Multiconsult's Jølstra Kraftverk: Fully Digital Planning and Engineering With Gemini Terrain

Throughout the planning and engineering stages of the project, Multiconsult worked fully digitally, streamlining and considerably increasing the quality of the work.

The project in Jølstra offered several exciting challenges for Multiconsult.

The company had to consider a vulnerable trout stock in Jølstravatnet. In addition, it had to safeguard the river Jølstra, which is very important to the local community and is used for rafting, among other things.

To protect the fish, Multiconsult built the intake for the power plant further down the river. At the same time, the dam of the power plant was built in a way that allows the rafting activities to slide right over it.

“The environmental considerations have made this project very exciting. We also had great ambitions in relation to data flow and therefore planned and operated the project completely ‘paperless’,” says Mats Breien Haugen, Project Manager at Multiconsult.

Effective mass calculations in Gemini Terrain

To work as efficiently as possible – internally as well as with the contractor and the client, Multiconsult used Volue’s Gemini Terrain software.

Gemini Terrain was used for the design of the tunnels, roads, ditches, flood defences and finally, the mass calculation that was part of the scope of the project.

“Gemini Terrain is particularly well suited for mass calculation and this is an advantage for both ourselves and the contractor. No other tool makes this process more efficient,” says Haugen.

“Our contractors use Gemini Terrain on a regular basis and are therefore familiar with the tool. When everyone uses Gemini Terrain, it’s a clear advantage. The data flow and communication is improved, and we avoid misunderstandings.”

Introduced digital collaboration platform for the first time

Multiconsult used Gemini Terrain’s cloud-based functionality for the first time in this project and found that it facilitates information exchange, sharing and storing of data.

“We have a common storage area for internal use to ensure that everyone works in the latest version of the model. Working with updated models means fewer errors and more efficient work. In addition, we have an area where we share models with the contractor. One great advantage is that everything is date-stamped. This way we avoid discussions about when things were delivered.”

Mats Breien Haugen adds that Multiconsult has used the cloud-based functionality to interact with the contractor, for example, to download scan data. In turn, they used the data to further design the next phase of the project.

“When the contractor blasts a mountain hall, it is very useful for us to see how this was done in practice. Our projected proposals can not always be followed to the letter. We can learn and improve this way,” says Haugen.