KLIMOP: Towards an easy exchange of underground utility network data

摘要

The Flemish government stimulates and supports innovation trough the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT). Amongst others, IWT grants financial support to companies and research institutes who apply for projects in strategic basic research, collective research and technology transfer. Definition of the problem: Each year thousands of accidents occur while carrying out digging work in public road areas, causing damages to the utility networks. This not only results in high direct and indirect costs, but often leads to life threatening situations. These observations were the starting point for KAHO Sint Lieven and Hogeschool Gent to join forces and form a consortium in taking on the problems caused by the lack of an accurate inventory of the underground utility lines such as electricity, gas, water, telecommunication …, the lack of exchange standards for data formats between utility owners and construction companies, outdated cartography, incorrect as-built plans and so one. The solutions to these problems are multidisciplinary and are to be found in the field of IT, cartography, GIS, CAD and specialized land surveying techniques. The paper will explain how the project (KLIMOP) intends to tackle some of the problems and in what way this will contribute to an easy exchange of underground utility network data and thus to a safer environment. In doing so, we not only use our own specific competences, but we can rely on the expertise of several private companies and governmental organisations active in different segments of the problem area. One of the key-partners in this project is AGIV (Agency for Geographical Information Flanders). The main goal of AGIV is to optimize the use of geographical information in Flanders. It is essential for the success of KLIMOP that its results are compatible with AGIVprojects such as GRB (large scale reference database) and KLIP (cable and pipeline information portal). The project is financed by IWT (92.5%) and by private companies (7.5%) who will function as sponsors and user group.