CAD User Jan/Feb 2015 Edition

CAD UserJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

VOL 28 NO 01

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GGooiinngg uunnddeerrggrroouunnddCAE and FEA for the Bond StreetStation upgrade

BBuuiillddiinngg iitt ttwwiicceeHow HS2 will push BIM to the limit

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Synchronising data files for mobile apps

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for architectsLLuummeenn mmaarrvveelllloouussArchiCAD integrates with LumenRT 2015

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THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING TWICE 26

For a project as complex as HS2, with itspolitical, environmental and public issues beingof paramount importance, it is imperative tobuild a virtual model to test every aspect beforethe final designs are established

Find out more about the winners of the 2014Construction Computing Awards, held inLondon in November, in our round-up of TheHammers IX!

LUMEN MARVELLOUS 12Graphisoft ArchiCAD is now fully integratedwith LumenRT 2015 on both Mac and PC,enabling architects and landscapedesigners to present their designs with theutmost realism

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CONSTRUCTIVE PRAISE! 15

GOING UNDERGROUND 24

Dassault Systèmes’ CAE and FEA is beingused for the Bond Street Station Upgrade,demonstrating the amazing complexity oftunnelling beneath the heart of London J

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5

I NEWS................................................INDUSTRY NEWS....................................................................................................6

• A CUNNING PLAN FOR BUILDING SURVEYORS • NEW REVU FOR 2015 FROM BLUEBEAM

SOFTWARE REVIEW........................TOP PRIORITY......................................................................................................10

• PRIORITY1 FROM MCS JOINS THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS LINEUP AT VIEWPOINT

SOFTWARE REVIEW........................THE SKY’S THE LIMIT!.......................................................................................14

• Vectorworks Cloud Services keeps drawings synchronised on and off-site

HARDWARE REVIEW........................AHEAD IN THE CLOUD.......................................................................................28

• CONJECT TOOLS SUPPORT PROJECT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND THE ASSET INFORMATION MODEL

CASE STUDY....................................GO WITH THE FLOW..........................................................................................30

• OASYS’ MASSMOTION FLOW SIMULATES PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT FOR SMALLER, MORE DEDICATED PROJECTS

TRAINING MAP.................................AUTODESK TRAINING.........................................................................................32

• YOUR GUIDE TO AUTODESK TRAINING

January/February 2015 3

CONTENTS

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On the rightEditor:David Chadwick

([email protected])News Editor:Mark Lyward

([email protected])Advertising Sales:

Josh Boulton([email protected])

Production Manager:Abby Penn

([email protected])Design/Layout:

Ian [email protected]

Circulation/Subscriptions:Christina Willis

([email protected])Publisher:

John [email protected]

Published by Barrow & Thompkins Connexion Ltd.

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All rights reserved. No part of the magazine may be

reproduced, without prior consent in writing, from the publisher

COMMENT

On the right track?

If you are a frequent traveller on theUnderground and have to go throughBond Street you will have noted that the

station is currently closed, exuding an air ofcomplete abandonment and lack of activity.It's all a front though, and you will beastonished at the scale and complexity ofthe work going on behind the boarded upplatforms - as you will see in the DassaultSystèmes article in this issue. In face wehave two other railway related articles in thisedition, dealing with the political hot potatoof HS2 and the mass pedestrian analysis ofvisitors to major railway stations respectively.The article on HS2 follows a brilliant

presentation on the scope and rationale ofthe project by Professor AndrewMcNaughton, the Technical Director of HS2,given at Bentley's Infrastructure Conferencelast November. The cost is colossal, thedisruption to people's lives - the ones wholive on the proposed route - will beunbearable, yet the unthinkable has to beconsidered. The density of housing in this country has

reached such a level that any long termimprovements to road or rail networks aregoing to disadvantage some members ofthe community. Not to do so, however,blights future generations, who will be facedwith exactly the same problems but at farhigher cost, and with disruption to evenmore deeply established and committedpopulations.As Professor McNaughton says, there are

legions of protesters, representing every bitof human, flora and fauna interest, who arearticulate, organised and adept at attractingthe attentions of the media. HS2 advocates,representing the 'establishment' line, have ahard struggle putting across their views in anenvironment that currently favours theprotesters. The phenomenon is not just the preserve of

HS2, but rears its head against many largescale infrastructure projects; Heathrowexpansion, power stations (both nuclear and

coal-fired), bypasses and so on. I must admit I was not fully convinced by

HS2 till I saw the presentation. Does it allreally boil down to the presentation skills ofthe proposers of the project? Part of the proposal relates to the rapid

movement of passengers through thenetwork, with trains arriving and departing invery rapid progression, disgorging andpicking up passengers at an unbelievablerate for anyone - certainly for anyone whohas had to travel back home fromPaddington between 4 and 7pm on aweekday evening!The HS2 revolution, aimed at meeting the

needs of passengers before anything else,envisages a complete modernisation ofbooking and seat allocations using all of themost up to date social networking tools,guaranteeing passengers a seat when theyneed one and directing them precisely to thepoint of embarkation.Such a feat cannot be achieved without an

analysis of expected passenger flows withinthe main rail terminals and the surroundingareas, using solutions like MassMotion fromOasys, also the subject of an article in thisissue. Actually, the figures quoted forpassenger numbers and the frequency oftrains are an order of magnitude abovecurrent passenger levels - HS2 obviouslyexpects the service to be popular.And some more rail facts! Apparently the

early days of travel by steam railways were afactor in the development of Impressionism,allowing artists to get out more and explorethe countryside, taking their easels andpaints with them. It provided them with anextra stimulus from nature, allowing them tocreate rapid 'impressions' of what they hadseen before they caught the last train back,according to Philip Hook, a SeniorInternational Specialist at Sothebys. With railways having such a cultural impact

at the beginning of the twentieth century,who is to say that the arrival of HS2 will notprove equally propitious?

by David Chadwick

Articles published reflect the opinions of

the authors and are not necessarily those

of the publisher or his employees. While

every reasonable effort is made to ensure

that the contents of editorial and advertis-

ing are accurate, no responsibility can be

accepted by the publisher for errors, mis-

representations or any resulting effects

4 January/February 2015

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www.btc.co.uk

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By January 2016, everyone working in the UK construction sector needs to understand the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and how they can use it to produce better quality buildings and landscapes more effi ciently. For 25+ years, Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc has been a global leader in design technologies providing elegant architectural, landscape and lighting design software that offers Building Information Modelling capabilities in a fl exible, hybrid-design environment. Act now and contact us to make sure you are ready for BIM.

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For more information on Vectorworks: visit www.bimvectorworks.com or call 020 8358 6668

Associations we work with include the following:

Or book a RIBA CPD BIM Workshopwww.ribacpd.com/cpdroadshow

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INDUSTRY news

January/February 20156

A CUNNING PLAN FOR BUILDING SURVEYORS

Bentley Systems hasacquired C3global, a U.K.-

based provider of web-basedAmulet software for opera-tional analytics. Bentley'sAssetWise platform is nowextended, through AssetWiseAmulet, for asset performancemodeling. Commenting on theacquisition, Paula Hollywood,senior analyst, ARC AdvisoryGroup, said, "Advanced ana-lytics helps break down thebarriers between operationaltechnology and information

technology, facilitating moreeffective decision making. Ourresearch shows that the use ofadvanced analytics canreduce costs, increase effi-ciency, and drive higher per-formance. The acquisition ofC3global by Bentley Systemsis a leading indicator of indus-trial-scale progress beingmade to help organisationsoptimise asset performanceand achieve business goals."www.bentley.com/AssetWiseAmulet

3D Laser Mapping haslaunched a powerful solu-

tion that, the company says,will revolutionise the produc-tion of highly accurate buildingfloor plans. Combining theeasy to use ZEB1 handheldlaser mapping system withintuitive point cloud processingsoftware, the end to end solu-tion will allow users to scanand produce detailed floorplans in a matter of minutes.

The combination of scannerand software is set to trans-form building surveys, deliver-ing both operational and finan-cial savings for survey compa-nies and end clients. Theannouncement follows anagreement between UK based3D Laser Mapping, worldwide

distributors of the ZEB1 hand-held mapper, and PointCab, aGerman software companyspecialising in the processingof laser scanned data.

“The combination of ZEB1and PointCab creates a trulypowerful solution for buildingsurveyors,” commented Char-lie Whyman, Global Sales andMarketing Manager, 3D LaserMapping. “Both are easy touse with little or no training,both are fast and effective andboth are well supported. Trialsof the combined solution haveshown that a multi room facilitycan be scanned, the pointcloud data processed and avector model produced, all inless than twenty minutes.”www.3dlasermapping.com

Alarge-scale purchaseagreement has been final-

ized between Graphisoft andTakenaka Corporation, one ofJapan's largest AEC firms,that will equip thousands ofTakenaka field technicianswith Graphisoft BIMx Docs.

Takenaka Corporation willadopt BIMx to make the BIMproject presentation appavailable to thousands of fieldtechnicians, further ensuringon-site construction qualityand management efficiency.Development of "TakenakaSmart Work" will improve pro-ductivity and communicationsby revolutionising workflowsthrough the use of iPads andmobile devices. As a result ofthis agreement, Takenaka willbe authorised to install anduse Graphisoft BIMx Docs onall Takenaka-owned tabletcomputers in Japan. With thisagreement, Takenaka Corpo-ration hopes to further devel-

op the use of BIM in the fieldof design and construction.

"We adopted BIMx Docs asa tool to facilitate communi-cation with models, as well asfor reviewing models in con-junction with drawing smooth-ly in a mobile environment.We would like to promote thetransformation of our workstyle by spreading the use ofBIM models in various sce-narios," said Kozo Nose,Senior Manager of ICT,Design Planning, DesignDepartment, Takenaka Corpo-ration.

"Takenaka's decision indi-cates that BIMx is on the wayto becoming the mobile soft-ware of choice for the con-struction industry in Japan.We share a common vision:bringing BIM data to con-struction sites," said BenceKovacs, Vice President ofAsia, Graphisoft.www.graphisoft.com

Integrity Software is joiningthe JDM Technology Group.

JDM, the parent company ofRedSky IT, is a worldwideprovider of Software solely tothe Construction Industry,with nearly 5,000 customerson 6 continents and employ-ing almost 300 staff.

Integrity Software SystemsLtd. will be run as a separatecompany with dedicatedresources, delivering theirconstruction software solu-tions to their 800 plus clientsin the United Kingdom andIreland. The acquisition ofIntegrity Software Systemssignificantly bolsters JDMTechnology Group’s globalposition. JDM’s portfolio ofsoftware solutions cover thefollowing sectors:

• General Construction• Civils/Rail• Housebuilders• Specialist Subcontractors• Electrical/Mechanical• Service Management• Utilities• Architects, Engineers,

Consultants• Builders Merchants

JDM grows by acquiringConstruction Softwareproviders, it then continuesto support and enhance thelead products of those busi-nesses, whilst also bringingto those Customers tech-nologies that will comple-ment the current software,through its set of web basedand mobile tools. www.redskyit.com

INTEGRITY SOFTWARE JOINS JDM GROUP

BENTLEY ACQUIRES UK-BASED C3GLOBAL

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www.bimobject.com

Thousands of free BIM objects from almost300 manufacturers across Europe. Over 60,000architects and designers are using theseintelligent and configurable objects, withautomatic alerts when objects change.

With clever BIMobject®

APPs, the objects are available directly fromwithin market leading BIM solutions including Revit, ArchiCAD,Autocad and SketchUp Pro. Other formats are also supported.

Make sure you’re not missing out by going to www.bimobject.comor, to find out more, enter BIMobject into search on YouTube.

BIMobject UK LtdTom Newman – +44 (0)7427 162 204 – [email protected]

CCM Advert 26/11/14 16:22 Page 1

NO NEED TO WASTE TIME IN THE OFFFICE

INDUSTRY news


DETAILED COMPONENTS FOR SKETCHUP

Virtalis is now shipping thefirst new version of its

Visionary Render softwaresince it was launched last year.Visionary Render allows usersto access and experience areal-time, interactive andimmersive Virtual Reality (VR)environment created from huge3D datasets. Users can workalone, in small groups, or col-laborate with distant colleaguesin a common virtual environ-ment to perform detaileddesign reviews, rehearse in-depth training tasks, validatemaintenance procedures or

verify assembly and manufac-turing processes.

Technical Director, AndrewConnell, said: "I am exception-ally proud of what the VirtalisR&D Team have managed topack into Version 1.1. Fromfloating licences to cappedsectioning, Version 1.1 repre-sents an enormous advance in3D rendering technology."

Key features in the new ver-sion include new controls forscene management, deferredrender, infinite streaming terrainand Logarithmic Z support.www.virtalis.com

With the release ofSketchUp 2015, SketchUp

has greatly expanded andimproved its standard compo-nent collections, with more than2,800 individual detailed piecesof new SketchUp-authored con-tent now available on 3D Ware-house.

Similar to their predecessors,the updated and improvedcomponents are generic in

nature and have beenuploaded alongside their sim-plified counterparts. The newdetailed components are typi-cally more "geometry heavy"(have a higher polygon count)and can be accessed bybrowsing the 3D WarehouseDetailed Collections viaSketchUp's 3D Warehouse win-dow or a web browser.

In addition to visual improve-ments, the components alsoinclude useful informationsuch as IFC attributes, whichcan be exported to solutionssuch as Tekla BIMsight orTrimble Connect.https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com

Anew in-cab waste manage-ment system from Yotta is

set to transform the delivery ofrefuse collection services.Mayrise In-Cab uses a vehiclemounted mini-PC to integratewith the Mayrise Waste backoffice system, giving frontlinestaff access to the latest ser-vice and reference information.

Utilising GPS, mobile andWiFi technology the Yotta solu-tion further supports crews inthe field with real time messag-ing, reporting and event log-ging. The integrated mobileand back office system alsoallows office based staff tomonitor the progress of crewsin the field with their location

and logged events displayedin real time against a mapbackdrop. This latest additionto the Mayrise Waste productportfolio has been designed tohelp increase operational effi-ciencies, improve customerservice and reduce unneces-sary paperwork and adminis-tration. www.yotta.co.uk

A VISIONARY ADVANCE IN VIRTUAL REALITY

NEW REVU FOR 2015 FROM BLUEBEAM

Bluebeam Software hasreleased Bluebeam Revu

2015, which introduces newfeatures to enable projectteams to keep complex docu-ment sets organised and up todate, ensuring all team mem-bers are on the same page.

"To meet the demands ofcomplex projects and con-densed timelines, projectteams need technology to sim-plify communication betweenproject stakeholders andremove workflow redundan-cies," says Richard Lee, Blue-beam Software President andCEO. "Revu 2015 presents andpolishes features that makemarking up and managingdocument sets easier withgreater markup tool functionali-ty and batch automation, aswell as more flexibility with howproject information is shared."

One of Bluebeam's mosthighly anticipated markup fea-tures is now available in Revu2015. Sketch Tools allow usersto quickly create new shapes

to exacting measurementsbased on a PDF's calibratedscale. The tools give usersreal-time length and anglefeedback as they sketchdetails with their mouse orenter dimensions using theirkeyboard.

Also added in the newrelease is the Dynamic Tool SetScaler, which enables markupsto automatically resize precise-ly and proportionately whenused on documents of differentscales. Grouped markups in adrawing can also resize pro-portionately, regardless ofscale setting.

Using Revu's Camera tool,Capture 2.0 now allows usersto embed videos into markups.Users can scroll throughimages and play back videosdirectly from each markup'sCapture viewer. Markups con-taining Capture media can betracked and viewed in Revu'sMarkups list and exported as aPDF Summary.www.revu2015.com

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+44(0) 191 238 7559 [email protected]

Predict pedestrian flow at peak times, during partial building closures, test evacuation procedures or simulate flow during redesigns.

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Develop pedestrian environments using either imported CAD/BIM geometry or from scratch with MassMotion Flow’s new polygon modelling tools.

Exploring different scenarios is no longer an expensive or time-consuming luxury. Simulate, modify and analyse faster than ever.

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Download your 30-day trial versions of MassMotion and MassMotion Flow from our site today

MassmotionFlow

It's pretty obvious the way things aremoving. The whole world appears to begoing mobile, wanting instant access to

friends, colleagues, information, andentertainment on a multitude of platforms.Phones, tablets and laptops enable peopleto be constantly in touch with their workcolleagues, enabling information to beshared more widely and instantaneously,decisions made sooner, and workprocesses to be made more efficiently.The construction industry is shaking off its

image as a hidebound, somewhatreactionary group of people, reluctant totake on new technologies until they are triedand tested. Now, as some of the oldermembers move upstairs or retire and themore dynamic workforce get to grips withthe advantages of having constructioninformation at their fingertips, the ability tointerface directly with the building modeland collaborators and make criticaldecisions in the field is becoming apparent.Software developers have to reflect

current trends as well, especially thoseconcerned with supplying information

management and control systems, andparticularly those in the constructionindustry, where managers and theirworkforces are spread over a multitude ofconstruction sites. Hence the decision byViewpoint (the new owners of 4Projects) toacquire another UK company, MCS, toenhance its mobile capabilities.

PRIORITY1MCS (Mobile Computing Systems) is aleading provider of mobile enabledconstruction project administration,enabling plans and forms to be usedinteractively on construction sites. Itsleading product, Priority1, handles thepaper-based work processes for things likedefect management, snagging lists, qualitycontrol, auditing, compliance, health andsafety and environmental issues.Priority1 is a cloud-based task

management, forms and process controlsystem, which allows any paper-basedoperation to be quickly reengineered foruse on a tablet or other mobile system viathe web. Site-based personnel are able to

gather information in real-time, makedecisions, assign tasks, communicate withother team members and, subsequently,when inspections have been carried outand all tasks completed, to update theproject model. Managers can keep an eyeon ongoing operations and check on theperformance of their teams across theentire project, allocating additionalresources where necessary and generallyimproving the quality and safety of theworking environment.Priority1 has been designed to be as

intuitive as possible. Schedules of activityoutline work locations and activities. Onceon-site, 2D plans are downloaded, togetherwith associated forms and checklists,pinpointing items to be inspectedcategorised by type and status. Details ofdefects, H&S violations or any othernotifiable conditions are appended to theinspection report, which is then used toupdate the project model or sent as ‘actionrequired emails’ to the relevantsubcontractor, attaching photos anddrawings to the textual annotations to

SOFTWAREreview


Priority1 from MCS becomes part of the Information Management Solutions line-up at Viewpoint,as the company evaluates mobile computing issues and opportunities

Top Priority

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highlight issues wherever necessary.The workflow can be configured to suit

any on-site working process, and caninclude snagging, variations, incompleteworks, clean-up notices, NCR's and otherhousekeeping activities. Additional formscan be devised easily and quickly, addingfields that need to be filled out on-site, forexample if further sub-contractors need tobe brought in and issued with a formcontributor request.Customising tasks to increase workflow

involves using the Process Control featuresfor constructing activities and checklists forrepetitive inspection processes. Thesecontrol the rules that dictate the types offorms to be used and when, which requiresignatures, or which will probably needphotos to accompany them. ProcessControl reports, usually in Excel format withcolour coded matrixes, keep site managersup to date with progress, with predefinedformats that include ITPs, Progress Activity,Quality Check-sheets or CommissioningChecks. As there are a seemingly infinite variety of

paper-based forms, Priority1 offers a similarvariety of electronic forms for use on tabletsor the web, covering health & safety,accident reports, permits to work, sitediaries and any other construction relatedactivity. Quite apart from the real-timerecording, distribution and access toinformation, there is the incalculable benefitof cutting out back office paperwork - theonerous task of transferring paper-basedreports to computer-based spreadsheets inthe office.Updating in Priority1 is instantaneous, and

it also eliminates any inaccuracies thatmight have previously crept in because thestaff in the office couldn't read yourhandwriting! Tasks are accurately located,critical data is checked for errors wheninputted, photos and drawings are used toidentify problems, and the right peopleinformed of progress or otherwise. The endresult is a more efficient informationworkflow that helps contractors stick tobudgets and timescales.

MOBILE COMPUTING ISSUESViewpoint has put out a White Paper that

looks at the mobile computingphenomenon. It covers the phenomenalsuccess of Apple's iPads and iPhones, thegrowth of Android as a valid alternative, andthe hard fought inclusion of Microsoft'sWindows 8 devices in the final line-up ofplatforms supported by Priority1. The latter, used on touchscreen devices

and Windows tablets, fits in easily withMicrosoft-based back office applications,potentially making them more appealing tosite managers used to working in aWindows environment. It also makes iteasier for Windows-based developers tocreate standalone applications, or forstandalone applications to be modified formobile devices. This is particularly relevant in the

construction industry, where far-flung,condensed building or underground sitesare often out of range of broadbandnetworks. Priority1 enables tasks and thedata models associated with them to bedownloaded prior to being used on-site,and subsequently uploaded once the usercomes within range of a transmitter. This isalways something worth keeping in mindwhen selecting mobile-based services -whatever the application.The other issue explored in the White

Paper is 'what do you do with the data onceyou have it?' Point solutions merely send anemail notification of a defect to the personrequired to fix it. Current technology allowsus to go so much further though, capturingthe information as part of the documentcovering the design and constructionrecords of the entire build asset - creatinga 'whole of life approach' to the information. The integration and interoperability of data

is growing apace. Recording and alertingsomeone to a defect is fine, but being ableto integrate the information with similarinstances throughout a project assistsgreatly in ERP (Enterprise ResourcePlanning) shifting resources to analyse andresolve recurring problems, ECM(Enterprise Content Management) andeven CRM (Customer RelationshipManagement). This links the data into the whole of a

project’s information interactions andmanagement functions, keeping clients and

main contactors informed of every aspectright, through from design tocommissioning, handover, operation andmaintenance of the built asset, which is thetrue goal of BIM after all. With that in mind,Viewpoint adds another M to the acronym -Building Information Modelling andManagement (BIMM).

THE FUTURE OF MOBILEThe Viewpoint White Paper also looksahead to other technologies that it seesenhancing the building site: GPS, QR(Quick Response) codes, augmentedreality, RFID, NFC and iBeacons. GPS isalready known and understood, locating anevent not just in time but in exact location.QR codes, similar to barcodes, aremachine readable images that open upother applications such as website pagesor on-site instructions for dealing with acomplex repair issue, the code being readby the mobile device camera. Augmented reality harnesses GPS and

cameras, adding digital data to real-timeimages - showing interior HVAC, forinstance, on a building frontage. RFID tags(radio instead of barcodes) can be used totrack construction tools and plant,enhancing site security. NFC (Near FieldCommunication) is a set of standardsproviding functions similar to walkie-talkies,for close, or touching contact forexchanging data. Finally, iBeacon is anApple trademarked technology, similar toNFC. It is a low powered, low costBluetooth technology that transmits'wearable' data to inform wearers of theirproximity to on-site hazards.

THE INTERNET OF THINGSThis is all part of the 'Internet of Things' - thegrowing number of building components,systems and equipment that transmit theirown data. This is something that Viewpointhas recognised, and has possibly acted asan additional catalyst for them to add MCSto their line-up of Information Managementapplications. The mobile computing worldraises numerous issues, but also enormousopportunities for companies that recogniseits true value.www.4projects.com


SOFTWAREreview

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Having exhausted your creativetalents designing that ultra-modern office complex, there

can be few things more therapeuticthan adorning your masterpiece withplants, vehicles and otherembellishments. And now you can plantyour virtual gardens in moreapplications, as Graphisoft hasannounced the full integration of e-onsoftware’s LumenRT 2015 applicationwithin ArchiCAD, following requestsfrom the software’s users.

The ability to use LumenRT's largelibrary of plants, vehicles andcharacters to populate rendered 3DArchiCAD created models, and to buildup rich, immersive scenery that comescomplete with wind-blown trees,moving vehicles, animated characters,wavy water, clouds and atmospheres,provides the sort of effects that areneeded to bring any visualpresentations or videos to life.

LUMENRT2015LumenRT is available in two versions:Studio and GeoDesign. Studio is aimedat architects and designers andenables them to add landscape contentto their designs, created viaarchitectural applications. GeoDesignprovides additional capabilities forlandscape designers and urbandevelopers, traditionally using softwarelike MicroStation Traffic and VISSIM,who can use the software to displayreal-time pedestrian and trafficanimations, or to create custom terrainsand objects.

LumenRT features a DynamicImmersive Visualisation Engine (DIVE)which combines 3D atmospheres,sculptable terrains, and PlantFactoryvegetation to form a powerful solutionthat delivers higher levels of naturalrealism with cutting-edge, real-timerendering. The company also has aninterest in environmental issues, and

SOFTWARE focus


Graphisoft ArchiCAD is now fully integrated with LumenRT 2015on both Mac and PC, enabling architects and landscapedesigners to present their designs with the utmost realism

Lumen marvellous

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includes analytical tools in its line-up,the titles of which speak eloquently forthemselves - Vue, Ozone and CarbonScatter!

BENEFITS OF LUMENRTBesides content rich scenes that featureadditional static objects in a number ofcommon formats, LumenRT can createsuper HD hi-fidelity images and videosup to 3840 x 2160 in resolution, whichcan be used to produce walkthroughsthat incorporate layering andsectioning, or to perform lighting andtime-of-day studies. In addition towhich, developers can use the newanimation path painter and waypoints togive characters and vehicles definedpaths or routes through scenes.

Scenarios can be set up as 3Dimmersive LiveCubes that can beshared via any web browser, enablingthem to be interactively explored on anyweb connected device (e.g. PC ortablet) with performances that rival high-end gaming PC's. You can edit scenesinside LiveCubes in real time, addingplants, vehicles and characters aseasily as painting with a brush.

You can also edit individual materialproperties or load pre-made materialsfrom the LumenRT material library,including artificial lights. There is also atool for sculpting and painting terrain -an alternative to using an importeddigital terrain with the building model.

LumenRT's advanced vehicle trafficanimation support includes the importof MicroStation Traffic and VISSIManimation paths for large scale trafficsimulations, with the bonus enhancedsupport for jitter-free pavementmarkings (a problem that occurs withsome similar applications).

As one of the leading proponents ofBIM, Graphisoft has emphasised thesoftware's relevance to the BIMcollaboration process - the ability toexport LumenRT content andinformation together with the modelgeometry for use within Graphisoft'sBIMcloud and EcoDesigner,Graphisoft’s advanced BIM-integratedGreen design solution. The LumenRTcontent can also be used with BIMx,

Graphisoft’s mobile app for BIMvisualisation.

STUDIO VERSUS GEODESIGNBearing in mind the complexity of thesoftware and the tasks required of theprocessors, e-on software recommendsthat preprocessing task and thenavigation and viewing tasks beperformed on separate processors, theformer with enhanced processingcapabilities; Core i5 or higher, at least2Gb of free RAM and 10Gb or more offree hard disk space. Navigation andViewing can be performed on standard32 or 64bit workstations with at least1Gb of RAM, 500Mb of free hard diskspace and a Shader model 4 compliantvideo board.

When you tick off the differencesbetween Studio and GeoDesign you willdiscover that it mainly boils down tocustom-built objects and the creation ofcomplex animation paths and routes fortraffic simulation, and the creation ofterrain data. All other features areavailable in both levels of theapplication.

Five render modes are available -draft, standard, full lighting, superiorand extreme - and I would love toanalyse the difference between thelatter two of those! It also includes atechnique called Baked GI, which isused to create faked global illuminancefor a given scene. The software can usecontent created in CAD, GIS and BIMapplications to add sunlight, artificiallights and other BIM information, and toconvert camera animations (rather thanthe more complex custom characterand object animations only available inGeoDesign).

There is a whole ream of tools that canbe employed to enhance the realism ofvisualisations, and which can all bemodified on the fly with interactiveediting such as adjusting the time ofday, changing the weather - and thereinlies a lot of interesting content andrelated questions - cloud movementand seasonality. Individual sceneobjects can also be moved about,materials adjusted and cameraanimation paths created.

ADDING CONTENTVegetation, vehicles, characters andanimals are available from LumenRT'sextensive library, with different plantvariations available. Unless you’recreating a mini Kew Gardens theyshould be quite sufficient for anypurpose! The vegetation variationsreflect the way that plants look atdifferent times of the year, and evenfactor in tree health.

Plant Factory technology, one of theindustry's leading plant simulationapplications, actually allows users tomove a slider bar and watch foliagechange throughout the seasons. Ifthat’s not enough, a Plant Factory Add-on also allows users to create customplants and trees.

Other enhancements include vehicleswith movable wheels and operationallights, adding further realism toanimations and scenes. To provide a final'atmospheric' touch, you can add fullyanimated 3D skies with adjustable clouddensities and patterns. The 2015 versionof the software also includes a more life-like sea water generator with adjustablewave patterns and shore foam.

EXPORTING CONTENTStill images can be exported up to thelatest 4K Ultra HD technology - 3840 x2160 - and video to full HD standard at1920 x 1080 resolution (GeoDesign canactually export 4K Ultra HD video, aswell). Export quality offers draft,standard and superfine modes. Thesoftware also includes standard videoediting and multi-clip compositing tools,and you can even add a soundtrack.

LumenRT 2015 is described by e-onsoftware as a "3D immersivecommunication platform for architects"and it’s an apt description, asvisualisation and animation tools areused purely to convey designinformation to clients and potentialcustomers. The same software is usedthroughout the film, television,entertainment, education and gamingindustries, as well as in construction -all dedicated to digitally replicatingscenes with the utmost realism. www.graphisoft.co.uk


SOFTWARE focus

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It's not just construction site workers,inspection teams and site managers whoare taking advantage of mobile devices

and the greater mobility of information theycan bring to the job at hand. Architects andengineers can now download theirdrawings to iPads, iPhones, laptop andother handheld devices, and use them foron-site planning meetings dealing withpractical issues on the spot. The process has to be easy, though, with

automatic synchronisation and updating offiles between the workstation and mobiledevices. Hence the introduction ofVectorworks Cloud Services, part of thecompany’s Service Select subscriptionprogram that handles all processes in avery straightforward and simple manner.

SERVICE SELECT SUBSCRIPTIONVectorworks Service Select maximizes acompany’s investment in Vectorworkssoftware. It is about more than maintainingcustomer loyalty though. Besides keepingcustomers up to date with applicationdevelopments, it focuses the minds ofsoftware developers wonderfully well ontheir actual needs. The mere fact ofdeveloping a customer related programmefosters a mutually beneficial environment,with direct input from customers balancedagainst more focused support and training.Cost comes into it as well, with

programmes designed to optimise acustomer’s actual requirements at the bestpossible price. The range of servicesavailable with the Vectorworks ServiceSelect programme is quite extensive, andincludes free software updates, upgradesof Vectorworks software as well asincremental product enhancements,additional learning resources and trainingand priority technical support. Working to a scheduled programme also

allows users to plan software and training

budgets more accurately. Vectorworks Service Select is the only

route for access to the software's web andmobile solutions, Vectorworks CloudServices and the Vectorworks Nomad app,a view and markup application available foriOS, Android, and Kindle. It gives the userVIP access to new libraries, textures andother components, and you can even get adiscount on training courses and otherservices along with access to a growinglibrary of on demand learning tutorials.

VECTORWORKS CLOUD SERVICESBesides providing an alternative computingresource, which lets users transfer resourceintensive processes to the cloud, freeing upthe desktop for more immediate tasks, theVectorworks Cloud Services web portalallows users to view, share files andorganise files from a web browser. It canalso be used to download Vectorworkfolders and files to mobile and webdevices, synchronising them for use onsite, and, after marking them up, annotatingand otherwise commenting on them,uploading them automatically to theoriginating folder as a revised version.Vectorworks files can contain several

sheet layers and viewports. To make thisavailable on a mobile device, users log intotheir Vectorworks Service Select account,access Cloud Services, and open theCloud Service Synchronisation folder. Files of folders are merely dragged from

one folder, together with all sheet layers orviewports, to the Synchronisation folder,where you can create sub-folders, ifnecessary, on the fly. You can check on the status of uploads

and the synchronisation process in theRecent File Synchronisation window, aprocess that could take some timedepending on a number of factors: largefile sizes, high sheet layer DPIs, complex

textures, a lot of line or area lights in ascene, lots of light objects and shadows,and, of course, render settings set at thehighest level. When you synchronise the files

Vectorworks Cloud Services uploads themin the specified Vectorworks Cloud Servicesfolder to the Amazon cloud servers andthen 'processes' them. You get a PDFcontaining the sheet layers from theVectorworks file and a .VWX scene file for3D viewing in Nomad. The PDF file is forsharing and markup through Nomad, orsharing through the Vectorworks CloudServices web portal. Markups are saved asadditional PDFs and are not merged backinto the VWX file, but are strictly a PDFbased communication. The Vectorworks user who receives the

marked up PDF would then of coursemake revisions to their Vectorworks file.When those changes are made the file willbe synchronised again in VectorworksCloud Services and the new version of thePDF and the VWX file will be viewable inNomad. Additionally, the version history forthe PDF file is kept and is viewable by theuser on the Vectorworks Cloud ServicesWeb portal.

LIMITS AND DROPBOXUsers are limited to 5Gb of total storage onVectorworks Cloud Services. If that's notenough you can always use Dropbox,which is integrated with the service,enabling users to view and open Dropboxfiles in Vectorworks Nomad and the CloudServices portal, and annotate PDF filesstored in your Dropbox account using theNomad mobile app.It's all about maximising the opportunities

provided by the latest mobile devices - andit’s wise to get onboard now as thetechnology is evolving fast!www.vectorworks.net/service-sselect

SOFTWAREreview


Vectorworks Cloud Services keeps drawingssynchronised on and off-site

The sky’s the limit!

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The ninth Construction Computingawards were held on November20th at the Hotel Russell in

London and, as with the previousceremonies, they seem to have grownonce again. Over the following pageswe’ve invited our winners to give us aquick overview of their trophy-worthyproducts, projects and teams, atestament to the success of theindustry as a whole as we move furtherinto 2015.

The Construction industry is currentlygoing from strength to strength in theUK, reflected in the plethora of cranesgracing the London skyline. There isjust as much going on underground as

well, with Crossrail just one amongst anumber of stations up for refurbishment,as I am sure anyone living and workingin London knows.

Does the South East have adisproportionate amount of investmentsin construction? Without question!There are lots of prestigious projects inthe rest of the country but, being spreadout a bit, they lack the impact and scaleof London’s ongoing work. One of thebiggest, HS2, is explored in this issue ofthe magazine, but as we are concernedat The Hammers with celebrating theachievements of companies within theindustry as a whole, we look forward toplenty more projects from around the

UK and beyond being put forward forconsideration for the 2015 awards.

Until then we’d like to wish our currentcrop of worthy winners a heartycongratulations and thank everyonewho took part in the 2014 awards formaking them such a success - from thereaders of the magazine for votingthrough to our sponsors and everyonewho attended the ceremony itself.

Oh, and be sure to keep an eye on thelinks below for the latest news on the2015 Construction Computing Awardsand to see photos and video highlightsfrom the 2014 ceremony!www.constructioncomputingawards.co.ukTwitter: @CCMagAndAwards

Let’s spread the success around!


2014 awards

Champagne Reception Sponsors:Sponsored by:

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2014 awards


One to Watch CompanyWINNER: Sypro Management Ltd RUNNER-UP: BIMobject

2014 was a great year for Sypro Management Ltd. We have experienced success andgrowth both nationally and internationally. Securing the award of One To WatchCompany 2014 at The Hammers ceremony in November, was a great boost for ourteam and evidence we are doing the right things, in the right sectors. With theaddition of newly released products into new sectors we are confident that comeNovember 2015 we will be competing for more awards against large, crediblebusinesses at The HammerS 2015

Best Use of IT in a Construction Project 2014WINNER: Conject with conjectFC for Connect PlusRUNNER-UP: RedSky IT with Xcipio for Portview Implementation

"Implementing robust financial control, effective quality management and collaborativeworking across teams are outcomes we strive to provide all our clients. The fact that one ofour clients (Connect Plus), has been recognised by Construction Computing for utilisingConject to achieve measurable and sustainable business improvement on the M25 worksprogramme, is a hugely rewarding signal. It confirms that our team's focus on improvingoutcomes for our clients is considered best-in-class." - Steve Cooper, Managing Director,Conject Ltd.

Best Use of IT in an Infrastructure Project 2014WINNER: Arup with MassMotion for Union Station, TorontoRUNNER-UP: ComplyServe with ComplyPro for Qatar Rail Integrated Rail Programme

Everyone values recognition from their peers, so winning was a great boost for theMassMotion team around the world; especially as it came at a time when putting thefinishing touches to MassMotion Flow. This makes our 3D crowd simulation technologyavailable to a much wider audience working on projects of any size.Following our success at Union Street Station, Toronto, MassMotion continues to be

chosen for major projects around the world including Rail, Stadia, Airports and Themeparks; and have the ability to try new designs, plan for evacuation procedures or simplyprovide invaluable information about the efficiency a building.



2014 awards

BIM Project 2014WINNER: Mott MacDonald Ltd with Autodesk Revit for Multi-discipline Station Design on The Klang Valley Metro, Malaysia

RUNNER-UP: Jonathan Reeves Architecture with Vectorworks Architect 14 for Lee Bay, North Devon

It is a great honour to have won "the Hammers" BIM Project of the Year award. It hasbeen a real boost to the multinational team who have worked so hard on the projectover the past 4 years.

The project has been something of a game changer in many ways. Ourmultidiscipline teams collaborated across continents for the first time, through the useof BIM: we were instrumental in introducing our client to the benefits of the BIMenvironment. Our teams built on their BIM experience and developed innovative waysof working together and extracting data from the models. We are continuing to buildon the experiences of this project.

Best use of Visualisation 2014WINNER: Solius with Autodesk 3ds Max, Adobe AfterEffects, PhotoShop, Vray, Unity 3D for Radisson REDRUNNER-UP: Peregrine Mears Architects with Vectorworks Architect 14, Artlantis, SketchUp, Adobe for Petroc Further Education College

Soluis were absolutely delighted to win a Hammers award for our work on Radisson RED,and would naturally like to extend a very sincere thanks to everyone who voted for us! Ourapproach to the Radisson project centred on being involved early in the design process,and returning maximum engagement and value by transforming high-quality CGI contentinto exciting, bespoke, interactive software. This end-to-end 'content to engagement'approach is something we have developed over recent years, and to see it recognised inthis manner was very exciting indeed.

Contact us: [email protected] / 0141 548 8686 / 0203 301 6321

Building Performance Simulation Project 2014WINNER: IES with Apache HVAC tool for John Lewis YorkRUNNER-UP: Sefaira/Sheppard Robson - Sefaira PlugIn - Bechtel House Facade

We are delighted to have received the trophy for Building Simulation Project 2014 in theConstruction Computing Awards for the use of the IES ApacheHVAC tool on the John LewisYork store. It's terrific to have our software recognised for its unique and in-depthcapabilities and on such a fantastic project. Special recognition must go to Building DesignConsultants, Lateral Technologies and Controls company, Next Controls. The collaborationbetween the designer, controls specialist and us (the technology company) is what makesthe project so special. Since the stores opening in April 2014, the companies haveundertaken a unique integrated data acquisition process with Next Controls monitoring andcollecting real operational data from the store for Lateral Technologies to analyse using ourstate of the art technology, IES-SCAN. This process has proved to be a very worthwhileexercise and we are extremely proud to be part of this very successful project.


2014 awards


Collaboration Project 2014WINNER: LSI Architects with Graphisoft ArchiCAD for UEA Crome Court Student ResidencesRUNNER-UP: Tekla (UK) Ltd / Waldeck - Tekla BIMsight - London Bridge Station

This £10.1million project was the first on the UEA’s estate to implement BIM Level 2 with aspecific focus on delivering a complete 6D Asset Information Model (AIM) andcomprehensive COBie Data Drop 4 for use by the estates management team in CAFMsoftware concept evolution.We were incredibly fortunate that everybody involved in the project bought into the BIM

process and fulfilled their role and supported others to fulfill theirs. We believe that whenteams work collaboratively, they become better than the sum of their parts.The practice and collaborating parties are delighted to have received recognition for their

work with this award and will be explaining more on the process at BIM Show Live in April.

Team of 2014WINNER: Dome Technology - iSnag TeamRUNNER-UP: URS Infrastructure & Environment Ltd - Technology & Data Solutions Group

Dome Consulting is a consultancy practice providing commissioning management,operation & maintenance and other building services-related roles for the construction andproperty development industry.Dome Technology provides innovative software solutions such as Dome Connect, the

powerful project collaboration and O&M platform, and iSnag the pioneering mobilesnagging and defect management application that took the accolade of Team of the Yearat the recent Construction Computing Awards. 2015 will also see Dome Technology launchits new software platform, Gravity - the next generation in BIM coordination and delivery,project collaboration, commissioning management, asset management and CAFM.www.domegroup.co.uk Email: [email protected], Tel: +44 (0) 20 7440 9320

Cloud Based Technology of 2014WINNER: Comply Serve - ComplyPro - Comply Serve Cloud Based TechnologyRUNNER-UP: Safetybank and Higgins Group - Safetybank - The Future of Health & Safety Management

We were thrilled that our collaborative progressive assurance software, ComplyPro,received the Cloud based Technology of the Year award. We were also a runner up in twoother categories: Infrastructure Project Of The Year, for our partnership with Qatar Rail, andProduct Of The Year. ComplyPro is deployed on many of the world’s largest infrastructureprojects and is fast becoming the de facto standard for delivering progressive assurance.These projects include the Doha Metro programme in Qatar, Etihad Rail and Riyadh Metroin Saudi Arabia, London’s Crossrail programme, Banedanmark Signalling and Electrificationin Denmark and Adelaide Electrification in Australia.

Our engagement enables collaborative working between client and supply chain, fromdesign through build assurance, whilst demonstrating evidence and visualisation ofprogress to key stakeholders. This progressive approach to assurance de-risks projectgateways, timescales and budgets.



2014 awards

BIM Product of 2014WINNER: Graphisoft for ArchiCAD 18RUNNER-UP: Autodesk - Revit

We are delighted that for the fourth year running, Graphisoft ArchiCAD has won the prized'BIM Product of the Year' award at the Hammers. Four years, WOW!ArchiCAD continues to lead the BIM sector for design and modelling - realising the

collaborative promise of BIM with IFC data exchange and COBie. We work hard to ensurethat ArchiCAD supports the wider OpenBIM strategy whilst maintaining its leading BIMposition. Huge thanks go to the readership of Construction Computing for taking the timeto vote for ArchiCAD as the BIM Product of the Year. Receiving this recognition from usersof BIM solutions, and from our peers, makes it all the more special.To contact Graphisoft about ArchiCAD please email [email protected] or call: +44

(0)1895 876222.

Structural Design Software of 2014WINNER: Tekla (UK) Ltd for Tekla Structures 20RUNNER-UP: Autodesk - Robot Structural Analysis Professional

Tekla UK Ltd is delighted and proud to win the Structural Design Software of the Year2014. We see this as recognition for the work we have done promoting the fact that Teklais much more than a tool used just in the structural steelwork industry. It has become anestablished and well-rounded BIM solution aimed at the entire construction industry. We would like to thank everyone who voted for us on this occasion and to pass on our

congratulations to all those customers who use Tekla to design amazing innovativestructures. Many of the projects our customers create push the software to its limits and infact many of the landmark projects in the UK and around the world involve Tekla softwareat some stage, be it design, detailing, manufacturing or during the construction phase. As a market leader, we aim to continue to work with our customers to help them achieve

their goals, creating accurately detailed and highly constructible building informationmodels and delivering world class building projects.

Collaboration Product of 2014WINNER: Viewpoint for 4Projects by Viewpoint RUNNER-UP: Asite - Adoddle 17

"We greatly appreciate the recognition by Construction Computing and are equally proudthat the construction industry at large recognises our products are making a difference inhow projects are delivered. The Viewpoint team is a dedicated crew and consistently looksto improve construction software technology for the betterment of our customers and theconstruction industry at large." - Rob Humphreys, Vice President Product Management,Viewpoint Construction Software


2014 awards


Document and Content Management Product of 2014WINNER: Asite - Adoddle 17RUNNER-UP: Bentley Systems Inc - ProjectWise

This is the third year in a row that Asite's Ateam have won this respected award. TheAdoddle platform is a mature and full-featured content management system which isdesigned to handle a wide range of content from intelligent forms to multimedia suppliercatalogues running into the millions of line items, video, complex BIM and product models,and files of all types, stored in one central, secure repository. Asite are market leaders andeducators in Collaborative BIM assisting property owners and the AEC supply chain toachieve level 2 BIM by 2016 in Line with the UK government's Construction Strategy. Asite in collaboration with Comit IT and BIM4SME invite you and your teams to take part

in this year's biggest BIM competition for SME's, Build Newcastle Live:www.buildearthlive.com/newcastle We would like to thank everyone that voted for Adoddle and to the Construction

Computing Awards team for putting on a great awards ceremony event.

Estimating and Valuation Product of 2014WINNER: RedSky IT for Summit Estimating ValuationsRUNNER-UP: ConQuest - ConQuest Q Series

A big thank you to our customers for voting for us across the categories and for makingSummit the best Estimating and Valuations Software product of the year 2014. This is akey module in the range of software that RedSky offers and has become an essential partof many of the businesses in managing their contracts.More and more companies are opting to integrate all their key processes in integrated

system as the benefits of using a single database for storing data are immediately realisedwhen accessing for management information. Single Subcontractor and material databaseallows both estimators and surveyors access to the data in one place for easy production ofbudgets and valuation of work against themFor more details contact us on 020 30028600 or access our website for case studies and

testimonials www.redskyit.com

Construction Accounting Product of 2014WINNER: Eque2 for EVisionRUNNER-UP: Access Group - Access Dimensions

Eque2 are absolutely delighted to receive the 'Accounting Product of 2014' award for thethird consecutive year for EVision at the Construction Computing Awards. Powered by thelatest Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform, EVision is our contract management softwarewhich is specifically developed for construction. EVision provides companies with fullcontrol of their commercial, financial and operational processes, helping to ensure thatconstruction projects reach completion on time and to budget. We would like to thank everyone who voted for us, our lovely customers, and our team

at Eque2! For more information on EVision or Eque2, please call 0845 080 4940 or alternatively you

can email us at [email protected]



2014 awards

Project Management / Planning Product of 2014WINNER: Asta Development for PowerprojectRUNNER-UP: Trimble - Vico

Asta is pleased to have won the award for Project Management/Planning Product asrecognition for the contribution that Asta Powerproject makes to the construction industry,and wish to thank all those who voted for their support. Available in stand-alone andenterprise versions, it has evolved over the years with input from our users and is thepreferred software of thousands of construction professionals throughout the world whotell us they like it because it combines easy to use drag and drop functionality withpowerful feature rich capability. The product continues to evolve with recent releases ofAsta Powerproject BIM and Site Progress Mobile adding to the functionality available.Asta Powerproject: The power behind successful projects. For more information see www.astadev.com

Hardware Product of 2014WINNER: Faro - Focus x330 3D Laser ScannerRUNNER-UP: NVIDIA for QUADRO K6000 Graphics Card

The FARO Laser Scanner Focus3D was able to prevail in the hardware product of the yearcategory of the renowned Construction Computing award contest. The Focus3D impresseddue to its extremely powerful and accurate three-dimensional measurement method,which offers numerous advantages compared with conventional measurement systems. By means of three-dimensional scanning of surfaces, the laser scanner can record all

spatial and surface geometry with millimetre accuracy with approximately one millionmeasurement points per second. Much less time is spent in data recording, compared withother measurement methods. The resulting colour image of 3D measurement pointsshows an exact digital reproduction of existing conditions. Detailed 2D and 3D plans andcomplete 3D models can be created in a very short time with the precise data.We would like to thank you for voting for our product.

Editors ChoiceWINNER: Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc - Vectorworks

We were delighted to receive the Editor's Choice award, one of the most prestigiousawards, at this year's Construction Computing Awards. It is wonderful thatVectorworks is now recognised as a major diverse BIM solution for all types ofconstruction projects from small to large and for all types of architectural practices nomatter what their size.

For over 25 years, Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc has been a global leader in designtechnologies providing elegant architectural and landscape software that offers BIMcapabilities in a flexible, hybrid-design environment.For more information onVectorworks visit www.bimvectorworks.com or Tel: 020 8358 6668.


2014 awards


Product of the YearWINNER: Asite - Adoddle 17RUNNER-UP: Graphisoft - ArchiCAD 18

2014 truly was the year of Adoddle, officially launched on March 17th in London's techcity. Adoddle 17 is already raking in accolades this year; finalist in the UK IT Awards for theMost Innovative Mobile App and now winner of the prestigious Construction ComputingProduct of the Year Award. Asite are set to change the face of Collaborative Software in theCloud; with 360° clarity, Adoddle users are no more than two clicks away from their data.Asite's CEO, Tony Ryan said, "Adoddle is delivering on my vision of simple but powerful

Corporate Social Networking, or 'Cocial' Networking as we call IT at Asite. Our team arevery proud to have won these two highly sought after awards."Want to be part of the Adoddle revolution? Get in touch with the Ateam for a free demo

or attend one of our global events. https://www.asite.com/newsroom/events

Company of the YearWINNER: Viewpoint Construction SoftwareRUNNER-UP: Trimble

"Being recognised for not only the Collaboration Product of the Year award, but also forCompany of the Year is remarkable,and a testament to the hard work the Viewpoint teamhas put into making a great product that makes available the right data, to the rightpeople, at the right time. The construction industry's adoption of our solutions continues to grow rapidly, as

evidenced by the use of Viewpoint on recent projects with customers such as The Ministryof Justice, Hitachi Rail and Jaguar Land Rover amongst others. Contractors and capital project owners are looking for new ways to manage their projects

and we are poised to offer the products to make them more productive by refining theway entire project teams collaborate on the right data, when they need it." - Jay Haladay,CEO, Viewpoint Construction Software

One to Watch ProductWINNER: Bentley Systems Inc - ProjectWise Construction Work Package ServerRUNNER-UP: Comply Serve - ComplyPro

Best Mobile Technology of 2014WINNER: Bentley Systems Inc. for Bentley Navigator MobileRUNNER-UP: Graphisoft - BIMx

Architectural Design Software of 2014WINNER: Autodesk - Building Design Suite PremiumRUNNER-UP: Bentley Systems Inc. - AECOsim Building Designer

Channel Partner of 2014WINNER: ExcitechRUNNER-UP: Graphisoft Connect

As a channel partner, Excitech aim to provide individualised solutions to our customer'sneeds, whether they are software, training, consultative or support related. The "ChannelPartner of the Year" award is voted for by customers and is therefore testament to ourcontinued hard work.Adrian Atkinson, Excitech Managing Director, said: "I am proud to receive this award on

behalf of Excitech for the eighth year running but refuse to become complacent. Asindustry innovations are developed, Excitech will continue to remain at the forefront,bringing the most up-to-date and relevant solutions to our customers whilst maintainingthe same high quality of service."


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Estimating & Tender Management, Budgeting, Planning, Requisitions, Procurement, Plant Management, Valuations, CVR, Job Costing Financials, Payroll & HR, Subcontractor Database & Management, Housebuilding, Service Management, Mobile Solutions, Document Management, Dashboards, Email Archiving, Forms Control, Workflow, Approvals, Alerting

ScalabilityWhether you are a small growing subcontractor or a top 100 construction business there is a Summit solution to suit you, and as you grow you can simply add modules and licenses as required.

IT ChoiceSummit gives you freedom of choice to choose the appropriate technology for your business: Hosted or on premise Microsoft SQL/Oracle Database; Windows or Linux; Scaleable thin client windows or web interface.

PedigreeOver 1000 clients from your industry have chosen RedSky IT. These secure partnerships drive an unrivaled depth of functionality into our solutions.

Customer Driven SolutionsAs authors of our solutions and not resellers of a 3rd party product, RedSky IT and our customers make the critical decisions regarding product direction and development.

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Documents

call 020 3002 8700 or go to www.redskyit.com

As population pressures inmetropolitan areas rise, major worldcities often respond with expanding

networks of trains to promote more efficienttravel. The London Underground is noexception: it now serves Greater Londonand surrounding counties with 270 stationsand 250 miles of track. Some 1.23 billionpassengers were carried in and out of theregion in 2012/2013. At the geographic heart of this system are

the world's first underground railwaytunnels, opened in 1863 and built justbelow the surface of metropolitan Londonusing the cut and cover method. Later,circular tunnels - giving rise to thenickname 'The Tube' - were dug throughthe London Clay at a deeper level.

COMPLEXITY SOLVEDNow celebrating 150 years of operations,the Underground is still growing: Thecurrent Bond Street Station Upgrade(BSSU) project, slated for completion in2018, has been dubbed "one of the mostcomplex tunneling projects in the U.K."As London's future Crossrail lineintersects with the Bond Street Station,passenger numbers in the expandedinterchange are expected to rise from155,000 to 225,000 daily. What makes the BSSU so complex is all

the construction that is already there,located in London's busiest shoppingdistrict, the West End, and comprising acomplex web of train tunnels, pedestrianwalkways and escalators that includeconnections to the Jubilee and Central

lines. "The new tunnels are located in closeproximity to so many existing ones," saysDr. Ali Nasekhian, seniortunnel/geotechnical engineer with Dr.Sauer and Partners, London, the firmproviding tunnelling expertise to theproject. "As a result, the design challengeswe faced included complex tunnelgeometry and alignment, limited clearanceto existing building foundation, restrictedworksite and strict settlement criteria."Dr. Sauer and Partners have been

designing railway and road tunnels for over30 years. In 2010 the company wassubcontracted to a joint venture of Halcrowand Atkins (the main contractor is aCostain Laing O'Rourke JV), and hasresponsibility for preliminary-to-detaileddesign and construction on all BSSUsprayed concrete lined (SCL) tunnels.These include two access shafts, one liftshaft, four construction adits (entrancepassages), two binocular cross passagetunnels, four large concourse andconnection chambers, three underpasstunnels, two over-bridge tunnels cuttingthrough existing platform tunnels, twoniches for electrical and mechanicalequipment and four inclined tunnels forescalator barrels. The total length oftunnels, at widths varying between four and10 meters, amounts to some 450 meters.

OPTIMUM DESIGNDr. Nasekhian came on board at Dr. Sauerin 2011 after finishing his Ph.D. ingeotechnics at Graz University ofTechnology, Austria, and his eight years'

experience with CAD was immediately putto work. "In such projects as the LondonUnderground, where large tube systemsare already in place and the impact of newstructures on existing ones has to becarefully considered, comprehensive 3Danalysis benefits both client and designer,"he says. "In addition to 2D analyses,where time and budgets allow, 3D modelscan greatly assist in identifying theoptimum design." The Dr. Sauer design team of eight

engineers used Dassault Systèmes'SIMULIA, Abaqus finite element analysis(FEA) software to perform all 3D numericalanalyses ahead of the main tunnellingworks. (Tunnel excavation began in thesummer of 2013, with completionscheduled for 2015.) Dr. Sauer & Partnershave employed Abaqus since the 1990s. "We find SIMULIA's Abaqus solver to be

very powerful, stable and speedy forplastic analysis of models with largenumbers of elements," says Dr. Nasekhian,who led the FEA modeling effort. "It is wellrecognised that the quality of FE models islargely dependent on the quality of themesh. Of course, finer meshes require alarger number of elements. I myself hadnot used Abaqus before joining the Dr.Sauer team, and I found that pre- andpost-processing, and creating andmanipulating large, complex geometries, isamazing with this software." "If any changes need to be made in the

geometry, which often happens when youare creating the most efficient design,Abaqus lets you modify them fairly rapidly.

CASE study


Dassault Systèmes' CAE and FEA is being used for the Bond Street Station Upgrade,demonstrating the amazing complexity of tunnelling anywhere underneath the heart of London

Going Underground

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Such handy tools available in Abaqus/CAEreduce the risk of delay in delivering large3D FE models."

GEOMETRY MODIFICATIONFor the geometric foundation of their FEAmodels, the team first consideredimporting existing CAD models of thestation complex from another type ofsoftware. But conversion and meshingissues would have added extra work. "Wepreferred to create our own workinggeometries right within Abaqus/CAE," saysDr. Nasekhian. "This enabled us to modifythe geometries easily if we had meshingissues." In the preliminary design stage, the team

conducted a series of 2D analyses toestablish the varying dimensions of tunnelsrequired along the different structures.Once the tunnel geometries were "frozen"in final form, the creation of the 3D modelscould begin. For a realistic assessment of the stresses

and strains imposed by the surroundingsoil layers, the ground through which thetunnels are being dug was simulatedalongside the tunnel structures. Includingthe subsurface geology of the Londonbasin-layers of Chalk, Thanet Sand,London Clay, River Terrace deposits and"made ground" from hundreds of years ofhuman occupation-provided for soil-structure interaction analysis. The majority of the new BSSU tunnels are

located within the London Clay stratum,which has a very low permeability. Theconventional method of tunnelling knowninternationally as NATM (the New AustrianTunnelling Method), is being used. Knownin the UK as the SCL (Sprayed ConcreteLining) method. The tunnel is divided into several

excavation sequences; after eachsequence, sprayed steel-fiber-reinforcedconcrete (primary lining) is applied to theexposed ground with robotic sprayers,rapidly stabilising it. When excavation ofthe whole tunnel is completed anddeformations of the primary lining becomestable, a sprayed waterproofing membraneis applied, followed by a final secondarylining of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete for afully watertight tunnel. At tunnel junctions,steel rebar reinforcement is employed asneeded to further support areas undersevere flexure and tensile stresses.

REALISTIC VALUESThe major construction sequences (i.e.,step-by-step excavation and lininginstallation) were incorporated into theAbaqus FEA models to provide theengineers with insights into the influence ofeach construction stage on the new tunnellinings and the adjacent assets. To improve their computational efficiency,

the team divided the labyrinth of existingand proposed BSSU structures into threeseparate models that varied in number ofelements from about 450,000 up to onemillion. "We selected the limit between twoadjacent models in places where thedistance between the closest two tunnelson either side of the models is more thanthree times the diameter of the largertunnel," says Dr. Nasekhian. "In verycongested tunnelling areas where thiscondition couldn't be met, we modelled acouple of tunnels by overlapping two of themodels." Dr. Sauer and Partner's Abaqus analyses

provided them with: A good estimate of ground movement

and volume loss during tunnelconstruction, including identifying

trigger values beyond which a ground-movement management plan would beimplemented.

An evaluation of the stress beinginduced in the adjacent existingstructures while tunnelling was takingplace. Deformations in the FE modelwere initially set at zero and thenpropagated with ongoing excavationsteps.

Dimensioning the new SCL tunnels anda basis for calculation of necessaryreinforcements, especially at locationsof stress concentration, particularlyhelpful for optimising SCL design attunnel junctions, which helped avoid agreat deal of rebar installation.

Assurance of face stability duringexcavation.

The Sauer design team found that realisticsimulation with 3D modeling gave them adeeper understanding of the many BSSUtunnelling challenges and helped themreach the best design and constructionsolutions. "In this very complex project, our Abaqus

models helped improve our preliminarydesign, which was based on series of 2Danalyses and the design team'sexperience, and led us to an extremelywell-detailed final design," says Dr.Nasekhian. "The ease of working withAbaqus allowed us to develop a number oftechniques that improved simulation fidelityand saved time when running such largemodels. The confidence we have gainedfrom our analyses has helped us pushforward the approval process morevigorously and is providing the highestquality of robust design to our clients."www.3ds.com/products-services/simulia/overview/


CASE study

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Iwas pretty ambivalent about HS2 until Iattended the keynote speech about it atBentley's Infrastructure conference last

November. Living in Somerset we weren'treally going to see much benefit from it,as it would take three hours to reach thenearest station and it is going to cost agood deal of money, as everybodyreminds us.A very convincing argument, though,

was put forward by Professor AndrewMcNaughton, Technical Director of HS2,who, besides outlining the long termbenefits for the whole country, explainedthat the whole project both relied on andwas going to test BIM to the absolutelimits. The Professor has been advisingon major rail projects worldwide -Australia, Japan, the US and Europe - formany years, and has spent time astechnical Director at Crossrail beforetaking on his current role at the mostprestigious, important and possiblylitigious rail project since the inaugurationof the current network a couple ofhundred years ago.Therein lies one of the problems.

Network Rail are spending large sums ofmoney in an attempt to bring the currentnetwork up to date - akin to performing"open heart surgery" as Andrew describedit. This is exacerbated by the growth ofour population - faster than anywhere elsein Europe - and the migration to cities.Obviously, he said, we can't have all ofthem living in the South East. Instead wehave to improve access between London,the Midlands and northern cities, so it’s aseasy to attend a meeting in Manchesteras it is cross London. He pointed to the benefits that high-

speed rail has brought to France. "Itbrings people together - not justbusinessmen, but families and friends," hesaid. And, to give an idea of the timesavings involved, he quoted someinteresting figures; London to Birminghamdown from 1 hour 24 minutes to just 49minutes, and to Manchester in just overan hour. Birmingham, the main hub, will be just

42 minutes away from Manchester and 57minutes from Leeds. The West MidlandsInterchange, close to NEC, has been

mooted as UK City Central, a newsustainable city only half an hour from London.

IT STARTS WITH PEOPLEWith the UK being one of the mostdensely populated countries on theplanet, with a lot of existing infrastructure,one of the biggest problems is the impacton people along the route - and, Andrewadded, just about every tree, plant, andanimal has an articulate group ofcommitted people who represent theirinterests. The starting point therefore has to be the

people affected, before any technicalissues and final route are decided. Theunderlying philosophy of HS2 is, he said,that "We want people to travel andconnect. In doing so, we will be able torebuild and rebalance the UK economy,with the Midlands and Northern Citiesbecoming part of the UK 'Powerhouse'and not just London." It should supportthe creation of up to 400,000 jobs and, headded, HS2 has already seenregeneration worth £10 billion since 2003!

CASEstudy


For a project as complex as HS2, with its political, environmental and public issues being ofparamount importance, there is no alternative to building a virtual model to test every aspectbefore the final designs are established

The benefits of building twice

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TOTAL BIM SOLUTIONHS2 has been designed to run withmaximum capacity, connectivity,availability and reliability. The PassengerOperation Concept has to cope with ahigh density of trains operating at speedwith absolute safety and a minimum ofstress for passengers. It also has topersuade the vast number ofstakeholders that the project is necessary,viable and achievable. The only way to demonstrate this in real

time to everyone, right down to a propertyowner adjacent to the route who wants tosee what it will look and sound like fromhis bedroom window, is to build a virtualmodel of the entire route and show them,using a GIS connected gViewer on amobile device, what it will be like.HS2 are building a virtual model of the

entire project - a digital railway - which willensure people who don't normally getinvolved will be able to part in theprocess.The vast amount of data required,

already running into terabytes ofinformation, will cover every element ofthe project, fielding constraints and issuesthat arise from trains running every 2 anda half minutes at 200 metres a second,the establishment of maintenanceschedules, and the need to keep up todate with individual train and passengerstatus. How will it cope, for instance, witha Birmingham Football match running intoextra time and disgorging thousands ofextra passengers half an hour later thanscheduled?A 21st Century Railway is being created

which will still be running in 200 year’stime, and as Andrew said "we want ourgreat grandchildren to say that we got itright!" The only way to do that is to "Build itTwice" so that everything has beenthoroughly evaluated before the physicalrailway is built.

A COMPLEX SYSTEMBuilding a high-speed rail system is acomplex business covering many fields,all of which tend to have their ownconstraints and language, from controlsystems, power supply, communications,the track itself, structures, foundationsand earthworks, tunnels and bridges andeven noise mitigation. It is going to cutacross numerous waterways and existinginfrastructure, which has to becircumvented or rerouted. The only way that all of these areas can

be combined is to create a singleencompassing digital model using BIM.The data has to be viable for the whole lifeof the project, from construction,commissioning, operation, maintenance,renewal and adaptation through a life thatwill extend for the next 200 years. BIM, though, goes beyond the physical

aspect of the railway, and gets involved inthe political and environmental issuesassociated with the project. It becomes abusiness transformation tool, altering theway such projects are run in the future.Without BIM there is no means of getting

planning permission for the myriads ofelements along the route, no way oftalking to local people. It is also a meansof upskilling the supply chain, bringing

sub-contractors into the BIM fold. A recentstudy showed that only 60% of suchcompanies are making provisions to workwith BIM, and only 43% have worked outhow they are going to train their staff. Theeducation baton is being picked up fromCrossrail and being used to upskill theHS2 supply chain.

A NEW CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEWithout BIM, Professor AndrewMcNaughton said, we would have givenup already. It allows us to use lessonslearned on other projects, integrate BIMplatforms, inculcate a collaborativeapproach to design, standardise datacreation, optimise information flow andprovide absolute quality assurance.But, harking back to first principals, it's

the customer experience that will matter.We all use trains. How would you like touse a system that allows you to book aseat at any time right up to minutes beforeyou board the train and be guaranteed aseat? Or be able to change your plans onthe hoof if your meeting overruns or youget caught in the (road) traffic and yet,when you get to the station, be directed tothe exact spot where your carriage andyour most convenient door will stop? Andall this from a system designed to load a1000 seat train in a couple of minutes andwhich will run every 3 minutes. It can work - but it can only be

accurately assessed if you build it twice,first with a digital model that’s used tocheck every possible aspect. Not a badplug for BIM, is it?www.bentley.com


CASEstudy

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What's the difference betweenProject Control and ProjectManagement in the built

environment? At first glance one mightassume they are one and the samething, but they really are quite different.Project Management is the hands-onmanagement of building resources andthe construction process, keepingindividual projects on track and onbudget. Project Control, on the otherhand, delivers all this plus the flow ofinformation and documentation; changemanagement, the control of risk andcompliance and the capture andanalysis of data for all projects, tendersand contracts across projects andprogrammes.

Both are concerned with ensuring thatprojects are successfully completed,but a good Project Control platform is acentral resource that provides a singleview of project performance - and this iswhat is uniquely provided by conjectPC,the collaboration platform for theconstruction industry from Woking-based Conject. It provides managementwith a clear oversight of projectduration, costs incurred and all aspectsrelating to quality and project scope.

The aim of BIM and Government SoftLandings is to improve outcomes forany built asset owner/user. The adoptionof BIM methods requires increasedcollaboration between different stagesof the construction process - the fullsupply chain as well as asset ownersand users - to ensure that outcomes arefit for purpose and deliver cost savings.

This requires the consideration of thewhole life of a built asset, and as theinfrastructure, construction and realestate industries ramp up theirreadiness for the UK Government's BIMdeadline of 2016, a critical enabler is asoftware platform that can perform as a

CDE (common data environment), isPAS1192 compliant and supports thehandovers of data in the correctformats; from the PIM and then the AIMfor asset users.

Nowhere is this more evident than inthe range of applications available fromConject. The company has based itscollaboration tools on the ability tomanage and integrate individual datacomponents in a project, and to theninterpret that data and use it to createunits of work - a principal component ofCOBie and PAS1192 compliance -facilitating the preparation of data formanaging the whole lifecycle of a builtasset.

The unique view of Conject is that itsheritage in the construction and realestate industries, as well as in buildingsoftware, gives the company a uniquelyholistic view of the life of built assets.Conject software may be betterappreciated by looking at twoapplications that embody thecomponent data approach: conjectPCfor Project Control and conjectMI forDefect Management.

CONJECTPCconjectPC is all about data capture. It isa cloud-based application thatcaptures, collates and analyses data,presenting it in easily digested formatsso that decisions can be made in atimely manner, based on the very latestand most detailed information. Itcomprises a range of configurable,integrated modules that are capable ofassessing the impact of interrelatedactivities and showing how each ofthese has an effect on the key drivers ofa project, namely time, money, qualityand scope.

A fundamental module is DocumentManagement, which gives project

members instant access to up-to-datedocuments and models, available usingdocument movement requests from theproject Dashboard, which can beconfigured to suit the requirements ofindividual project members. Alsoconfigurable are the project workflows,the routes and means forcommunicating with other teammembers, the ability to assign andcontrol tasks, the sending and receivingof RFIs and other information.

For Operations and Maintenance(O&M) purposes the data can be'distilled', analysing asset structures intotheir component parts. Much of thisasset data is still viewed in 2D, but thereis sufficient information alongside eachasset to form an Asset InformationModel (AIM), enabling users to view it in3D, produce an IFC file and enableCOBie reports to be configured out ofthe box.

conjectPC provides a ContractManagement module, enabling teamsto efficiently execute changerequirements, manage communicationsand follow workflows for all contracttypes, such as those found in JCT or theubiquitous NEC3 (for which Conject is alicenced content partner). CommercialManagement looks at the financial sideof things, allowing managers to handletheir budgets, costs, forecasts and cashflows - the costs of projects versusactual costs.

Supporting all modules is ProjectWorkflows, a toolset that maps projectprocesses, monitors progress andensures compliance with quality, health,safety and environmental standards.Project Workflows can be chosen from aset of preconfigured common industryprocesses such as query management,approvals and team communication, oreasily configured based on the needs of

SOFTWAREreview


Conject tools support PIM (Project Information Management) and the AIM (Asset InformationModel) - from Project Control to Defect Inspections and Operations & Maintenance

Ahead in the cloud

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the project. The Business Intelligence module

provides managers with the means todesign and deploy a bespoke reportdashboard, providing instant access toreal-time information within theconjectPC collaboration platform.Report frequency and layout is userdriven, helping project members tocontrol risk, manage processes andchange more effectively.

CONJECTMIconjectMI is a cloud-based mobileapplication running on iPad or Windowstablets, enabling on-site teams tovisually inspect work carried out andreport on it in real time. By getting rid ofpaperwork and the trek back to theoffice to hand in snagging reports - notto mention the errors arising from thirdparties keying in data from grubbyrecord sheets - it has been estimatedthat conjectMI can reduce data capturetimes by 40%, report editing by 90%and preparation time by 60%. In fact amajor contractor, ISG, has recentlyreported that it resolved defects in200% less time than it took before usingthe tool.

Snagging has become a real-timeprocess, with defects immediatelyupdating the drawings and alertingresponsible parties for action, therebyimproving construction quality andefficiency and contributing to on-timeproject completion.

Defects management work can becarried out offline with conjectMI. Beforeleaving the office, inspection schedules,

drawings and other information can bedownloaded to a tablet. This is usefulwhen working on construction siteswithout internet access, or whenunderground. Snagging work can beconducted offline and, when internetaccess is again available, the new datacan be synched to the web platform,thereby updating all team members withthe latest information.

An instant view of completed andoutstanding defects items is available atany time, showing the status of each.This can be customised to produceindividual work phases, defect typesand acceptance stages, so thatresources can be allocated moreeffectively and trade teams (carpenters,electricians) assigned to dedicatedsnagging tasks. This effectively enablesa complete snagging workflowmanagement process to beimplemented through the life of aproject.

The snagging operation is quitestraightforward. Users can bring up theappropriate room plan in 2D, select thecomponent to be checked, and fill in areport - adding text, photo or audiocomments as required to fully describethe problem. Access to the projectspace also provides other benefits,such as the ability to search for similardefects on associated products.

To inspect, find and allocate theresolution of a snagging defect to asub-contractor requires the setting up ofa simple workflow, highlighting andinforming the team responsible for itssolution, the timescale in which it has to

be carried out and subsequentlyrechecked, and the results uploaded.

All of this is handled in a simplespreadsheet format within ConjectMI,ashowing items that need to bechecked within different phases andbuilding zones, along with theresponsibilities of the contractors,colour-coded to show whether theyhave started, are in progress or havecompleted.

Clicking on elements allows therelevant 2D drawing to be brought upthat display the snagged components,using sliders to optimise small scaledrawings within areas that contain alarge number of defects. After theinspection process, reports can becompiled, together with relevant imagesand videos for transmittal to all relevantparties.

ABOUT CONJECT Conject is a leading internationalsoftware company, providing SaaSsolutions to support BIM and managekey processes throughout the plan-build-operate lifecycle for the AECindustries. The Conject mission is tohelp its clients increase quality, reducecosts and better manage risks acrosstheir property and infrastructureportfolios.

Conject operates in 14 internationalcities; the UK office is in Woking.Conject applications are used by morethan 40,000 businesses worldwide, andevery month more than 3,000 new usersof Conject software. www.conject.com


SOFTWAREreview

Recording a defect using ConjectMI Defect management reports include images and 2D space or room plans

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You would be forgiven for thinking thatthe analysis of the flow of peoplethrough a building required a

specialist application and the input fromprofessionals who specialise in that area.Certainly, the case studies tend to focus onthe mostly on large scale users of theseapplications, including a recent case studyin this magazine on the redevelopment ofToronto's Union Square Station, whichutilised MassMotion, a crowd analysisapplication developed by Oasys, Arup'ssoftware division. In fact Arup won the bestuse of IT in an Infrastructure Project 2014for their Union Station work at theConstruction Computing Awards inNovember (see the rather large Awardssection in this issue for more details!).However there are many other, smaller

projects that could usefully employ trafficanalysis to hone their designs. Designers ofsports stadiums need to understand therate at which they could be emptied at theend of a game; hospitals and other publicbuildings need to plan for rapid evacuationin the event of an emergency; and evencruise ships need to plan for pedestrians!It's an obvious use for such an applicationwhen you think about it, as the latest cruise

ships are like small, crowded and enclosedtowns, with some serious access issues.Recognising the wider appeal of the

software, Oasys has now introduced ascaled down version of MassMotion,MassMotion Flow, which is suitable for useby architects and fire engineers on smallerprojects. It enables them to analysespecific pedestrian flow situations, and tosubsequently modify their designs toprovide better space optimisation andimproved access. MassMotion Flow is based on exactly the

same analytical engine as the full version ofMassMotion, with all of the real-time 3Dvisualisations and reporting capabilities inplace. It does have limited capability toanalyse complex events - such as thearrival and departure of trains at a mainlinestation, or security at an airport - and allowsarchitects to single out specific events andto analyse human traffic flow around them.It also lacks the ability to create AgentActions for the thousands of human 'agents'that populate a typical MassMotion model.

MASSMOTIONWhat, you may ask, are Agent Actions?Rather than having agents sticking to a

predefined route through a 3D model, eachis endowed with a task and sufficientintelligence to enable it to make simplechoices - for instance if an elevator is busy,to head for the stairs instead. In fact thesoftware looks at all of the idiosyncrasies ofhuman behaviour, and as they passthrough defined locations on their route -check-in desks, ticket barriers, baggagecarousels - they can be issued with a'token' that redirects them straight to thedeparture lounge or platform, or towards acafé, a retail outfit or the loo! The creation of security gates and agent

tokens demands considerably more timeand processing capability, time which anarchitect would wish to devote to moresimple movement analysis tasks, and theywill find more than sufficient functionality inMassMotion Flow. Vision maps are another useful reporting

function available in MassMotion, trackingtrack where agents look (cumulativeeyeball time!) whilst they are proceedingthrough a concourse. The softwareassesses the information and presents itwithin a colour-coded 3D model to showthe best positions to place adverts andother signage.

SOFTWAREreview


Oasys' Pedestrian Modelling Software, MassMotion Flow, is now available for simulating movementin smaller and more dedicated projects

Go with the flow

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MassMotion Flow can obviously be usedfor space planning, which determines theflow of traffic and, surprisingly enough, itcan use agents whose tasks havepreviously been created withinMassMotion, as both levels of the softwareuse the same simulation engine. Thiswould enable architects to extract portionsof the main model and run them forspecific situations - a collaborative functionthat fulfils the software's BIM credentials. Tobe more specific, MassMotion models canalready be used in MassMotion Flow, andthe reverse will be available by the end ofthe year.

MASSMOTION FLOWRather than being used to calculatecomplex interactions within an airport, then,MassMotion Flow is more directlyconcerned with space planning. Forinstance, it analyses flow rates through agiven area, say from the time thatpassengers step off a train or a plane towhen they reach the station exit, orevaluates whether the capacity of astadium section and its doors comply withthe Green Book (the guide to safety atsports grounds). MassMotion, by comparison, would link

train or flight timetables to its analysis, andsimulate all actions from passengersswitching trains, exiting, buying tickets,being processed by security, or juststanding about on the concourse.

MASSMOTION MODELSMassMotion previously used Autodesk'sSoftimage as a modelling and visualisationtool. As that software is now only available

as part of a suite, and has beensuperseded by 3ds Max, Oasys is weaningMassMotion away from its reliance on thesoftware, preferring instead to useproprietary software tools that do thesame. MassMotion Flow only uses theproprietary version, whilst MassMotionuses either Softimage or the proprietaryversion. 3D models can be imported from all

leading 3D architectural applications, Revitperhaps being the most popular at themoment. Revit models can be quite largethough, and a typical project can includeindividual models for station buildings,platforms, underground trains, elevators,and so on, which have to be integrated asa single model. Fortunately, much of thedetailing can be stripped out to reduce theoverall size of the model required, leavingonly the spaces and relevant features forthe analysis - essentially a MassMotionproblem for expert users. Even then, asimulation on a typical project for aprominent London station (which uses fiveRevit models stitched together) could taketwo hours to run a four-hour PM peaksimulation.

MASSMOTION OUTPUTThe results you can achieve are similar forboth MassMotion and MassMotion Flow.The 3D models can be viewed in anyformat and orientation and from any angle,right up to fully rendered models forpresentation purposes. The human modelsare available in different characterisations,or as token people, depending on thescale of the model and tasks assigned,and they are given a lifelike walking gait for

real-time walkthroughs.Reports can be presented as video

displays, in graph format, showingdensities through given location over aperiod, with a timeline running through thegraph. Both the graph and the video canbe run simultaneously on the same screen.Other output includes the Vision Map,

outlined above, Count Maps, which showthe numbers of agents passing through apoint at a given point in time, a number oftools for exploring agent egress in differentsituations, and various Density Maps forshowing congestion levels.Movies, images and data files can be

extracted and used for many purposes,showing how buildings work or don't work:an important aspect of all modernconstruction. Measurements can also betaken out of the software as well, to beused by the emergency services for theirplanning and training purposes.

MASSMOTION FLOW TRAININGBecause MassMotion Flow is aimed mainlyat architects and fire engineers for morespecific and smaller projects, it comes at alower price than MassMotion. Users whomay not have analysed pedestrianmovement before can be provided with acouple of days training, enabling them toadapt to the concept and processesinvolved. With the emphasis on buildingperformance being so important thesedays, it is only logical that similar emphasisshould be placed on user (pedestrian)performance. The configuration of thissoftware does appear to provide a task foralmost any conceivable pedestrian activity.www.oasys-ssoftware.com


SOFTWAREreview

0DVV�0RWLRQ�T[G��3DJH��

YOUR GUIDE TO

212

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GLASGOW 6

CADASSISTContact: Gordon McGlatheryTel: 0141 354 8993Fax: 0141 353 [email protected] C D E F M G K L

FIFE 7

GlenCo Development SolutionsContact: Jack MeldrumTel: 01592 223300Fax: 01592 [email protected] C M K

ABERDEENSHIRE 8

SymetriContact: Craig SnellTel: 01467 [email protected] B D H I J K M N O P S X

ABERDEEN 1

TMS CADcentreContact: Craig HamiltonTel: 01224 [email protected] C E L H O

LARBERT 9

TMS CADcentreContact: Craig HamiltonTel: [email protected] C E L H O

GLASGOW 10

Excitech LtdContact: Alan SkippTel: 0345 370 1500Fax: 0845 370 [email protected]/cutA B C D M N G H I K L Q X

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NEWBURY 3

RWTC LtdContact: Richard WillisTel: 01488 689005Fax: 01635 [email protected] M

Bristol 12

Micro Concepts LtdContact: Peter HurstTel: +44 (0) 8432 [email protected] B D I J K M N O P S T X

DUBLIN 4

Paradigm Technology LtdContact: Des McGraneTel: +353-1-2960155Fax: [email protected] C M G K L

BELFAST 5

Pentagon Solutions LtdContact: Tony Dalton – TrainingServices ManagerTel: +44 (0) 2890 455 355Fax: +44 (0) 2890 456 [email protected] www.pentagonsolutions.com A C D E G K L

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TRAINING COURSES OFFERED KEY:

AUTOCAD AND LT : AAUTOCAD P&ID TRAINING: BAEC/BUILDING SOLUTIONS : C3D MODELLING & ANIMATION: DAUTOCAD ARCHITECTURE: EFM DESKTOP: FGIS/MAPPING : GREVIT: HVAULT FUNDAMENTALS IAUTODESK VAULT FOR INVENTOR USERS J

VISUALISATION : KAUTODESK CIVIL : LINVENTOR SERIES/MECHANICAL : MNAVISWORKS TRAINING : NPRODUCT UPDATE COURSES OINVENTOR PUBLISHER : PGOOGLE SKETCHUP QCHARACTER ANIMATION : RAUTODESK SIMULATION : SFACTORY DESIGN SUITE : TAUTOCAD ELECTRICAL : X

For further information about authorised CAD training or to advertise on these pages please contact: Josh Boulton on 01689 616 000 or email: [email protected]

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MANCHESTER 11

CADASSISTContact: Gordon McGlatheryTel: 0161 440 8122Fax: 0161 439 [email protected] C D E F M G K L

MANCHESTER 13


NORTH EAST 14

SymetriContact: Craig SnellTel: 0191 213 [email protected] B D H I J K M N O P S X

YORKSHIRE 15

MicroCAD - BradfordContact: Darren I’AnsonTel: 01274 [email protected] www.microcad.co.ukA B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q S T X

NORTH EAST 16

MicroCAD - DurhamContact: Chris SwinhoeTel: 0191 374 [email protected] www.microcad.co.ukA B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q S T X

LANCASHIRE 17

QUADRA SOLUTIONSContact: Simon DobsonTel: 01254 301 888Fax: 01254 301 [email protected] C M K

YORKSHIRE 18

SymetriContact: Craig SnellTel: 01924 [email protected] B D H I J K M N O P S X

SOUTH YORKSHIRE 20

THE JUICE GROUP LTDContact: Sarah ThorpeTel: 0800 018 1501Fax: 0114 275 [email protected] C D E K R

TRAININGGUILDFORD 22

Blue Graphics LtdContact: Matt AllenTel: 01483 467 200Fax: 01483 467 [email protected] D R K

HERTFORDSHIRE 23

Computer Aided Business Systems LtdContact: Gillian HaynesTel: 01707 258 338Fax: 01707 258 [email protected] C D E K H

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 42

Causeway Technologies LtdContact: Sue FarnfieldTel: +44 (0)1628 [email protected] C D E K

LONDON 24

CADASSISTContact: Gordon McGlatheryTel: 0207 712 1541Fax: 0207 712 [email protected] C D E F M G KL

BERKSHIRE 26

CadpointContact: Clare KestonTel: 01344 751300Fax: 01344 [email protected] C D E K

CENTRAL LONDON 27


SOUTHHAMPTON 42

Head OfficeRiverside HouseBrunel Road Southampton HantsSO40 3WXA B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q S T X

NORTH LONDON 28


OXFORDSHIRE 25

Man and Machine Contact: Robert Kenny Tel: 01844 263700Fax: 01844 216761 [email protected] www.manandmachine.co.ukA D I J M N O P Q X

BERKSHIRE 30

Mass Systems Ltd Contact: Luke BoltTel: 01344 304 000Fax: 01344 304 [email protected] E F

HAMPSHIRE 31

Universal CAD LtdContact: Nick LambdenTel: [44] 01256 352700Fax: [44] 01256 [email protected] C M E K H

MILTON KEYNES 21

MicroCAD - Milton KeynesContact: David HukeTel: 01908 [email protected] A B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q S T X

High Wycombe 19

Micro Concepts LtdContact: Kerrie BraybrookTel: +44 (0) 8432 [email protected] B D I J K M N O P S T X

Cambridge 29

Micro Concepts LtdContact: Emily HoweTel: +44 (0) 1223 [email protected] B D I J K M N O P S T X

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MicroCAD - NottinghamContact: George GubasTel: 0115 969 [email protected] www.microcad.co.ukA B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q S T X

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 32

AIT Spatial LtdContact: Philip MadeleyTel: 01933 303034Fax: 01933 [email protected] www.aitspatial.co.uk A C D E F G K L

BIRMINGHAM 35

Armada Autodesk Training CentreContact: Steven SmithTel: 01527 834783 Fax: 01527 [email protected] www.armadaonline.co.ukA D E M K H

CHESHIRE 41

Excelat CAD LtdContact: Vaughn MarkeyTel: 0161 926 3609Fax: 0870 051 [email protected] N


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THE CLOUD. WHAT’S NEW.WHAT’S NEXT.

CO-LOCATED WITH DATA CENTRE WORLD

11 − 12 March 2015 ExCeL London

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18

ArchiCAD 18 offers a streamlined workflow solution, keeping architects in the creative design flow with as little disruption as possible. The integration of CineRender, MAXON’s world-class CINEMA 4D rendering engine into ArchiCAD 18, brings high quality, photo-realistic renderings to a much wider range of designers. ArchiCAD 18’s brand new Revision Management solution is integrated into the entire BIM workflow, providing solutions for 2D, 3D or any kind of hybrid workflows. Is also offers a smooth, PDF-based workflow and improved PDF-based data exchange by introducing BIM-related intelligence and data hierarchy into PDF files.

For further information on ArchiCAD 18 contact Graphisoft

at www.graphisoft.com or call 01895 876222

Copyright © Graphisoft UK Ltd. All rights reserved world-wide. All other company and product names may be tradenames or trademarks of their respective owners. Image: Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, Canada architects Alliance www.architects alliance.com Photo © Ben Rahn / A-Frame

CAD User Jan/Feb 2015 Edition

Documents

Transcript of CAD User Jan/Feb 2015 Edition