CC Sep-Oct 2023

INDUSTRYfocus
equipment, handle tools and set up
welding operations, and even the need
for temporary structures to facilitate
construction or the use of hired
equipment. If not addressed early, any of
these may prove to be costly, or
impossible, to rectify during actual
construction.
Assessing the constructability of
steelwork during the design process is
not always possible, though, either
through time constraints or lack of
technical knowledge on the behalf of the
structural detailer. It is for this reason
that DBM Vircon has been brought in on
many large and complex projects to
provide construction insights that
contractors and designers are
themselves unable to provide. Their
Design Assist service is designed to give
all project stakeholders a clear and
unified understanding of the design
intent, and to modify early-stage designs
to achieve optimal results.
The Level of Detail (LOD) required for
this is beyond the LOD 3 (or LOD 200
using US AIA definition) typically
provided by the structural designer's
engineering models, providing positions,
sizes, orientations etc of steelwork which
may be developed to around 80%
completeness. Collaboration with DBM
Vircon allows their experienced
engineering team to progress the design
further, aiming for a full LOD 5 (or LOD
400) connected model which includes
additional information to fulfil the tasks
outlined above, but also to incorporate
ancillary data and further functions like
building schedules and costs for 4D and
5D simulations, lock in and keep track of
material prices and suppliers, and
expedite procurement.
DIGITAL ENGINEERING
With a comprehensive amount of
information available, DBM Vircon can
leverage the data to provide a full digital
engineering solution - a Design-Build-
Manage lifecycle which takes the initial
concept design through to facilities
management. The whole process is
supported using digital project
management including 4D and 5D
simulations, digital twins which serve to
provide Serviced Asset Information
Management (SAIM), 3D Visualisations
and Virtual and Augmented Reality. They
can even set up animations to build
complex models using CG from the
ground up, and gamification tools and
visuals to explore designs in a gaming
environment, either for training or
education purposes.
Digital Project Management is a
practical solution based on DBM
Vircon's agnostic software and
centralised data-mapping. It allows the
entire project team to collaborate,
breaking down data silos and enhancing
decision making. The 3D modelling and
structural design applications that the
company focuses on are familiar to all,
and include Tekla, Prosteel, Revit, Plant
3D and Navisworks.
The company's expertise, developed as
creators and curators of foundational
datasets and years of experience gained
through supporting clients on multibillion-dollar
projects from specification
and procurement, forms the basis of its
Digital Engineering Advisory. This has
helped the company deliver projects for
clients and transform their AEC or asset
information management processes.
It has also enabled the DBM Vircon
Digital Engineering team to integrate
design data and associated information
from multiple systems and context data
from virtual and augmented reality
solutions to create digital twin platforms.
DBM VIRCON
DBM Vircon is a truly global enterprise,
with offices in Australia, the United
States, Canada, India, the Philippines
and Oxford in the UK, where Andrew
Bellerby is based. As a global company,
most of the projects that the company is
involved use the company's experts
wherever they are based and whenever
they are required, allowing for a 24 hour
working output.
Although Steelworks have been used
as a principal example here, the
company has a wealth of experience in
reinforced concrete, bridges and
industrial design, the energy market,
transportation, healthcare and cultural,
commercial and residential projects.
www.dbmvircon.com
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