Integration of four-dimensional computer-aided design modeling and three-dimensional animation of operations simulation for visualizing construction of the main stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympic games.(Report)

Introduction

Communication of design details and construction plans is critical to the successful delivery of modern construction projects, which feature bold, unconventional architectural designs, tight schedules, congested site space, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. Nevertheless, interacting with and making sense of huge amounts of relevant project data would be tedious and overwhelming, if not impossible. This has presented a distinct challenge for engineers and managers to attain cost efficiency in executing large-scale, complex construction projects.

Three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD) technology became available as the predominant means of designing and drafting to the Architecture--Engineering--Construction (AEC) industry in the 1980s. The combination of computer graphics, animation, and 3D computer modeling lends effective visual aid to engineers from conceptual design to construction process (Morad and Beliveau 1994). As a matter of fact, by making better use of human spatial memory, visualization in 3D computer models brings the full power of the human visual system to bear on processing information in tackling highly convoluted problems (Sheridan 2008). 3D CAD can enable architects and engineers to explain structural design and construction operation more effectively than traditional methods (Kang et al. 2007). With the 3D CAD technology, many complicated construction problems can be identified and addressed before they would actually materialize on site, thus avoiding potential design errors, operation delays, and added costs of revisions in construction (Danso-Amoako et al. 2003).

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The established construction planning methodology of critical path method (CPM) builds on the definition of a work breakdown structure of a project that subdivides the project into component activities; each activity is a well-defined scope of work that usually terminates in a deliverable product (Halpin and Woodhead 1998). It is noteworthy that CPM relies on bar charts and project network diagrams for visualizing activity status and sequence. Recent developments have attempted to turn drab visual aids of CPM into vivid 3D computer graphics by linking CPM with the building design data defined in 3D CAD models, resulting in a four-dimensional (4D) view of a CPM plan (Koo and Fischer 2000).

With the objective of reducing resource idling time and boosting site productivity, operations simulation provides an effective methodology for modeling construction processes and addressing time conflicts in allocating the utilization of resources. Over the past three decades of research, construction simulation tools have evolved from the original activity cycle diagram based CYCLONE (short for "CYCLic Operation NEtwork") (Halpin 1977) to the full-fledged STROBOSCOPE (short for "STate and ResOurce Based Simulation Of COnstruction ProcessEs") boasting flexible programmability and extensibility (Martinez 1996). In addition, visualization of simulated operations in 3D significantly adds to the credibility of simulation models and provides valuable insight into the subtleties of construction operations that are otherwise difficult to quantify or present (Kamat and Martinez 2001).

The motivation of the present research is to develop innovative, cost-effective planning methods …