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CHC-NSC 2018 Conference P a g e | 1

ABSTRACT BOOK


Contents INTEGRATED SOLUTION FOR SEAFLOOR MAPPING, PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION, March 27, 2018 – 9:30 to 10:00 . 5

PLANNING, FRONTIER-AREA SURVEYS, RESURVEY, HYDROGRAPHIC RISK AND UNCERTAINTY ......................................... 6

Hydrographic Risk Assessment – Antarctica, March 27, 2018 – 10:00 to 10:20 ................................................................ 6

Yukon River Delta Investigations to Support Satellite Derived Bathymetry Validation, March 27, 2018 – 10:20 to 10:40

............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Uncertainty Estimates in Satellite Derived Bathymetry, March 27, 2018 – 11:20 to 11:40 ............................................... 9

Assessing Sounding Density for a Seabed 2030 Initiative, March 27, 2018 – 11:40 to 11:45 .......................................... 10

Topographic-Bathymetric Lidar Total Propagated Uncertainty Modeling, March 27, 2018 – 11:45 to 11:50 ................. 11

The Future of Crowdsourced Bathymetry: Fishfinder vs Leadline, March 27, 2018 – 11:50 to 12:00 ............................. 12

CHC Technical Session: DATA ACQUISITION - AIRBORNE AND AUTOMATED SURVEYING, ACQUISITION PLATFORMS

AND INNOVATION ................................................................................................................................................................ 13

Best Practices for Shallow Water Topo-Bathymetric Lidar Surveys, March 27, 2018 – 1:00 to 1:20 ............................... 13

Spatial Resolution of Airborne Bathymetric Lidar: Point Density vs Light Scattering, March 27, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40 .... 14

Shoreline Verification Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), March 27, 2018 – 1:40 to 2:00 ...................................... 15

Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel Bathymetric Survey, March 27, 2018 – 2:00 to 2:20 ....................................... 16

Autonomous Navigation of US Nautical Charts, March 27, 2018 – 2:20 to 2:30.............................................................. 17

CHC Technical Session: DATA PROCESSING AND DATA MANAGEMENT ............................................................................ 18

Evaluating Externally Sourced Bathymetric Data for Nautical Charting Purposes, March 27, 2018 – 3:00 to 3:20 ......... 18

Linking Hydrographic Data Acquisition and Processing to Ocean Model Simulations, March 27, 2018 – 3:20 to 3:40 .. 19

Lidar Data Integration for Nautical Publication and Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Workflows-Common Issues and

Experiences at NOAA and CHS. March 27, 2018 – 3:40 to 4:00 ...................................................................................... 20

Charlene and Automated Hydrographic Data Processing, March 27, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20 .............................................. 21

Eastern Canada Bathymetric LiDAR survey, March 27, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20 .................................................................... 22

Professional Development and Education .......................................................................................................................... 23

Update on UNCLOS, March 28, 2018 – 8:30 to 8:50......................................................................................................... 23

Canadian Hydrographer Certification Scheme, March 28, 2018 – 8:50 to 9:10 ............................................................... 24

IHO Cat A or B Programs in Canada and Overseas, March 28, 2018 – 9:10 to 9:30 ......................................................... 25

The Canadian Ocean Mapping Research and Education Network (COMREN), March 28, 2018 – 9:30 to 9:50 ............... 26

Hydrography and Policy Developments .............................................................................................................................. 27

Why Did the Clipper Clip It? – The Clipper Adventurer Grounding, March 28, 2018 – 10:30 to 11:00 ............................ 27

S-121 – Maritime Limits and Boundaries and Land Administration Domain Model, March 28, 2018 – 11:00 to 11:20 .. 28

Canada's Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure and Marine Cadastre application, March 28, 2018 – 11:20 to 11:40 ....... 29

Offshore Infrastructure Surveys – Preliminary Findings, March 28, 2018 – 11:40 to 12:00 ............................................ 30

Recent Developments in Precise GNSS-Based Positionning and Near-Term Opportunities, March 28, 2018 – 1:00 to

1:20 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 31


Surveying on the Ellipsoid: A Hydrographic Perspective, March 28, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40 ................................................ 32

Canadian Geodetic Survey: Supporting Surveying and Geoscience Needs on Land and in Canada’s Coastal Regions,

March 28, 2018 – 1:40 to 2:00 .......................................................................................................................................... 33

Canada's Continuous Vertical Datum (CVD), March 28, 2018 – 2:00 to 2:20 ................................................................... 34

Practical Hydrography .......................................................................................................................................................... 35

Early Detection of Bridge Scour, March 28, 2018 – 3:00 to 3:20 ...................................................................................... 35

Autonomous vehicles: The Canadian Hydrographic Service Journey. March 28, 2018 – 3:20 to 3:40 ........................... 36

Port Terminal Facility Surveys with Multi-beam and Vessel Mounted Terrestiral Scanner, March 28, 2018 – 3:40 to

4:00 Speaker: Ted Cain, Lead Hydrogropher, Public Services & Procurement Canada .................................................. 37

Supporting Cable and ROV Surveys in British Columbia and Overseas, March 28, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20 .......................... 38

Survey of Natural Boundaries Using Drones, March 28, 2018 – 4:20 to 4:40 .................................................................. 39

CHARTING, NAVIGATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.................................................................................................. 40

QPS Nautical Charting Workflow: Walking a Ping from the Surveyor All the Way to the Pilot, March 29, 2018 – 8:10 to

8:30 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 40

Benefits and Impacts to Nautical Charting by Adopting a New Reference Frame, March 29, 2018 – 8:50 to 9:10 ......... 42

Bathymetric Surfaces to Charted Features: Defining a Smooth Path to Safety, March 29, 2018 – 9:30 to 9:50 ............. 44

OTHER INNOVATIONS .......................................................................................................................................................... 45

A Design for a Trusted Community Bathymetry System, March 29, 2018 – 10:30 to 10:50 ............................................ 45

Radiometric Complications in Multibeam Multispectral Backscatter Data Due to Different Transmission Approaches,

Solution and Results, March 29, 2018 – 10:50 to 11:10 ................................................................................................... 46

Quantifying the Impact of Internal Wave Activity on Multibeam Bathymetry, March 29, 2018 – 11:10 to 11:30 .......... 47

Improved Sound Speed Control Through Remotely Detecting Thermocline Undulations, March 29, 2018 – 11:30 to

11:50 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 48

Comparing the Automatic Boresight Calibration against the Patch Test, March 29, 2018 – 11:50 to 12:00 ................... 49

SURVEYS, MAPPING AND THE VERTICAL COMPONENT...................................................................................................... 50

Utilization of U.S. Geodetic Service coastal water level gauges in Mississippi to check VDatum tidal datum to NAD83

vertical separations, March 29, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40 ........................................................................................................ 51

Integrating Bathymetric Datasets in the Lower Saint John River to produce a Common Reference Surface, March 29,

2018 – 1:40 to 2:00 ........................................................................................................................................................... 52

MS-PAC: Multibeam System Automatic Parameter calibration, March 29, 2018 – 10:40 to 11:00 ................................. 53

Description MS-PAC: Multibeam System Automatic Parameter calibration .................................................................... 53

The Rapid Harbor Search and Rescue by Mapping and Detecting the Seafloor with Acoustic Instruments, March 29,

2018 – 2:20 to 2:25 ........................................................................................................................................................... 54

Closing Keynote - FROM JUAN DE FUCA TO THE SALISH SEA: VOYAGING THE WATERWAY OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

PAST AND PRESENT, March 29, 2018 – 2:30 to 3:30 ........................................................................................................... 55

Challenging Cadastral Survey Project .................................................................................................................................. 56

Surveyor General Leads Development of ParcelMap BC .................................................................................................. 56


Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Northwest Territories-InukshukGeomtics Inc. .............................................................. 57

Challenging Non Cadastral Survey Project .......................................................................................................................... 58

Engineering Survey of the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch .............................................................................. 58

Survey Challenges Related to Installation and Integration of Topside Modules .............................................................. 59

The George Massey Tunnel Automated Monitoring Project ............................................................................................ 60


INTEGRATED SOLUTION FOR SEAFLOOR MAPPING, PROCESSING AND

DISTRIBUTION, March 27, 2018 – 9:30 to 10:00 Speaker: Arne Johan Hestnes Bio Arne Hestnes graduated with a Masters degree, in algorithm design for machine learning, at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. As a former NATO captain he ran an ESRI and ERDAS based survey unit during the war in the Balkans. The focus now is on integrating Kongsberg sensors, prioritizing multi and single beam echo sounders, in an open Cloud environment, KognifAi. Description Kongsberg Digital has developed a new digital platform: KognifAI. The goal with the Kognifai open platform ecosystem is to level the playing field and let everyone participate: customers, partners, vendors, ISVs, industry clusters, and entrepreneurs alike. Whether you work for a small company with limited resources or a large multinational organization, whether you own industry assets or is a vendor delivering services to it, Kognifai is open to everyone who wants to participate and help transform the industry through digitalization. KognifAI allows sonar data from multibeam echosounders and other sensors to be stored in a cloud environment. The data can then be processed in near real time and made available for distribution immediately. The Seafloor Information System is the logging system for Kongsberg Multibeams and together with the post-processing software SIS Plus it allows operators to store data in the KognifAI ecosystem. From there various products can be made by combining sonar data with data from other sources to provide the end-user with a complete understanding of the environment. These products can be available to everyone with access to KognifAI, from anywhere in the world, enabling both true remote control of an ongoing operation and access to results from previous operations.


PLANNING, FRONTIER-AREA SURVEYS, RESURVEY, HYDROGRAPHIC RISK

AND UNCERTAINTY

Hydrographic Risk Assessment – Antarctica, March 27, 2018 – 10:00 to 10:20

Speaker: John Riding, Marico Marine NZ Ltd

Bio

John Riding, founder and senior partner at MARICO Marine, a Southampton based firm specialising in practical

management of marine risk. 12 years at sea, Masters Degree qualified. He had a key role at the UK MCA, developing

IMO's risk-based approach to regulation (Formal Safety Assessment), preceded by years of casualty investigation. He

applies risk based technology solutions to marine systems worldwide and is behind the development of the recent

Hydrographic Risk Methodology, endorsed by the IHO. MARICO has over 22 years' experience working with

Governments, port and harbour authorities and port companies worldwide. John's currently based in Marico’s NZ office.

Description

The updating of Nautical Charting, based on risk is a relatively new science and a published methodology has only

recently been endorsed by the IHO. A number of Hydrographic Risk Assessments have been undertaken, most recently

for the whole of New Zealand EEZ waters and an approach to cost benefit for charting upgrades has been developed.

Another large risk Assessment is progressing, this time covering the Antarctic waters of the Ross Sea together with the

waters surrounding the remote Sub-Antarctic Islands. The development of appropriate risk criteria for risk calculations

for this area is challenging, as the environment is key. Ship traffic is low, making risk definition between locations

difficult to quantify, but the level of cruise interest is rising year on year. This paper explains the approach used to

develop a Hydrographic Risk profile for these remote waters and with the permission of Land Information New Zealand

(LINZ), will share some preliminary results.

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Yukon River Delta Investigations to Support Satellite Derived Bathymetry Validation, March 27, 2018 – 10:20

to 10:40

Speaker: Damian Manda, NOAA

Bio

LT Damian Manda is currently serving as the Operations Officer on NOAA Ship Fairweather, where he directs

hydrographic survey operations and data processing. His academic background includes a Master's Degree in Ocean

Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, where he developed algorithms for the integration of autonomous

surface vehicles into surveying, and a Bachelors in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Colorado.

Description

The Yukon River delta presents challenges for maintaining updated navigation charts. Every year, the channel can

significantly shift due to the influence of ice and high currents during spring runoff. Yearly resurvey is impractical due to

the large size of the river delta and remoteness of the area, but the channel provides a critical pathway for goods

delivery to over 100 villages upriver so supply boats navigate blindly each spring, often repeatedly running aground on

initial attempts. In order to provide a more adequate chart product, NOAA has investigated alternative methods of

updating hazards and defining the safe channel. While the channel is shallow, sediment in the water prevents airborne

lidar survey. Additionally, traditional satellite derived bathymetry (SDB) methods are not possible, but a specialized type

defining shoals and channels by color relating to the density of the sediment was developed and has been previously

detailed in multiple papers. In 2017, NOAA Ship Fairweather was tasked with collecting the first actively sensed

bathymetric data in the Yukon river delta since 1899. The survey methodology targeted defining a navigable channel

through the delta and investigating the efficacy of the specialized SDB approach in this area. Acquisition planning was

guided by AIS data and a color coded SDB rendition. Survey launches with multibeam echosounders were primarily used

for depth measurement, supplemented by a shallow draft jet boat mounted water single beam. The bathymetric survey

results are presented, along with supplementary data about the delta including CTD profiles and currents. An analysis of

calibration and comparison between the SDB and measured depths examines its applicability to charting. The results of

Fairweather’s work in the Yukon River delta will place the first updated soundings on the chart for over 100 years and

facilitate an understanding of methodology for more rapid updates in the future.



Morphological Evolution of Nearshore Sandbank System Using Repeat Multibeam Sonar Surveys: Examples from the East Coast of the United Kingdom, March 27, 2018 – 11:00 to 11:20 Speaker: Majed Salama Almehmadi, University of Southampton/King Abdulaziz University

Bio

Majed Salama Almehmadi is a faculty member at the Department of Hydrographic Survey at the Faculty of Maritime

Studies at King Abdulaziz University. Majed received an M.Eng degree in Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering (ocean

mapping option) from the University of New Brunswick and a B.Sc. in Marine Physics from King Abdulaziz University. He

is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Marine Geology and Geophysics within Ocean and Earth Science, National

Oceanography Centre Southampton at the University of Southampton.

Description

The Inner Great Yarmouth sand banks (IGYSB) are a group of mobile nearshore banks in the southern North Sea, off the

East Anglian coast in the United Kingdom. IGYSB movement can be hazardous for navigation, as access to two ports in

the region is controlled. Therefore, a better understanding of the banks’ short-term trends and patterns can be

employed to influence hydrographic surveying programme development strategies by focusing on the most highly

dynamic areas. Time series data for 50 multibeam swath bathymetry surveys for the IGYSB system were undertaken

from 2004 to 2015. The results of the trend analysis indicate that the IGYSBS are highly dynamic and have undergone

significant morphological changes, with short-term variations from one bank to another due to hydrodynamic variations

at their geographical location. The gross movement of the banks illustrates complex patterns demonstrating northern

migration, as well as an increase in the banks’ physical extent in the alongshore direction. The results further illustrate

that this migration is due to the shoaling and breaking of waves. The forward-backward motion of the flood and ebb

provides additional erosional action of the sediments by means of traction, saltation, and suspension. The dominant

factor of the banks’ migration is primarily controlled by large-scale, competing, and seasonal weather changes. The

average maximum migration rates of the IGYSB system over the 11-year period were approximately 60.9 m yr-1; the

average minimum migration rates were approximately 2.3 m yr-1. Furthermore, a strong relationship was found

between the size of the banks and the migration rates. The smaller the banks, the more rapid their migration. During the

11-year period, most banks decreased in size. As of 2014, as a manifestation of the increased distance of migration,

these banks have significantly decreased in volume. In addition, they may have reached their minimum possible or

allowable size.



Uncertainty Estimates in Satellite Derived Bathymetry, March 27, 2018 – 11:20 to 11:40

Speaker: Richard Flemmings, TCarta Marine

Bio

Based in Bristol, UK, Richard is a partner in TCarta and responsible for company operations and management. Richard

has been involved in the geospatial industry for more than 16 years. He has an MSc in Geographical Information Science

and significant world-wide experience in offshore, airborne, land and satellite based surveys and mapping. Richard is a

Project Management Professional (PMP) and is experienced in project design, workflow development and lean

management principles. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and a Chartered Geographer (CGeog

GIS)."

Description

By avoiding the logistical issues of conventional survey methods, Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) offers great

potential to map clear shallow waters quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately the remote sensing methods used for SDB

generation do not lend themselves to the creation of uncertainty estimates – a vital and accepted part of conventional

surveys. Without trustworthy uncertainty estimates, especially in regions devoid of any conventional ground truth

bathymetry, SDB is unlikely to get much acceptance as a data source for an industry used to the results that can be

obtained using conventional survey methods. TCarta Marine has considerable experience in generating SDB around the

world and has recently used this experience to develop meaningful uncertainty estimates for the SDB depths produced.

This paper describes the methods used by TCarta Marine to create the uncertainty estimates and explores how these

may be enhanced in the future to bring SDB generation alongside conventional survey methods in terms of data

trustworthiness.



Assessing Sounding Density for a Seabed 2030 Initiative, March 27, 2018 – 11:40 to 11:45

Speaker: Meredith Westington, NOAA/Office of Coast Survey

Bio

Ms. Westington has worked for NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) since 1999. During her tenure, she has worked on a

diverse set of issues ranging from establishing the U.S. digital maritime limits and boundaries, expanding and improving

NOAA’s Historical Map and Chart Collection, and data management to support coastal and marine nowcast/forecast

modeling. Prior to joining OCS, she worked offshore and maintained the navigation equipment and related data

collection for seismic survey operations. She has a B.S. degree in geology from Virginia Tech and an M.S. degree in GIS

management from Salisbury University.

Description

In preparation for a U.S. Seabed 2030 initiative, a team from NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, the University of New

Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, and NOAA's National Centers for

Environmental Information (NCEI) embarked on a bathymetric coverage and gap analysis. The project was designed to

serve two purposes: (1) determine and compute the “mapped” and “not mapped” areas of the US EEZ and continental

shelf, and (2) provide a quantitative and visual representation to support the planning of integrated coastal and ocean

mapping campaign. All modern depth soundings (1960 or later) in the U.S. EEZ and adjacent continental shelf were

extracted from NCEI databases and associated with a 100-m grid of the area. To perform accurate area computations in

regional partitions across the US’ full EEZ and effectively manage server resources, the work was divided into

approximately 170 UTM tiles, each spanning 6 degrees in longitude and 4 degrees in latitude. The results were analyzed

for sounding density, and divided into categories of coverage for display in a GIS environment. This presentation will

show the methods and results of this project and present some possible next steps. Authors: Meredith Westington

(OCS), Paul Johnson (CCOM), Andrew Armstrong (OCS/CCOM), Mike Sutherland (NCEI/CIRES), Jesse Varner (NCEI/CIRES),

and Jennifer Jencks (NCEI)



Topographic-Bathymetric Lidar Total Propagated Uncertainty Modeling, March 27, 2018 – 11:45 to 11:50

Speaker: Christopher Parrish, Oregon State University

Bio

Dr. Christopher Parrish is an Associate Professor of Geomatics and the Eric H.I. and Janice Hoffman Faculty Scholar in the

School of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University. His research focuses on full-waveform lidar,

topographic-bathymetric lidar, hyperspectral imagery, uncertainty modeling, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for

coastal applications. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Geospatial Information Engineering from

the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.S. in Civil and Coastal Engineering with an emphasis in Geomatics from the

University of Florida, and a B.S. in Physics from Bates College.

Description

Topographic-bathymetric lidar data sets collected by NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) have been found to be

highly effective for updating the National Shoreline depicted on NOAA nautical charts. Using short pulse widths, high

pulse repetition rates and narrow receiver fields of view, novel topo-bathy lidar systems provide the capability to

generate high-resolution data across the land-water interface. If the nearshore bathymetry from these systems can also

be routinely assimilated into NOAA hydrographic processing pipelines for application to NOAA nautical charts, this will

assist in addressing the current lack of data in many shallow, nearshore areas, including those shoreward of the

Navigable Area Limit Line (NALL), typically defined as the 4-m depth contour. Additionally, expanding the utility of the

topo-bathy lidar data within NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey (OCS) will directly support the “map once, use many times”

paradigm of the Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) Program. However, a hindrance to integration of topo-

bathy lidar data into OCS’s hydrographic processing workflows is the current lack of tools and procedures for

quantitative analysis and reporting of the uncertainty associated with the lidar bathymetry, in accordance with the

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) S-44 Standards for Hydrographic Surveys (5th Edition). This project seeks

to address this challenge by developing operational software for topo-bathy lidar total propagated uncertainty (TPU)

modeling to be used in NGS. The TPU model is broken into two components: one focused on the sub-aerial (i.e., above

water) portion using analytical uncertainty modeling techniques, and the second on the sub-aqueous portion, utilizing

Monte Carlo ray tracing. The results of the initial tests of the TPU software on Riegl VQ-880-G topo-bathy lidar data

collected by NGS in a southwest Florida project site demonstrate the utility of the tool, which is anticipated to enter

operational use in NGS within the next year.



The Future of Crowdsourced Bathymetry: Fishfinder vs Leadline, March 27, 2018 – 11:50 to 12:00

Speaker: Adam Reed, NOAA

Bio

LCDR Adam Reed has served in NOAA Corps since 2008, sailing aboard NOAA Ship Rainier, NOAA Ship Fairweather, and

NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler. Currently he works at NOAA's Office of Coast Survey's Integrated Ocean and Coastal

Mapping Program.

Description

Crowdsourced bathymetry data is a valuable asset for hydrographic. Crowdsourcing is capable of providing frequent

data in areas susceptible to change, and in areas where traditional hydrographic survey is cost prohibitive to perform as

often as needed. Yet where does crowdsourced bathymetry data fit in with the discipline of hydrographic survey and

nautical charting? What are the best ways to utilize crowdsourced bathymetry data? How can we be participating in the

campaign to increase contributor participation and available pathways of harvesting data? This presentation will address

the current public and private sources, and upcoming initiatives to expand and improve crowdsourced bathymetry data.

We will discuss outreach strategies for hydrographic organizations to increase crowdsourced participation. Finally we

will explore the potential hydrographic uses of crowdsourced bathymetry, and what questions and barriers exist.



CHC Technical Session: DATA ACQUISITION - AIRBORNE AND

AUTOMATED SURVEYING, ACQUISITION PLATFORMS AND INNOVATION

Best Practices for Shallow Water Topo-Bathymetric Lidar Surveys, March 27, 2018 – 1:00 to 1:20

Speaker: Tim Webster, Applied Geomatics Research Group, Nova Scotia Community College

Bio

Tim is a research scientist with the Applied Geomatics Research Group at Nova Scotia Community College. He has been

with the college for 25 years, with over 15 as a research scientist. His research focus is mapping and modeling processes

in the coastal zone. In 2017 he received the Geomatics Association of Nova Scotia Award of Distinction, in 2010 the Gulf

of Maine Council Visionary Award. He obtained his PhD from Dalhousie University in 2006, MSc from Acadia in 1996, an

Advanced Diploma in Remote Sensing from the College of Geographic Sciences in 1988, BSc from UNB in 1987.

Description

Topo-bathymetric lidar sensors offer a unique ability to capture the white ribbon, the zone between the land and the

deeper water, where data can be challenging to acquire. The Chiroptera II system is equipped with two lasers: a 1064

nm topographic & water surface laser capable of a pulse repetition of 500 kHz and a 515 nm laser capable of a pulse

repetition of 35 kHz and a RCD30 multispectral camera. This sensor is ideal for surveying the “white ribbon”, however

water clarity can limit the amount of depth penetration. Additional constraints effecting the lidar sea floor returns

include the reflectively of the bottom and the occurrence of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). We deploy real-time

turbidity buoys that are connected to the internet to inform the lidar operations team on water clarity conditions.

Extensive ground truthing is carried out near synchronously with the aerial survey to understand the water and seabed

conditions and to map the height of SAV. In addition to updating the bathymetry of coastal areas and harbours, the

intensity data from the green laser can be combined with elevation metrics (e.g. roughness) and the photography to

generate benthic cover maps. The seamless elevation model are used to generate coastal hydrodynamic models. These

circulation models that exploit the high resolution seamless DEM, benthic maps and height SAV as input parameters for

roughness and can be used in variety of applications including: tracking the trajectory of contaminants (e.g. oil,

bacteria), suitability analysis for siting new aquaculture farms, and storm surge and wave models.



Spatial Resolution of Airborne Bathymetric Lidar: Point Density vs Light Scattering, March 27, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40

Speaker: Viktor Feygels, Teledyne Optech, Inc.

Bio Dr. Viktor Feygels specializes in the theoretical and practical elements of lidar design and has over 48 years of experience at different corporations ("Leninetc" Scientific & Industrial Corp. (Russia), EG&G, NASA), including 7 years as a consultant with Teledyne Optech and 14 more years as a Teledyne Optech employee. Dr. Viktor Feygels received his M.S. degree in quantum electronics from St. Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics & Optics (SPUITMO), a M.S. in computer science from St. Petersburg Aircraft Instrument Making Institute, and a Ph.D. degree in quantum electronics & oceanography from SPUITMO, in 1970, 1975 and 1991, respectively. His areas of expertise are lidar bathymetry and measurement of the optical properties of water using lidar return signal, receiver optimization theory for lidar systems, underwater object detection theory, and underwater vision systems with matrix receivers. Dr. Feygels is currently the Chief Scientist at Teledyne Optech's Kiln facilities, and has been heavily involved in the theoretical and practical design of the CZMIL (Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar) system. He is the author of more than 75 scientific papers, the holder of 10 patents, and the winner of the 532 Award from JALBTCX (Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise). Description To improve the resolution of airborne lidar systems at an adequate seabed mapping performance, lidar designers make efforts to increase the density of the sensed points on the sea surface. To date, the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) for topographic lidars approaches the value of 1 MHz to provide 15-20 points/m2 for typical altitudes and scan angles. The same trend is observed in bathymetric lidar development: the market offers systems with the PRF of 550kHz and the distance between the footprints of the sounding laser pulses on the water surface of the order of 15-25 cm. Specific feature of laser bathymetry is a strong scattering of the laser beam in the range of small scattering angles, which leads to widening of the sensed spots on the bottom and overlapping of neighboring footprints from the independent impulses. The effect increases with depth and seawater turbidity, and depends on the shape of the medium volume scattering function close to forward direction. Contribution of the light scattering in the water into the sensed spot size on the bottom cannot be compensated by the reduction of the sounding laser beam divergence and the receiver field-of-view angle. The Report considers quantitative estimates for the size of sensed bottom footprints for airborne bathymetric lidar for various water types depending on carrier altitude, sounding pulse divergence, and lidar receiver field-of-view. The analysis is based on “diffuse” small-angle-scattering approximation for the radiative transfer equation in the frames of “multiple forward – single backscattering” model of oceanographic lidar response signal. Application of the results to optimize the PRF for a given airborne bathymetry task and environment characteristics should account for the fact that lidar source PRF is increased at the cost of a decrease in separate emitted pulse energy and inevitable reduction of the lidar operation depth.



Shoreline Verification Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), March 27, 2018 – 1:40 to 2:00

Speaker: Andrew Orthmann, TerraSond Limited

Bio Andrew Orthmann manages NOAA charting work for TerraSond in Palmer, Alaska. He has 18 years of experience in the field of hydrographic survey, including nine years for Fugro Pelagos. He holds a B.S. in Geography (2000) from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is a NSPS-THSOA Certified Hydrographer (#225). Description TerraSond, a hydrographic services company based in Palmer, Alaska (USA), used several Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to verify shoreline locations operating from a 105’ (32 m) research vessel from July through August, 2017 on a major hydrographic survey in the Gulf of Alaska. The UAV provided a rapid method for verifying historic shoreline location and features while providing greater safety for hydrographers by reducing small boat operations near shore. This paper explores the challenges and potential of this approach to shoreline mapping. Authors: Andrew Orthmann Grant Cain Thomas Newman



Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel Bathymetric Survey, March 27, 2018 – 2:00 to 2:20

Speaker: Paul L. Donaldson, Survey Operations Coordinator/Chief Hydrographer, Leidos

Bio

Mr. Donaldson is currently the Chief Hydrographer and Survey Operations Coordinator for the Maritime Systems

Division of Leidos, with experience in hydrographic survey, geographic information systems, and hydrographic survey

systems. Mr. Donaldson is a certified hydrographer (#241) and has served on the National Society of Professional

Surveyors hydrographers certification board since 2015. Mr. Donaldson started conducting hydrographic surveys in 1999

and recently led the installation, testing and survey effort for autonomous bathymetric surveys as part of the U.S. Navy’s

Gulf of Mexico Unmanned Systems Operational Demonstration (GOMOD) and the U.S. Navy’s Advanced Naval

Technology Exercise (ANTX 2017). He received a B.S. in Biology from Lenoir-Rhyne University and an M.S. in marine

Biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Description

In 2017, Leidos participated in both the Gulf of Mexico Unmanned Systems Operational Demonstration (GOMOD) and

the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise 2017 (ANTX 2017). Leidos used the R/V Pathfinder vessel, which is the

surrogate testing platform to the Sea Hunter medium displacement unmanned surface vessel (MDUSV), and performed

multibeam sonar hydrographic surveys in autonomous mode. The vessel maintained COLREGs (International Regulations

for Preventing Collisions at Sea) compliance reacting to both real-world and injected “interferers” to test the ability of

the system to divert from the planned survey line during a COLREGS maneuver and the re-acquire the survey line once

safe to do so. This paper will present the R/V Pathfinder systems, the results from the surveys, and next steps.



Autonomous Navigation of US Nautical Charts, March 27, 2018 – 2:20 to 2:30

Speakers: Val Schmidt, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire

Sam Reed, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / University of New Hampshire

Bio Val Schmidt

Val completed his Master’s Degree in Ocean Engineering from the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the

University of New Hampshire in 2008. His thesis involved development of an underwater acoustic positioning system for

whales that had been tagged with an acoustic recording sensor package. Val continues to direct research and

engineering involving autonomous surface and underwater vehicles, sensor development, and sonar signal processing

within the Center.

Bio Sam Reed

Sam graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2015 with his BS in Electrical Engineering. Currently he is

working on his MS in Electrical Engineering at University of New Hampshire. For his Masters research, Sam is working on

nautical chart aware autonomous surface vehicles for the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.

Description

Although much interest has been given to the use of autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) for hydrographic data

collection, little thought has been given to the utility of currently available chart products for safe navigation of the ASV

itself. In the United States, chart products are currently available in digital form, as both cartographic raster images of

traditional paper charts and as vector representations of cartographic data, (“BSB” files and electronic nautical charts

(ENCs), respectively). Here we evaluate these chart products with an eye to common methods by which artificial

intelligence (AI) algorithms would likely use them. We find that the raster cartographic nature of BSB nautical charts

leaves a complex interpretation problem for computers to recognize and understand their nuance. However, the BSB

cartographic representation holds useful information that can be difficult to infer from electrical nautical charts,

particularly when size of objects are implicitly tied to the scale of the chart. Further we find that while ENCs provide near

instantaneous interpretation, the data must be reorganized for fast search. Additionally, some features, notably docks

and breakwaters, are represented in the ENC in a single dimension (a line) even though they subtend a finite second

dimension, forcing the AI algorithm to buffer objects to ensure safe navigation. When objects fail to have explicit

measurements (for example a measured depth) encoded in the ENC, one is left to interpret their relative hazard from

qualitative Descriptions. This interpretation can be particularly challenging when the qualitative Descriptions are

referenced to the local vertical datum. Finally, the ENC’s compilation scale, when encoded, is particularly useful as it

provides an implicit measure of uncertainty about the chart information, determining the granularity with which

navigation choices can be made.




CHC Technical Session: DATA PROCESSING AND DATA MANAGEMENT

Evaluating Externally Sourced Bathymetric Data for Nautical Charting Purposes, March 27, 2018 – 3:00 to 3:20

Speaker: Adam Reed, NOAA

Bio

LCDR Adam Reed has served in NOAA Corps since 2008, sailing aboard NOAA Ship Rainier, NOAA Ship Fairweather, and

NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler. Currently he works at NOAA's Office of Coast Survey's Integrated Ocean and Coastal

Mapping Program

Description

International Hydrographic Standards drive the requirements for any bathymetric data utilized by hydrographic offices

in their nautical chart products. However, what should hydrographic organizations do with readily available, modern

survey data acquired by a non-hydrographic source? In many cases, these data may be the best available for nautical

chart updates but may meet a lesser IHO accuracy standard. Failure to incorporate the best available data to nautical

charts causes discrepancies with other mapping sources, and represents a dangerous choice given to the mariner. The

quantity of available bathymetric data from non-hydrographic sources and sources not contracted for hydrographic

survey will only continue to grow. This presentation will explore NOAA Office of Coast Survey’s initiatives and progress

over the past year in expanding the breadth and capacity for utilizing externally sourced data to improve nautical charts.

The primary topics will include the methods of data discovery, documentation and tracking, challenges in making the

data discoverable, use cases and chartablity of data received, the results experienced by Office of Coast Survey, and the

lessons learned.



Linking Hydrographic Data Acquisition and Processing to Ocean Model Simulations, March 27, 2018 – 3:20 to

3:40

Speaker: Ian Church, University of New Brunswick

Bio

Dr. Ian Church is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of

New Brunswick, where he leads the Ocean Mapping Group. Prior to starting at UNB in 2016, he was an Assistant

Professor with the Hydrographic Science Research Center at the University of Southern Mississippi. His current research

interested include hydrodynamic numerical ocean modelling, marine habitat mapping, acoustic water column

interpretation, and processing crowdsourced bathymetry data.

Description

Numerical hydrodynamic ocean models and the hydrographic sciences are closely linked. Ocean models are capable of

outputting physical oceanographic conditions, such as tides, currents and the distribution of temperature and salinity at

a variety of spatial and temporal scales. To assist with model development, hydrographic survey bathymetry defines the

bottom boundary of the model domain, and often nautical charts are used as a source of model coastlines and intertidal

elevations. The potential exists for the development of a symBiotic relationship between the two sciences. Ocean

modelling simulations require a detailed understanding of the shape and roughness of the seafloor to constrain the

movement of water throughout an area but also output the physical oceanographic variables needed to process

underwater acoustic data and help predict tidal elevations and current fluctuations. This paper investigates the

interaction of ocean modelling and hydrographic surveying from several perspectives and examines the

interdependence of both in terms of model construction and hydrographic data acquisition and processing. Three case

studies are investigated in diverse oceanographic conditions, including a west coast fjord, a highly stratified estuary in

the Bay of Fundy, and the Arctic. Past, present and future hydrographic survey integrations with ocean modelling are

presented, ranging from estimating seafloor roughness to processing crowdsourced bathymetry data.



Lidar Data Integration for Nautical Publication and Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Workflows-Common Issues

and Experiences at NOAA and CHS. March 27, 2018 – 3:40 to 4:00

Speakers: Stephen Parsons and Gretchen Amahori

Bio

Stephen Parsons has worked for the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) for 25 years, currently as an Engineering

Projects Supervisor. He is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick where he obtained his B.ScE and M.Sc.E. from

the department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Nova

Scotia. His past interests and research have involved early seamless vertical datum model developments and using GPS

and GNSS for the measurements of tide in Canada. Over the last 7 year he has been increasingly involved as CHS

Technical Authority on bathymetric Lidar/MBES projects..

Description

Authors: Stephen Parsons, Mike Aslaksen, Gretchen Imahori, Graham Bondt, Clare McCarthy, Stephen White Over the

last 10 years, enhancements to lidar sensors have encouraged the increased use of bathymetric lidar for a variety of

applications. As a result, the quantity of bathymetric lidar data has increased substantially. Today, there remains an

overwhelming struggle to fully integrate this data within a wide variety of data products requiring standard accuracy and

attribution requirements. In the case of hydrographic office workflows, lidar data must suit current software

applications used to produce Nautical Publications and is highly tied to the need to produce standard results that follow

IHO standards (S-57). When lidar data enters the SDI data workflow the needs are somewhat different and are oriented

around more general uses of the data, however, elements such as detailed attribution are more important. There are

also many common issues that both workflows share. This paper describes the common issues and experiences that

have been identified between NOAA and the CHS over the last several years and describes an overall, current approach

to data integration to help better understand the needs and improvements required for an efficient and beneficial

application of bathymetric lidar to a wider range of end users.



Charlene and Automated Hydrographic Data Processing, March 27, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20

Speaker: Eric Younkin, NOAA

Bio

Eric Younkin is a physical scientist with the Office of Coast Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA). He works at the Hydrographic Systems and Technology Branch in Silver Spring, MD, and is responsible for the

development, testing and support of new hydrographic technology for NOAA field units and offices. Eric has a B.S. in

Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology from Western Carolina University and has worked with NOAA since

2010, including 6 years as a NOAA commissioned officer.

Description

Hydrographic data processing can be a tedious and time-consuming task, especially over large areas. NOAA field units

execute a standard routine each night to generate products used for creating the next day’s plan and basic data quality

control, and thus rapid and accurate processing is vital. Recognizing this need in the industry, both Teledyne CARIS and

Applanix have recently released a set of tools that provide access to their core processing algorithms, providing any

users with basic scripting or programming skills the ability to automate most, or all, of their data processing. NOAA has

developed an open-source Python application we call Charlene, that integrates Caris Batch and Applanix POSPac Batch

utilities as well as NOAA developed tools for quality control and data transfer. Charlene has been in testing and

production for most of 2017, allowing NOAA field units to fully automate daily processing, thus ensuring an efficient,

timely workflow. The Charlene workflow is around 10% faster than manual operations, but more importantly, requires

no operator time after the initial setup and run. As a result, the hydrographer has more time to analyze data quality

issues, work on existing projects, and make timely operational decisions based on the previous day’s data.



Eastern Canada Bathymetric LiDAR survey, March 27, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20

Speaker: Jeff Lower, IIC Technologies

Bio

Jeff Lower is the Executive Vice President of IIC Technologies. He has 23+ years of geospatial experience, managing

programs for multiple federal agencies. His recent work includes international bathymetric LiDAR projects in Canada and

Panama. Jeff received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Geography from the University of Florida.

At the beginning of his career, he was also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Florida, teaching courses in

GIS and advanced cartography. He is a licensed photogrammetric surveyor in Oregon, and Virginia.

Description

From the fall of 2016 to the summer of 2017, IIC collected and processed over 10,000 sq. km of bathymetric LiDAR data

and multispectral/hyperspectral imagery for the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS). The project included four areas

(Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island). The team utilized the Optech CZMIL sensor mounted in a

Piper Navajo. The project contained many challenges, including remote areas with no gasoline, nor'easter storms, snow,

frigid temperatures and highly variable water conditions. This presentation will highlight the project and results,

innovative technologies, as well as the many lessons learned in the process.



Professional Development and Education

Update on UNCLOS, March 28, 2018 – 8:30 to 8:50

Speaker: Ted McDorman, University of Victoria

Bio I joined the Faculty of Law in 1985 and was promoted to professor in 2001. My teaching areas include public international law, international trade law, international ocean and environmental law, and private international law (conflicts of law). I taught Canadian constitutional law for many years and also taught Canadian environmental law and comparative Asian law. I have a cross-appointment with the Department of Geography and am an Associate of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives. I have been a visiting professor at institutions in Thailand, Sweden, the Netherlands and Canada. I have over 100 publications in the areas of ocean law and policy, international trade law and comparative constitutional law. Since 2000, I have been the editor-in-chief of Ocean Development and International Law: The Journal of Marine Affairs.



Canadian Hydrographer Certification Scheme, March 28, 2018 – 8:50 to 9:10

Speaker: Nancy Kearnan, Q.L.S., C.L.S , Director General, Northern Governance for Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNA)

Bio

Nancy Kearnan, Q.L.S., C.L.S is Director General, Northern Governance for Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern

Affairs (CIRNA) . Her key portfolio files include: Northern governance policy, the ongoing negotiation of Nunavut

Devolution, Territorial acts legislative amendments, audits, Emergency management policy and planning, the Territorial

Commissioners governments and other initiatives such as reconciliation with the Inuit.

In her previous senior management career position, Ms. Kearnan was Associate Regional Director General in Manitoba

with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.

Ms Kearnan has held several senior positions in government including: Geomatics Attaché for Latin America (Foreign

Affairs), National Program Manager /Geomatics for Property Rights on Aboriginal and Heritage Lands (Natural Resources

Canada), Head of Land Claims and Deputy Surveyor General North.

Ms. Kearnan continues to serve on the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors’ Discipline and Offshore committees.

Ms. Kearnan has two professional designations as a Canada Lands Surveyor and as a Quebec Land Surveyor.

Ms. Kearnan attended Laval University where she obtained a Bachelors Degree in Applied Sciences. In addition she

completed her Masters coursework in Ethics at l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. Prior to joining the federal civil

service in 1998, Ms. Kearnan owned and operated a land survey firm in Quebec.

Ms. Kearnan is trilingual, English, French and Spanish.

Description The Canadian Hydrographer Certification program was developed by the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS) and was officially recognized by the IHO/FIG/ICA International Board of Standards and Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC) in April of 2016 and is now ready to receive applications. The Canadian program is the second internationally recognized scheme in the world. The program was designed to promote IBSC-Accredited Category A or B training in Canada, while standardizing knowledge and experience requirements for individuals possessing non-accredited hydrographic surveying training and experience.


IHO Cat A or B Programs in Canada and Overseas, March 28, 2018 – 9:10 to 9:30

Speaker: Shelly Leighton

Bio Shelly Leighton has spent a number of years working in the offshore oil and gas industry as well as on heavy civil projects in Newfoundland. She has worked as offshore surveyor, data processor and project manager for construction support projects worldwide. Shelly has a Master’s in Oil and Gas Engineering from Memorial University. She started her career upon graduation from the University of New Brunswick in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science and Engineering in Geodesy and Geomatics. Shelly is currently an Instructor with the School of Ocean Technology at the Marine Institute at St. John's NL. She teaches in the Ocean Mapping Program, an IHO Cat B program. Description This session will highlight programs that offer IHO Category A or B.



The Canadian Ocean Mapping Research and Education Network (COMREN), March 28, 2018 – 9:30 to 9:50

Speaker: Nicolas Seube, CIDCO

Bio Nicolas SEUBE graduated in 1992 from Paris University in 1992 with a PhD in applied mathematics. He was Professor and coordinator of the French category A program in Ocean Mapping at the ENSTA Bretagne (France) from 1994 to 2004. Since 2014 he acts as the scientific director of the CIDCO in Rimouski, Qc, Canada. His present research interest includes mobile mapping systems advanced calibration and error analysis, survey data error detection and estimation for both LiDAR and multibeam system. Description The COMREN Network has been created on 1 November 2016, with the following partners (CIDCO, Laval University, UNB, Memorial University/Marine Institute, NSCC, Ottawa University, York University, BCIT). The purpose of the COMREN is to develop research activities, achieve technology transfer to the Industry, develop and run educational programs, in liaison with government agencies , to increase Canada’s capacity in research and education in Ocean Mapping. This includes opportunities for HQP to develop their capacity in, and specialized knowledge of, ocean mapping. COMREN primary role and focus is on finding improvements in ocean mapping systems, methods, data processing and management tools to address challenges of ocean mapping for the benefit of environmental protection, economic development, and safety of navigation and in support of all other marine activities. The emphasis will be on developing national expertise to meet the challenges of Canada’s ocean mapping. COMREN provides a framework for new scientific knowledge, industrial applications for problems related to ocean mapping. COMREN will advise the hydrographic community on best practices, effective and efficient technologies and processes to share amongst its member and the broader ocean mapping community. COMREN will facilitate practical collaboration between members. The presentation will focus on the structure and aims of COMREN and will also highlight the first COMREN on-going projects.



Hydrography and Policy Developments

Why Did the Clipper Clip It? – The Clipper Adventurer Grounding, March 28, 2018 – 10:30 to 11:00

Speaker: Bruce Calderbank, Hydrographic Survey Consultants Intl.

Bio Bruce Calderbank is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), a CLS, a Canadian Certified Hydrographer (CH) Level 1, and a Albertan Professional Engineer (P. Eng.). He has carried out consulting assignments as the Client Navigation Representative for over 30 companies, while supervising a variety of contractors over a period of 38 years. Past legal consultancy assignments have included providing two Expert Opinion Reports, and delineated an international offshore boundary. He has written many technical articles but one of his main accomplishments was being the main co-author and editor in chief of the paralegal text, “Canada’s Offshore: Jurisdiction, Rights, and Management”. Description There seems to be a general perception that the increasingly ice-free Arctic waterways are safe for passage, when significant areas have not been adequately surveyed. However, as of 2011, less than 10% of Arctic waters had been surveyed to modern standards. On 27 August 2010, the expedition cruise ship Clipper Adventurer went aground at 13.9 knots on a rock shoal whilst travelling in a poorly charted area of Coronation Gulf, Nunavut. The presentation reviews the background and the geomatics issues related to the grounding. There were a variety of geomatics facts that do not appear to have been addressed in either the 2012 Transport Safety Board marine investigation report nor in the 2016 Federal Court case, which are covered in the presentation. = > This case is currently under appeal and the presentation will be updated to allow for that new information. The associated paper is 33 pages long at this time.



S-121 – Maritime Limits and Boundaries and Land Administration Domain Model, March 28, 2018 – 11:00 to

11:20

Speaker: Paul Egesborg, Manager, Cadastral Survey Information, Natural Resources Canada

Bio Paul Egesborg graduated from Laval University in 1989 with a M. Sc. in mapping and land information. He currently works for the Surveyor General Branch of Natural Resources Canada where he manages the Cadastral Survey Information unit. He serves since 2008 as a Canadian expert on the Canadian Advisory Committee to the ISO TC211 where he provides advice and consultation on various land administration standards. He holds a Quebec land surveyor commission. Description The Maritime Limits and Boundaries standard (S-121) defines a framework to administer and exchange in a digital form the geographic extents of Maritime Limits and Boundaries as per UNCLOS along with their associated rights and restrictions. The presentation will address how S-121 leverages the capabilities of the Land Administration Domain Model standard (ISO19152) to facilitate consistent administration of the marine spaces, littoral zones and land jurisdictions.



Canada's Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure and Marine Cadastre application, March 28, 2018 – 11:20 to 11:40

Speaker: Jose M'Bala, Natural Resources Canada

Bio Dr. José M'Bala graduated in Geography from the University of Ottawa, after a Master's Degree in Land use planning and regional development from the Université Laval. He also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Land Surveying as an Ingénieur Technicien Géomètre-Tographe from the Institut du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics, Kinshasa, DR Congo. He is a Canada Lands Surveyor (CLS), and works for the Surveyor General (NRCan) in Ottawa, as a Geomatics policy and planning advisor. Description The Canadian Hydrographic Service (DFO) and the Surveyor General branch (NRCan) have lately worked together in the development of a Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) pilot project prototype, with a Marine Cadastre application. The primary focus was on three areas of interests: - The Bay of Fundy (East), - The Dickson entrance (West), and - The Beaufort Sea (North). The vision of the CHS Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) is to design and implement a framework of geographic data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way. The intent for the Surveyor General Branch for a marine cadastre is to develop an integrated system of registries, fundamental for a systematic public recording of all recognised legal rights, restrictions, and responsibilities; and aiming at providing a legal foundation for the management of Canada’s oceans and more certainty for industry and capital investment. The MSDI and its applications, is developed to show case and validate an all-inclusive Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) solution which focuses on marine geospatial domain and activities.



Offshore Infrastructure Surveys – Preliminary Findings, March 28, 2018 – 11:40 to 12:00

Speaker: Bruce Calderbank, Hydrographic Survey Consultants Intl.

Bio Bruce Calderbank is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), a CLS, a Canadian Certified Hydrographer (CH) Level 1, and a Albertan Professional Engineer (P. Eng.). He has carried out consulting assignments as the Client Navigation Representative for over 30 companies, while supervising a variety of contractors over a period of 38 years. Past legal consultancy assignments have included providing two Expert Opinion Reports, and delineated an international offshore boundary. He has written many technical articles but one of his main accomplishments was being the main co-author and editor in chief of the paralegal text, “Canada’s Offshore: Jurisdiction, Rights, and Management”. Description The research was carried out to support the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS) Offshore Committee’s interests in offshore infrastructure surveys (OIS) within and without Canada’s twelve (12) nautical mile limit. The research focused particularly on the practices with regard to offshore pipelines, flowlines, umbilicals, subsea structures, and communication and power cables. In addition, the report examined how such spatial information is gathered, managed and shared. Currently, this information is generally held by the offshore infrastructure owners and only shared if required. In addition, the standard of the surveys carried out were not uniform, as they are mostly driven by client specific issues. The presentation will cover OIS in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island with some references to practices in British Columbia and the UK.



Recent Developments in Precise GNSS-Based Positionning and Near-Term Opportunities, March 28, 2018 –

1:00 to 1:20

Speaker: Sunil Bisnath, Associate Professor, Geomatics Engineering

Bio Sunil Bisnath is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering at York University in Toronto, Canada. His research interests include precise GNSS measurement processing algorithms, and positioning and navigation applications. Previous to York University, Professor Bisnath held the positions of geodesist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Boston, Massachusetts and assistant research scientist at the University of Southern Mississippi, NASA Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. He holds an Honours B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Surveying Science from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. in Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. Description While GPS is considered a mature technology to most people, a great deal of research continues in the fields of GNSS-based positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). GNSS constellations are growing and evolving, bringing benefits from new signals and more measurements, and challenges from a host of measurements biases that must be managed. GNSS measurement processing has advanced to provide new and improved solutions, such as Precise Point Positioning (PPP) and more recent advances of this approach. The development of more capable low-cost hardware is being driven by commercial applications to provide greater accuracy and precision. The result will be near-term opportunities for smaller, cheaper, autonomous solutions in hydrographic applications.



Surveying on the Ellipsoid: A Hydrographic Perspective, March 28, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40

Speaker: Ian Church, University of New Brunswick

Bio Dr. Ian Church is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick, where he leads the Ocean Mapping Group. Prior to starting at UNB in 2016, he was an Assistant Professor with the Hydrographic Science Research Center at the University of Southern Mississippi. His current research interested include hydrodynamic numerical ocean modelling, marine habitat mapping, acoustic water column interpretation, and processing crowdsourced bathymetry data. Description The hydrographic community has embraced surveying to the ellipsoid as a primary vertical datum for sonar data. While the ellipsoid represents a stable mathematical reference surface, it is not a practical vertical datum for hydrographic measurements in navigational products. These products require reported depths to a meaningful physical vertical datum, related to the normal local change in water levels. The hydrographic vertical datum is traditionally referred to as “Chart Datum” and is not a stable mathematical reference surface, but rather a spatially varying surface that accounts for changes in the range of the tides and persistent oceanographic phenomena. Chart datum is not directly related the ellipsoid, but rather the separation between the two datums is established based on a set of vertical transformations in Canadian waters. This presentation examines each of the elements of the transformation process, with a focus on quantifying the uncertainty of the transformation away from coastal tide gauges. A method of verifying the chart datum offset using post-processed GNSS data from transiting vessels is examined.



Canadian Geodetic Survey: Supporting Surveying and Geoscience Needs on Land and in Canada’s Coastal

Regions, March 28, 2018 – 1:40 to 2:00

Speaker: Brian Donahue, Canadian Geodetic Survey, Natural Resources Canada

Bio Brian Donahue has worked with the Canadian Geodetic Survey, Natural Resources Canada for the past 20 years. He is currently the team leader of the Geodetic Integrated Services Unit as well as the chair of the Canadian Geodetic Reference System Committee (CGRSC). He received his BSc. Eng. in Surveying Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. Description The Canadian Geodetic Survey (CGS) is responsible for defining, maintaining, and providing access to the Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS). The CSRS provides a consistent reference for mapping, navigation, boundary demarcation, crustal deformation monitoring and other georeferenced applications anywhere in Canada. CGS has developed tools and services to allow both real-time and post-processed access to the CSRS at varying precisions. This presentation will highlight some of the latest CGS developments including a modernized CSRS-PPP service for precise positioning, updated tools for height system transformations, and a real-time positioning service in support of geoscience.



Canada's Continuous Vertical Datum (CVD), March 28, 2018 – 2:00 to 2:20

Speaker: Marlene Jeffries, Canadian Hydrographic Service

Bio Marlene leads the Operational Oceanography team with Canadian Hydrographic Service Pacific Region to deliver on Ocean Protection Plan objectives. She holds an Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Simon Fraser University and a Masters of Science degree in Physical Oceanography from the University of Washington. She also holds a Post-graduate Certificate in GIS from Penn State University and is PMI-certified project manager. Description



Practical Hydrography

Early Detection of Bridge Scour, March 28, 2018 – 3:00 to 3:20

Speaker: Harold Elliot Orlinsky, General Manager, Hypack

Bio Harold Orlinsky is the General Manager for HYPACK. Harold is responsible for the operations for the company, working closely with the sales, support and engineering teams. Working in the field of hydrography for more than 20 years, Harold’s expertise is in sidescan imaging. Harold holds an engineering degree from the University of Rochester and an MBA from the University of Maryland. Description Bridge scour is the removal of sand or material around bridge piles, caused by moving water. Over the past 40 years, there have been more than 1500 bridge failures in the US, with nearly 60% caused by bridge scouring, with costs in the millions of dollars. Early detection of this problem allow for remediation and the prevention of potential bridge failure. It is estimated that the costs of a bridge failure is over 5 times the cost for remediation. This paper will show how susceptible bridge pilings are to swift moving water, and a case study of using HYPACK for the monitoring of a bridge in North Carolina.



Autonomous vehicles: The Canadian Hydrographic Service Journey. March 28, 2018 – 3:20 to 3:40

Speaker: Roger Cote, Canadian Hydrographic Service

Bio I'm an hydrographer serving Canadians for 32 year in the Canadian Hydrographic Service and responsible for the acquisition and the management of all bathymetric and hydrographic data in the Québec region. I'm greatly interested in the development in implementation of new tools and processes that will change the way hydrography is done in the era of technologies and partnership, and make Canadian water the safest in the world for the benefit of mariners and the environment. Description Authors: Roger Côté, Annie Biron, Ghislain Bouillon and Éric Lebel The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) has entered in a positive and productive era with a significant increase of resources. This is an outstanding opportunity for CHS to review its operational model, especially in the acquisition and management of source data. The use of new technologies, crowd source information and new methodologies is a trend in the international hydrographic community and, as always, the CHS is willing to play a major role in the development and implementation of these new assets. Hydrographic Organizations (HO’s) traditionally use acoustic sonar systems mounted on various platforms and manoeuvered by experienced coxswains and/or officers to collect and disseminate source data internally in order to produce nautical products. This has proven to be very efficient but it implies that hydrographers must operate systems and sometimes put themselves at risk in harsh environments. New technologies and techniques like LiDAR, autonomous vehicles and Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) will enable HO’s to choose in a broader range of technologies to obtain data without putting their staffs at risk and do more with less. CHS recently bought 2 AHSV’s (Autonomous Hydrographic Surface Vehicles) and converted one survey launch to make it autonomous (named: Autonomous Hydrographic Survey Launch (AHSL)). They are equipped with complete multibeam and INS systems. CHS is planning to use them this summer and define an operational model and the limitation, and define how they will be included in CHS current operations. This paper will give you an overview of the procurement process, the trials, the processing, the results and the quality of the data obtained with those systems. You’ll discover that being first is not always an easy process, but the results worth the efforts.



Port Terminal Facility Surveys with Multi-beam and Vessel Mounted Terrestiral Scanner, March 28,

2018 – 3:40 to 4:00

Speaker: Ted Cain, Lead Hydrogropher, Public Services & Procurement Canada

Bio Since graduating from the B.C.I.T. survey programme in 1986 Ted has led a varied work life. He has been a party chief for various BC Lands Surveyors along with being a surveyor for heavy construction and mining operations. For 12 years Ted was employed by local British Columbia dredging contractors as a hydrographic surveyor. His duties during this time included the installation and support of dredging navigation systems. The past 6 years have been spent with PSPC in the Geomatics/Hydrographics department in the role of Marine Survey Supervisor. He recently was promoted to Lead Hydrographer. Duties during this time have included testing and implementation of processing software, installation of hydrographic systems on survey vessels, and training in these systems. Ted also served as the Technical Authority during the design/build phase of survey vessel construction and refit. Description Law of the Sea is much in the news over that last number of months/years as a result of legal and political controversies in the South China Sea and to a lesser extent in the Arctic. In the South China Sea, the geographic/legal issue involve first, tiny island/rock features in the South China Sea and the second, claims by China to ocean space based on history. The first thing about the rock/island features is that numerous of the local States claim ownership of the features and then there is the legal question as to whether a particular feature is a rock [entitled to a 12- nm territorial sea] or an island [entitled to a 200 nm resource jurisdictional zone.] Some though not all of this was “resolved” by a Tribunal in 2015-2016. Not directly related to the South China Sea is the Arctic. With the exception of Hans Island there are no territorial disputes. There are, however, overlapping 200 nm zone claims between Canada and both Denmark and the United States. And there is the pesky navigational rights “legal” matter between the US and Canada regarding the Northwest Passage. A State’s offshore jurisdiction is not necessarily restricted to 200 NM … where the physical facts allow a State has jurisdiction over the continental shelf adjacent to its coast. Hence, Canada has exclusive jurisdiction over the potential oil and gas located well beyond 200 nm due east of St John’s. And in the Arctic … we do not know yet just how far Canada’s shelf beyond 200 nm extends, but we have an excellent idea of where Russia and Denmark think the their continental shelves are in the Arctic.



Supporting Cable and ROV Surveys in British Columbia and Overseas, March 28, 2018 – 4:00 to 4:20

Speaker: Kelvin Kopeck, Terra Remote Sensing Inc.

Bio Kelvin (Kel) Kopeck spent his early years growing up on a small farm in BC’s southern interior. Camping, fishing, and hunting were always on the menu. When his father, a BC Hydro carpenter, was transferred to Vancouver Island in 1976, Kel began his west coast “training”. After completed his physics and mathematics degree at the University of Victoria in 1995 he spent some time on a contract in the mining industry. In 1997 he joined Terra Surveys (to become Terra Remote Sensing in 1999) as a marine hydrographic and geophysical surveyor. As a medium size company, Kel has had the luxury of being involved in hundreds of marine projects through estimating, client liaison and planning, data collection and processing, to chart production and reporting. Although involved in managing all types of challenging marine projects Kel has a particular interest in sonar imaging, spending much of his time collecting and processing side scan and sector scan sonar data….when he’s not fishing! Description ROV’s serve an important role in marine construction surveying....to relay important information that is unattainable otherwise. For marine power cable or pipe projects the ROV is generally just one tool of a larger spread of remote sensing devices. If the project is planned correctly these can be used to meet project goals in a safe, timely, and cost affective manner. This discussion will focus on how these tools are utilized to address primary cable-project concerns, objectives, and solutions to typical (and atypical) project requirements, including responding to faulted cables, route assessment and mapping, installation monitoring, post lay inspection, and drawing production.



Survey of Natural Boundaries Using Drones, March 28, 2018 – 4:20 to 4:40

Speaker: Christopher de Haan, Underhill & Underhill

Bio Chris grew up in Ontario and started surveying after attending Queens University in 1988. He returned to school to take additional surveying courses at the University of Toronto and then moved to Vancouver in 1994 where he joined Underhill & Underhill. Chris received his Canada Lands Surveying commission in 1998 and his British Columbia Land Surveying commission in 2004. He became a partner with Underhill in 2005 and moved to Kamloops shortly thereafter. His diverse survey background has taken him to within 600 miles of the North Pole, 1500m underground in a number of mines, and across Ontario, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alaska, Alberta, Colorado and Puerto Rico conducting all kinds of surveys. He is the recipient of the national 2017 David Thompson Award for the use of an Innovative method in a survey. Outside of work, he divides his schedule between camping or skiing with his family and volunteering with the Aurora Rotary Club and sits on the Board of Directors for the Kamloops Food Bank. Chris is married to his wife Angela and together have one very busy 8 year old daughter. Description Parcels of Land can be defined by both rectilinear and/or natural boundaries. Natural boundaries can be of any natural feature, but generally describe water boundaries. These boundaries can be mapped using "on the ground" survey methods (conventional ties, GNSS ties, etc.) or using remote methodology using aerial photography. The use of photography obtained by drones is becoming more widespread in topographic surveys and can be similarly used to determine natural boundaries with checks using conventional methods.



CHARTING, NAVIGATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

QPS Nautical Charting Workflow: Walking a Ping from the Surveyor All the Way to the Pilot, March 29, 2018 –

8:10 to 8:30

Speaker: Matthew Wilson, QPS

Bio Matthew Wilson is a Marketing and Sales Manager for Quality Positioning Services (QPS). He received an MS degree in Ocean Mapping (UNH, USA) in 2012, and an MBA degree (Penn State, USA) in 2016. Previously, he was a NOAA Physical Scientist, and prior to that a U.S. Navy Officer. Description The Quality Positioning Services (QPS) Nautical Charting Workflow is the only one in the industry that fully encompasses the journey of a ping from the surveyor to the pilot. There is tremendous advantage in the fully-integrated solution, as it allows for the preservation of data formats throughout the entire workflow, and eliminates errors associated with data conversion and metadata loss. The QPS Nautical Charting Workflow is built on streamlining processes and efficiency: • Actual pings are captured in the integrated navigation software QINSy, built on a philosophy of real-time corrections and quality assurance to ensure high data quality capture. • Acquisition projects open directly in Qimera, a processing software with intuitive, guided workflows, and designed to automate mundane tasks, thus common, human errors are eliminated. • Survey data migrates seamlessly into Fledermaus, a visualization software specializing in 4D geo-spatial analysis, and it promotes above all clear communication and presentation of data. • Soundings and contours are extracted automatically from gridded bathymetry in Qarto, the ENC production software, built for a rapid turnaround—some survey-to-ENC workflows have been measured in hours. • Updated charts go live in Qastor, a precise navigation software for piloting with Under Keel Clearance (UKC) and vessel docking capability, which can be further interfaced with AIS and meteorological data for real-time updates. Further process efficiency is gained by real-time processing in QINSy, which allows for unprecedented decision-making capabilities for surveyors while they are still in the field. While there are great benefits to the fully-integrated solution, the workflow components are also perfectly modular for the utmost client flexibility. The Port of Rotterdam, an early-adopter of the QPS Nautical Charting Workflow components, is a prime example, and is presented as a case study. The advantages of the solution are shown in terms of timeliness in the ping-to-pilot workflow and rapid product turnaround.



eTrac's Evaluation of Qimera: Accomplishing the NOAA Workflow, March 29, 2018 – 8:30 to 8:50 Speaker: David Neff, eTrac Inc.

Bio David Neff began his career in the marine construction industry in 2003. He was quickly drawn to the field of Hydrography and has focused his career on learning the trade. He is focused on developing and implementing efficient hydrographic technologies to increase quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of marine survey products. Description eTrac’s 2017 NOAA task orders in the state of Florida cover over 100 miles, from Sarasota to Naples, with area coverage requirements prioritized per NOAA’s hydrographic health model. These include inlets, ferry routes, and over 100 feature investigations, which are particularly important after the passage of Hurricane Irma. eTrac, with their considerable resources and skilled personnel, is well-suited to handle such a project, and at the same time prides itself in their ability to be on the leading edge of new tools and capabilities. QPS Qimera emphasizes above all a clean and streamlined workflow, one that minimizes the error-prone human tasks that traditionally have been required in hydrographic data processing. With eTrac operating three survey vessels daily, each with dual-head multibeam echo sounders, plus with the considerable feature requirements, there is excellent opportunity to evaluate Qimera’s data throughput capabilities, dynamic workflows, and finally, its latest functionality—S-57 feature management. Additionally, eTrac showcases the benefit of QPS QINSy for acquisition—with real-time integration capabilities and seamless project migration to Qimera, there is potential for significant gains in efficiency. Qimera will be evaluated during this project, with particular attention paid to the rapid data processing turnaround that is required by eTrac to ensure quality standards per NOAA specifications. Furthermore, the benefits of Qimera’s processing state management and guided workflows for the eTrac personnel on-scene with varying experience levels will be assessed. Lastly, Qimera’s S-57 capabilities—built with new, innovative methodology, in-spirit with the Qimera philosophy of removing human error from what is traditionally a quite tedious process—will be introduced. Both advantages and lessons learned will be included, and the benefits measurably delivered by Qimera—for eTrac and NOAA alike—will be presented.



Benefits and Impacts to Nautical Charting by Adopting a New Reference Frame, March 29, 2018 – 8:50 to 9:10

Speaker: Neil Weston, NOAA

Bio Dr. Neil Weston has worked for NOAA for 26+ years and is currently the Technical Director for the Office of Coast Survey, NOAA. He is responsible for overseeing the scientific research and technological operations of the agency and is currently developing a science portfolio that focuses on hydrographic surveying technologies, remote sensing, Earth observing systems, and global integration. He enjoys working on significant challenges and collaborating with colleagues on Federal, national and international levels. Neil also holds positions as a Science/Technical Advisor for the U.S. State Department and the United Nations. He received his doctorate in physics and Biomedical engineering. Description NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for maintaining the nautical charts for the nation and most of the publications for the coasts and Great Lakes. Currently there are over 1000 nautical charts in vector and raster format and roughly 95,000 miles of shoreline that OCS is responsible for. Providing accurate metadata and geospatial information on man-made features, depths, rocks, aids and dangers to navigation, and vessel traffic separation schemes, are paramount for the agency and require several strategic approaches for being successful. As NOAA and OCS continue the migration from paper to electronic charts, building seamless databases that distribute accurate navigational products and services requires proper identification of geospatial information and adoption of the most accurate reference frame and datum. In 2022 the National Geodetic Survey, NOAA will be replacing the current North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) with a more accurate one that is geocentric and derived using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technology. One significant difference between the two frames is the origin of NAD 83 is offset from the origin of the new frame by approximately 2.2 m. Adoption of the new frame will therefore change the horizontal and vertical components of all NAD 83 positions in the United States and Canada and the magnitude of change to each component is dependent on the geographic location on the Earth. This paper will explore the steps necessary to adopt a new reference frame and datum as well as highlighting the possible impacts that may affect the geospatial foundation of all nautical charts.



Dynamic Information in Support of Safe and Efficient Navigation in Canada. March 29, 2018 – 9:10 to 9:30 Speaker: Louis Maltais, Canadian Hydrographic Service

Bio Louis is with Canadian Hydrographic Service since 1999. Over the years he has been involved many of the activities

under CHS mandate. With the New Year, Louis accepted the position of Director Hydrospatial Services and Support

where he will join the team of Ottawa Office. Louis was the Vice-Chair of Tides and Currents Working Group of

International Hydrographic Organisation for the last couple of years and he is now Canada Representative on the

Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee of IHO, who overlooks the full suite of present and future standards

related to hydrography.

Description Under Canada’s Ocean Protection Plan, Department of Fisheries and Ocean Canada more specifically Canadian Hydrographic Service is fully engaged in delivering operational dynamic information on tides, currents and bathymetry. Increasing safety and efficiency of navigation is the prime driver but accessible, standardised, modern dynamic information will help the entire marine community. Project deliverables and major milestones will be reviewed. Joining strengths of oceanographers and CHS expertise on standards and services, this presentation will explain what Ocean Protection Plan is putting in place in terms of modern and robust solutions to support the future of navigation in Canada.



Bathymetric Surfaces to Charted Features: Defining a Smooth Path to Safety, March 29, 2018 – 9:30 to 9:50

Speaker: Karen Cove, Teledyne CARIS

Bio Karen Cove is a professional engineer and the Product Manager for the Bathy DataBASE suite of software applications at CARIS. She earned her BSc. Eng. (2003) and MSc. Eng. (2005) in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. Description Bathymetric Surfaces to Charted Features: Defining a Smooth Path to Safety Stuart A. MacGillivray (Senior Software Developer) Teledyne CARIS, Fredericton [email protected] Karen Cove (Product Manager) Presenter Teledyne CARIS, Fredericton [email protected] Efficiently generating smooth contours for navigation from bathymetric surfaces remains a challenge. While the definition of new and innovative products like the S-102 Bathymetric Surface implies that the future may provide new ways to deliver safe, high-quality data to mariners, the current paradigm relies on contours. In addition to the traditional and highly generalized ENC delivery of this information, we also have the opportunity to produce complementary high-resolution overlays in sensitive and high-traffic areas. While these bathymetric data overlays (bENCs) provide an opportunity to provide denser, more accurate, and timely information to the mariner, the problems in constructing smooth contours are compounded by the volume of data to analyze and the number of geometries to construct. In order to meet these requirements there is a need for tools that address the hydrographic constraints of safety, legibility, topology and waterbody morphology. Other drivers are the need to quickly and automatically produce results on high volume datasets and to reduce the time spent by hydrographers on manual validation. Scalability, performance and automation are key drivers for success. Two distinct approaches have been considered and will be presented. Both strategies make use of established research combined with original revisions. The first is based on the idea of using a consistent smoothed surface model. This model can then be used to generate contours that will be smoother, self-consistent, topologically correct, and safe with respect to the original data. The second approach is direct contour smoothing using a method referred to as energy-minimizing snakes. This is paired with resolving conflicts in contour sets and new approaches to curvature gradients to optimize results.



OTHER INNOVATIONS

A Design for a Trusted Community Bathymetry System, March 29, 2018 – 10:30 to 10:50

Speaker

Brian Calder, CCOM/JHC University of New Hampshire

Bio Dr. Calder graduated in with an M.Eng (Merit) and Ph.D in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1994 and 1997 respectively, from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland. His doctoral research was in Bayesian statistical methods applied to processing of sidescan sonar and other data sources. He joined the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping & NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center at the University of New Hampshire as a founding member in 2000, where his research has focused mainly on understanding, utilizing and portraying the uncertainty inherent in bathymetric (and other) data, and in efficient semi-automatic processing of high density multibeam echosounder data, and associated technologies. He is an Associate Research Professor, Associate Director of CCOM, the Chair of the Open Navigation Surface Working Group, and a past Associate Editor of IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering. Description Crowd-sourced bathymetry (CSB) has received a significant amount of attention in recent years. Although increasing amounts of data are being collected, attributed, and archived, finding a route to the nautical chart has been problematic. Partially, this is due to a lack of formal means to represent data quality on the chart, but is mostly due to lack of qualifying information for the data. CSB efforts generally suffer from a lack of calibration, leading to time-varying and uncontrolled vertical offsets. Assumptions that these issues can be resolved by having a sufficient number of independent observations (the "wisdom of crowds'" argument) are often frustrated by basic physical limitations: the ocean is big, and ships are (relatively) small. Except in limited circumstances, or specific areas, the chances of having any repeated measurements are vanishingly small. As an alternative to the collection of unqualified (CSB) data, we propose a data collection system which, by construction, provides sufficient guarantees of data quality to allow the measurements to be considered for hydrographic use. We call this method Trusted Community Bathymetry (TCB). A TCB system resolves many CSB issues through significantly improved vertical positioning. High-accuracy, high-precision post-processed 3D GNSS solutions allow for the estimation of vertical offsets so that autonomous calibration is possible; ellipsoid-referenced depths obviate the need to apply tidal corrections to the data. Given a known offset, similar techniques can be used to autonomously establish calibration sites. TCB systems can also cross-calibrate CSB data. We demonstrate these ideas using a prototype TCB system developed by SeaID Ltd., which combines a NMEA data logger with a GNSS system. By comparison with survey-grade GNSS and INS systems, we demonstrate how to establish the vertical offset calibration in a system, and the construction of a calibration site. We also qualify the fundamental performance of the prototype system.



Radiometric Complications in Multibeam Multispectral Backscatter Data Due to Different Transmission

Approaches, Solution and Results, March 29, 2018 – 10:50 to 11:10

Speaker: Anand Hiroji, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, University of New Hampshire

Bio Anand Hiroji has a Ph.D. in ocean mapping from the University of New Brunswick, Canada. His research interest is in reducing ambiguities in seafloor classification from multibeam backscatter data. Mr. Hiroji holds MEng (Geodesy and Geomatics, 2011 UNB), BEng (Civil, 2005 India) degrees and extensive offshore survey work experience. Description As an essential prerequisite for utilizing multibeam backscatter data for seafloor classification, proper adjustment to account for the radiation pattern of the transmitter is required. The radiation pattern is a sonar specific property and any method that extract the radiation pattern should not be influenced by the seafloor or ocean conditions. To satisfy this need the Geometric method to extract radiation pattern was previously developed and presented (CHC2016) by the authors. The method was then applied to the multispectral analysis (US Hydro 2017) for the systems (EM710 and EM2040) whose transmit sectors were not compensated for vessel roll. An additional complication, however, exists for those sonars that do have roll stabilized transmit sectors (EM302 and EM122). In this case, the Geometric method can only utilize the grazing angle variations. In this paper, an approach to extract radiation pattern using Geometric method is demonstrated. Practical examples of the different radiation pattern over-print are presented from recent RV Celtic Explorer cruise in South Celtic Sea during which a low-frequency EM302 was simultaneously operating along with high frequency EM2040. The radiation patterns for both EM2040 and EM302 are successfully extracted and then properly corrected from the backscatter data. The corrected backscatter data was then used for multispectral data analysis. The multispectral angular response curves and backscatter mosaics are presented. Collected bottom samples are used to interpret the multispectral backscatter results.



Quantifying the Impact of Internal Wave Activity on Multibeam Bathymetry, March 29, 2018 – 11:10 to 11:30

Speaker: John Hughes Clarke, UNH

Bio John Hughes Clarke is a Professor of Ocean Engineering, affiliated with both the Mechanical Engineering and Earth Sciences Departments at UNH. He specializes in the optimal configuration of integrated multibeam sonar systems. His underlying interest is in ways to resolve active seabed sediment transport. Description Imperfect compensation for the refracted ray path has long been recognized as a major source of error for oblique multibeam soundings. Given the discrete nature of sound speed profiling methods, the scale of the refraction-related error can be attributed to a combination of both the vertical shifting of the veloclines as well as their local slope. To quantify the relative scale of these two contributors, a 3D ray trace model output is compared to field results from a broad range of velocline oscillation (internal wave) scales. The example data is from two weeks of multibeam operations in the summertime Celtic Sea. The region is characterized by a very strong thermocline (~20 m/s step) which is routinely perturbed through baroclinic shear resulting from tidal flow over upstanding seabed relief (banks). The net result is a wide spectrum of internal wave activity, with amplitudes ranging from 1-30 m and wavelengths ranging from 100 m to 10 km. As the seafloor morphology is generally so smooth, the signature of refraction related artefacts can clearly be distinguished and measured. The data are corrected using an underway profiling instrument (MVP-200) operated at ~ 30 minute intervals, corresponding to about 7 km spacing. Underway multi-frequency acoustic imaging from both single beams (EK-60, 18, 38, 120 kHz) and multibeams (EM2040 and EM302) are used to define the wavelengths, amplitudes and azimuths of the internal wave activity. The observed scale of undulations are run through the 3D model at various azimuths relative to the survey vessel track. The scale of the vertical depth anomalies are calculated with respect to the perturbation geometry. The impact of the higher density sound speed profiling is assessed.



Improved Sound Speed Control Through Remotely Detecting Thermocline Undulations, March 29, 2018 –

11:30 to 11:50

Speaker: Jose Cordero, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / UNH

Bio Jose Cordero graduated from the Spanish Naval Academy in 2001, completing in 2006 his OHI CAT-A surveyor degree in the Spanish Hydrographic Institute. Since then, he has been mapping aboard different hydrographic and oceanographic ships, surveying blue and shallow waters. He also completed the circumnavigation scientific expedition “Malaspina 2010” aboard the research vessel Hesperides to gauge the impact of global change on the ocean. Currently he is a M.S. student in Ocean Engineering/Ocean Mapping at CCOM-UNH. Description Internal waves are a common phenomena associated with stratification developed in summer-time shallow tidal seas. They result in very rapid undulations in the main velocline which, if not accounted for, will result in significant refraction errors in multibeam data. Mechanical sound speed profiling, both static and mobile, cannot sample this structure adequately. Thus an alternate means of detecting and accounting for that variability is needed. Within the oceanographic community, it has long been recognized that a distinct volume scattering layer is often associated with major oceanographic boundaries. This reflects a combination of temperature/salinity microstructure or zooplankton around the pycnocline depth. Taking advantage of that, several weeks of multibeam survey on the Irish continental shelf were undertaken during which multispectral acoustic scattering data from an EK60 echo sounder was acquired together with an MVP profiler deployed every ~ ½ hour. A directional filter algorithm has been developed to try and extract the location and undulations of the scattering layer(s) from the EK60 echograms. The extracted layer depth was then compared to the velocline found in each of the discrete MVP profiles. Variability in the correlation between the extracted layer and the actual peak velocline is used to assess the accuracy of the method. Where it is deemed successful, the observed sound speed structure can then be shifted on a ping by ping basis to try and emulate the internal wave activity.This way, ray tracing would be possible using a unique profile for every ping. The results of this approach are presented, particularly focusing on periods when the correlation was poorer. This was noted to occur at dawn and dusk due to the diurnal plankton migration. The Celtic Sea is recognized as an area of a relatively strong thermocline, and thus this method may be less useful in more complex stratification conditions.



Comparing the Automatic Boresight Calibration against the Patch Test, March 29, 2018 – 11:50 to 12:00

Speaker: Burns Foster, Teledyne CARIS

Bio Burns Foster is the Product Manager for CARIS HIPS and SIPS. Burns has worked for Teledyne CARIS since 2008, originally providing support and training for processing-related products. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree (Geomatics) from the University of New Brunswick. Description Comparing the Automatic Boresight Calibration against the Patch Test Eli Leblanc (Geomatics Software Developer, [email protected] )1 Burns Foster (Product Manager, [email protected] )1 1Teledyne CARIS, 115 Waggoners Lane, Fredericton, NB, CANADA, E3B 2L4 Abstract Although it has been used for almost 2 decades, the traditional patch-test to estimate the boresight angles between IMU and sonar has several drawbacks related, among others, to its subjectivity, cost, and the inability to deal with the correlation between roll, pitch and yaw. The motivation behind the new Multibeam-IMU Boresight Automatic Calibration (MIBAC, CIDCO) algorithm was to design a new boresight calibration method that addresses these concerns through a systematic approach to boresight determination. This presentation will introduce a practical integration of the MIBAC tool, and discuss the results and performance in comparison with the traditional patch-test approach.



SURVEYS, MAPPING AND THE VERTICAL COMPONENT

Accuracy of the Pacific Region Hydrographic Vertical Separation Surface model using 2016/2017 Field Data, March 29, 2018 – 1:00 to 1:20 Speaker: Neil Dangerfield, Canadian Hydrographic Service

Bio I have been a multidisciplinary hydrographer with the Canadian Hydrographic Service the past 4 years. I have been working in the Pacific Region Tides Currents and Water Levels section the past two years. I have recently been assigned new duties updating the pacific Region HyVSEP (hydrographic vertical separation surface). Description A comparison of the bathymetry reduced using the vessel’s satellite-derived vertical position and the Hydrographic Vertical Separation model (HyVSEPs) to traditionally derived water level values indicates the model’s performance to accurately predict separation values. During the 2016/2017 Pacific region field seasons, statistics were generated for multiple sites in a variety of tidal regimes throughout the British Columbia coast. In this study, we investigate the data to evaluate model accuracy and suggest improvements that will adjust the model accuracy in future iterations.



Utilization of U.S. Geodetic Service coastal water level gauges in Mississippi to check VDatum tidal datum to

NAD83 vertical separations, March 29, 2018 – 1:20 to 1:40

Speaker: Dr. David Wells, President, HydroMetrica Limited

Bio Dave Wells: is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick; Contract Professor in the Division of Marine Science at the University of Southern Mississippi. Since 1999, at USM Dave annually teaches courses in Applied Bathymetry, Kinematic Positioning, and Applied Acoustics. is affiliated with the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. President, HydroMetrica Limited (which has organized 75 Multibeam Sonar courses since 1994) 2017 Inducted, Hydrographer Hall of Fame, The Hydrographic Society of America, Galveston 2013 Recipient, Portuguese Navy Cross, 1st Class from Navy Chief of Staff and Minister of Defense 2001 Recipient, US Navy Superior Public Service Award 1986-1998 President, Canadian GPS Associates, published Guide to GPS Positioning (sold 12,500 copies) 1965-1980 Scientific Officer & Research Scientist, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS Since 2011, with permission and cooperation from the International Hydrographic Bureau (now International Hydrographic Secretariat), Dave lobbied for, organized and personally funded establishment of a Digital Repository for the International Hydrographic Review. This involves digital capture of the full collection of the International Hydrographic Review, published since 1923, representing the continuous “corporate record” of international hydrographic methods and technological evolution. The collection is available as a no-charge digital journal, using the Open Journal System. All issues from 1963 are now available, and the full set from 1923 will be available by late 2018 at https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/ihr/index 2018-06-29 will be Dave’s 79th birthday. He returned to downhill skiing in January 2014, after a 15-year absence. During 40 days skiing in Idaho over the past 4 years he has not fallen once. 45 years ago, he was a Ski Patroller. Description The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a Vertical Datum Transformation tool (VDatum) that allows for conversions between tidal, ellipsoid and orthometric vertical datums. One important application is allowing for hydrographic surveying to the ellipsoid and using the VDatum tool to reduce the soundings to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW). However, in southeastern Louisiana and western Mississippi, VDatum errors have been found by NOAA to be 20-50 cm. These errors cannot be absorbed by the IHO vertical uncertainty budget for special order through order 1b. USGS water level gauges provide an additional source of water level information in the region, which can be utilized to check VDatum results. These gauges report water levels with respect to gauge zero or NGVD88. In order to utilize these gauges for tidal datum to ellipsoid separation, static GNSS surveys have to be conducted for the USGS gauges and tidal datum transfers (using Modified Range Ratio method) from a NOAA tide gauge have to be performed. We report on the results from performing these analyses on a USGS gauge at the mouth of the Pearl River in Mississippi, using the NOAA tide gauge at Bay Waveland, Mississippi as the control gauge, and compare the results to those from VDatum.



Integrating Bathymetric Datasets in the Lower Saint John River to produce a Common Reference Surface,

March 29, 2018 – 1:40 to 2:00

Speaker: Patrick McNeill, UNB

Bio J. Patrick McNeill is an undergraduate research assistant with the Ocean Mapping Group at the University of New Brunswick. He is currently completing his final year of a bachelors of engineering in the department of Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering. Description The Ocean Mapping Group has been involved with collecting multibeam bathymetry and oceanography data in the Lower Saint John River and Port of Saint John since the late 1990s. This area is characterized by a complex estuary where the Saint John River meets the large tides from the Bay of Fundy in the Port of Saint John. The bathymetry was collected using multiple vessels in small projects, by different groups, and is referenced to multiple different vertical datums. The goal of the project was to create a seamless bathymetric surface with a common datum and resolution for use in a local high-resolution ocean modelling simulation. To achieve this goal, issues relating the age of the datasets, collection with multiple vessels and sensors, and combining datasets referenced to both river and chart datum had to be overcome. This project involved combining, processing, and cleaning these datasets while reducing them to a common vertical datum to create bathymetric surface products. These surface products and related oceanography data were then integrated into an online web mapping application for viewing and dissemination.



MS-PAC: Multibeam System Automatic Parameter calibration, March 29, 2018 – 10:40 to 11:00

Speaker: Julien Desrochers

Bio

Julien Desrochers has been working as a Hydrographic surveyor for the past two years at CIDCO a research center

in marine geomatics. During his time at CIDCO he has worked on many different projets : development

of HydroBall buoy, hydrographic training, SAT for survey vessels and many MBES surveys.He holds a bachelor’s

degree in Geomatics from Laval University in Quebec and has done a course in Hydrographic Surveying approved

by the FIG/IHO/ICA in cat.B from CIDCO in Rimouski.

Description

MS-PAC: Multibeam System Automatic Parameter calibration

The aim of this paper is to present some recent results from a research project conducted by the CIDCO aiming to design new procedures and associated adjustment methods for automated calibration of MBES parameters. This research is done in collaboration with ENSTA Bretagne (France) and with the support of the SHOM (France). Three classes of methods have been designed: The first one, called MIBAC (MultiBeam IMU Automatic Boresight Calibration) is a fully automated method for calibrating the boresight between an IMU (or an INS) and a MBES. In addition to the calculation of boresight angles, the system provides boresight precision through a statistical analysis of error residuals. The second one, called MILAC (MultiBeam IMU Latency Automatic Calibration) is able to determine the IMU-MBES residual latency from a MBES data set with high accuracy and precision. This method can also detect the presence of time-stamping issues in quasi real-time. The third one, called LAAC (Lever Arm Automatic Calibration) is a tool devoted to the calibration of lever arms between the survey vessel position reference point and the acoustic center of a MBES. Like MILAC, this algorithm is capable of detecting lever-arm variations in quasi real-time. The three classes of methods will be illustrated by numerical results from a series of data sets from CHS, NOAA, SHOM, CIDCO and BSH.


The Rapid Harbor Search and Rescue by Mapping and Detecting the Seafloor with Acoustic Instruments,

March 29, 2018 – 2:20 to 2:25

Speaker: Yun-ta Teng, CDR, Chief of Underwater Environment Section, Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office

Bio CDR Yun-ta Teng is Chief of Underwater Environment Section which belongs to Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office, R.O.C. His Master's degree in Ocean Mapping from UNB in 2011. Currently, he focuses on the application of autonomous unmanned vehicle for undersea survey. Description February 1st, 2016, one Taiwan Coast Guard patrol vehicle with 2 officers dropped in Taipei Harbor. Taiwan government deployed 5 different groups with hundreds people but spent a week to find the bodies. Even though the searching area just located in the harbor, the weather condition and instruments affected the schedule of search and rescue(SAR). Therefore, Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Office, R.O.C.(NMOO) started to design a Vessel-Based with a pole mount Tritech Starfish 452F Sidescan(op. freq. 450 kHz), Blueview BV5000(op. freq. 2.25MHz), and VideoRay Scout(ROV) as a Rapidly Estimated SAR mode of shallow water. In a very limited underwater visibility of the harbor, the survey mode provides not only rapidly map in high resolution and wide range images but also detect the detailed 3D shape point clouds. By rapidly surveying a shallow water or harbor area, this combination of vessel-based acoustic instruments makes SAR and mapping more feasible, efficient, and desirable.



Closing Keynote - FROM JUAN DE FUCA TO THE SALISH SEA: VOYAGING

THE WATERWAY OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS PAST AND PRESENT, March

29, 2018 – 2:30 to 3:30

Speaker: Barry Gough

Bio Victoria-born Barry Gough is a prize-winning authority of world maritime history. His lifelong mission has been to embrace the rich history of Canadian seas, lakes and rivers as a means of revealing unique features of Canada's past and, in addition, disclosing its international importance. Author of numerous acclaimed histories of Pacific waters, of Great Lakes naval history, and of Northwest Passage attempts, he is besides official historian of Canada's famed tribal class destroyer HMCS Haida: he wrote the book that saved the ship, now lying in Hamilton, Ontario. He studied Imperial and Naval History at Kings College London University, and was awarded the PhD and DLit degrees for significant contributions to learning. He is a Past President of the Canadian Nautical Research Society and is on the Editorial Board of its journal The Northern Mariner. His book Pax Britannica: Ruling the Waves and Keeping the Peace before Armageddon (Palgrave Macmillan 2014) won the coveted British Maritime Foundations Mountbatten Prize. His acclaimed Biographies of two fur traders and commercial strategists --Sir Alexander and Peter Pond -- opened new vistas in Northwest Company history. He takes particular pride in his artfully crafted published tale of Juan de Fuca, George Vancouver and Alcala Galiano, which appeared as Juan de Fuca's Strait: Voyages in the Waterway of Forgotten Dreams (Harbour Publishing, 2012/pb 2013) His classic British Columbia maritime study is The Royal Navy and the Northwest Coast of North America, 1810-1914 (UBC Press, 1971) which, after a complete overhaul, was published as Britannia's Navy on the West Coast, 1812-1914 (Heritage House, 2016). He has lectured extensively ashore and afloat, and is Professor Emeritus of History, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo. He resides in Victoria. An ally of marine artists, hydrographers, anthropologists, and students of cross-cultural encounters he is known for his story-telling capacities and the authenticity of his research. He is Hon. President, British Columbia Historical Federation. Description From the vantage point of any one of the communities, settler or indigenous, that are situated by this fabled waterway, bays and estuaries we can imagine the passage of the millennia and of the centuries, particularly the last five hundred years. These are waters of legend, bounded by islands and continent, and they are seas of international rivalry now defined by international boundaries and safe shipping lanes. Beginning with Juan de Fuca in 1592 a parade of ships form -- one after another -- a bright spectacle of memory, right down to warships transiting Arctic waters. So many great ships have plowed furrows in these waters, forming in a way a microcosm of world maritime history. In late years the Salish Sea had become a new designation, embracing other names and giving a new identity to these waters, one that represents the resilient revival of First Nations and Indian nations on both sides of the border. Barry Gough will tell the larger tale, the inclusive one, that brings together and touches on the diversity of this environment, at the same time commenting on how international rivalries and present-day security problems have made a potentially unitary sea -- the Salish Sea -- a dream rather than a reality. Then again, this is just another chapter in the always incomplete book Voyages in the Waterway of Forgotten Dreams.



Challenging Cadastral Survey Project

Surveyor General Leads Development of ParcelMap BC

Mike Thomson

Description

The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) is a publicly accountable, statutory corporation independent from government and responsible for administering BC’s land title and survey systems. In June 2017, the LTSA completed the initial build of ParcelMap BC, the current, complete and trusted representation of all titled and Crown land parcels that forms the spatial data infrastructure for supporting economic and social development in BC. This five-year, $22 million project led by the Surveyor General received LTSA Board approval to proceed in 2012. A multi-stakeholder collaborative project team was formed, engaging the Province of BC and other stakeholders—including the Association of BC Land Surveyors (ABCLS), the Integrated Cadastral Information Society (ICI Society), and BC Assessment—to integrate nearly 2.2 million parcels across BC, making ParcelMap BC one of the world’s largest and most complex applications of survey-aware fabric. BC covers a large area at more than 944,000 square kilometres, representing 9.9% of Canada’s land mass and is 2.2 times the size of California, and 3.9 times the land mass of the United Kingdom. Approximately 93% of the land mass remains Provincial Crown land and the topography is complex, with thousands of kilometres of ambulatory water boundaries. BC spans 5 UTM zones, and sits on an active tectonic plate contributing to the use of 4 different horizontal datums. Adding to the complexity, BC is represented by 9 different survey systems covering 189 local government jurisdictions organized into 29 Regional Districts. While the provincial government and many local governments had individually compiled portions of a provincial parcel fabric, these disparate parcel fabrics were maintained on a "best efforts" basis and no easy, efficient means of accessing accurate province-wide land title and survey information existed. To build and maintain the BC parcel fabric, existing information from disparate sources was consolidated, missing pieces were compiled, and an ongoing operations and maintenance framework was devised. ParcelMap BC combines the fabric for all 189 local governments and all surveyed parcels of provincial Crown lands, while adhering to standards for parcel attribution, topology, currency, auditability, and spatial accuracy. To ensure data integrity is maintained in ParcelMap BC, the LTSA worked with land surveyors to establish processes where boundary dimensions on plans submitted are preserved, supporting continual improvement through Least Squares Adjustments. The parcel fabric and operational framework is financially sustainable and will be maintained and enhanced over time. ParcelMap BC improves the speed and efficiency of land-related research, planning and business decisions. It offers an

easy-to-use and reliable source of data that enables land surveyors, local governments, utility companies, lawyers,

realtors and others to quickly view a given parcel of land, its relationship to adjacent parcels, and access extensive

information about the parcel. ParcelMap BC is available through multiple service channels, including via the Province of

BC’s Data Catalogue; from the LTSA website; through the myLTSA portal; and from the ICI Society as it facilitates

ParcelMap BC adoption by its members.

I am thrilled with ParcelMap BC. It is hands

down the best technological improvement

that I have seen in my career. ParcelMap

BC saves me time on a daily basis and

gives me confidence that I can find the

records that I need to do my professional

duties.

Brent Taylor, BCLS, CLS

https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/parcelmap-bc-parcel-fabric

https://ltsa.ca/online-services/parcelmap-bc

https://myltsa.ltsa.ca/myltsalogin


Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Northwest Territories-InukshukGeomtics Inc.

Paul Burbidge

Description

Canada’s north is famous for its extreme environment and the stories it spawns. For E. Grubens Transport (EGT) and Inukshuk Geomatics, an Indigenous majority-owned partnership between the Inuvialuit Development Corporation and Challenger Geomatics Ltd., building the most northerly 86 km of the 120-km Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway gives rise to its own stories. Inukshuk Geomatics provided survey and geomatics support including the original ground survey for the highway’s design; identifying routes to gravel pits and measuring the amount of gravel taken; guiding all aspects of the construction; undertaking the largest legal land survey done on Canada Lands in 2017; and the final as-built survey. The job took four+ years. Even up to a couple of weeks before the official opening of the highway on November 15, 2017, surveyors were measuring the final as-built location. The Work

At the beginning, Inukshuk surveyors walked through mostly open tundra to pinpoint gravel pit locations and establish control points for the highway’s footprint, guiding the entire project. In the summer their scouting took them across wet and muddy terrain, with hummocks and low-lying brush that made walking difficult. They set metal monuments into the frozen ground, rechecking those control points as the permafrost changed their position. Then wooden construction stakes were placed every 20 metres, often in frozen fill; they were constantly destroyed by the big equipment and had to be replaced frequently.

Most of the work was done in 24-hour-a-day darkness, with temperatures dipping to -52°C and often with a fierce wind. Solar flares that cause the Arctic’s northern lights can also wreak havoc with the survey instruments. During early pioneering of the gravel sources and the highway’s right-of-way, the workers’ portable camp, comprising of several trailers, was dragged on skids behind bulldozers to a new location every 10 kilometres.

To make their job more efficient, Inukshuk introduced EGT to GPS technology, installed in the spread caterpillars allowing the operators to see from their cabs what the surveyors see on the ground. Inukshuk technologists helped set up the equipment.

Challenges…

• Mostly winter work: cold temperatures, blowing snow and darkness, most of the time.

• Remote location, very limited access to Internet and cell networks from the field, limiting immediate office support and troubleshooting.

• Access – foot, snowmobiles, side-by-side ATV’s, various pick-up trucks, helicopters.

• Armed animal control, almost all of the time, due to high density of bears.

• Control concerns – shifting in permafrost – constant checks with PPP and on the ground.

• Measuring volumes in flooded pits. Thawed ground was terrible for getting around.

• Thorough planning of survey equipment use and maintenance due to extremely long time to get spare parts or repairs

• Extensive use of combinations of various survey methods, including: LIDAR and terrestrial topo, and layouts with conventional & GNSS instruments & machine control.

• Supporting and educating client surveyors from local Indigenous communities with limited training or experience

• Ground frozen for setting control, survey posts, lathe, stakes, extensive use of a machine control systems supported by Inukshuk

• The legal survey placed 1050 posts. It was completed in an impressive 8 weeks, including a Christmas break, due to Government of the Northwest Territories timelines.


Challenging Non Cadastral Survey Project

Engineering Survey of the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch

Rob Reicken

Description

Project Summary The nine-storey Vancouver Public Library Central Branch occupies a full city block downtown.

Completed in 1995, the building’s exterior resembles the Colosseum in Rome. In addition to its function as the central

branch of the city’s public library system, it also includes an attached office high-rise, retail shops, restaurants, and

underground public parking. It is an active site for locals and tourists alike, and the location is used extensively by the

film industry. McElhanney was retained in 2017 by local construction contractor Smith Bros & Wilson (SBW) to provide

surveying services to aid renovations at the library, which included the addition of escalators, elevators, and an

auditorium. The objective of the survey was to identify a precise location for a temporary concrete platform supporting

a multi-storey crane, and to identify positions to underpin and support the load of the crane and platform sited at street

level on an underground parking structure. Both firms knew the complex nature of the existing utilities in the parkade

structure would require an innovative approach to data collection and presentation. Innovation McElhanney’s survey

methodology involved traversing the underground parking level and various locations within the library to relate the

building grid to the client’s proposed crane location outside at street level. This facilitated layout of the X-shaped crane

platform and crane centre-line on top of the concrete parking structure. However, to disburse the load, 44 temporary

steel H-beam columns were needed to support the concrete platform, which sat primarily on four of the library’s

structural columns. McElhanney used 3D laser scanning with clash detection analysis to determine the location of the

vertical H-beams such that they would not interfere with utility features running within the parkade below the crane.

The project used a unique approach by superimposing the point cloud on design entities and employing clash detection

methods to determine the optimal locations for the temporary beams. Working with the engineer via the point cloud

minimized redesign time and avoided “trial and error” as would have been the case had we simply laid-out theoretical

locations without knowing the position of existing utilities, catwalks, and ladders. Clash detection is one aspect of a

revolutionary approach to project execution being termed Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). By simulating the

construction effort using comprehensive point clouds and 3D modelling techniques, this project was completed with

significantly less rework and resulted in reduced risk, more accurate as-builts, and fewer schedule delays. Contribution

to Society The project clearly benefited the public due to cost efficiency at this public facility, which is funded by tax

payers and frequented by hundreds of visitors each day. It demonstrated cost and time efficiencies of engineering

survey and design services by avoiding an iterative approach to positioning the temporary columns, which ultimately

saved construction labour and material costs. Though closing parking stalls under the crane during renovations caused

minor inconvenience, the safety of the public was maintained throughout the project.


Survey Challenges Related to Installation and Integration of Topside Modules

Ian Edwards

Description

Edwards and Associates Limited, while working with a Strategic Alliance Partner (Intertek Survey Services of Huston,

Texas) were responsible for dimensional control activities related to the Installation and Integration of eight topside

modules, with a combined weight of more than 65,000 tonnes and a footprint that would exceed a regulation size

football field, of the Hebron Offshore Platform. These modules were constructed at various fabrication facilities around

the world and first-time fit up, without clash complications, was critical to project schedule. In general survey services

were related to fit up of structure components, interconnection of piping systems between modules and the real-time

monitoring of modules as they were being integrated. Construction tolerances were generally in the range of a few

millimeters, with all dimensional reports being normalized to 20 degrees Celsius. Modules built in South Korea at a

temperature of twenty-five degrees Celsius would have to mate with modules constructed in Newfoundland, sometimes

at temperatures as low as minus twenty-five degrees Celsius, which could influence actual dimensions of structures by

as much as several centimeters over that temperature range. The NORSOK Structural Steel Fabrication Standard was

employed to govern structural surveys and identify out of tolerance conditions, while PFI ES3 Pipe Fabrication Standards

were used to govern pipe spool surveys. The provision of statistically sound dimensional reports in a construction

environment with tolerances in the range of a few millimeters meant that surveys often had to be completed with sub-

millimeter accuracy. For example, close-out spool surveys would often be required where one flange face was located

on a structure in South Korea while the other flange face would be located on a module in Marystown, NL. To meet

schedule, the close-out pipe spools would be prefabricated and ready to install during the mating process. Parameters

such as bolt hole rotation, flange tilt, overall geometry, etc. would be analyzed to ensure proper interconnection without

the need for rework. Specialized survey procedures were developed, which utilized the latest in survey technology (3D

High Definition Laser Scanning, Self Tracking sub millimeter total stations) and adjustment processes, to achieve the

required accuracies and produce credible reports that were both statistically sound and reliable (the survey team were

often challenged by the fabricators and they would have to justify every number in their reports). Lifting and transport

of large structural modules can be problematic at the best of times. The units would typically deflect / deform as internal

stresses are released. Multi-point engineered lift plans would be designed to minimize such deformations, which would

require the modules to maintain a predefined attitude during the lifting process. The project team was responsible to

monitor and report in real time, to centimeter accuracy, the attitude of modules as they were being maneuvered.

Additional monitoring would be required to guide one module onto another during the mating process, which again

required sub millimeter survey accuracies delivered in real time. This was a great project for the survey team, with

multiple lifts (conventional, elevator, skid and float over) being completed successfully. A large number of close-out

spool surveys were completed with first-time fitting / installation resulting in significant time and money saving for the

client.


The George Massey Tunnel Automated Monitoring Project

Chris El-Araj

Description

The Challenge: In early 2016, five large bridge piles (2 metre diameter and over 60 metres long) were to be installed directly adjacent to the south portal of the George Massey Tunnel (GMT) as part of an Geotechnical Test Pile Engineering study. The GMT is located in greater Vancouver, British Columbia, on Highway 99 passing under the South Arm of the Fraser River, between Delta and Richmond. Due to the public safety concerns on one of the busiest roadways in Western Canada the approach and tunnel structure was to be monitored in real time using a fully automated total station system with a maximum time span of 2 minutes between each set of measurements on each of the +/-40 prisms, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, for the project duration. Five precise total stations would be required to meet the 2 minute threshold. Additionally, a precise control network was required, to meet the project accuracy requirement of +/-3mm at a 95% confidence level. The Learning Curve: Underhill & Underhill retained Leica Geosystems directly for training and support during the design and implementation of a fully automated real-time monitoring system, using the Leica GeoMoS software system. The five MS50 total stations were physically networked into a controlling computer at the project site. The precise sequencing of the measurements was critical to ensure all prisms were meeting project timing specifications. The total station network was then connected to internet through cellular connectivity and reporting was performed automatically using the online Leica GeoMoS Now service. Movement and timing thresholds and tolerances were configured for the project. With the messaging system in GeoMoS, automated messages are circulated to the project stakeholders, if specific criteria are met. For example, if the timing requirement for a particular prism or some predefined amount of movement occurs on a given prisms, then email and SMS notifications are automatically sent by system as soon as detected, to predefined stakeholder groups. Interestingly, the data from the automated monitoring system showed unanticipated results from a Total Station located inside the tunnel itself. A graph of the vertical data showed a regular variation that perfectly matched the tides chart. It seems that when the tide was high, the central segment of the tunnel went down, and when the tide dropped, this section of the tunnel raised up, with a total spread of roughly 8-10mm. Ongoing Maintenance: With the monitoring system running the work of installing the five massive test piles began. Piling was only allowed when the monitoring system was running, so maintenance to protect against data outages became a daily task. Maintenance items including: system reboots, target recognition issues such as ice, fog, vegetation, and other obstructions, and total station movement during the actual piling activities. Conclusion: Underhill & Underhill were tasked with designing, installing, commissioning, and maintaining a precise real-time automated monitoring system to ensure public safety during this critical infrastructure project. Underhill & Underhill continue to provide technologically advanced and appropriate solutions to meet both the clients needs and the challenges of modern day engineering projects. Since this project, we have completed several similar automated real-time monitoring projects.

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