3D Machine Control Model – Housing Development | Staveley

Introduction

Location: Staveley, Cumbria
Client: ND Civils (Groundworks Contractor)
Sector: Residential Construction
Software Used: LSS, N4CE
Deliverables: LandXML & DWG for Machine Control, Site Calibration, Finished Surface Model

Project Overview

Brookes Geospatial was appointed by ND Civils to produce a 3D machine control model for a new housing development in Staveley. The aim was to create a detailed, GPS-ready finished surface model incorporating drainage design and suitable for cut/fill analysis and formation model generation.

Scope of Work

• Developed a finished surface model from client-supplied design data

• Delivered in LandXML and DWG formats for GPS-guided plant

• Performed a site-wide coordinate transformation to align the data with British National Grid

Site Calibration & Control

The original topographic survey data was captured in a local coordinate system, making it incompatible with machine control workflows. To resolve this:

• We established a GNSS control network by observing eight strategically placed points across the site extents - observed via total station and GNSS.

• The GNSS base station was observed twice during the day in 15-minute sessions to average its position and improve coordinate reliability

• A Helmert transformation was applied in N4CE, allowing all design and survey data to be accurately transformed into British National Grid (OSGB36) coordinates

This process ensured that machines operating on site could confidently use GPS for earthworks without positional drift or mismatch between design and real-world coordinates.

Outcome

The final deliverables enabled ND Civils to begin groundworks immediately with full machine control compatibility. The calibrated control network, drainage linework and dual-format model provided a seamless foundation for site operations, saving time and reducing on-site engineering setup.