Key outcomes by Nagarajan Nehruji, Technical Director, Conserve Green Building & MEP Solutions
The technical seminar we have conducted on 14 th March 2019 was a great success. Thanks to the participants. It was a houseful event. In this post we would like to summarize the key outcomes of the event based on the content of the presentation and the frequently asked questions
1. Adoption of technology is the key for success for both business and individuals:
Mr Nagarajan Nehruji talked about various technologies that are playing and will play a key role in the near future in the construction industry and gave a brief on
1. Augmented Reality
2. Virtual reality
3. Mixed reality
4. Lidar
5. IoT
6. Big Data
7. Smart Contracts
8. Artificial Intelligence
9. Block Chain
2.Convergence of technologies to BIM:
The outcome of utilizing all technologies should converge to BIM in order to use have an intelligent live model of a project
3. BIM Dimensions:
The market generally knows 7Ds of BIM from 3D for geometry to 7D Facilities Management
Further technology enhancements can enable BIM model upto 10 dimensions including Design Coloration, Automation & Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
4. What role 3D Laser Scanning plays in emerging technologies in construction?
BIM Model should have information from design to field and also the vice versa. 3D Laser scanning technology plays a key role in transferring asbuilt information into BIM Model. Having said this, one should remember that 3D Laser scan does not directly give a BIM Model, it gives data which can be transferred to BIM Model. We will discuss about this in detail in later part of this post.
5.What is 3D Laser Scanning?
3D Laser Scanning., also called as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology digitally captures the shape of physical objects using a line of laser light and create “point clouds” of data from the surface of an object. The point cloud is then used to generate BIM/REVIT Model
6.Where 3D Laser Scanning can be used?
3D Laser Scanning can be used in various surveys across the entire life cycle of construction
7.What is the process involved in 3D Laser Scanning?
The steps involved in 3D Laser scanning
- Scanning
- Survey
- Setting up the targets
- Scan the subject/targets
- Processing
- Registrations
- Mosaic – Combining the scans
- Cleaning – Remove unwanted objects/data
- Export to required Point Cloud format
- Point cloud to BIM
- Import point cloud to BIM Software
- Model based on asbuilt point cloud
You can also check out the step by step process of converting 3D Laser Scan image to BIM model
8.What benefits the project can get on using 3D Laser scan vs conventional as built survey?
Based on a real time case study on 30 storied commercial building, where the requirement is to make as-built drawings for MEP Services. Conventional approach would require 7 experienced technicians/foreman to work for 3 months i.e. 294 man days
When 3D Laser scanning is used the same task can be completed by 3 people in 7 days i.e. around 21 man days which is around 90% reduction in man days. In 3D Laser scanning the time required to process the scan files is double the time required to capture the objects. 21 Man days considers both capturing and processing.
To be on a very conservative side, we can tell that 3D Laser Scanning technology can reduce at least 2/3rd of the effort while providing data with very high accuracy.
9.What computational infrastructure should the project team have to process 3D Laser Scanning?
Computational Infrastructure requirements depends on the size and accuracy level of the project involved Our work stations configuration as below
Processor – i9 4.2 GHz
RAM– 128GB
Hard disk HDD- 4 TB
SSD – 1TB
Graphics card – 24 GB
Monitor – UHD
Higher the configuration, easier the processing would be.
10.What Laser Scanning can and cannot do?
Laser scanning can capture anything that is visible to human eyes. Human’s can change the observation point and look at an object from different angle to get a complete view of an object.
Similarly Laser scan can capture objects from different position and at different angles and all the data can be combined in the processing to get point cloud of the complete object.
Laser scan cannot capture which is invisible to eyes. Even though Laser scan is much easier compared to manual as built survey. Reasonable access is required to place the camera and capture the objects.
Learn the most in-demand 3D Laser Scanning & Conversion of Point Cloud to BIM from leading construction industry experts.
Please feel free to contact us for any further clarifications & questions if required