Client Profile.
The client is a UAE-based precast manufacturer/contractor. They serve a global clientele across industries through their wide product range of offsite reinforced concrete structural elements.
Business Need.
The client was working on a large-scale precast project that involved 15,000 precast structural elements. The legacy methods were time consuming and error prone. Often elements were incorrectly cast, leading to increased costs and material wastage. The client hence wanted to transition to BIM technology.
The client collaborated with HitechDigital to get a coordinated 3D BIM precast model at LOD 450:
- supported by accurate Rebar shop drawings of concrete elements and Bar Bending Schedules (BBS)
- carrying information related to element IDs, precise quantity estimates, accurate material schedules, BBS, etc.
Challenges.
Achieving high precision levels in such a high scale project invited multiple challenges for the BIP experts. Some of these included:
- Achieving precision of 2mm- 5mm in an LOD 450 model which included Rebar connections
- Coordinating with multiple designers based out of different locations for numerous design revisions was cumbersome
- Multiple precast deliverables to be delivered in a short TAT
- Ensuring zero material wastage with easy sequential erection for a large number (over 20k) of precast elements
Solution.
The team at HitechDigital delivered a completely collaborated and clash-free BIM model using the BIM 360 platform to enable seamless communication across stakeholders. The model was RFI standardized to reduce design ambiguities and identify and resolve scheduling errors of structural elements. The coordinated 3D BIM model at LOD 450 was accompanied by:
- Detailed Rebar shop drawings of concrete elements
- Accurate schedule estimation, BOQs, BOMs, and Bar Bending Schedules (BBS)
- Erection drawings with unique ID for each structural element.
Approach.
An initial assessment of the input AutoCAD drawings and PDF files was conducted by a team of 25 experienced structural BIM modelers and detailers. The input documents included site and structural floor plans, building elevations, sections, and related details.
- AIA BIM standards and Object-Based modeling were used as benchmarks for initial design changes and model optimization.
- A precast model at LOD 450 with detailed BBS, precise length and quantity, shape bends, angles with images, erection drawings with unique element ID and 3D views was generated
- Individual precast elements and the collective project was quality checked for standardization
- The final coordinated and clash free 3D precast model with accurate material quantity estimation based on element ID was delivered to the client.
Tools and Technology used- Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, AutoCAD, BIM360, Microsoft Excel
Business Impact.
Quality: Improved quality of precast deliverables
Cost: Accurate procurement supported by 3D models with precision of under 5mm for M60 concrete grade enabled zero material waste
Cost: Cost savings due to 100% accuracy of deliverables
Time: Fast TAT of BIM deliverables within 6-8 months which enabled accelerated onsite building erection
