3D Modelling for Construction

When it comes to 3D modelling for construction, what are the advantages and disadvantages of photogrammetry versus Lidar in terms of accuracy, complexity and cost? Breaking away from laser measurement in construction is a taboo subject, perhaps hampering the use of photogrammetry. In construction, aerial survey has enormous time-saving benefits for measuring groundwork areas. Data can be used for asset classification, construction validation as well as health and safety. In particular, regular scans provide a time series of work in progress to detect new issues, managing risk rather than responding to it. This article looks at the state of the... (read more)

2019-10-15 03:28:52

InfiPoints 6.0: Modelling Directly from Laser Scans to Autodesk Revit

Elysium has developed an advanced functionality to model piping and structures from 3D laser scanned point clouds into Autodesk Revit. This new capability is included in Elysium’s point cloud utilization software, InfiPoints 6.0, which has been release on 30 September. The new feature allows Revit users to reduce their modelling time significantly. There is no need any more to create models of existing facilities from scratch. Furthermore, the CAD data extracted from point cloud data in InfiPoints is automatically imported into Revit to add finishing touches. Lidar technology Industry pioneers and some service providers have recently begun employing 3D laser... (read more)

2019-10-08 04:17:38

New Partnership to Accelerate Growth of Indoor 3D Modelling

Flyability and Pix4D recently announced a partnership agreement to offer bundled Flyability and Pix4D products. The bundle will be sold in the form of a photogrammetry add-on that can be purchased on top of Elios 2 drone packages. This offer is meant to facilitate access to a coherent and complete product offering for those who want to tackle indoor 3D modelling using photogrammetry. Flyability is a Swiss company building solutions for the inspection and exploration of indoor, inaccessible and confined spaces. By allowing drones to be used safely inside buildings, it enables industrial companies and inspection professionals to reduce downtime,... (read more)

2020-02-07 03:33:25

3D Modelling for Property Valuation in China

A High-resolution Remote Sensing-based Approach

Rapid urban development in China has transformed the cityscapes, with a dramatic increase in high-rise buildings. However, the current 2D property valuation methods neglect the vertical dimension, even though that aspect contains significant indicators that impact property value – such as types of views, scope of vision and daylight. 3D modelling of geographical data can help to change this in high-rise and high-density areas, going beyond 2D to enable identification of complex property characteristics in the vertical dimension too. This article presents research to explore a 3D modelling approach using remote sensing data for more precise property valuation. The accelerating... (read more)

2019-09-26 10:00:54

Penn State-led Team to Study Digital Modelling on Capital Projects

It takes a lot of data to move a large-scale, costly building project from design to reality. Digital modelling, otherwise known as building information modelling, or BIM, increases construction efficiency and saves time and resources on building projects by compiling large amounts of project data into a well-organized central repository. John Messner, Charles and Elinor Matts Professor of Architectural Engineering at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), is leading a US$240,000 Construction Industry Institute (CII)-funded project to study building projects that have utilized digital modelling and to compile recommended best practices for organizing, retrieving and analyzing project data, which often includes... (read more)

2020-01-24 12:22:12

ISG Transforms 3D Model Delivery to Boost BIM Capabilities

Global construction services company ISG is using the latest 3D modelling technology to stimulate its building information modelling (BIM) capabilities. By introducing Pointfuse laser scanning software, ISG has speeded up workflows with rapid scan-to-BIM modelling whilst maintaining high levels of accuracy. Traditionally this laser data processing could take up to three days to 3D model a single floor. However, using Pointfuse, ISG has reduced this to a matter of hours. The use of Pointfuse has also increased the range of the point cloud outputs with applications including clash detection and visualization. “Scan-to-BIM modelling was previously seen as undesirable by the... (read more)

2019-05-10 12:54:24

What is 4D Construction?

As 3D building information modelling (BIM) continues to be the technology-enabled process for design delivery, construction firms have looked for ways to leverage these 3D BIM models for downstream construction workflows. Now, engineers are incorporating 4D modelling to their workflows. The concept adds a time dimension to the 3D CAD model that enables teams to analyse the sequence of events on a timeline and visualize the completion of construction tasks. This concept can be extended to 'nD', where additional dimensions represent other types of information added to the 3D model context. Engineers, construction managers, and contractors are leveraging 4D construction... (read more)

2020-04-23 03:00:17

Applications of Laser Scanning, Augmented Reality and BIM in Existing Facilities

The benefits of BIM in facility management are well known, but many buildings don’t even have a basic set of 2D drawings available. This is especially common in facilities that were built long ago, when computer-aided design was emerging or non-existent. Creating a smart 3D model of an existing facility from zero is possible, but the number of man-hours required and their cost can be considerable. While BIM is often associated with design, it can also be a powerful tool in facility management. This is especially true in large commercial or industrial facilities, where complex building systems are constantly interacting.... (read more)

2019-11-11 09:08:12

5 Questions to... Håkan Engman, Bentley Systems

What makes the digital city so relevant for geospatial surveyors, and what lies ahead for 3D city modelling? We asked these and a couple of other questions to Håkan Engman, the director of business development in the digital cities business unit at Bentley Systems. In that role, he is leading business management activities for OpenCities products. He is also responsible for the integration of the Swedish company Agency9 following Bentley’s acquisition of it in September 2018. The ‘digital city’ or ‘smart city’ is a hot topic. What makes it so relevant for geospatial surveying professionals? In most cases, smart initiatives... (read more)

2020-04-16 03:29:19

James Gregory

James Gregory is the Head of BIM at Plowman Craven, with a responsibility for overseeing BIM operations across the business. This includes leading the delivery of BIM Survey Models across both the Property and Infrastructure sectors, heading up the BIM and Digital Construction Consultancy, and progressing the continual innovation and integration of Building Information Modelling into Plowman Craven’s existing and future services. (read more)

2020-03-03 03:15:55