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.

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

2. On the toolbar click Comments. 

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

Figure: Viewing comments

To mark comments

1. On the tool bar click Create Comments.

Commenting mode is enabled and different commenting tools are displayed.

2. Mark your comments and click Save.

Figure: Marking comments and saving comments

The comment is saved and is displayed in the viewer.

In project sites when DWG files are opened for commenting in Forge viewer, if the file has a 3D view, the file is opened in 3D view for commenting. But in most practical scenarios, review and comments happen in 2D as it is more convenient to comment in 2D mode. Hence after opening the 3D design, to start commenting, the user must flip the view to 2D and then start commenting. Switching between views is a bit time-consuming. As a solution to this, option to change views is provided.

To switch views

1. Place the mouse pointer over the option Change View. 

On the pop-up menu, options 2D View and 3D View are displayed.

2. Click the option 2D View. The view switches to a 2D layout. All the icons for the 2D view are displayed in the window. 
3. Click the option 3D View. The view switches to a 3D layout. All the icons for the 3D view are displayed in the window.

Comments marked in 3D view and 2D view are displayed when the document is opened in 3D or 2D view.

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

Figure: Loading models

2. On 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.

3. 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.

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

Figure: Model window

5. On the Model window, click the View icon to hide or view the model.

To insert other designs

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

2. On the menu click Insert Other Designs.

Document Search window is displayed.

3. Search and retrieve the required design.

The selected design is displayed in the window.

Models linked to drawings can be removed.

To remove a model linked to drawing

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

Figure: Remove Models window

3. On 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. On the viewer window click BIM Progress.

Figure:  BIM Model

On clicking BIM Progress, the BIM Progress window is displayed. On the tool bar, options WBS, Dual Screen, Copy Link, Legends, Create RFI  and  Manage Model are available.

Figure: BIM Progress window

3. 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.

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.

2. On the menu click Sync.

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

2. Click No to stop the operation.
3. 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

3. 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

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.

 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.

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

Tasks filtered based on the date entered is displayed.

Task details against the linked task can be viewed. 

To view task details

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

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

Figure: Task Details window

4D simulation of the model can be viewed.

To view 4 D simulation

1. On 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.

2. 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.

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

2. Click Show Info to display the 4D simulation settings strip
3. 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

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

To view legends

1. On the tool bar click Legends.

Figure: Viewing legends

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

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

2. 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

The comparison of the planned and actual schedule of a project is essential for effective progress monitoring and efficient project management. Efficient analysis of project progress is possible if the plan and actual schedule of the project can be simulated simultaneously on a dual screen.  Hence for better project progress analysis, a facility to view the simulation of plan and actual schedule of tasks in a dual screen is is provided.

To view the plan and actual schedule separately

1. On the BIM Progress window click Dual Screen. 

When a 4D Simulation is started, the simulation as per Plan is displayed on the left pane, and the simulation based on actual is displayed on the right pane of the dual screen as shown in the following figure.

Figure: 4D Simulation in dual screen

On the dual window on clicking the option Task Details after selecting an element, the task details of the selected element from the model are displayed in a new window.

Copying model link

The link of an opened model can be copied. 

To copy a link

1. On the BIM Progress window, click the option Copy Link.

A message Link Copied Successfully is displayed. In the message details of the copied model are displayed.

When the copied link is pasted in the browser window, the viewer window is opened when the user provides the login credentials.