30 years of industry experience, they have honed their skills to include better quality sampling methods, sample control and tracking, and databases to allow us to better serve their clients. EAL’s vision is to become a market leader, guided by senior engineering input and value-added solutions.

Challenge

Julie Vandermuelen is a Project Manager at Egmond Associates. Her role includes completing geotechnical reviews and reports, to better understand the stability of structures, slopes and more.

Much of her work relies on collecting accurate topographic information to support these studies, including cross sections of key features in the study area. To find the topographic data she needs, several different databases of contour maps and historical maps have to be reviewed – a time consuming process!

In some cases, it can be impossible to find accurate topographic information online. When adequate data isn’t available, the slope has to be measured in the field and the contours have to be manually turned into a slope profile by hand.

Solution

EAL needed a next-generation solution for accessing high-resolution topographic data, fast. After being introduced to Equator, Julie quickly recognized that the platform could help save her time searching for topographic data. The team at EAL uses Equator primarily for extracting LiDAR topographic data, including cross sections and contours.

“It has made available an easy to access database of accurate contour mapping and can automatically measure the profile of the slope with the line drawing tool. This provides accurate enough data for the majority of slope stability jobs.”

— JULIE VANDERMUELEN, PROJECT MANAGER @ EGMOND ASSOCIATES LTD.

A typical project for EAL is assessing a property at the top of the slope of a river valley. They often work with property owners that want to renovate the structures on the property. But, before that can happen, EAL’s job is to assess the slope stability and find where the stable top of slope is for planning purposes.

Using the topographic data in Equator, EAL is able to quickly determine the profile of the slope, quickly feeding into their slope stability calculations.

In the past, it could take 2-4 hours to put together the contour maps and slope profiles. If the team had to measure the slope in the field, it could add even more time to the project. Using Equator, it only takes half an hour.

Beyond saving EAL time, Julie enjoys the 3D mapping environment, and is able to provide high quality visual deliverables to her clients.

“I like how the software can show an accurate 3D representation of topography so that I can visualize exactly what the slope of the land looks like.”

— JULIE VANDERMUELEN, PROJECT MANAGER @ EGMOND ASSOCIATES LTD.