Softree Technical Systems

Softree Technologies is a North Vancouver, BC[2] based company that develops software for the forestry, civil engineering, and energy industries.

Softree Technical Systems
IndustryLand Development, Civil Engineering and Resource Industries
Headquarters
Area served
Global[1]
Key people
Craig Speirs (Co-Founder)
ProductsRoadEng, Softree Optimal, Terrain Tools 3D
Websitewww.softree.com

RoadEng edit

RoadEng is the original software program developed by Softree Technologies, with early adopters including government agencies like the USDA Forest Service.[3] Early versions of the software had three modules: road notes (where a surveyor enters their field notes), grade design, and plan view.[4] The program is a geometric-road-design system, that allows engineers to easily determine where the best road alignment would be for rural or other wilderness-based primary resources, especially the alignment of the roads needed for the extraction of the resource and the insertion of the machinery needed to extract it. It utilizes 3D approximations of the environment and allows individuals to pre-plan their projects.[5] It is able to accept data produced by hand by surveyors, or produce approximations based upon other variables.[6]

Terrain Tools edit

Terrain Tools is a 3D mapping and engineering software product. The software is used primarily for 3D site design, stockpile volume calculations, mine surveying, quantity takeoffs, pad design, pond design, geological mapping, surface contouring and visualization, and landfill site design. Includes functions for: surveying, coordinate geometry, image manipulation, digital terrain modeling, contouring, volume and earthwork calculations, design, grading, visualization and report generation.[7]

Softree Optimal edit

SoftreeOptimal is a mathematical technique to automatically determine the lowest cost vertical alignment for corridor based infrastructure projects such as roads, pipelines and railways. It was developed by the University of B.C. and Softree Technical Systems Inc in 2012 based on a Mixed (Integer programming) model. SoftreeOptimal accounts for excavation, grading and material movement costs while matching user criteria such as design speed, cross section configuration, and horizontal alignment. SoftreeOptimal uses a new (patent pending) mathematical optimization methodology which guarantees optimality, while accounting for detailed design conditions.[8][9]

References edit

  1. ^ "About Us - "Small is Beautiful"". Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  2. ^ "Softree Introduces RoadEng Version 5". North American Wind and Power. December 11, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  3. ^ "Softree RoadEng". The Logger and Lumberman Magazine. Vol. 48. 1999. p. 21. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  4. ^ "RoadEng". Folks and Things by the Alabama Forestry Association. 1991. p. 90. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  5. ^ Guofan Shao and Keith M. Reynolds (2006). Computer Applications in Sustainable Forest Management: Including Perspectives on Collaboration and Integration. Springer. pp. 85–86. ISBN 9781402043871. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  6. ^ "RoadEng and Lumberjack". New Zealand Logging Industry Research Organisation Report. 1992. pp. 243–247.
  7. ^ Philip Howard (2006). Archaeological Surveying and Mapping: Recording and Depicting the Landscape. Routledge. pp. 184–186. ISBN 9780203417515. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  8. ^ "WSoftree Optimal Beta Released". American Surveyor. May 31, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  9. ^ "Optimization of Vertical Road Alignment Design". Mitacs and the University of British Columbia. Retrieved September 17, 2013.

External links edit

Official website

See also edit