Article of the Month in 2012

FIG publishes each month the Article of the Month. This is a high-level paper focusing on interesting topic to all surveyors. This article can be picked up from an FIG conference or another event or it can be a paper written directly for this purpose.

• December 2012 - Volker Böder, Thomas P. Kersten, Thomas Thies and  Arne Sauer, Germany: Mobile laser scanning on board hydrographic survey vessels - applications and accuracy investigation. The first author of the paper, Volker Böder, died 31 August 2012 in a tragic ship accident on duty and we would like to remember him on the remarkable research he has done over the years with the publishing of this article. Volker Boeder was Vice-Chair of Commission 4, Chair of Working Group 4.3 “Multi-Sensor Systems for Hydrographic Applications”, and was a very active member of Commission 4. Among other things he worked on a publication related to the development of technical guidelines for sensor integration (best practises). Volker Böder shall be very much missed both as a colleague and a friend.
   
• November 2012 - Atsushi Yamagiwa, Yohei Hiyama, Toshihiro Yahagi, Hiroshi Yarai, Tetsuro Imakiire and Yuki Kuroishi, Japan: Revision of the Results of Control Points After the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake. In this paper our Japanese colleagues show in a very impressive way how the huge and dense GEONET – GPS network of Japan was used after the Tohoku earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) stopped providing ‘Survey Results’, but was able to restart this service in a effective and accurate way just some months later after a very active and fundamental phase of re-measurement and recalculation.
   
• October 2012 - C.J. (Kees) de ZEEUW, The Netherlands: Land administration for people, profit and planet. This paper was presented at FIG Working Week in Rome, 8 May 2012 and describes twelve trends relevant for land administration systems. These trends are related to actual and future user demand in society. Trends, developments and proposed concepts are explained and examples are given of land administration products, services and business approaches recently developed at Kadaster in the Netherlands.
   
• September 2012 - Karl-Friedrich Thoene, Germany: Meeting the Environmental Issues - A Challenge for Surveyors and Surveying Associations. The paper summarises a keynote presentation given at the FIG Working Week in Rome, 8 May 2012.
   
• August 2012 - Paul van der Molen, the Netherlands: After 10 Years of Criticism: What is Left of de Soto’s Ideas? This paper was presented at the FIG Working Week 2012 in Rome, Italy. In 2000 Hernando de Soto published his book The Mystery of Capital. Professor Paul van der Molen aims at collecting the critical remarks published since 2000 and at analyzing whether the ideas of de Soto still stand today. He concludes: ‘De Soto’: yes, but governments which demonstrate political will and which adopt the principles of good governance, are a prerequisite. When this is not the case, formalization - in whatever form - is without meaning and likely will harm the poor.
   
• July 2012 - Diego Alfonso ERBA and Mario Andrés PIUMETTO, Argentina: 3D Cadastre in the Federal Countries of Latin America. This paper was presented at the FIG Working Week 2012 in Rome Italy, and the main question asked is: Is it realistic to develop spatial concepts for parcels and legal land objects and to propose a 3D cadastral model in the federal countries of Latin America at this time? The conclusion indicates that this is the right time to start thinking about it, compiling the legislation and systematizing the 2D definitions as a first step. Latin America occupies approximately 15% of the Earth's land surface and therefore a focus on this continent is appropriate. The next FIG Regional Conference will therefore take place in Uruguay, 26-29 November 2012, with emphasis on the challenges of the region.
   
• June 2012 - Jason Smith, President, Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors, UK: BIM – A Contractors Perspective Building information modelling (BIM) is an approach to designing and documenting building projects and is gaining acceptance in many jurisdictions across the world. It allows all stakeholders and actors within a building project the seamless link between the owner, the designers, the construction professionals, the master builders and the end users. In an era where our profession works towards managing all information spatially, BIM is an enabling a platform that should bring not only sharing and collaboration, but also avoidance of duplication, timeliness and value adding. This paper was presented at FIG Working Week 2012 in Rome Italy.
   
• May 2012 - Jan de Graeve, Belgium: Mercator. The paper is written to celebrate the 500 anniversary of Gerand Mercator by Jan de Graeve, FIG International Institution for the History of Surveying and Measurement and honorary member of FIG. Furthermore it will be presented at the FIG Working Week, History Workshop in Rome, Italy May 2012. The paper is a short introduction to the life and work of Gerand Mercator to highlight the exceptional place he has in the history of the surveying profession.
   
• April 2012 - Oren Gal and Yearch Doytsher, Israel: Spatial 3D Analysis of Built-up Areas. This paper has been successfully peer reviewed for the FIG Working Week May 2012 in Rome, Italy. The paper presents a unique solution to the 3D visibility problem in built-up areas and will be presented in the session TS08H - 3D Principles and Technology. Yerach Doytsher is also chair of FIG Commisison 3.
   
• March 2012 - Chryssy Potsiou and Ifigenie Boulaka, Greece : Informal Development in Greece: New Legislation for Formalization, the Chances for Legalization and the Dead Capital. FIG-Vice President Chryssy Potsiou is beside other responsibilities leading the new Task Force (TF) on “Property and Housing” which is very relevant in these turbulent times. The TF will have two special sessions during the Working Week in Rome, May 2012. In this peer-reviewed paper the authors present the results of a recent scientific research on the problem of informal development in Greece and explain the new legislation for formalization of those informal constructions, that are built on legally owned land in the planned and the non-planned areas; the existing informalities refer only to planning and building regulations.
   
• February 2012 - Dr. Xavier Comtesse and Dr. Giorgio Pauletto, Switzerland: Vision for the Future - The Impact of New Dimensions. This paper was presented at Commission 7 Meeting in Austria, September 2011. The authors state that in the professions of cadastre both external and internal changes apply considerable pressure. This paper identifies the major trends that will most likely have an impact, apprehend the consequences expected and provide a structure for this development.
   
• January 2012 - John F. BROCK, Australia: Four Surveyors of Caesar: Mapping the World! In this article you will hear about the masterpiece of cartography which highlights most of the men responsible for the Survey of the known World, along with aspects of Roman land surveying which underpinned the program of colonisation and settlement within the Roman Empire. The article is an excellent contribution to the FIG Working Week 2012 in Rome, Italy.