Building Information Modeling
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
BIM is a way to see your entire project before any construction begins on your job site. With a BIM digital model, customers can see their building come to life with a detailed physical and function model. A BIM model shows all trades that are involved in the project, not just the precast concrete elements. The collaboration of all trades in this model allows each party to show the value in their element of the project and what will be involved to complete the job.
Benefits
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Seeing your project and being able to place together multiple trades in a 3D environment creates many opportunities for the owners, designers, and the construction trades involved.
-
Visualize Your Project - In-person and at the true scale of the project size.
-
Recognize Improvements - Pick out errors in design prior to construction that would need to be adjusted after.
-
Enhancement Alterations - Determine design corrections that better the final project.
-
Assure Alignment - Many moving parts in the construction process, here you can assure other trades are able to work together for the design.
Why use BIM in your project from the beginning?
Using BIM at this stage of design can be beneficial in multiple ways:
-
Confirm design conformity and aesthetic.
-
Ensure alignment and fit with other trades involved to eliminate issues once the project starts.
-
Improved data management with the higher levels of development (LOD) models ties to the information provided transferring to a content management system (CMS).
-
Ability to link to CNC forming for form liners needed within the project.
-
Seamless transition from the estimating model that was already created when the project was first developed.
Villanova Project Details
Villanova Pedestrian Bridge
The collegiate pedestrian bridge uses Precast concrete elements include 421 architectural precast concrete panels at an average nominal size of 5ft by 18ft.
Villanova University Pedestrian Bridge
Save time and money
Architects for this project visited High Concrete Group in Denver PA, where they were able to sit down and put on HoloLens to view their project through augmented reality.
During their visit, the architects walked around the room to examine the bridge at full scale. In doing so, they noticed a horizontal concrete surface that would attract roosting birds.
Typically, something like this would be found during construction and there would be added costs associated with fixing the issue. Time and money were saved using BIM because this was caught early in the design phase it did not have an impact on the budget and was a simple adjustment in the engineering drawings. There is a reduced risk of using advanced technology.
Levels of Development (LOD)
In order to enhance communication when viewing BIM models, four levels of Development (LOD) for BIM are available by request. Each level requires more detail to be completed but enhances the value and ability to visualize the overall picture of your project. Any issues will be noticed and can be adjusted before you venture too far into your project. Each level adds additional characteristics, which are listed below.
LOD 200
- Type of element
-
Approximate geometry of the elements
LOD 300
- Specific size of elements
-
Exact location and orientation of elements
LOD 350
- Embedded hardware
- Lifting devices
- Blockouts
- Chamfers
LOD 400
- All reinforcements
- Aesthetic finishes
ELEVATE YOUR PRECAST DESIGN.
Have a question about our precast design options? That's what we are here for. Reach out to our team of precast design engineers with any questions or details about your project and we will get back to you.