1. Visualization in Collaborative Construction Management Decision Support System on Bridge Construction Project
Hoshino, Yuji
Kobayashi, Ichiro
Kumamoto University, Civil Eng
Fukuchi, Yoshihiko
Konoike Construction Co., Ltd.
Hirai, Yujiro
Government of Kumamoto Prefecture
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

2. K/U Contents 0. Research History 1. Purpose of Research
2. CG-CICC Out-Line
3. Information Elements
4. Case-study Overview
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

3. Highway Reconstruction
Application in 1995
Highway Reconstruction
CGA was applied to encourage communication among relevant people to accomplish first-truck construction.
CGA was applied to help engineers to understand work status well and to verify efficient positioning process of cranes.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

4. Land Readjustment Project
Application in 1996
Land Readjustment Project
Real-time animation was implemented to minimize conflicts and expect supports from general public.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

5. Gravitational Concrete Dam Construction
Application in 1997
Gravitational Concrete Dam Construction
Role and effectiveness of CGA to realize the computer-supported collaborative construction management has been clear.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

6. K/U 1. Purpose of Research
●　 Share precise information in the Construction　
　　Management tends to be difficult
　　in the AEC Industry
●　Attempt to propose the Collaborative Supported 　　FAA application and CG-CICC system
●　Application in the bridge construction process
Introduction
Due to industry segmentation and the fierce competitiveness of the AEC industry, collaboration with shared information tends to be difficult. Effective construction management is rarely accomplished. On-site productivity has gone as high as they can reach only with conventional managerial practices. In this regard, information technology plays an important role.
Frame Accurate Animation (FAA) has been applied to the various construction management practices so far. FAA is considered a form of Computer Graphics (CG) visualization. Forecasting construction site condition is also very important during the construction process. FAA makes it possible to visualize impossible situations as if it were in reality, simulating virtual conditions inside the structure that a naked eye can not observe. The incentive to use the technique has been pointed out by the case studies. On the other hand, Internet Web technologies use now available today. This technology allows us to integrate a variety of practical CG usages.
This paper introduces the application of the CG on the Web technology supported system for collaborative construction management. The system is based on the Collaborative Integrated Communications for Construction (CICC), an European significant application-oriented research and development project. The system is called CG-CICC.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

7. K/U 2.CG-CICC Out-Line 1/3 CG-CICC (Computer Graphics supported CICC)
1.CGA ( Application of CGA to Construction Management )
2.CICC
(Collaborative Integrated Communications for Construction )
CG-CICC
(Computer Graphics　supported CICC)
CG-CICC Out-line
Since 1997 the CG-CICC system has been developing from our CG researches and Web researches.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

8. K/U 2.CG-CICC Out-Line 2/3 Construction Management Support System
to integrate electronic data on the web
to realize collaborative communication environment
Construction Management Support System
Schedule control
Safety control, etc
The CG-CICC system aims at; providing computer integrated communication for construction management and accessing general information of the construction life cycle by visualization; improving the Competitive Advantage of the Civil Engineering Industry; offering personal information and by the Construction CALS/EC share information with digital data(CAD Drawings, Documents, Photos of the construction site) these by unifying general information. All the information unified can be simply interacted in the Web. In this case, dispersed members can work collaboratively from different locations using the Internet to exchange general information. The team members using their own Personal Computers from different locations easily input and browse the database through the Internet.
Cost Reduction
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

9. K/U 2.CG-CICC Out-Line 3/3 Web page Office of Construction site
(Ashikita, Kumamoto)
Company A
(Tokyo)
Company B
(Osaka)
Company C
(Kumamoto)
Office of Client
(Ashikita)
Web page
Kumamoto University
Community
residents
The system allows members of the construction to access the databases faster and easier, delivering precise information. (Figure-1) In addition, CG-CICC system is based on the concepts of the European CICC (Collaborative Integrated Communications for Construction). The primary objective of the CICC approach is to enable dispersed and temporary teams to work together as effectively as an established team in a single office. The process of the CG-CICC system differs from CICC in some points, but has approximately the same directions and purpose.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

10. 3.Information Elements 1/7
1) Computer Graphics Information
　　　a) FAA (Frame Accurated Animation) AutoCad,
3DStudioVIZ
b) RTA (Real Time Animation) Virtual Reality Toolkit
2) CAD Information
3) BBS (Bulletin Board System) Information
4) PIF Information (Virtual Name Card)
5) Photo Information
6) Document Information
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

11. 3.Information Elements 2/7
1) Computer Graphics Information (Jpeg file, Mpeg file, Svr file)
(1). Computer Graphics Information
Computer Graphics Information is divided as follows:
a). Frame Accurate Animation(FAA)
This animation is effective for the construction management stage. Because FAA can not be influenced for volume of CG data when it plays, FAA approximately re-creates the construction site scene condition and its construction stages.
b). Real Time Animation(RTA)
This animation is effective for build up agreement between related members on construction design stage. RTA can offer site scene free angle and free visual point movement in the virtual world.
These two CG animations works mutually so both CG animations can be used on construction management stage. Respectively there is no additional cost to access the CG information but it is necessary to install the offered plug-in Mpeg replay software and Viscape5.15 as well.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

12. 3.Information Elements 3/7
2) CAD Information (Dwf file)
(2). CAD Information (Figure-2)
Managing and sharing CAD drawings on the Web has been well used within the civil engineering and construction indestries. AutoCADr14j has functions such as storaging the data in DWF (Drawing Web Format), co-operation with browser and attaching an URL to the figure. During CAD drawing execution the data can be applied enough for CG information because 3D modification is simply easier to use.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

13. 3.Information Elements 4/7
3) BBS (Bulletin Board System) Information
(3) BBS (Bulletin Board System) Information
CG-CICC related members are located in different remote places and do different tasks. Because their own businesses often outside the bounds of possibility they meet each other in order to communicate and exchange ideas. Communication and exchanging ideas on BBS Industry is quite important, except for CG-CICC informal information.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

14. 3.Information Elements 5/7
4) PIF Information (Virtual Name Card)
Name
Portrait
Age
Field of expertise
Affiliation
address
(4) PIF Information (Virtual Name Card)
PIF (People and Information Finder) or virtual name card introduce the member identity (name, facial portrait, age, field of expertise, professional affiliation and address) provides general and personal electronic information in order to improve communication among related members. By using the Bulletin-Board the user can put forward their opinions and request a specific person to answer their questions.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

15. 3.Information Elements 6/7
5) Photo Information (Jpeg file)
(5) Photo Information (Figure 3)
The Ministry of Construction of Japan made a statement on revision plans of photograph management standard including reducing the number of site photographs to increase the efficiency of work. These prescription permitted photographs and JPEG files use digital cameras for submitting. On CG-CICC, 810 thousands of pixel digital camera is used to get the construction site photograph data. Photo Information will be versioned up as album system on web.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

16. 3.Information Elements 7/7
6) Document Information (PDF file)
(6) Document Information
CG-CICC deals with PDF (Portable Document Format) the standard document files format suggested by the Adobe Co.ltd. Unifying formats into PDF enables the user to keep and transmit original layouts of used document file. Users can search for properties stored on files such as author, subject, file size and date. PDF can be prospected that not only movies, sounds and multimedia information can be linked but also can be pasted directly on the file.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

17. K/U 4.Case-study Overview Sashiki bridge
Type：Extra-dosed prestressed concrete Bridge
Construction site：Ashikita
Kumamoto Prefectue
Total length : 225m
Spans：P1～P2：57.75ｍ
　　　　 P2～P3 105ｍ
　　　　 P3～A ｍ
Case-study Overview
The system is being applied to a currently on-going bridge construction project in Kumamoto, Japan. The outline of the project is as follows. The Sashiki (provisional name) Bridge is located in Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan. The bridge is being constructed as the second route in a wide agricultural area of Ashikita. Details of the Sashiki Bridge construction project are as follows:
Description: Construction of 3 clear span extra-dosed pre-stressed concrete bridge;
Length of main span: 225m; Width of Bridge: 9.25m m;
Duration of Work: March, November, 2000 (Estimated Completion).
The agricultural road projects are expected to improve the circulation and transportation systems of the district. Ashikita district is a prosperous area in the southernmost Kumamoto Prefecture. The project aims at the development and stability of the agricultural work by improving logistics. The extension of the road is approximately 25km, and the road system is called the Orange Belt. The Orange Belt will be an alternative route to Route 3.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

18. K/U 4.Case-study Overview ・The Sashiki Bridge is the first extra-dosed
bridge in Kyushu region
　relatively unfamiliar
・Using Web technology
brings dispersed construction groups together
expects synergy among islands of information
・The engineers can work collaboratively as effective
as a single team
Application of CG
The construction process of the Sashiki Bridge, the first extra-dosed bridge in Kyushu region, was relatively unfamiliar. The extra-dosed bridge has the normal girder bridge structure whose upper floor slab is arranged with pre-stressed cables to support the diagonal member arranged outside of the slab. The structure is an alternative solution to make use of pre-stressed concrete in the main girder and to withstand the bending moment. Applications of FAA are illustrated in the following cases.
Using Web technology that successfully brings dispersed construction groups together and expects synergy among islands of information, the engineers can work collaboratively as effective as a single team by sharing CG data, digital photos, digital documents and so on. Moreover, meaningful issues are detected through using the system as follows; (1) application effectiveness, (2) production techniques, and (3) specific purposes.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

19. 5.1 Simulation of Re-bar Arrangements of a Pier
FAA visualized the re-bar arrangements of a bridge pier and helped site engineers in examining better installation processes. The animation was used to facilitate communication with re-bar placers and site engineers, allowing them to examine various re-bar arrangements. In general, the re-bar arrangements of the bridge pier were designed independently among its base, column and beam.
beam
column
base
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

20. 5.1 Simulation of Re-bar Arrangements of a Pier
Study of Arrangements
For this reason, the engineers decided to place all re-bars of three parts altogether in advance on the computer to see where the interference was observed and how they can re-arrange them. (Figure-4)
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

21. 6.1 Simulation of Re-bar Arrangements of a Pier
Then, they re-arranged interfering re-bars conflicts with the first half of the sentence (Figure-5).
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

22. 6.2 Overall Construction Schedule
アニメーション
(2) Overall Construction Schedule
Thus, in this specific application, the FAA was created with the function of the bridge structure turned on or off, showing the major work schedule from start to completion (Figure-6). Through the application, the whole process of the project including geographical features was visualized. The objects created for this application can be used for other FAA applications.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

23. 6.2 Overall Construction Schedule
For engineers, workers and clients
・ to grasp the whole process of the project
in the early stages of the construction
・ to support the rational construction planning
For the local community
・ to improve the image of
the construction project
It's important for project participants, such as engineers, workers, clients and local community, to grasp the whole process of the project in the earl stages of the construction. For example, the FAA can be used for the engineers to support the rational construction planning by grasping the whole story of the project intuitively. For the local community, it can be used to improve the image of the construction project.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

24. 6.3 Simulation of Cantilever Erection System
Figure-7 shows the erection process of moving wargen in the Cantilever System. The FAA can be used for the working explanation and for pointing out the dangerous parts in educationing inexperienced workers. Captions in each figure help explain the complicated erection process. It may not be effective for very skilled workers. However complex construction is difficult to grasp only from the information provided by still images.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

25. 6.3 Simulation of Cantilever Erection System
In educationing inexperienced workers
The FAA can be used
・ for the working explanation
・ for pointing out the dangerous parts
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

26. 6.4 Change Order Approval for Main Tower
アニメーション
(4) Change Order Approval for Main Tower
On the process of the main tower construction, constructing the main tower in advance and constructing the cantilevers later was the original sequence. However, engineers decided to change the order. In the proposed alternative plan, three blocks of cantilevers had to be erected before the main tower construction begins, for ease of working.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

27. 6.4 Change Order Approval for Main Tower
・ For the explanation of the changing schemes of the construction
sequence of the main tower and cantilever construction.
・ FAA was created showing both original and changed designs
side by side.
・ It would be critical if engineers found any problem on the
construction site with everything set up.
・ FAA should be used to rehearse several site layouts of
construction by comparing the working space in advance.
For the explanation of the changing schemes of the construction sequence of the main tower and cantilever construction, FAA was created showing both original and changed designs side by side. It would be critical if engineers found any problem on the construction site with everything set up, such as working space shortage. FAA should be used to rehearse several site layouts of construction by comparing the working space in advance.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

28. K/U 6.5 Completed Structure ← View of a car View of a ship → mamoto
(5) Completed Structure and CG Photo-Montage
It seems important for residents what kind of structure is going to built and how the view changes rather than the way of construction. So an animation was made which had several viewpoints such as from the sky, ship, and car. (Figure-9) The contractor had to improve the image for residents, because their cooperation is needed to carry forward the construction. For example, to explain the outline of construction, it is considered that all of the processes and the completed structures help enhance their understanding. Furthermore, it is possible to use CG photomontage. A cut of animation scenes is combined with a site photo. (Figure-10)
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

29. 7. Conclusion /3
Tried to help support the construction management
process
・By reproducing the construction site and virtually performing construction activities on the computer
・By proposing the Collaborative Supported FAA application and CG-CICC system
Conclusion
In this paper, the authors tried to help support the construction management process by reproducing the construction site and virtually performing construction activities on the computer, proposing the Collaborative Supported FAA application and CG-CICC system.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

30. 7. Conclusion /3
(2) A case study of an actual bridge construction project
in Sashiki has been shown and the results from the
studies have been examined
・The evaluation method for the Collaborative
　Supported FAA application and CG-CICC system in
　construction projects needed the cost and the period of
　production such as the value chain analysis method
A case study of an actual bridge construction project in Sashiki has been shown and the results from the studies have been examined. Through the case studies, the evaluation method for the Collaborative Supported FAA application and CG-CICC system in construction projects needed the cost and the period of production such as the value chain analysis method.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U

31. K/U 7. Conclusion 3/3 http://gdp.erec.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/sashiki-bridge
(3) In this research, designers mainly produced the
data of CG. It will, however, be important for
clients such as the Ministry of Construction in
Japan
・To deal with CG by themselves since the keyword
　"Accountability" to carry out their duties
・To explain how the public works projects are needed
In this research, designers mainly produced the data of CG. It will, however, be important for clients such as the Ministry of Construction in Japan, to deal with CG by themselves since the keyword "Accountability" to carry out their duties and to explain how the public works projects are needed.
mamoto
niversity
Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture
K/U