Handling BIM Models
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The BIM models helps to create digital twins in construction designs where the construction schedules can be linked to the 3D design. This helps in visualizing the planned shape of construction at any given time and compare it with the actual. This enables project managers to detect project delays early and plan any rectifications in affected areas as required.

NOTE: For enabling 4D features Forge viewer is to be selected as the default viewer for BIM files.

BIM files are uploaded as Documents to SmartProject. If the document is linked with any Project, the BIM file is automatically linked with the selected Project.

Managing Models

In most large construction projects, it is required to monitor the progress of structural works along with the MEP works. Hence it is required to work on the main structural model and sub-models simultaneously in 4D.  For using this facility, the user must attach the Revit files of the sub-models as Related files or Reference. Comments can be added and viewed. Also models can added and models that are not more required can be removed.

Viewing comments and inserting comments

Comments entered by different reviewers on the drawing can be viewed and new comments can be added.

To view comments 

  1. Open the BIM model drawing. Model is opened in the viewer as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Opening BIM Model

  1. In the toolbar click Comments

Comments entered by different reviewers are displayed in the comment box.

Figure: Viewing comments

To mark comments

  1. In the tool bar click Create Comments.

Commenting mode is enabled and different commenting tools are displayed.

  1. Mark your comments and click Save.

Figure: Marking comments and saving comments

The comment is saved and is displayed in the viewer.

Loading models and adding new models

In certain projects, it is required to compare one design with other main designs for interference checks. For Example:  Checking interference between Civil design and the HVAC design where the two could be independent designs using separate workflows.

Hence a facility to search designs using a document search window and load the same in Viewer is provided.

To load models

  1. In the tool bar click Manage Model. A pop-up menu is displayed.

Figure: Loading models

  1. In the menu click Insert Attachments. Load Models window is displayed.

Figure: Load Models window

Here a list of all Revit files added as the Related/Reference  files of the main document are displayed.

  1. Select the checkbox next to the models that are to be loaded in the viewer and click OK. The selected models are loaded and displayed in the viewer.

Merged models or sub-models can be viewed separately.

  1. Click the Model browser tool. The Model window is displayed.

Figure: Model window


  1. In the Model window, click the View icon to hide or view the model.

To insert other designs

  1. In the tool bar click Manage Model. A pop-up menu is displayed.


  1. In the menu click Insert Other Designs.

Document Search window is displayed.

  1. Search and retrieve the required design.

The selected design is displayed in the window.

Removing models linked to drawings

Models linked to drawings can be removed.

To remove a model linked to drawing

  1. In the tool bar click Manage Model. A pop-up menu is displayed.
  2. In the menu click Remove Designs. Remove Models window is displayed.

Figure: Remove Models window

  1. In the window select the model that is to be removed and click OK.  Linked model is removed successfully.

To view BIM progress

  1. Open the BIM model drawing.
  2. In the viewer window click BIM Progress.

Figure:  BIM Model

On clicking BIM Progress, the BIM Progress window is displayed. In the tool bar, options WBSLegends, Create RFI  and  Manage Model are available.

Figure: BIM Progress window

  1. On the tool bar click the option WBS. The WBS options menu is displayed.

Figure: WBS Menu

Different options in the menu are explained in the following sections.

Synchronising  to WBS

The BIM element details of the model can be synchronized to the linked WBS. 

To synchronise BIM element details to WBS

  1. Place the mouse pointer over the option Sync to WBS. A pop-up menu is displayed.

  1. In the menu click Sync.

If the model is already linked (previously synchronized) to a WBS, the following warning message is displayed.

  1. Click No to stop the operation.
  2. On clicking Yes, the following message is displayed.

If the model is not linked to a WBS, Select WBS window is displayed.

Figure:  Select WBS wndow

  1. Select the WBS Level under which the BIM Model elements needs to be synchronized and click OK.

System will start to synchronize the BIM model under the selected level. The following message is displayed.

Once synchronisation is completed a notification is sent to the user. A sample notification is shown in the following figure.

Figure: Notification window

Viewing  delayed Tasks

Tasks delayed as on Current date can be viewed.

To view delayed tasks

  1. Click the option Show Delayed Tasks.

Once validated successfully, all tasks in delayed status with a plan on or before the current date are displayed as highlighted in the viewer in red colour.

Filtering tasks

 Status of tasks planned during a range of dates can be viewed. 

To filter tasks

  1. Click the option Filter Tasks.

A filter is displayed.

  1. Select the From date and To Date and click Show.

Tasks filtered based on the date entered is displayed.

Viewing task details

Task details against the linked task can be viewed. 

To view task details

  1. Select an element and in the tool bar click Task Details.

Task Details window is displayed. Details of the task is displayed.

Figure: Task Details window

Viewing 4 D Simulation

4D simulation of the model can be viewed.

To view 4 D simulation

  1. In the WBS menu,  click 4 D Simulation.

4D Simulation settings window is displayed.

Figure: 4 D simulation settings window

Enter values for the following fields.

  1. Speed: Select the simulation speed by selecting the required Speed (1x,2x,3x) from drop-down. 1x will be the default selection
  2. Display Parameters: Simulations can be viewed based on different parameters. Parameters available are Plan, Actual and Plan & Actual.
  3. From and To: Select the ‘From’ and ‘To’ date using the date picker options. It is not mandatory for the user to specify both Start/Finish dates.

If the simulation is based on the planned dates and if the setting ‘Edit Schedule Dates’ is enabled for a WBS level and the dates are specified, all the tasks (elements) under the WBS level will be highlighted with the legends during a simulation on the specified date.

If the dates are not specified, all the tasks (elements) under the WBS level will not be highlighted during the simulation.

If the setting ‘Edit Schedule Dates’ is disabled for a WBS level, tasks (elements) under the WBS level will be highlighted based on the task schedules.

If the simulation is based on Actual dates and if the setting  ‘Edit Actual Dates’ is enabled for a WBS level and the dates are specified, then all the tasks under the level will be highlighted in the simulation based on the specified date.

If the setting ‘Edit Actual Dates’ is disabled for a WBS level,  then each task will be highlighted based on the actuals of individual tasks.

  1. After providing the necessary inputs in the 4D Simulation Settings window, click the Show button to start the 4D simulation. 

As the simulation starts, an Information window is displayed.

Figure: 4 D Simulation

From date and To date as specified in the setting is displayed here. Date for which the progress is being displayed in the 4D Simulation is displayed in the field Current date in simulation. This will gradually change from start to finish. The elements in the window are described in the following table.

#

Property

Description

1

Previous

Click this button to navigate to previous dates during the simulation. The simulation drifts to the preceding date and the details are displayed based on the planned and actuals of the preceding date.

2

Next

Click this button to skip the succeeding date during the simulation. The simulation drifts to the succeeding date and displays the details based on the planned and actuals of the succeeding date.

3

Pause/Play

Click this option to pause or resume the simulation. As the simulation starts, the Pause button is displayed. Click the Pause button to halt the simulation. On tapping the Pause button, it turns to the Play button.  Click the Play button to resume the simulation.

4

Show Task Summary

If the checkbox next to this option is selected, during the simulation process, the details of each day's task are displayed in the TASK SUMMARY window.

The Task Summary will be hidden if the checkbox is cleared.

5

Details

Click the button if the user wants to change the settings when the simulation is in progress. When the user clicks the Details option, the simulation is paused and the 4D Simulation Settings window is displayed. Here the user can make necessary changes and click on the Show button to start the simulation as per recent changes.

  1. Click Hide Info to hide  the 4D simulation settings strip while the 4D simulation is running. 4D simulation window appears as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Hiding and showing information

  1. Click Show Info to display the 4D simulation settings strip
  2. Click Stop to stop the 4D Simulation. The 4D simulation if running will be stopped. In other cases, system will ignore the selection of this button.

NOTE: While simulating if a colour is configured for a rule in a task, then the colour of the element on achieving the rule is displayed configured in the rule. The colour of the task in the simulation shall be considered in addition to the existing legends in the simulation. If the simulation is based on Plan only, the elements in the simulation will not fetch the colour of the rules.

Editing Schedules

The option for editing the schedules acts as a shortcut  to edit or update the planned and actual dates of an individual element or a task.

To edit schedules

  1. In the BIM Model select an element that is already synced to WBS.
  2. In the WBS menu click Edit Schedules.

The "View/Edit" Schedule window is displayed.

Figure: View/Edit Schedule window

The Task Name of the selected element is displayed here. 

  1. Select the Planned Start and Planned Finish dates, Forecast Start and Forecast Dates, and Actual Start and Actual Finish dates.
  2. Click Save to store changes. Changes made are saved.

NOTE: The Sub-model Revit files can be opened in Viewer individually and can be managed using the options and facilities that are available for the main drawing.

Show Progress

Progress as of the current date without the simulation process can be viewed.

To show progress

  1. In the menu click the option Show Progress.

On clicking this option, the progress of the model is displayed.

Figure: BIM Progress

The details are indicated using legends.

  1. Click the option Legends under the progress information to understand the progress.

Viewing legends

Planned Elements, delayed Elements and actual completed elements are highlighted using different colour legends in the 4D Model.

To view legends

  1. In the tool bar click Legends.

Figure: Viewing legends

Different legends to indicate Planned, Delayed and Completed tasks are displayed.

Creating an  RFI

An RFI can be created based on specific BIM element.  Also a general RFI can be created based on a BIM file. Create RFI’ option will be available only if the RFI module licensing is enabled in Serverconfig.

To create an RFI

  1. Select BIM element and click Create RFI.

RFI Details window is displayed. 

Figure: RFI Details window

  1. Enter RFI details and save the RFI.

If a BIM element is selected while creating an RFI, on saving the RFI, an option View BIM Element is available in the window.

Figure: Viewing BIM Element

On clicking the option  ‘View BIM Element’, the 4D simulation is opened in a new tab and the BIM element linked with the RFI will be highlighted in orange colour.

Figure: Displaying selected BIM element