3D Surface Solutions is located in historic Winterset Iowa. Winterset is most often recognized by the Bridges of Madison County and the Birthplace of John Wayne. 3DSS is owned and operated by Brian Van Pelt. Brian has more than 15 years of experience in the civil engineering field. He started out as an Autocad technician for a bridge consulting firm and then moved on to become a senior design technician. For more than 10 years he has worked on public and private roadway design specializing in MicroStation / GEOPAK. In the last 5 years he has moved into the area of modeling for Automated Machine Guidance. Brian has also presented for various user group organizations and conferences including the Trimble Dimensions conference. Brian attended North West Missouri State University and has his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology.
What our clients say
"I worked with Brian on a 30 million dollar corridor project on Route 54 at the Lake of the Ozarks in which MoDOT was searching for ways to increase savings by adding "Optional Grading Concepts" which allowed the contractor to use optional typical cut and fill sections and embankment construction. Plans were submitted with earthwork quantities provided and cross sections furnished by our Commission. In the construction stage, many alternate profiles, vertical curves, and side slope construction were changed to reduce haul distances and excavation quantities to maximize the contractors savings. MoDOT must approve all these changes and Brian showed great communication skills and was very easy to work with thru this difficult process as he was the main person that programmed all the equipment for the grading. I was very impress with his GEOPAK and MicroStation skills as he turned around everything in a very short time frame and of exceptional quality. We communicated often by phone and via email as we needed to swap as-built (.Tin) and (.dgn) files as the project changed. He was outstanding to work with, very professional, and had a great personality."
Robert Jany, P.E. Transportation Project Designer MoDOT, District 5 Design
"I have been in the construction trade for forty years. I have experience in all aspects of the trade, laborer, operator, survey, foreman and project superintendent. I have been using GPS since it’s infancy in construction, as the company I am employed by was on the cutting edge of the technology in the construction field. Consequently, I have worked with GPS models supplied by several vendors. I can say from experience that Mr. Van Pelt’s modeling and work far exceeds that of any I have worked with. His knowledge of the industry, and of the standards and specifications used in the transportation industry, allows him to find problems in the design during the modeling process, communicate with people in the field, and on the design team, and rectify them in the modeling process, thereby saving the contractor money and time. Additionally, when issues do arise, such as revisions, his ability to get the work done, and back to the field, in the shortest amount of time possible, is a tremendous asset. Given the choice, I would never use anyone other than Mr. Van Pelt for GPS modeling."
Bill Botkin Project Superintendent McAninch Corp.
"Brian is a very intelligent and motivated individual. He is recognized by his peers across the United States as a leader in the adaptation of current software capabilities to the creation of 3-D construction models. In his position at the McAninch Corporation, Brian created and maintained dozen of models for State Transportation Agencies in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, and North Carolina; and many more site work models in several of these states. I recommend Brian Van Pelt as a gifted designer and expert software operator. Brian performs his work with a consistent and redefined set of personal and professional ethics." Don Taylor Vice President McAninch Corp.