Julia Niebel’s work placement took her to the Montafon region in Vorarlberg. In a place where others go on holiday, she spent six months working in the hydropower division at illwerke vkw AG. Her surveying work took her to extraordinary locations and workplaces with fantastic views.
The practical study project ("internship semester") in the fifth semester of the Bachelor's degree programme in Surveying and Geoinformatics gave me the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into engineering surveying in the field of hydropower. I completed my internship at illwerke vkw AG in Vorarlberg - Montafon (Austria), where I was able to expand my professional knowledge and develop personally for six months. The company is mainly responsible for sustainable energy supply and energy services through hydropower in Vorarlberg and parts of southern Germany.
Most of my work took place in the field. I was able to take part in various measurements and actively support the team. The variety of work locations, such as at dams, rivers, in tunnels or on construction sites, made the work varied and exciting.
A particular highlight was the realisation of river profile measurements. The entire Ill, from St. Gallenkirch to Feldkirch, as well as parts of the Bregenzerach and other small tributaries were surveyed. Cross-sections were measured at regular intervals of around 400 metres in order to document changes in the riverbed and riverbank areas. This work was not only technically interesting, but also physically challenging. I often stood in the sometimes strong current and recorded the profile points with a reflector. In particularly deep water, we even crossed the river by boat.
The high-precision deformation measurements on dam walls and slopes were just as fascinating. The aim here was to detect the smallest movements in the millimetre range in order to monitor the stability of structures and terrain. Precision levelling, pillar network measurements and regular monitoring measurements on endangered slopes were used at
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Another unforgettable experience was marking out a construction road at an altitude of around 2,000 metres. The several-hour ascent on foot, the work in high alpine terrain and finally even a helicopter mission made this task something very special. It was also the first time I was able to work independently and take on responsibility.
The tunnel survey was also exciting. There, a polygon train connected on two sides was measured through the tunnel to determine the tunnel axis. Under difficult conditions - in complete darkness and equipped only with headlamps - maximum concentration was required. Teamwork, precision and working safely on uneven ground were crucial in order to achieve accurate measurement results over a distance of 4 kilometres.
State-of-the-art surveying equipment was used throughout the internship, including total stations, GNSS, levelling instruments and a laser tracker. The data collected in the field was then analysed and processed in the office, which allowed me to get to know the entire work process from data collection to analysis.
Overall, the internship at illwerke vkw AG was extremely exciting and formative for me, both professionally and personally. The combination of sophisticated technology, unusual work locations, independent work and a harmonious working environment made this time something very special for me!