Geomechanics.io

Sumitomo Heavy Industries and NEC are jointly developing an AI and computer vision system that uses camera feeds from hydraulic excavators and SHI’s SHICuTe ICT/IoT platform data to automatically detect “risk scenes” and generate structured near-miss reports. NEC’s 2023 video recognition and generative AI technology, previously used for road traffic accident analysis, will fuse time- and location-stamped video with machine operating logs as multimodal data to characterise hazardous and prohibited behaviours. Following a successful proof of concept in September 2025, full development starts April 2026, with global deployment targeted for broader construction-site safety management.

Datamine has acquired Mineware Africa and Mineware Consulting to expand its mine management software suite and in‑house advisory capability across exploration, resource modelling, mine planning and operations control. The deal adds Mineware’s production accounting, dispatch and short-interval control tools, along with its implementation consultants, into Datamine’s existing end-to-end digital mining platform. For engineers, the move signals tighter integration between planning, fleet management and production data, potentially simplifying brownfield system upgrades and multi-site standardisation.

Deswik has opened a new office in Jakarta, Indonesia, backed by a local consulting team to support deployment of its mine planning and scheduling software across the country’s open-pit and underground operations. The company will host Deswik Exchange Jakarta on 16 April to showcase practical workflows and case studies drawn from real‑world mining projects. A permanent in‑country team should shorten implementation cycles, improve on‑site training and support, and allow closer integration of Deswik tools with Indonesian regulatory, geotechnical and production planning requirements.

Rapid drawdown in earth and rockfill dams is modelled in Rocscience’s Slide2 by separating gradual, fully transient seepage analyses from a dedicated Rapid Drawdown option that embeds hydrogeologic assumptions directly into limit equilibrium slope stability. Engineers can define initial and final water tables, including partial drawdown lines, and apply four established methods – Effective Stress (B-bar), Duncan–Wright–Wong (1990), USACE (1970) two-stage and Lowe–Karafiath (1960) – to estimate post-drawdown pore pressures and factors of safety. The B-bar approach allows material-specific drainage behaviour to be varied, supporting sensitivity studies where low-permeability cores retain elevated pore pressures after reservoir lowering.

Machine Logic’s Asset Monitoring Tool (AMT) is giving mine operators real-time visibility of operational technology by tagging and tracking individual vehicles, fixed plant and field devices across complex networks. The browser-based interface aggregates data from PLCs, SCADA systems and industrial switches, allowing technicians to pinpoint failed nodes, misconfigured VLANs or offline assets within seconds instead of manually tracing cables. For brownfield sites with legacy control hardware, AMT reduces unplanned downtime and simplifies fault-finding during network changes, equipment moves and expansion projects.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe has signed an agreement to factory-fit Trimble Earthworks 3D grade control on its excavators sold across Europe, creating a single-source purchase, training and support route for machine control. Qualifying Hitachi dealers will also supply Trimble WorksManager, enabling remote transfer of construction-ready 3D models, fleet-wide device management and offsite troubleshooting between office and site. The deal signals deeper integration of digital grade control into standard excavator offerings, reducing aftermarket retrofit complexity for contractors adopting precision earthworks workflows.

Traffio’s expansion into the United States marks the next phase of its cloud-based traffic management platform, used to schedule field crews, allocate traffic control devices and manage compliance for roadwork sites. Co-founders Nicholas Inglis and Nathan Wright are targeting large contractors running multi-crew operations, integrating job booking, digital SWMS, asset tracking and invoicing into a single system. For civil contractors and traffic control providers, the move signals growing availability of integrated, software-driven planning tools for lane closures, workzone layouts and labour allocation across multiple jurisdictions.

Jenike & Johanson has launched a Solids Flow Essentials microlearning series targeted at process and plant engineers dealing with bulk solids handling in hoppers, bins and transfer chutes. The short, modular courses focus on practical issues such as arching, ratholing, segregation and wall friction, using Jenike shear testing concepts and flow property measurements to guide bin and silo design. For operations teams, the material offers a structured way to diagnose chronic flow problems and reduce unplanned downtime without full-length training programmes.

HBC Construction (formerly Henry Boot) has become the first major contractor to join MukAway, a digital spoil-management platform that matches sites with surplus soil to projects needing fill. The app, already used by major housebuilders including Vistry, Barratt, Bellway and Keepmoat, operates on a low subscription model to broker soil movements and cut waste to landfill. HBC managing director Lee Powell expects the platform to reduce muck-away costs and enable direct collaboration between contractors and housebuilders on bulk earthworks.

Overland Conveyor Company has returned to private ownership effective 12 February 2026, led by long-term employee and now shareholder-president Paul Ormsbee as it nears 30 years in the conveyor design and software market. The move separates OCC from its former corporate parent and positions its niche tools for complex overland conveyor analysis and optimisation, such as dynamic modelling and belt capacity studies, under tighter specialist control. For mine planners and materials handling engineers, this signals continuity of OCC’s technical direction with potentially faster decision-making on product development and support.

Student licences for PLAXIS and GeoStudio now apply visible watermarks to outputs, with PLAXIS marking all plots and reports and GeoStudio watermarking only exported graphics, not on-screen views. The watermark text typically includes “Student Version” or similar, cannot be removed or hidden, and persists in printed or PDF deliverables, making results unsuitable for formal design submissions, commercial reports, or regulatory approvals. Educators and students are advised to use these licences strictly for teaching, coursework, and non-commercial research, switching to full licences for any professional geotechnical design work.

Finnish aggregate equipment manufacturer Metso has added machine-learning features to its support software to predict maintenance needs and cut crusher and screen downtime by analysing operating data in real time. The system relies on continuous collection of equipment performance and fault data, raising customer concerns over how these datasets are stored, who can access them, and whether they might be shared across fleets or sites. For plant owners, the trade-off is between higher uptime and potential loss of control over sensitive production and condition-monitoring information.

Importing transient pore-water pressure results from SEEP3D into a two-dimensional SLOPE/W analysis is demonstrated using a rapid drawdown embankment case, linking full 3D seepage behaviour with 2D limit equilibrium slope stability. The workflow covers generation of time-dependent pore-pressure distributions in SEEP3D, export of node-based pressures, and mapping onto a 2D section in SLOPE/W for factor-of-safety calculations under falling reservoir levels. This approach allows engineers to capture 3D flow effects, anisotropy and complex boundary conditions while retaining efficient 2D stability modelling.

Ayesa head of ground engineering and tunnelling Cláudio Cabral Dias is pushing wider adoption of subsurface 3D ground modelling to de‑risk next‑generation tunnelling, but warns that success depends on structured retraining rather than simply buying new software. He points to integrated 3D geological models that combine borehole logs, geophysics and historical excavation data to predict fault zones and variable rock mass behaviour ahead of TBM drives. Dias stresses that design teams, site engineers and contractors must all learn to interrogate and update these models in real time if they are to influence alignment, support classes and construction sequencing.

AI tools that auto-generate options for 2D drawings, BIM models and outline design calculations in hours instead of weeks are forcing consultants to rethink fee structures built around the billable hour. Senior engineers may shift from producing drawings to curating AI outputs, validating load paths, checking code compliance and managing design risk, while fewer junior staff are needed for repetitive drafting and quantity take-off. Competitive advantage is likely to hinge on proprietary workflows, training data and QA processes, rather than simply having access to generic AI design software.

Moxa has launched its UC-3400A and UC-4400A 64-bit Arm-based industrial computers with integrated 5G/LTE and Wi-Fi 6, targeting edge deployments in harsh mining environments. The fanless units support wide operating temperatures, DIN-rail or wall mounting, and multiple serial/Ethernet ports for connecting legacy PLCs, sensors and IP cameras across pits, plants and remote haul roads. For mine operators, the combination of cellular and Wi-Fi backhaul enables more resilient telemetry, condition monitoring and fleet data capture where fibre or fixed networks are sparse.

Civiltech Solutions is deploying a cloud-based asset management platform to help Australian councils plan and deliver local road maintenance amid tightening budgets and rising service expectations. The system integrates defect data, pavement condition, work orders and contractor scheduling into a single interface, replacing fragmented spreadsheets and paper-based workflows. For engineers, this enables network-level prioritisation of reseals and rehabilitation, clearer forward works programming, and more defensible funding bids tied to quantified road condition and lifecycle cost scenarios.

Caterpillar has completed its roughly $1.1 billion acquisition of mining software specialist RPMGlobal, adding mine planning, scheduling and simulation platforms such as XPAC, HAULSIM and TALPAC to its portfolio. The deal folds RPMGlobal’s cloud-based enterprise solutions for fleet management, maintenance and ESG reporting into Caterpillar’s MineStar ecosystem, tightening integration between OEM equipment data and planning tools. For engineers, this signals deeper OEM-backed digital workflows for haulage optimisation, drill-and-blast design and life-of-mine scheduling, with potential lock-in around Caterpillar machine data and interfaces.

Caterpillar has completed its acquisition of Brisbane-based RPMGlobal Holdings, adding mine planning, scheduling and operations management software to its existing mining equipment and autonomy portfolio. RPMGlobal’s data-driven platforms span the full mining value chain, from long-term pit optimisation and truck–shovel scheduling to short-interval control and maintenance planning, giving Caterpillar tighter integration between fleet hardware, telemetry and decision-support tools. For engineers, this signals deeper OEM-backed support for model-based planning, productivity analytics and site-wide digital twins across Caterpillar-equipped operations.

Dewatering design for a deep well system is modelled in GeoStudio using SEEP/W to simulate transient drawdown and quantify inflow to an excavation, with wells arranged around the perimeter and pumped to lower the groundwater table below formation level. The example compares different pumping rates and well spacings, showing effects on pore water pressures, hydraulic gradients and potential instability in adjacent slopes and structures. For practitioners, it illustrates how to test alternative layouts and pumping schedules numerically before committing to well installation on site.

Eclipse Mining Technologies is rebranding and releasing a major upgrade of its SourceOne® Enterprise Knowledge Performance System (EKPS) to push AI-enabled decision support beyond mining into other large-scale industries. The new SourceOne release is positioned to integrate operational, planning and maintenance data into a single knowledge layer, aiming to make AI models more auditable and practical for site engineers and managers. For mine operators, this signals tighter linkage between short-interval control, fleet and plant data, and future cross-industry benchmarking on a common EKPS platform.

Schneider Electric has launched EcoStruxure Foxboro Software Defined Automation, billed as the first open, software‑defined Distributed Control System, combining its long‑running Foxboro DCS platform with a virtualised, hardware‑agnostic control layer. The system is aimed at hybrid and process industries, including mining, to decouple control applications from proprietary controllers and run them on standard IT infrastructure. For brownfield plants with legacy Foxboro I/A hardware, this architecture offers a staged path to modernisation, remote operations and tighter integration with existing MES and historian systems.

Seequent has added laboratory testing functionality to its OpenGround cloud geotechnical data platform, allowing soil and rock sample data captured in the field to flow directly into lab reporting workflows. The update links borehole and test pit logs, sample metadata and chain-of-custody information with laboratory test schedules and results in a single environment. For ground investigation teams, this reduces manual data re-entry between site and lab systems and should cut errors in parameters used for foundation, retaining wall and earthworks design.

OpenGround has added integrated geotechnical laboratory testing and reporting, bringing raw lab data entry, automated calculations and approval workflows into the same cloud environment as site investigation data. The release supports direct capture of test results (for example Atterberg limits, triaxial and consolidation data) with automatic population of standardised lab report formats and project databases. For practitioners, this reduces manual spreadsheet handling, simplifies traceability from borehole to design parameters, and enables multi-office teams and external labs to work on a single controlled dataset.

Geoprofessionals in mining and civil sectors are increasingly adopting AI tools but still struggle to extract value from complex, multisource subsurface datasets, according to Seequent’s 7th Geoprofessionals Data Management Report surveying over 1,000 practitioners. Respondents report data spread across multiple software platforms and large volumes of un-managed files, limiting effective integration of geological, geophysical and geotechnical information. The findings signal persistent bottlenecks in model building, QA/QC workflows and cross-discipline data sharing, despite wider availability of AI-assisted interpretation tools.

National Grid has deployed Triton, a digital twin and data visualisation platform developed with Atos, to model future electricity demand at grid supply points and transmission substations and cut infrastructure planning time by up to 70%. The tool integrates asset, demand and network constraint data to test reinforcement options virtually, allowing planners to compare multiple substation upgrade and new connection scenarios before committing to physical design. Faster optioneering is expected to de-risk programme delivery for major connections, including utility-scale renewables and high-load industrial customers.

Automating back analysis in Rocscience RS2 is enabling geotechnical teams to calibrate deep excavation models by iteratively adjusting soil stiffness, strength parameters and support properties against monitored wall deflections and ground movements. The workflow uses Python scripting and RS2’s API to batch-run hundreds of finite element models, compare calculated displacements with inclinometer data, and systematically narrow parameter ranges instead of relying on manual trial‑and‑error. This approach scales to large projects with multiple stages and construction sequences, improving confidence in design envelopes and trigger levels for observational method schemes.

Autodesk reports that contractors using its connected construction platform on infrastructure projects are delivering work up to 30 per cent faster with 25–30 per cent fewer RFIs and change orders, by integrating design models, field data and cost controls in a single environment. Case studies cite clash detection on complex bridge and roadworks, mobile issue tracking on tablets, and centralised document control cutting rework and site delays. For geotechnical and civil teams, the data suggests tighter control of design revisions, as-built records and subcontractor coordination under labour and supply constraints.

Geoprofessionals worldwide now spend over 25% of their time on data management, with Seequent’s 7th Geoprofessionals Data Management Report finding mining specialists at nearly one‑third and civil engineers at over one‑fifth, yet only 39% of mining organisations and 41% of civil teams have defined data frameworks. The survey of 1,000+ respondents shows 80% of mining and 69% of civil practitioners rate data management as highly or critically important, but many still lack a centralised “single source of truth”. AI adoption is accelerating, with 51% of organisations using or considering AI, up from 30% in two years, signalling strong demand for better-structured subsurface and historical datasets.

A custom PLAXIS 3D workflow for Technip Energies has cut repetitive suction pile analyses from multiple manual runs to a single automated “one-and-done” sequence, enabling rapid variation of pile diameter, skirt length and soil parameters. The scripted process standardises boundary conditions, load cases and mesh settings, reducing analyst time and input errors while keeping full 3D finite element rigour. Earlier-stage feasibility teams can now screen more pile geometries and soil scenarios, bringing advanced geotechnical modelling into concept selection rather than reserving it for detailed design.

Emerson has released the latest version of its AspenTech Aspen Mtell® Asset Performance Management platform, adding AI-driven failure prediction on top of foundational asset health monitoring for process and mining operations. The update is designed to let operators move from simple condition-based alerts to scalable, model-based prognostics that can detect emerging equipment degradation and predict time-to-failure across critical assets such as mills, crushers and pumps. For mine operators, the key impact is earlier intervention windows, fewer unplanned shutdowns and more stable throughput without major changes to existing control systems.

Mira Geoscience has acquired SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc’s HiveMap platform, a digital geological and geotechnical field mapping system designed for efficient collection, visualisation and interpretation of geoscientific data. HiveMap integrates directly with photogrammetry and LiDAR workflows, allowing structural, lithological and geotechnical observations to be tied to high-resolution 3D surfaces and point clouds. The acquisition signals tighter coupling between field mapping, 3D geomodelling and mine-scale geotechnical analysis within Mira’s existing integrated geoscience software suite.

DIPS (Data Integration using Projected Stereonets) is being positioned as the new standard for stereonet-based orientation analysis, building on more than 30 years of use in geotechnical engineering. The software supports detailed structural mapping workflows, allowing engineers to import large orientation datasets and analyse joint sets, foliation, and discontinuity patterns directly on stereonets. For slope stability, underground excavation design, and rock mass characterisation, it enables consistent kinematic checks and data integration across projects, reducing manual plotting and interpretation time.

Fortescue is expanding its battery intelligence capabilities by acquiring US-based software company Zitara, which specialises in physics-based battery modelling and predictive state-of-health algorithms for large-format lithium-ion systems. The deal will see Zitara’s digital twin and cloud analytics tools applied to Fortescue’s heavy mining haul truck and rail battery platforms, supporting high‑cycle, high‑C‑rate duty profiles typical of iron ore operations. For mine operators, the move signals growing emphasis on accurate battery degradation forecasting, thermal management, and life‑cycle cost control in large mobile fleets and stationary storage.

Bluebeam has launched Task Link, a native integration between Bluebeam Revu and GoCanvas, plus upgraded iOS and Android apps to tighten data flow between site and office on infrastructure projects. Task Link connects PDF mark-ups in Revu directly to GoCanvas forms and checklists, enabling real-time task status updates, field issue tracking and punch list management without manual re-entry. Mobile app enhancements focus on on-site use, with improved offline access, synchronised drawings and centralised documentation to support QA records, inspections and as-built capture.

AI in construction is being positioned as a tool to optimise site processes by feeding supervisors real-time data on plant utilisation, programme clashes and safety-critical behaviours rather than removing operatives from projects. Systems combining computer vision with existing CCTV and 4D BIM models can flag exclusion-zone breaches, near-miss patterns and schedule deviations, giving planners and site engineers earlier warnings than traditional inspections. For geotechnical and civil teams, this means more data-driven decisions on sequencing earthworks, crane locations and temporary works, while still relying on human judgement for risk acceptance and design changes.

Bentley Systems has acquired Talon Aerolytics and the drone-data and AI assets of Pointivo Technology to expand its Bentley Asset Analytics portfolio, which already includes OpenTower iQ for telecom towers and Blyncsy for road networks. Talon brings an inspection and asset digitisation platform used across wireless telecom, broadband and electric utilities, combining workflow automation, digital twins and AI for recurring tower and line inspections. Pointivo adds patented AI-driven inventory and damage detection, advanced point-cloud processing, automated measurement and geolocated drone capture, aimed at continuous condition assessment for 5G roll-outs and grid modernisation.

GBM Konect is now the core field data and asset management platform for Banyule City Council in Melbourne’s north-east, supporting service delivery across more than 20 suburbs and a population above 130,000. The cloud-based, location-aware system lets crews capture condition data, photos and GPS coordinates in real time for roads, paths, drainage and open space assets, replacing paper workflows. Engineers gain a single geospatial view of assets and maintenance history, improving defect prioritisation, scheduling and compliance reporting without bespoke in-house GIS development.

Proximity to Slopes, a new calculator in the Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers & Importers (ALLMI) app, now quantifies safe stabiliser leg positions for loader cranes working beside embankments. Users input mat width, horizontal distance from the crane base to the crest, and slope height; the tool then defines a “danger area” where stabilisers must not be placed to avoid loss of stability. For temporary works and lift planners, this offers a quick, standardised check when siting cranes on or near cuttings, bunds and roadside batters.

Infrastructure designers are increasingly turning to immersive digital twins and extended reality (XR) to close the gap between CAD abstractions and real-world performance, moving beyond static 2D and 3D screens. By integrating live sensor data, construction sequencing and asset operation scenarios into interactive models, project teams can virtually walk through stations, tunnels or bridges, test maintainability clearances and rehearse complex lifts before site work. This shift demands new workflows, with geotechnical, structural and M&E inputs federated in real time rather than exchanged as periodic drawing sets.

Dalux claims European BIM leadership after a decade of 40%+ annual growth, with its platform now on 7,800 UK projects, 1.7 million active accounts across Europe and 2024 revenues of about US $100m, all achieved debt-free and without external investment. Its SiteWalk tool in Dalux Field uses helmet-mounted 360° cameras to map images directly onto BIM models, enabling weekly visual progress tracking, integrated quality checklists and ITPs, and remote verification of works on projects such as Great Ormond Street Hospital. Usage has tripled in a year to over one million 360° images captured monthly across 38 countries, with contractors like Sisk reporting reduced reliance on third-party survey providers and wider rollout to smaller sites.

Road maintenance planning in the City of Bendigo has been overhauled using GBM Konect integrated directly with the council’s asset management system, linking live field data from graders, patching trucks and concreting crews to central asset records. Crews now capture condition data, photos and completed works on mobile devices in real time, feeding GIS-based maps that prioritise pavement interventions and reduce duplicated site visits. For contractors and councils, the approach shows how tighter integration between field data capture and asset registers can sharpen programming of resurfacing and rehabilitation works.

GeoStudio 2025.2 adds a 3D Sweep Option that extrudes 2D geometries along user-defined paths, enabling faster setup of complex 3D embankments, tunnels and slopes without full re‑meshing. The release upgrades GeoStudio Python scripting with improved object access and automation of batch analyses, and expands language support to Simplified Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish. For practitioners, this means quicker parametric studies, easier integration with in‑house workflows, and wider deployment across multinational design teams.

Revizto is being used by Arcadis on the Warringah Freeway Upgrade in New South Wales, one of Australia’s most complex road infrastructure packages, to federate design models and site data into a single digital coordination hub. The cloud-based platform supports clash detection, issue tracking and 3D/2D model viewing across disciplines, enabling designers, constructors and client teams to work off a common data environment in real time. For geotechnical and civil teams, this centralised model management tightens interface control around retaining structures, cut-and-cover works and staging constraints on a heavily trafficked urban corridor.

Weir Group has completed its acquisition of Belo Horizonte-based Fast2Mine, adding an open-pit fleet and maintenance management platform that already supports over 85 mines, monitors 7,000+ assets and serves 25,000 daily users across Latin America, Africa, Australia and North America. Fast2Mine joins Micromine, NEXT Intelligent Solutions, MOTION METRICS and Track Pro in Weir’s new Software Solutions group, integrating planning, FMS/MMS, telemetry, analytics and AI, with deployments such as ArcelorMittal’s large iron ore operation in Liberia. Modular products like Mining Control, Maintenance Control, Telemetry Control, MineVERSE and Mining Control BI are designed for rapid, weeks-scale rollout and future semi-autonomous fleet operation.

New Civil Engineer and Construction News announced the TechFest Awards 2025 winners at a gala event at the Hilton Metropole in London, recognising digital and technical innovation across UK infrastructure and construction. Although individual project details were not released in the brief announcement, the awards typically cover categories such as digital design workflows, data-driven asset management and offsite or automated construction methods. Practitioners should watch for the full winners’ list to benchmark emerging tools and processes that are gaining traction with major clients and Tier 1 contractors.

Moxa has launched the RKP-C220 Series, its first AI-ready rackmount x86 industrial PC family designed for harsh mining sites, targeting tasks such as real-time video analytics, equipment condition monitoring and autonomous haulage support. The 2U rackmount units integrate industrial-grade components, wide-temperature operation and high shock/vibration tolerance for deployment in control rooms, substations and edge cabinets close to crushers and conveyors. For engineers, the platform is positioned as a rugged edge-compute node to host GPU-accelerated AI models without relying on remote data centres.

City of Bendigo’s Coordinator GIS & Asset Information, Paul Nicholson, is deploying GBM Konect, a mobile field management app, to overhaul how road and drainage assets are captured and maintained in the field. Konect’s flexible data model allows crews to map linear assets, attach photos and condition data offline, and sync directly to the council’s central GIS rather than relying on point-only, office-based systems. For civil and asset engineers, this means faster defect logging, fewer data transcription errors, and more reliable spatial information for pavement and drainage renewal planning.

A new algorithmic framework from MIT identifies the smallest “core” dataset needed to guarantee optimal solutions in structured decision-making problems such as geotechnical design under uncertainty. The method uses combinatorial optimisation to strip large datasets down to a minimal subset that still preserves the same optimal decision, reducing computation while maintaining solution quality. For geotechnical engineers running probabilistic slope stability, foundation or tunnel support analyses, this could cut Monte Carlo or scenario runs without sacrificing reliability in design outcomes.

Bell Equipment is rolling out an agnostic safety and autonomy platform across its articulated dump trucks and motor graders, built around its Fleetm@tic telematics system for real-time machine monitoring and control. The integrated package links collision avoidance, stability control and production tracking into a single interface, allowing mixed-fleet operations rather than locking contractors into one OEM ecosystem. For civil and mining earthworks, this enables tighter haul cycle management, better utilisation data and more consistent operator behaviour on large road and infrastructure projects.