Satwant Saggu, lecturer in construction & the built environment at Dudley College of Technology, discusses the uses of VR in construction.
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Satwant Saggu, F&HE lecturer in construction & the built environment at Dudley College of Technology, discusses using BIM and VR technology to simplify design concepts
There is no easy route to visualise an architectural design concept. Architects and designers have traditionally constructed physical models, scale drawings, and renderings to achieve such results, which is a painstaking process that typically takes weeks and months of effort.
However, in this day and age, the skill lies in digitising construction information so that it is easily accessible and can be shared amongst construction professionals for collaborative purposes. It has become a necessity for undergraduates to gain mastery of relevant software. A multitude of programmes are presently available to students in architecture schools globally to encourage them to embrace this shift towards computing designs to generate output.
Preparing for the future with VR in construction
In preparation for this, students of construction and the built environment in further education institutions are now taking CAD to the next level by getting to grips with Building Information Modelling (BIM). Revit is an Autodesk product, and an example of a BIM software widely used in professional practice. Learners are trained to use an educational version whilst in college, with the aim of preparing them for their work placements.
Revit is easily learnt by users of regular CAD packages and enables the rapid creation of building design concepts. CAD is primarily for drawing and manipulating lines and shapes in 2D space and is a very tedious way to create drawings. The appeal of CAD lies in the editing commands, where amendments are facilitated comfortably compared to manual methods.
3D modelling is possible in CAD from 2D drawings but again can be very time-consuming and monotonous, whereas Revit makes use of 3D objects taken from its libraries. Changes made to one item in CAD are not reflected elsewhere in a scheme, so related elements have to be reviewed and updated accordingly. Revit makes use of parametric modelling, so changes made to one object will update the whole scheme automatically, without the need to review.
This is the key difference between CAD and Revit. A design created in Revit can be observed in a number of ways. Apart from the conventional 2D information showing the general arrangements, animations in and around proposed designs are also possible, along with rendered views complete with landscaping to show off the realistic qualities of a scheme.
The model can be filtered to show only the structural steelwork and how it is constructed from the foundations upwards. Filtering works in the same way as layer control in CAD and can be applied to show the design and layout of specific elements, like the location of building services and how they interweave their way around the ceiling and roof voids of a building. Specific details can be viewed by applying section boxes to show the assembly of components.
Revizto software goes hand in hand with Revit enabling designers to get a glimpse of their work in 3D. This is made possible in a VR (Virtual Reality) Hub without the need for headsets. Once a design is fully captured on Revit, it can be converted to a Revizto file. A 3D immersive experience of the design enables the user to see where further development of their idea is necessary.
The dimensions of the hub, seen above, are roughly the same as a small box room. Once entered, the front, sides, and ceiling of the space form projection screens to convey 3D spatial qualities. An Xbox controller helps you navigate your way around, so you can start the journey by approaching the building from the outside, which enables you to experience the architectural aesthetics and the surrounding landscape, and then continue through the interior via the main entrance as though you are physically walking through the real thing.
The VR Hub installed by Fulcro at the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology (IOT) is used by Dudley College of Technology during open events to showcase project work completed by their students. The quality of imagery is acceptable in visual terms, akin to that found in gaming technology (see image below). Not all attending such events will be comfortable with using the Xbox controls, this will require prior experience for effective operation. Overall, it captivates an audience who are usually impressed by the capabilities of the software.
From a communication angle, it conveys the sense of design extremely well, including a high level of technical detail. Civil engineering professionals will get a sound understanding of how the drainage system will be laid out directly below the building around the foundations, thereby enabling the planning of groundworks. Service engineers can see how their heating and ventilation strategies work in conjunction with the structure inside the building, which, from an educational perspective, shows learners how structural systems are designed to accommodate building services.
More importantly, the exposure to the architecture can be stimulating for clients who can tour an unbuilt project to show them the sequencing of one space to the next and the movement via corridors and stairs from one level to another, hence its organisation. The quality of the materials used are seen in the context of the finished product.
The VR hubs have various uses
The hub is not limited to simulating the design of individual buildings. Revizto files are available showing the design of civil engineering works such as highways, bridges, railways, power stations or other specialist structures found in the built environment, which can be experienced in the same way.
It has been used for applications beyond this to show what it is like to walk on the platform of an oil rig, viewing the interior of space stations and the intricacies of satellites floating in space, seen only by astronauts. It brings huge value to learning.
For example, health and safety is a core area of study in the construction curriculum. Tutors will often use film footage to raise awareness of the dangers lurking on building sites. Walking through a problematic site in the hub, where actual hazards can be seen, avoids exposing learners to harm. This is a more engaging way of understanding the subject rather than watching films where the practice of health and safety is outdated. Similarly, certain construction concepts may be difficult to grasp when referring to illustrations in textbooks. This technology mitigates dangerous real-world encounters.
Interoperability adds value to this technology. Laser scanners, capable of capturing an inordinate amount of data, are widely used in academia, mainly for the delivery of land surveying. Data captured this way is converted into a Revizto file for use in conjunction with the hub for immersive purposes. This can replicate the terrain of a building site, part of a building, or an entire complex. Various scanning devices, from a handheld Matterport to Lidar scanners to photogrammetry software built into drones, are available. Understanding the concept of digital twins is another facet of the hub to show construction professionals how built assets are managed. Future development for using the hub could encompass helping learners to see how complex construction work is carried out below ground level, such as tunnelling for metro lines or more complicated civil engineering projects involving underwater construction.
Outside of education, the hub should be used by every consultancy involved in architectural design so that they can work closely with clients to deliver high-quality solutions. It has recently permitted work to continue on building sites during the pandemic, where construction work was carried out by each contractor independently.
It is very user-friendly, so intensive training is not necessary; just providing ample opportunities for regular use is sufficient. Maintenance costs are avoided when the hub is used respectfully.
However, this technology is not without its drawbacks. For instance, the files used are quite large, so adoption would mean moving over to an adequate server or implementing a suitable cloud system to cater for the storage of data. The projection equipment tends to heat up very quickly, so it should only be utilised when it is required, which helps economise on energy usage with the additional benefit of protecting the eyes from exposure to excessive light. Access is denied in the event of a power cut. Initially, it can be very costly to purchase and implement. However, this cost is quickly recovered where there is a large turnover of work, so it is best suited to well-established organisations involved in work of a prestigious nature.
The notion of clash detection is a large part of BIM, with dedicated packages available to track conflicts in the early stages of design that would otherwise cause delays during construction, thus avoiding abortive work and saving on time and costs. The hub utilises federated models where such clashes are not part of the learner experience.
However, the inclusion of a building with such issues could enhance learning. The hub is an invaluable resource in education and assists users in acquiring a better understanding of construction projects for learners, while boosting creativity and advancing cognitive skills.
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