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Visualizing the design and construction of roadway system : a case study

University of British Columbia

Effective planning and scheduling of construction operations is critical for the success of any construction project. Visualization tools provide engineers with more understanding of and insight into construction project information. The main objective of this research is to investigate the capabilities of existing state-of-the-art software to create realistic visualizations of the design and construction of transportation systems. This research was funded by the Ministry of Transportation, which requires realistic visualizations of their transportation projects to communicate with different stakeholders. The research focused on part of the South Fraser Perimeter Road project, whch is part of the Gateway Program. The project included a four-lane, 490m bridge and approaches to the bridge. To provide a visualization of the construction process, I utilized existing 4D (3D + time) modeling tools. In this method, a 3D model of the bridge is connected to the construction schedule to create an animation of the construction process that represents how and when the structure will be built. I also utilized landscape visualization software to enhance the realism of the project surroundings. During the course of this project, I learned many lessons regardug the capabilities of the software tools. The process of 3D modeling should be accomplished with constant connection with the designer and client, and the 3D design process should be planned beforehand. Also, the scale and position of each object and its relation to other objects in the 3D model should be carefully considered before exporting to 4D software. In the 4D modeling process, the schedule should be reviewed thoroughly before connecting each task to the 3D objects in the 4D model. Finally, 4D modeling software has limited rendering power. To create truly realistic renderings requires more powerful software tools, whch currently have limited compatibility with 4D software. In this case study, I found that although there is room for improvement, existing technologies are capable of creating effective visualizations of the construction process that are helpful in communicating to a variety of stakeholders. However, significant work is needed to develop visualizations that are capable of realistically representing the project environment.

Text

2010-01-08

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/17869

Civil Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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