Introduction

About the Quantm system 

The Quantm system is a planning tool that uses state-of-the-art computer techniques to automatically generate low-cost planning alignments that satisfy defined constraints.

The planner can set up scenarios that define environmentally and socially sensitive areas, geometric (design) constraints, geological unit costs for earthworks, structures, and extra land cost and crossing rules for existing features. Boundary data can be imported from CAD or GIS systems in digital format or created by tracing over ortho-rectified aerial photography or satellite imagery with the cursor. This allows hydrology, geotechnical, and other factors to be integrated into the alignment selection process, while the sociopolitical issues and environmental constraints can be protected (defined as Avoid Zones), cost (by running optimization with and without constraints to determine the alignment and cost implications), or modeled (by adding in extra land cost to reflect higher purchase or mitigation costs).

The Quantm system determines costs and considers millions of route options that meet the defined constraints before delivering a range of “best option” geometric alignments to the planner for review. The system generates sets of alternatives, rather than a single least-cost solution, to allow planners the freedom to balance environmental and social impacts against costs for routes using different parts of the corridor and various scenarios of cost, structures, and constraints.

Alignments can be viewed in plan, profile, and cross-section: the Quantm Desktop software enables the planner to review and compare the details of different options. Each alignment has an associated summary chart that defines the earthwork volumes and costs for fill, borrow, cut, dump, and haul, as well as the length and cost of retaining walls, culverts, bridges, and tunnels.

Route planning is a complex iterative process that needs to consider a range of alternatives and respond to environmental and community issues. The speed of the Quantm system allows the planner to quickly refine identified alignments and reoptimize to undertake comprehensive sensitivity analysis or consider new constraints arising from the EIS or public consultation process.

When final alignments have been identified, the Quantm software can produce reports, presentations, and displays for planners and/or project stakeholders. Alignments can be shown on relief-enhanced digital terrain maps, overlaid on satellite and aerial photography, or visualized in user-created, 3D drive through animations. Plan and profile views can also show cut, fill, tunnels, bridges, gradients, curve radii, and cross-sections.