Case Study
COMPANY SNAPSHOT:
Oregon Department of Transportation
Benefits
Communicating updates with the public
Documenting a historic project
Monitoring multiple areas and angles of work
The Challenge
Preparing for a severe earthquake
Along the Pacific Northwest, through Portland Oregon, the threat of a life-ending earthquake has haunted residents for decades. Major cities in North America are at risk for a now past-due rupture that would cause untold damage.
But that only encouraged state leaders to prepare for “The Big One” as locals call it. Alongside stringent earthquake-readiness requirements, the Oregon Department of Transportation is also working on ways to secure lifeline bridges and roads, just in case.
Upgrading the Abernethy Bridge along I-205 in Portland is one of those such projects. The DOT needs to seismically update and widen the bridge using a special tool to construct the drilled shaft foundations. The sections of steel casing that will be welded together vary between 20 - 50’ in length — just one “small” part of the project.
The Solution
Powerful time-lapse video cameras
Using OxBlue’s construction camera, ODOT is able to share the fascinating story, progress and real-time action behind this feat of engineering. OxBlue’s construction cameras include integrations that make it easy for stakeholders to embed images, live feeds or time-lapses to their website. For the Oregon DOT, a snapshot of the camera is included on their homepage, with a link encouraging the public to explore all four live feeds provided by OxBlue.
The Results
Generating buzz with time-lapses
One piece of equipment in particular is the star of the camera feed; Oscar the Oscillator. Standing two stories tall, 200,000 pounds and with a bright blue finish, Oscar is the largest oscillator in North America. With such a unique tool on site, it is imperative that the team has clear documentation and visibility, especially to navigate disputes.
While the video feeds help the construction teams on the ground, Portland residents also wanted to see Oscar in action. ODOT shares image updates about the project from OxBlue cameras directly to their social media feeds. Time-lapses are also used as part of broader marketing efforts, helping piece together interesting aspects and angles of construction for promotional videos.
