The project includes design modifications to four of the existing anaerobic digesters, replacement of the digester gas pipeline and upgrades to the dissolved air flotation thickeners (DAFTs) at the San Jose – Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The digester modifications include upgrades to “like-new” condition, and DAFT systems will be upgraded to improve digester and DAFT capacity, safety, and performance. KSN was retained by Brown and Caldwell to provide 3D laser scanning and 3D mapping services in the DAFT and Digester Tunnels to support the design of improvements. KSN’s services included coordinating with design team members; establishing a survey control system in the DAFT and digester tunnels based on the plant’s state plane coordinate system and vertical datum; 3D laser scanning surveys of the DAFT gallery and all of the digester tunnels; preparation of Leica TruView files for data sharing; and preparation of 3D modeling and mapping in the DAFT gallery and digester 5-8 tunnels.

Applying the use of 3D laser scanning technology allowed KSN to survey under and around equipment that could not be moved; a task that would have been difficult to achieve with conventional surveying methods and technology.  The 3D laser scanning was the ideal tool for the project, allowing for a rich data set in challenging limited line of site conditions.   By utilizing 3D laser scanning, KSN was able to meet the project schedule and provide the design team with accurate 3D AutoCAD MEP drawings of the existing facility.