CONNECT. TRANSFORM. AUTOMATE.

3d Clash Detection Josh Symonds Senior Technician

Agenda

!  Project !  Brief !  Input File formats !  Custom Formats

!  12da !  4d

!  Workspaces / Stages !  Outputs !  Conclusions / Lessons Learned

!  A global, integrated, multidisciplinary firm of professionals working together to tackle complex planning, infrastructure and building design challenges

!  11,000 engineers, designers, planners, management consultants and economists

!  90 offices in 37 countries

!  Full service from concept through completion

!  Dedicated to delivering value through expertise, global resources and local delivery

Brief

!  Tasked with scoping design !  Joint design team:

!  Arup !  Hassell !  Aurecon

!  Utilities clash detection was manually by a handful of Arup Engineers

!  Constant alignment tweaking

Image Source: Arup

Brief !  Automation of the current process !  Apply assumptions !  Classification to AS5488 (Australian standard for subterranean utilities)

!  Utility clash reporting to stakeholders

Image Source: Sydney Morning Herald Image Source: Arup

Brief

!  Capture assets retrofitted within existing assets

!  Utilise Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) !  Improve existing data

Image Source: Arup

Image Source: Arup

Image Source: Arup

Input File formats

!  Numerous input file formats !  CAD

!  AutoCAD DWG !  Microstation (DGN)

!  GIS !  Esri (SHP) !  Mapinfo (TAB)

!  Survey / Design !  12d Solutions (12da) !  12d Solutions (4d) !  Microsoft (XLS)

Custom Formats – 12da

!  Civil engineering and surveying format

!  ASCII based file format

!  15 “String Types” !  Structured hierarchy

!  Model !  String

!  Geometry !  Attributes

Custom Formats – 4d

!  ASCII based file format !  Contains specifications for

Drainage Structures !  Combined with Drainage network

XLS creates full 3d model

Image Source: Rocla.com.au

Workspaces – Initial Run

!  All processing as a single workbench

!  Solids generation of all survey assets & output in 1000 element files

!  Clipping 147,000 utilities against 17,000 design elements

!  Run manually on 3 workstations

Workspaces – Tweaked Run

!  Broken down into 4 key stages !  Revised solids generation

method !  Utilized the transformers:

!  WorkspaceRunner, !  GeometryValidator, !  CollinearSliversRemover

!  FME Feature Store (FFS) for interim storage

!  Used Batch Deploy

Stages

Tweaked Run – Stage 1

!  AS5488 Classifications !  Added assumptions

!  Pipe / Conduit Sizing !  Depths

!  Survey, Local government GIS data and standardised

!  Turn 2d elements into 3d

Tweaked Run – Stage 2

!  Survey assets clipped against design elements in “2.5d clip”

!  Centre point of Manholes & Pits “clipped” against 2d design elements

!  Reduction in Survey elements by ~60%, by filtering unrelated elements

Tweaked Run – Stage 2

Tweaked Run – Stage 2

Tweaked Run – Stage 2

Tweaked Run – Stage 3 & 4

!  Survey accurate solids with “buffer” !  Utilized the Transformers

!  Chopper !  GeometryValidator !  3dBufferer (With tweaks) !  Clipper

!  Output Both Clipper Passed, Failed elements for verification

Outputs – Solids Model

Outputs – Web interface

!  FME reduced manual workload significantly allowing for engineers to focus on other elements of design

!  Asset owners requested enhanced data to improve their internal systems

!  Custom formats utilised on various Arup projects

Conclusions

Image Source: Arup

Lessons Learned !  Clipping 72,000 utility solids

against 700 design solids (takes a while and is probably not recommended)

!  Reducing the amount of vertices greatly helped speed when generating solids

!  You can still lose stuff in organised workbenches

!  Clipping rectangular prisms instead of cylinders to reduce process time Image Source: http://www.practicalpmo.com/

Thank You!

!  For Questions and more information: !  Josh Symonds E: Josh.symonds@arup.com

!  Ben Cooper-Woolley E: Ben.Cooper-Woolley@arup.com

CONNECT. TRANSFORM. AUTOMATE.