With more than 24 million cu. yds. of material that had to be moved and more than 500,000 tons of stone that needed to be set, the potential for delays and disconnects on the construction of a new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant loomed large for South Carolina-based Landmark Construction.
Called "Project Connect," the EV development in Blythewood, S.C., is one of the largest projects of its kind in the United States.
Not willing to accept any disruptions, the earthwork and site prep contractor set out to put its advanced hardware and software solutions to the test, establishing a fully connected workflow across the more than 1,600 acre site. This project required an intense synchronization of people, processes and equipment to remove and relocate materials for building sites as well as the installation of underground utilities.
"It depended on meticulous coordination and precision, which is only possible in a truly connected construction environment, where information is gathered and digested seamlessly from the field to the office and back again in a timely and cohesive way," said Mike Marshall, GPS superintendent of Landmark. "It's an approach that allowed us to take on this massive EV project with confidence."
Landmark was tasked with performing mass grading and erosion control, installing stormwater systems and procuring the stone for building pads, laydown areas and roads. In total, approximately 6 million sq. ft. of building space will be constructed on the site, with the largest spanning about .75 mi. long by .25 mi. wide. There also were multiple 100-acre-plus ponds with dams on the site. Landmark is on track to complete the project in 2026.
"Having a live connection between the machines in the field and our central data platform, and then back to the field, was absolutely critical on a project of this scale," Marshall said. "It allowed us to react quickly to changes and keep the entire operation running smoothly and ahead of schedule."
Connections Deep, Wide
The expansive site size network to ensure connectivity 24/7 and across the various surveying and construction systems both on and off machines, necessitated a comprehensive and resilient communications network.
The requirements for connectivity were as deep as they were wide. The deepest cut on the site was more than 70 ft. and deepest fill about 120 ft., making continuous connectivity a challenge.
"We were basically leveling the top of a mountain," said Marshall.
To ensure real-time data transfers, Landmark leveraged its experience with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) base stations to build a custom data communications solution that could deliver robust signals, broad coverage and reliable connections.
At the onset of the project, the survey team established a network of reference stations using Trimble's Internet Base Station Service (IBSS) including the Trimble R750 GNSS modular receiver.
"With this network, we didn't need radios or repeaters to get signals, even down in canyons or, in fact, anywhere on the over two-mile long site," Marshall said. "The ability to share a single base station across multiple work areas has been a game-changer for us, greatly reducing the infrastructure needed and assuring GNSS access and accuracy across the project."
Grade Control Is ‘Auto'matic
The sheer scope of equipment used to move and strategically place 24 million cu. yds. of material was daunting — as was the on-machine technology. On Project Connect, there were more than 150 pieces of equipment on the site at any given time including 30 excavators, 30 dozers, two motor graders and a scraper fleet along with six rovers, two drones and more than 100 off-road dump trucks.
With support from SITECH Palmetto, Landmark invested in machine guidance technology more than a decade ago. Today, 100 percent of its dozers, with many excavators and graders as well, are equipped with grade control software (in this case, Trimble Earthworks) to deliver data that powers 3D models in the context of site surroundings.
"In particular, we take advantage of the ‘Autos' functionality," said Marshall.
When an excavator is placed in "Autos" or automatics mode, the operator controls the stick, while the grade control system controls the boom and bucket, allowing the operator to achieve grade at a consistent rate with high accuracy and in much less time.
With the IBSS as a backbone and Trimble WorksManager software as the field-to-office data manager, the dozers, graders and rovers become mobile data hubs, managing the most current site data with the project management team back in the office.
These machines collect and record various data points, such as positioning, productivity and progress, as they operate in the field. The data collected by the machines is then transferred back to Landmark's project management team where it is incorporated into 3D models and designs that are built and maintained by Trimble Business Center software. WorksManager software is then used to transfer the latest design models and updates back to the machines in the field.
"We had one main master file that controlled the whole project," said Marshall. "When we updated that file, it went to all the machines at the same time with a single keystroke. That made it possible to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks and make decisions in near real-time. By quickly getting revisions and changes out to the machines, costly rework was significantly reduced, if not eliminated."
When asked how this digital connectivity facilitated productivity, Marshall said that for many contractors moving 120,000 cu. yds. over the course of a month would be considered a good day.
"On our best days, we moved 60,000 to 70,000 cubic yards a day," he said.
This is, in part, due to removing six or seven steps from the process of getting data from the field to the office and back to the field.
Storm (Box) of Digital Activity
Landmark's technology ecosystem extends beyond just moving dirt to prepare for building pads. The team also leveraged specialized software to model and manage the installation of utility structures, such as the required 350 storm boxes, integrating that data into their overall project workflows.
"Everything installed in the ground was modeled in building information modeling [BIM]," Marshall said. "In 2024, we modeled an estimated 2,000 structures across all our projects; that's equivalent to about 4,000 labor hours over the course of a year. We're working to get that down to minutes."
On Project Connect, those models were then passed to utility crews who were digging infrastructure with excavators operating with 3D models created in SketchUp.
"All our calculations were done on 3D excavators," said Marshall. "We're developing a way to automate pipe calculations and structure design so all the storm boxes, in fact, everything that gets installed in the ground, is modeled in BIM and uploaded directly to the machines and to the rovers."
Back in the office, Viewpoint Vista from Trimble handles all things accounting for Landmark. Finance controller Jordan Adams said the ERP platform modules are comprehensive, easy to use and integrate easily with other systems. Features that turn data into intelligence are especially valuable in the office and the field.
"The technology makes it easy for project managers to look at cost projections, budgets and actual costs to date so they can make educated, timely decisions on how to adjust operations," he said.
Aerial Advantage
To add to its overall project management capabilities, the Landmark team also flew its two drones every day to gather real-time progress imagery. That data was integrated directly into their 3D design platform.
"Today's construction management software makes it easy to read point cloud data from drones as well as ground-based laser scanners," said Marshall.
The survey team uses the data to see where water is flowing, track material movement and much more across the entire site.
"I can clip the point clouds into one big surface and run numbers against it to make any site adjustments," said Marshall. "It's so fast and easy that we were able to see and measure changes to the site conditions pretty much on the fly. The integration of drone data into our digital data management ecosystem is the biggest game changer when it comes to real-time decision making and keeping this project on track."
According to Marshall, as soon as the data — whether from drones or equipment on the ground — hit Landmark's servers, it was analyzed, identifying trends and adjusting its plans and workflows.
"We've achieved a level of visibility and control through this digital ecosystem that a few years ago was simply not possible — and the value of that connectivity is evident to our customer, as we're on time and on budget on a project that is well beyond the ordinary," Marshall said.
