APPLICATIONS OF THE GALILEO SYSTEM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Applications of the Galileo System in Civil Engineering

Prof. Leoš Mervart
Department of Advanced Geodesy

Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU in Prague
E-mail: mervart@fsv.cvut.cz

Key words: Galileo System, Civil Engineering, Research plan MSM 6840770032

Research plan description

Subject and goal of the research plan

The development of the first satellite positioning systems –
also known as global positioning systems (GPS) – goes back
to the 1960s. Their significance for technical practice started
to increase together with gradual completion of the NAVSTAR
(Navigation Satellite Timing And Ranging) GPS system during
the 1980s. Since then, the number of applications has been
continuously growing, and GPS have become indispensable in

various areas of human activity. With the development of new GPS applications, however,
certain limitations of the presently single fully operational system, NAVSTAR GPS, have
started to be manifested, which are mainly caused by the fact that the system was originally
designed for the needs of the US armed forces, and its inventors did not bear in mind the
hundreds of its various civil applications.

For this reason, one of the priorities of the European Union member countries was to develop
its own satellite positioning system, which (unlike the United States’ system) would be pri-
marily designed for a whole range of very diverse civil applications. During the complicated
and long preparatory phase of the project, both its overall concept and the name of the po-
sitioning system itself went through changes. Negotiations between the European Union and
the United States, aimed at ensuring so-called interoperability of the existing and the new
positioning system, were also difficult. At the present time, it may be stated that there are
no more political obstacles on the way to the construction of a European positioning system,
and its detailed concept has been approved. In 2006, the project advanced from the so-called
development phase to the implementation phase. The operating phase should be reached in
2008. The positioning system of the European Union is based on two projects:

EGNOS (Euro Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) Project.

This is a joint project of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission,
which will (as based on a plan of 2005) comprise three geostationary satellites.

GALILEO Project.

The GALILEO system (also representing a joint ESA and European Commission project) is
a highly ambitious project, which, after its completion, should represent the latest technology
for precise positioning. From July 1st 2003 to the end of 2005, the project was in the so-
called development phase, while 2006 set off its so-called implementation phase, and from

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2008 on the system should be fully functional. The system involves a total of 30 satellites on
three orbits (inclination to the equator - 56 degrees, distance from the Earth - 23616 km).
The agreement on “the support, deployment and exploitation of satellite positioning systems
GALILEO and NAVSTAR GPS” signed between the USA and the European Union in 2004
(on June 26th) has cleared the way for user interoperability and radiofrequency compatibility
of both systems.

The GALILEO system presently enjoys one of the top priorities in all EU mem-
ber states. The Czech Government decree No. 218 of 23.2.2005 on organizing
active participation of the Czech Republic in the Galileo programme declares
the readiness of the Czech Republic to support its own business and research
subjects.

The design of services and signals within the GALILEO system was subject to long discussions
and numerous changes. At the present time, however, it is evident that one of the signals
of the GALILEO systems will be in the L1 high-frequency range. This fact makes way
for simple and cheap receivers capable of working with both systems – NAVSTAR GPS
as well as GALILEO. At the same time, this paves the way for considerable precision and
mainly reliability improvement in positioning while using a combination of measurements
coming from both navigation systems. A direct consequence of this qualitative leap forward
to be expected is tremendous development of new applications, including applications in civil
engineering.

We presume that due to the above-mentioned facts, it is necessary to focus the efforts of
research staff members of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU, on the research and devel-
opment of the Galileo system applications in the fields of geoinformatics, landscape and civil
engineering. We are convinced that in order to launch a project of such research, we possess
a top-quality research team composed of experts in the field of satellite positioning systems,
informatics, geodesy, highway engineering, building constructions and other civil engineering
branches. We are also convinced that the submitted project is appropriately targeted, well
timed (in relation to the GALILEO system’s construction), and that its implementation will
bring considerable economic benefits.

The intended research plan consists of three mutually linked up parts:

1. Research and development of methods for the processing of signals from
Galileo satellites, problems of combining measurements coming from the Galileo sys-
tem with the existing global positioning system NAVSTAR GPS, specific features re-
lated to the Galileo system’s applications in the Czech Republic and linkage to current
observation grids of the Czech Republic.

2. Research and development of efficient processing methods of position-related
information provided by means of the Galileo system, its visualization, devel-
opment of database and information systems (GIS) based on the data obtained through
the Galileo system.

3. Research and development of the Galileo system’s application in individual
civil engineering branches:

� monitoring of deformations of bridge structures

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� monitoring of displacements of building structures by combining measurements coming
from the Galileo system with laser scanning methods

� building machinery control

� long-term monitoring of displacements of tram and railway tracks

� prevention of risks in transporting hazardous freight

� searching and development of new applications of satellite positioning systems in civil
engineering

� searching and development of new applications of satellite positioning systems and meth-
ods of remote sensing of the Earth in water management.

One of the principal targets of the submitted research plan, therefore, is complex devel-
opment of civil engineering applications of the Galileo system. The term “civil
engineering applications” denotes various technological procedures which imply obtaining
position-related information on building structures, building machinery control, optimiza-
tion of logistic problems during construction processes etc. as their component part. These
will, on the one hand, include applications, which are presently being solved by using other
technologies (e.g. terrestrial measurements). In such cases, the objective will be to develop
technological procedures based on the Galileo system, which are more cost-efficient, more pre-
cise or less risky for the staff executing the measurements. On the other hand, the qualitative
leap in the precision and reliability of positioning, incorporated in the Galileo system, will
pave the way for completely new applications and technologies, which otherwise could not be
made available by using existing means. These applications cannot be predicted one by one,
and thus enumerated within the research plan proposal. Nevertheless, we presume that it is
in particular the search for them and their development that should become a significant part
of the proposed research plan.

The submitted project, however, is not focused solely on the application level of the Galileo
system. The project is submitted by staff members of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU,
representing, to a large extent, surveyors and cartographers (Geodesy and cartography being
one of the branches studied at the Faculty). Therefore, another major objective of the project
is the development of algorithms, methods and software applications for processing
original measurements coming from the Galileo system, and integration of the
results obtained by means of this system into information systems. Individual
applications in civil and landscape engineering may be linked up only to the results of this
development.

The project, therefore, represents a certain synthesis of research in the branch of satel-
lite surveying and geoinformatics with specific applications in civil and landscape
engineering.

Present level of knowledge and research activity in sphere which is subject of the
research plan, from both international and national standpoints

The part dealing with the subject and goal of the research plan makes it clear that in order
to achieve the project’s objectives knowledge coming from more branches of science and

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technology is necessary. This section gives a brief outline of the present level of research
activity and knowledge in the fields essential for solving the research plan:

Satellite surveying and navigation

Satellite surveying, global positioning systems theory and development of algorithms and
software tools for the processing of satellite observations is a kind of “starting point” of
the submitted project as satellite observations represent the initial data source on which all
intended applications are based. Satellite surveying itself cannot exist without links to other
specializations falling under the branch of so-called geodetic surveying. Their common task
is to allow positioning of static or moving objects within an exactly defined coordinate and
time system. As any positioning is based on measurements carried out in a specific physical
environment, study of physical characteristics of the Earth and study of time-related changes
in these characteristics are also component parts of geodetic surveying.

The problems of satellite navigation have been a subject of interest of the staff members of
the Department of Advanced Geodesy of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU, since the
start of the 1990s. The Head of Department, Prof. Mervart, is a co-author of two significant
software systems for processing NAVSTAR GPS observations – so-called Bernese GPS Soft-
ware (in cooperation with the Astronomical Institute, University of Berne, Switzerland) and
the RTNET (Real-Time Network) programme used by the Japanese Institute of Geography
for monitoring the Japanese Geonet network (a network of approximately 1200 permanent
GPS stations).

Prof. Mervart and Dr. Lukeš are authors or co-authors of numerous scientific publications
devoted to global positioning systems.

Other research team members – Prof. Kostelecký, Dr. Vondrák, and Dr. Pešek are experts in
the field of the national reference frame, geodetic astronomy and coordinate and time reference
systems. The problems of reference frames are an important part of research as individual
positioning systems can work in variously defined and implemented reference frames whose
correct transformation and subsequent conversion of results into systems used in the Czech
Republic is the necessary condition for the use of satellite positioning systems for precise
applications in technical practice.

Research activity in the field of satellite surveying is indispensable without wide international
cooperation. The above-mentioned research team members are engaged in international co-
operation projects in the framework of bilateral agreements with our foreign partners (mainly
the Astronomical Institute, University of Berne) and international scientific organizations –
mainly International GNSS Service and International Earth Rotation and Reference systems
Service (IERS).

Among domestic research workplaces, our partner is mainly the Research Institute of Geodesy,
Topography and Cartography.

Informatics, geoinformatics, digital cartography and geographic information sys-
tems

The second pillar of the intended research plan is a group of sciences which (if we want to
sum them up by a one-word term) may be referred to as “geoinformatics”. This modern
branch of science applies the knowledge of informatics – a science on processing and handling

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information – to fit the needs of geodesy, cartography and other scientific and technical
disciplines dealing with measurements, mapping or (as is the case of civil engineering) also
transformations of the earth’s surface. In our concept, geoinformatics is a very wide term
which serves, to a certain extent, as an umbrella for cartography, photogrammetry, remote
sensing, mapping and land register. The significance of geoinformatics is also testified by the
fact that “Geoinformatics” is the name and content of a newly accredited branch of study at
the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU. Instruction in this branch will start in the 2006/2007
academic year.

The Department of Mapping and Cartography of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU, is
a top workplace in the fields falling under geoinformatics. The Department also comprises
the Laboratory of Remote Sensing, whose research is focused on several areas. One of them
is the monitoring of time-related changes in landscape, which may be determined from the
data obtained through remote sensing – satellite data (optical and radar data) and aerial data
(aerial photogrammetric images). The process of image evaluation necessarily requires precise
localization of monitored changes. The Galileo system and the data provided by it will allow
data acquisition with a substantially greater position precision and easier exploitation of the
knowledge obtained in practice.

The Laboratory of Remote Sensing has been involved in the problems of differential inter-
ferometry for several years. This method allows collecting information on changes in the
position of a territory on the earth’s surface. A supporting tool for evaluating the results
processed by differential interferometry is e.g. GIS where based on various sorts of input
data a theoretical possibility of the existence of areas of subsidence is investigated. In this
way, the values taken over from geological, mining and other background materials have been
compared, which, however, cannot be used as absolutely reliable for confirming or denying
subsidence. The Galileo system will allow continuous position monitoring in selected localities
for several years. These measurements will be compared with the results of interferometric
evaluation. The precondition, therefore, is to use the Galileo system for measurements on
pre-selected localities. Such data will be regularly evaluated, and the information entered
into GIS.

Another workplace of the Department of Mapping and Cartography of FCE, CTU, is the
Laboratory of Photogrammetry. The laboratory activity in the last five years has been focused
mainly on the use of terrestrial photogrammetry for documenting historical monuments where
a number of significant achievements have been made while working on international projects
as well. Higher forms of digital photogrammetric evaluation systems using the principles of
virtual reality are represented in the laboratory at four stations. The pilot project of the
laboratory in the long run is work on the PhotoPa system, which presently represents a
relatively extensive photogrammetric and surveying database of minor historical monuments.
Collecting this kind of data involves geoinformation elements, and the European GALILEO
positioning system is presumed to be used for locating the objects.

Engineering geodesy

Engineering geodesy is an application of geodetic methods in industry and civil engineering.
Among the principal tasks of engineering geodesy there is complete geodetic site management
– from works carried out during the design phase of construction through site surveying to
documentation of its as-built version and, in some cases, even long-term monitoring of its

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shifts and deformations.

Engineering geodesy is characterized by high demands for measurement precision and also by
the fact that the measurements are carried out in very difficult conditions. The use of the latest
devices is often the only way to fulfil the accuracy requirements observing, at the same time,
the health and safety rules and reducing the risks of occupational accidents. In this respect,
the use of satellite positioning systems in laying out major construction projects, the laser
scanning method or the methods of automated building machinery control must be mentioned.
The current positioning system NAVSTAR GPS has already been successfully used in some
of the applications mentioned above. The use of the Galileo system, however, would result in
reaching a greater precision of results replacing thus classic terrestrial methods in engineering
geodetic applications setting high demands mainly for precise positioning. The impact of the
new Galileo system would be still more significant in the cases where measurements are carried
out in unfavourable conditions (e.g. limited visibility due to existing development etc.). With
the number of satellites being more than twice bigger (a total of 54 satellites in simultaneous
application of both the NAVSTAR GPS and the Galileo systems as compared to only 24
NAVSTAR GPS satellites) highly precise measurements under such difficult conditions would
be feasible.

The problems of on-site geodetic measurements are studied by the Department of Special
Geodesy of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU, and also by the Department of Geodesy
and Land Consolidation, FCE CTU. Doc. Blažek, the Head of the latter Department, is
engaged in measurements of bridge deformations using optical methods. Ing. Štroner, PhD.
from the Department of Special geodesy, FCE CTU, deals with the method of laser scan-
ning of structures. Doc. Hampacher is an expert in mathematical processing of geodetic
measurements using the adjustment calculus.

Building mechanics, highway engineering, environmental engineering, water man-
agement and water structures

The Department of Building Mechanics of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CTU, has been,
among other things, involved in the long-term monitoring of static and dynamic behaviour
of prominent building structures and detection of their excessive static deformations and
dynamic deflections. The current accuracy of satellite observations using NAVSTAR GPS
is, as a rule, lower that the precision required during the above-mentioned monitoring. It
may, however, be expected that after higher accuracy has been achieved by introducing the
Galileo system, terrestrial measurements may be, in some cases, replaced with satellite ob-
servations with considerable economies and enhanced health and safety. Evaluation of the
results achieved would be greatly facilitated by the fact that repeated measurements could
be replaced with measurements performed by permanent satellite receivers eliminating thus
the effect of periodic phenomena (e.g. temperature fluctuations during the day or year) on
the total determined behaviour of building structures.

The Department of Railway Structures, FCE CTU, among other things, deals with monitor-
ing displacements of selected sections of tram and railway tracks – e.g. trial sections with
new structural elements. These displacements are presently monitored by means of terres-
trial methods. The use of satellite methods would be greatly beneficial both in terms of
cost-effectiveness and health and safety. The condition is not only high precision of the mea-
surements, but also a capability of reaching this high precision rate in conditions standard

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for railway and tram tracks – limited visibility of satellites in cuttings, impaired reception of
signals due to vegetation etc.

The Department of Sanitary and Ecological Engineering, FCE CTU, is engaged in modelling
distribution networks and rainfall-runoff processes in urbanized watersheds and evaluation
of the ecological state of water courses and water/supply reservoirs, which requires precise
information on the type and size of surfaces in the respective watershed, including their
altitudinal surveys and boundaries and delimitation and precise location of structures, e.g.
surface attributes of drinking water supply systems and sewage systems, which could be easily
made available by using satellite methods.

The Department of Steel and Timber Structures, FCE CTU, participates in solving tasks
aimed at monitoring steel and timber structures showing increased risks of excessive defor-
mations and shifts. Such hazards are characteristic e.g. of historic spire timber roof structures.
The majority of structures suffer from gradual material degradation of the bearing structure
and in extreme climatic conditions (wind load) there are risks of their failures and irreparable
damage. That is why measurements applying the proposed method and millimetre precision
rate are of invaluable here, and they may very well identify structural failures. The use of
satellite methods for these structures is beneficial as these structures are usually taller than
the surrounding development. For this reason, any other measurement in such conditions sets
high demands, while satellite receivers, on the contrary, provide considerable benefits as there
is no danger of the receivers being shaded.

The use of the proposed method would also significantly enhance measurements on high masts,
towers, chimneys and other similar structures. In such structures, second limit state (service-
ability limit state) is often relevant. Here, dynamic wind effects are mostly in question, which
must be monitored both in the actual wind direction and in the perpendicular direction, and
cylindrical structures in particular may show resonance vibrations due to wind effects and be
prone to fatigue damage. Wind effects may be, in a very complicated way, monitored in wind
tunnels (scale models are used) where actual wind effects are only simulated. Measurements
using satellite receivers would provide very valuable information on the basis of which actual
wind effects could be analysed on real structures. The proposed project would significantly
affect development in this area of structural design.

The Department of Geotechnics is ready to participate in solving the research plan by using
knowledge referring to foundation condition of structures (rock mass condition in underlaying
subsoil of buildings) and their foundation structures, including geotechnical causes of struc-
tural failures. Shape deformations of buildings may be also caused by rock mass dynamics,
regardless of the fact if these are autonomous processes in the massif or part of interaction of
the massif with buildings. Reliable results can be obtained only by complex assessment. The
Department is well equipped by material and staff to monitor and evaluate the rock mass
dynamics in interaction with buildings. Cooperation with other participating researchers is
expected to result in obtaining valuable geodetic and geotechnical background materials for
the evaluation of various types of localities; the research team of the Department of Geotech-
nics will also provide engineering geological and geotechnical background materials for other
planned works.

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Sub-goals of the research plan

1. System analysis and setting principal goals (SA)

The process is a follow-up to the results achieved by the researchers prior to the project’s
launch. It runs at the start and, at the same time, during the whole time of the project dura-
tion to ensure that the partial tasks set are updated in relation to international development
in the given problem area. A system solution to the project comprises a basic analysis of prob-
lems to solve, an application analysis and subsequent setting of demands for the functionality
and properties of subsystems to ensure mutual linkage of individual processes.

2. Research, development, testing and optimization of computation algorithms
for processing information from Galileo satellites (GA)

The process is one of principal tasks of the proposed research plan. It is a follow-up to
previous researchers’ works dealing with programme development for processing NAVSTAR
GPS measurements in real time. In this part of the research plan we intend to:

� develop a programme for processing so-called phase measurements of the Galileo system

� assess the effect of corrections of the EGNOS system on the determined position of the
receiver, design an optimum method of using the EGNOS system for intended technical
applications

� investigate problems related to a combination of NAVSTAR GPS and Galileo measure-
ments (different reference systems etc.) and prepare software tools for solving these
problems

A new generation of satellite signal receivers of is presently being prepared. These new re-
ceivers differ from the existing ones in that some hardware elements are replaced with firmware
elements. The receivers will be fitted with efficient processors and will become, to a certain
extent, universal. By modifying or changing firmware, the receiver will be able to be used
for measurements with different global positioning systems or their combinations (NAVSTAR
GPS, Galileo and potentially others). The receivers will possess their own operating system
allowing running user programmes directly in the receivers. This paves the way for developing
new applications to optimize processing original raw data, solve communication with other
devices within a given technology etc. Research and development of such applications, which
are on the boundary line between firmware and user applications, will also form part of our
work.

3. Integration of national reference frame into common European reference
frame (PZ)

Research is targeted on the implementation of the European terrestrial reference frame
ETRF89 on the territory of the Czech Republic with centimetre precision and its linkage
to existing centimetre precision horizontal and vertical coordinate control systems (S-JTSK,
S43/83, ČSNS). Only by observing this standard will it be possible to provide localization in
all coordinate reference frames with the desired accuracy. As satellite movement is primarily
described by means of laws referring to celestial mechanics in a celestial quasi-inertial celestial
system, it will also be necessary to refine precision in transformation relations between this
celestial and the rotating terrestrial reference system (precession, nutation, universal time,

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pole movement). Some parameters of the Earth orientation (precession, nutation, universal
time), however, cannot be obtained only from satellite observations, and a combination with
VLBI observations is necessary. Therefore, research will be also aimed at developing the
technique of these combinations. To build the integrated terrestrial reference frame requires,
apart from other prerequisites, refining information on the quasigeoid surface on the domain
of the Czech Republic by processing heterogeneous data, verifying its precision based on the
“GPS-levelling” method, developing an algorithm of ETRF89 – S-JTSK and ETRF – S42/83
transformation and supplying relevant software with regard to its incorporation into GIS
software.

4. Applications of modern methods of numerical mathematics (NM)

Study of effective and numerically stable methods for solving mathematical problems that
occur in processing observations from satellite positioning systems and in processing huge
geoinformation files. The research plan proposal does not make it possible to precisely predict
which mathematical problems are going to arise during the project solution. Generally we can
expect that we will face problems stemming from solutions of large linear equation systems
(when processing observations from satellite positioning systems the rank can be expected in
the order of 100 thousand unknown). What is demanded is not only high numerical stability,
but also high solution speed. Optimal algorithms can be achieved when a-priory knowledge of
the linear equation system structure is taken into account (e.g. in the case of “sparse” equation
systems or systems with some parameters strongly dependent etc.) When processing satellite
data in real time various modifications of the Kalman filter are mostly used (the main reason
is effectiveness of the solution). In general, we can say that such filtering can be numerically
highly unstable. Optimization of filtering algorithms in terms of numerical stability is another
goal of this project section.

5. Monitoring of deformations of bridge structures (MK)

This area is considered as one of the most promising applications of satellite observations in
the building industry. The objective of the project is verification of the serviceability of the
new European Galileo positioning system for the monitoring of static and dynamic behaviour
of significant building structures and for the detection of their excessive static deformations
and dynamic deflections.

In terms of serviceability, operating ability, long-term reliability and durability of large-span
pre-stressed bridge structures, the highly topical issue of today is the problem of time-related
permanent deformation growth. Social relevance of the problems affecting the operating
ability of bridges is immense, and the resulting costs economically greatly exceed the costs
due to static failures.

Experience shows greater values of real deflections as compared to predictions based on cal-
culations and their long-term growth in time – actual long-term deflections are greater than
those specified by standard calculations. The causes of this phenomenon are many, and they
need to be objectively analysed.

One (though not the only) significant factor affecting deflection development is creep and
differential shrinkage of concrete. Due to the fact that these are highly complex phenom-
ena including interaction of a number of factors at different microstructure levels, which
are affected by multiple variables, the mathematical expression of the development of these

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phenomena is necessarily rather complicated.

The research team of the Department of Concrete Bridge Structures and Bridges, FCE CTU,
has achieved concrete results representing both original achievements in the theory of building
structures, and support for design practice and monitoring of the deformation development of
large bridges. The achievements include new mathematical models and computation method-
ology, generalization of results and practical recommendations serving as an efficient tool for
reliable and economical design of structures, for reaching economies of construction materi-
als, energy and resources, not only for construction, but also for maintenance, repairs and
reconstruction.

Information on the actual deformation time pattern of bridge structures of pre-stressed con-
crete is essential for the calibration of theoretic predictions. It may be used both for the
assessment of condition of monitored bridge structures, but also for the verification of the
truthfulness of mathematical models of creep prediction.

Example: Deflection development is monitored on the bridge on the D8 motorway over the
Ohře River near Doksany village. An increment of permanent deflection of about 3 cm was
measured in five years at the midpoint of the longest span of this bridge, which is 130 meters
long. Such big deformations lend themselves to speculations about their measuring using the
methods of satellite geodesy, for which, as compared to standard methods, at least one level
higher precision, but also continuous monitoring during the entire long-term measurement
period could be expected.

Load due to temperature variations is a significant part of the total stress acting on large build-
ing structures. Information on deformations of a structure caused by temperature changes
that would be obtained by using the Galileo system and supplemented by measuring the
temperature variations, which caused the deformations, may serve for refining the knowledge
used in background materials, design models and techniques for calculations and judgement
of the effect of temperature variations on the reliability of investigated structures.

Example: Today, temperature variations of several bridges in the Czech Republic are sys-
tematically being observed with the purpose of verification of values specified in the assumed
European standard EN 1991-1-5. The Department of Building Mechanics, FCE CTU, is
observing temperature variations of a pre-stressed concrete bridge over the Sedlický Brook
on the D1 motorway in the middle cross-section of its longest span that is 75 m long. The
deflection of this bridge structure due to temperature variations reaches ca 1 cm.

It is evident from the above-mentioned facts that the Galileo system could be used for:

� monitoring of the increment of permanent deflections of important pre-stressed concrete
bridges,

� monitoring of the growing capacity to yield of important building structures caused by
gradual degradation of their bearing structure,

� real-time monitoring of changes of basic natural frequencies of important building struc-
tures induced by gradual degradation of their bearing structure,

� detection of abnormal static deformations of monitored structures caused by extreme
static live load (e.g. snow),

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� detection of excessive vibrations of monitored structures caused by extreme dynamic
live load (e.g. swinging of a monitored structure by extreme wind effect, swinging of a
footbridge by vandals) or by loss of aerodynamic stability.

The first phase of research on the project presumes comparison of the data obtained by the
Galileo system with the data measured by classic techniques (research workplace: Department
of Geodesy and Land Consolidation, FCE CTU). Transition from classic measurements to
satellite observations with the advantages of economic effectiveness, improved health and
safety and greater reliability of results should be possible after the verification of results.

Part of the task is also the development of methods for mathematical-statistical processing
of obtained data and the development of software support for computations.

6. Monitoring of failures and excessive deformations of significant historical
buildings, monitoring of deviations and deformations of tall masts, towers
and chimneys

The aim of this part of the project is to verify the serviceability of the new European
GALILEO positioning system for the monitoring of static and dynamics behaviour of sig-
nificant (mainly historical) building structures and for the detection of their excessive defor-
mation and dynamic deflections, which usually become a signal of a failure in the bearing
structure.

The risks of failures or damage are of principal importance e.g. in historically valuable timber
structures of spire roofs. In the majority of timber structures, progressive degradation of the
material of the main structure occurs (effects of humidity, wood-destroying insects etc.), and
during a severe climatic exposure (for spire roofs mainly under wind load) there is a risk of
a failure. Therefore, application of satellite receivers with millimetre precision would be very
beneficial to identify very well the defect of the structure and also give answers to questions
if rehabilitation (strengthening) of the bearing structure is necessary. The use of satellite
methods is very useful in the case of above mentioned structures because these structures
usually exceed in height the surrounding terrain and buildings. Any other measurements is
in this case are very complicated and expensive, while application of the satellite methods
is very favourable, because there is no risk of overshadow of receivers, there is no need for
a permanent operator, the measurement can be restricted to only specific periods of time in
which the structure is exposed to extreme effects.

Satellite observations represent one of a few possibilities how to verify the behaviour of tall
masts, towers and chimneys and other similar structures exposed to wind effects. For these
structures, the limit state of serviceability (so-called second limit state) is usually crucial.
Here, dynamic effects of wind are mostly the cause which must be monitored both in the
direction of acting wind and in the perpendicular direction where mainly cylindrical-shaped
structures could be vibrated by resonance and consequently endangered by fatigue damage.
Wind effects are very difficult to monitor on scale models in wind tunnels where real wind
impacts are simulated. Measurements with the help of Galileo receivers would provide us
unique information on the basis of which we could analyze the real wind impacts on aerial
structures. With respect to the proportions of these structures, their height-width ratio is very
unfavourable for verification in wind tunnels, and monitoring of above mentioned variables
on the real structures will entail significant advances in this branch.

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A further contribution would be a possibility to make measurements on such structures, which
bear a considerable number of aerial systems and where there is a tendency to increase their
dimensions or quantity. This problem is increasingly common because it is an accompanying
phenomenon of the development of mobile communication networks. There is a limited num-
ber of tall buildings and structures in built-up areas and usually there is no chance to build
new tall structures there, and this results in an increase in effective aerial areas on existing
structures. There are some limits to this development and risks of failures under extreme
climatic load. That is why, with the help of satellite receivers, the present state behaviour
and also the behaviour after increasing the effective aerial area could be monitored on selected
structures. In the case of a significant deformation growth, it will be possible to decide if the
technology menaces the safety and stability of the structure and possibly how big additional
horizontal load will be permissible in terms of maintaining the reliability of the whole system

7. Application of the Galileo system in landscape and water management engi-
neering (VI)

The research workplaces (Department of Irrigation, Drainage and Landscape Engineering,
FCE CTU, and Department of Sanitary and Ecological Engineering, FCE CTU) are going to
develop expert and warning systems serving as decision-making support in real time. They
will refer, in particular, to the following fields:

� water management – monitoring critical situations such as accidents, floods etc.

� landscape engineering – mapping and monitoring of valuable landscape elements, nature
and landscape conservation

� transport and its environmental impact

Exact measurements with the help of the Galileo system will be used for the improvement of
horizontal and vertical data on surface attributes and for exact positioning of remote sensing
data. Possible applications are in areas such as:

� exact location of surface attributes of drinking water supply systems and sewage systems
in x, y, z coordinates enabling a rapid access to control elements and manholes for
operation purposes and rapid failure actions (digitising of the topographic base does
not convey the coordinate of height, geodetic measurements are exigent and expensive,
surface attributes are often hard to access, especially due to dense traffic)

� data for rainfall-runoff models of water quantity and quality (type and size of surfaces
in the watershed and their slopes),

� data for the assessment of the ecological state of streams, rivers and water-supply reser-
voirs (their surveying, monitoring of changes in channels, riparian zones and watershed
cover, water-level fluctuation)

� monitoring of accidents affecting water resources, progress of eutrophication of reservoirs

� monitoring of the descent of urban utility networks resulting from surface declination
due to mining, etc.

Both research workplaces plan to provide theoretic outputs – feasibility studies, designs of
applications and assessment of the system’s technological demands and, in cooperation with

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other working groups, definition of technical requirements necessary for the system, as well
as outputs in the form of demonstrations of individual applications.

8. Application of the Galileo satellite system in highway engineering (SI)

Exact location in space and time is becoming an important part of road transport and highway
engineering. Several applications can be used e.g. in management and heavy vehicle control,
easier overload checks, automatic highway toll systems etc. One of the most important chal-
lenges in terms of road safety is precise location of overload, oversize and dangerous freight
during transport. The advantage of the Galileo satellite system can also be used for highway
repairs and maintenance. This includes e.g. optimization of winter snow removal as well
as routine monitoring, pavement management systems and highway maintenance, including
measurements of their flexible and unchangeable variables.

The research team at the Department of Road Structures, FCE CTU, will proceed with
the development of an expert system, which would, on a complex basis, include the above
mentioned issues using the Galileo system as a principal source of spatial data. Special
attention will be focused on ongoing programs in Canada and south-eastern Asia where GPS
is already used. However, the system proposed by the FCE will employ the latest technologies
of the new positioning systems, including communications between the user / vehicle and the
central operating system after detecting a crisis situation and reacting to this situation.

9. Applications of the Galileo system in railway engineering (ŽS)

The research workplace (Department of Railway Structures, FCE CTU) will be engaged in
the development of applications of the Galileo system for long-term monitoring of spatial
displacements of selected sections of tram and railway tracks. In this case, the Galileo sys-
tem will replace technologies based on terrestrial measurements using a technology based on
satellite observations resulting in greater cost-effectiveness and health and safety. Monitoring
of displacements of tracks is necessary in cases when the tracks are built with new structural
elements, on high-speed tracks and tracks endangered e.g. by slope movements resulting from
human activity (i.e. technogeneous movements e.g. due to undermining etc.) The objective
of automated monitoring is to ensure greater safety of rail-borne vehicle operation.

10. Combination of the laser scanning method and the Galileo system (LS)

The research workplace (Department of Special Geodesy, FCE CTU) deals with modern
methods of the monitoring and documentation of constructions by laser scanning systems.
It is a highly effective and modern method, which allows mass collection of spatial data and
its post processing and visualization. The most important device of the whole system – a
laser scanner - produces coordinates in the local coordinate system and so the results of
the measurement have to be transformed into the national reference coordinate system or
into an alternative well defined suitable coordinate system. To perform the transformation
accurately and effectively, it appears to be suitable to develop a technology, which combines
the laser scanning measurement and observation of control points with use of the methods of
the European space positioning system Galileo. The proposed task comprises:

� research of possibilities of mass data collection with the use of laser scanning systems
for construction documentation purposes,

� research of possibilities of mass data collection with the use of laser scanning systems for

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APPLICATIONS OF THE GALILEO SYSTEM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

the purposes of deformation analysis of constructions and other structures of interest,

� processing, visualization and presentation of data acquired by laser scanning systems,

� research of possibilities of interconnecting the results of terrestrial laser scanning and
the results of the Galileo system’s observations,

� comparison and linking of terrestrial geodetic technologies and modern satellite posi-
tioning methods with a view to the European Galileo system,

� research of possibilities of data acquisition for the purposes of facility management,

� usage of 3D models in city information systems (MIS).

11. Application of the Galileo system in experimental geotechnics (EG)

The state of rock or soil environment and its possible impact on the structure or on existing
objects is evaluated during geotechnical surveys. The frequent task is to find out disconti-
nuities, weakened zones, voids, cavities and other underground in-homogeneities. All this is
provided by georadar surveys, best in combination with other methods (superficial refraction
seismicity, micro-gravimetry).

The usage of georadars allows to obtain invaluable information about the geological structure
near the construction route, e.g. about the depth and relief of underlaying rock, lithological
changes, occurrence of disturbance zones etc. It enables the localization of utility networks
and underground objects. Based on the results of georadar surveys it is possible to optimise
the construction route, to classify earthwork, to determine the most suitable technology, to de-
termine the range of blasting work, to evaluate the stability of the area or the possible impact
of the construction on the surroundings. The georadar has its use both during construction
and after its finishing (e.g. in the assessment of compaction quality). Its indisputable advan-
tage is that it allows gaining high-density measured data. While the distance between survey
drills is often several hundred meters, the distance, when using the georadar is only several
decimetres.

The usage of the georadar in connection with the Galileo system enables gaining exactly
localised outputs of this survey by linkage to the coordinate system. It will be possible to
create a 3D automated continual database of underlaying rock of extensive areas by combining
a non-destructive method of geotechnical surveying and the Galileo system.

12. Evaluation of strain risks in structure-rock massif interaction (GT)

Research in this area encompasses investigation of historical buildings (castles – Kunětická
hora), landfills, spoil heaps (Palivový kombinát Úst́ı nad Labem - Rabenov), dumps, under-
mined localities and underground structures (Research underground laboratory, Gallery Josef,
Mokrsko), slope deformations (Čertovka – Úst́ı nad Labem – Vaňov), traffic structures (high-
ways), hydrotechnical structures (rockfill dams etc.), industrial structures and engineering
structures (bridges) exposed to natural and anthropogeneous deformations of the rock mas-
sif. Following archive study, a choice of sensitive localities in terms of existing movements will
be prepared (slope deformations, erosion, flood-related transport and accumulation, sensitive
subsoil types, human activities). After shortlisting the number of structures whose investi-
gation is feasible taking into account the time available and personal limits, the structures
of interest will be instrumented and monitored. Results will be related to the measurements

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APPLICATIONS OF THE GALILEO SYSTEM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

carried out on the rock massif, or in tunnels and drill holes. Finally, conclusions will be
formulated evaluating potential use of analogical measurements and monitoring of structures.

13. Web services design for geoinformatics (WS)

The research is targeted at the design of a general object-oriented system for geoinformatics,
with the objective of integrating various heterogeneous geoinformation services under a uni-
fied user interface. The interface for each service will be described in XML based on WSDL
language. A registered user will be able to access results of submitted tasks, the geoinforma-
tion system itself will be written in Java language and based on servlets and the database
handler JDBC. Privileged users will be allowed to register their own services in the system.

14. Referencing of state large- and medium-scale map series by using the Galileo
system (MA)

The use of observations from the satellite positioning system must go hand in hand with
entering the results in the existing topographic base. On the territory of the Czech Republic
there is a number of state map series produced in a total of four coordinate systems and
three cartographic projections with an unusually diverse range of sheet marking and sheet
line systems. To meet the needs of digital cartography, international exchange of cartographic
data and generally all modern technical applications, seamless maps (i.e. a map as a whole
not a set of map sheets) must be introduced in a projection and a coordinate system chosen
by the user. Problems arise e.g. due to the fact that base maps are produced by scanning
and the contacts of neighbouring sheets are not aligned and, besides, they have irregular
shrinkage. The research workplace (Department of Mapping and Cartography, FCE CTU)
will work on the development of tools for the conversion of the existing topographic base
into a uniform (electronic) format so that it may be used jointly with the Galileo satellite
positioning system.

15. Application of the Galileo system for enhanced effectiveness of real estate
register management (KN)

Technical applications of the positioning system in civil engineering rely on flawless func-
tioning of the new Real Estate Register Information System (ISKN) and on rapid provision
of current data for its graphic section (SGI). In this respect, the problems to be solved are
creation of fast outputs in the form of thematic maps for crisis management at the time of
natural disasters or similar events. Localization of selected elements within the territory by
means of the GALILEO system can be conveniently combined with image data (colour or-
thophotos) to specify and monitor land use by means of the IACS system, based on the EU
requirements and regulations for providing subsidies for agricultural production.

16. Application of the Galileo system in photogrammetry (FG)

The Laboratory of Photogrammetry deals with a number of tasks related to precise posi-
tioning. The laboratory activity has, in the long run, been focused on documentation and
presentation of historical monuments with the aim of creating an extensive virtual database
of listed monuments on the Internet. The first successful attempts in this area have been
achieved http://lfgm.fsv.cvut.cz, the prototype of a database of minor historical monuments
PhotoPa is in functional condition. This database, in particular, should be complemented
by options of making animations and virtual reconstruction of monuments, and it should be
made accessible to general public in the form of a simplified database for virtual viewing

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APPLICATIONS OF THE GALILEO SYSTEM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

and tourism. Because of storing extensive amounts of data in the GIS environment which
must be localized, a definition point or points must be specified for each object. Up to now,
the technique used for this activity was measuring of position from a detailed map or hiking
GPS. Another presumed system level will be visualization of objects based on their position
on the map. Here, the Galileo system can be applied in connection with a digital map. A
similar approach may be used for long-term investigation of geoglyphs and petroglyphs in
Peru, which has been running for several years in cooperation with HTW Dresden and INC
Peru. Here, the methods of precise GPS must be used for documentation purposes in extreme
desert and mountainous conditions. Another research activity presumes creation of a system
for multi-purpose navigation through cultural monuments. Here, the digital topographic base
can be used complemented by additional useful information. In the last several years, laser
scanning has become a new technology of documentation and mass collection of 3D points
from the surroundings. At the same time, dynamic methods have appeared applying the GPS
system complemented by an inertial positioning system. Inertial unit-fitted systems belong
to hi-tech devices and are used in aerial applications. Terrestrial dynamic systems are still
in the development stage. The research objective in this case will be creation of a dynamic
system for surveying terrestrial line areas mounted on a car of rail-borne vehicle. The sys-
tem’s core will be a Galileo receiver and a laser measuring head. The presumed result of the
measurement will be a 3D model of the nearest surroundings of the passed section with a
multi-purpose use.

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