2010 Issue

15 into a functional 4D model. One process that will make the Navis production smoother is to be sure that the modelers have access to the schedule while they are working on the model. Since each object in the model is associated with its schedule counterpart, they both need to have the same name. With 4D models it’s important to know who the intended audience is. Showing a model that uses a detailed schedule may be best for the client and contractors, but not necessarily a public meeting. Often the schedule will need some tuning to get the best working model. That will need to be done by someone who knows the process. Pros: • The finished 4D model can be viewed in multiple ways: locked camera timeline in real time player or rendered animation, fly- thru mode in real time player, generated animations (AVIs), and still renderings. • These models are often used in scheduled meetings for progress updates and scheduling. • Invested time in 4D model can save money down the line if issues are found prior to actual construction. Some of these can be clash detection (electrical through structural elements) or construction staging overlaps. Cons: • 4D models lack the realism of 3D animations and renderings but the technology is gaining ground fast. • 4D models are not fast to produce. Consider extra time beyond the completion of the 3D model to get the schedule functionality to work properly. Tips: • “Baking” materials and lighting into the 3D model prior to export will yield a nicer looking 4D model. • Practice “driving” the fly-thru mode prior to any important meetings or showings. Interactive 3D One other current visualization trend is interac- tive 3Dmodels. The 3D gaming industry closely parallels visualization in several ways. Many of the tools and techniques in the beginning production stages are similar but can take a different direction. Like an animation, a 3D model is first created, but using mapping and material techniques specific for a gaming 3Dengine. Themodels are then imported into the game editor and given specific properties like collision and/or physical attributes. They can also be programmed to perform an operation on a mouse click (open, close, pop-up a menu or image, etc.). The user has the ability to walk around the environment and choosewhat they look at andwhere they go. Large scale, expansive projects would not ben- efit from this technology. The best use is for small, contained projects, like a subway station or a maintenance facility. Besides showing off a project and “running around,” Interactive 3D is a great tool for educating young engineers and for project kiosks at the local shoppingmall. Pros: • A unique application to show off a project or use in a meeting. • Can be fun for users to “experience” the project prior to ground breaking. • Once packed as an executable format, the Interactive 3D can be distributed on CD or DVD. • There are some cheap and even free interactive creation tools available. continued on page 16 This still sequence shows the initial construction stages of the main span of the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge. Oak- land, California. This series of images were part of a training tool to demonstrate the effects of flood scouring on various types of abutments and piers. The views could rotate the view and adjust the rate of flow to the water to simulate the scour effect. Portions of the ground could be turned off to show the effects more clearly. FHA Scour Study; Lakewood, Colorado.