By Justus Scout
Airports are one of the busiest and highly technology-driven spaces and so needs a very systematic and organized approach from its construction to operations to maintenance. Airport designing constantly evolves to keep pace with the traveler expectations, utilize the humongous space judiciously and cater to the complex operation that might pose multiple construction challenges, of which most needs to be addressed before the main construction begins. So, involving technologies like Scan to BIM services, laser scanners, AR/VR and/or artificial intelligence makes perfect sense. BIM brings about the collaboration of all the project stakeholders and allows visualization of the building at the pre-construction phase. Efficient walkthrough of the 3D model with VR/AR technology brings out a realistic visual and feel of the airport to resolve any of the problems before the on-site construction starts.
Common Issues To Be Considered While Designing And Construction Of An Airport:
- Complex operation issues that are based on the baggage, ticket systems, flow of people and much more.
- Poor customer experience due to baggage check-in problems within confined spaces.
- Poor or low quality of MEP systems for plumbing, air-conditioning, fire protection and electrical systems.
- Errors in designing and construction like that of improper utilization of space for the terminal, gates, runways etc leading to rework, enhanced costing and delays.
- Resource wastage and overhead costing due to improper quantification of construction equipment, material, and onsite manpower.
BIM Overcoming These Issues Seamlessly:
BIM can be utilized by the airport project stakeholders to develop sustainable yet efficient infrastructure and effectively overcome these top challenges. Having an accurate 3D model, the stakeholders can easily ensure better space utilization and management for airport authorities and passenger flow, estimate proper energy calculations, and bring about accurate design constructability that is completely based on BIM processes. Not just this, stakeholders can switch to point cloud and BIM services to design, visualize, construct, manage and renovate the entire infrastructure from baggage handling to security verification to spacious terminals to their effective operations.
Scan To BIM For An Existing Airport Infrastructure:
The airport is a facility which is very hard to stop if any rework, renovation or an extension is needed, for such a situation Scan to BIM services is the apt solution which doesn’t just bring about the existing plan into 3D workable models but allows the regular functioning of the airport seamlessly for customers. In point cloud to BIM, the scanning team visits the site and brings about 3D laser scans and 360° panoramic images of the airport site under construction in no time. This scanned data is converted to point cloud data and into 3D data-rich models through Software like Revit and is compared with the new detailed 3D BIM model to find out the loopholes and clashes. If any clashes and collisions arise, they are resolved using BIM Coordination Services effectively.
Reality Captured without interrupting construction: Due to Scan to BIM, point clouds are transformed into fully immersive, web-based 3D buildings that empower every stakeholder to explore and interact with that airport space in a way that it feels like they are on site. The challenge for the scanners is to scan this huge airport without disrupting the airport operation and/or the construction taking place on-site. High-speed and high-resolution scanners help map the entire site within a couple of days, making this 3D laser scanning economical, faster, and safer than the traditional scanning methods.
Building Sustainable Airports due to Benefits derived using BIM and Point Cloud Technology:
Quick construction of airports with prefabricated components:
Prefabrication in Building Information Modeling becomes the crux of developing a building quickly. For a new airport construction or in renovation prefab components ensure operational continuity. These are safe and easier to install which take into consideration minutest of details, specifications and dimensions which are entered in its 3D BIM Model. Due to appropriate quantification of building materials and prefabricated components, BIM models are assured to bring about a better cost estimation and scheduling with optimal structural analysis.
Point Cloud to BIM Services for the speedy renovation of Airport:
Any renovation activity, including its expansion, becomes an integral part of facility maintenance & operations falling under construction activities. So, conducting traditional surveys on an existing infrastructure would be highly chaotic and would demand shutting-off airport, but with reality capture that allows usage of 3D laser scanners aid in scanning the existing infrastructure and overcome this challenge. This scanned information is transformed into 3D BIM models that help the firms to study the infrastructure of the airport and renovate or integrate it in line with it. Such a mechanism saves big on cost and time along with playing a crucial role when it comes to airport maintenance where data is the key or in the hand-over process.
Saving cost and energy using MEP BIM Model:
Due to being huge, complex and busy infrastructure airports need huge energy requirements for things like water systems, air conditioning, temperature regulation, daylighting systems etc., for this, a singular MEP 3D BIM Model created using MEP BIM Services can serve as a focal point to compute all the energy calculations for every component used. For the internals of airport infrastructures like gates, resting areas, terminals, cafes or any other area, air conditioning is one of the crucial systems and so this spread needs vigorous HVAC systems having the correct refrigeration, right ducts, piping systems, temperature regulations etc. Just like this, there is equal importance to an effective fire protection mechanism which is totally based on temperature sensing and automation. BIM technology does not just ensure that all the electrical, mechanical, and plumbing components are clash-free and accurately installed with MEP models but helps save cost and energy greatly.
3-dimensional visualization saves on rework & costing:
Airports being the huge space and a massive infrastructure facility demand accurate and detailed designing and construction. A minor design flaw or a single deviation can cause blunders and disastrous consequences. With BIM one gets access to a 3D view of the entire airport at the initial planning and design stage making way for different disciplines to seamlessly collaborate, account different functionalities, validate aesthetics and improvise the overall constructability. Having identified and rectified clashes during the pre-construction phase minimizes the need for rework at later stages thereby saving big on overall costing.
Streamline passenger queues and ensure traveler safety at airports:
Having built an airport at an area which not only brings about efficient mechanism and passage of travelers but also their safety is of high importance. With Scan to BIM services, the AEC firms can collaborate the different divisions like architecture, designing, structural engineering, etc. to ensure appropriate space utilization and management as per government and airport authorities’ specifications.
Along with this, traveler and airport personnel security measurements need to be ensured. Location analysis along with meticulous installations of systems like fire sprinklers, x-ray machines, baggage check can be assessed by BIM effectively thereby making the airports sustainable and highly safe for usage.
