COMMUNICATING THROUGH VISUALIZATION
To provide safe and secure storage for radioactive material, CH2M HILL Canada
designed a facility that met the stringent requirements of local authorities and
stakeholders. Understanding the design intent through visualization was critical
to the approval process. Animations were used in dealings with the client
and authorities having jurisdiction to convey not only the layout and material
composition, but also the waste process flow within the facility.
Due to the complexity and critical nature of the content, standard 2D drawings
and 3D model reviews alone were inadequate. The project team used Bentley
Building, PlantSpace, and MicroStation animation tools to enable all disciplines
to collaborate and agree on the waste process flow, then communicate that
process to stakeholders. Regulatory reviews were quicker and more effective,
and thus held less often due to the clarity of the project’s intent.
Florida DOT
Alton Road Project
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
For the Alton Road project in Miami Beach, Fla., the Florida DO T evaluated
existing operating conditions and recommended solutions to improve traffic
flow. The study identified potential improvements including reconstruction;
resurfacing; upgrading drainage; restoring broken or damaged sidewalks, curbs,
and gutters; and providing pedestrian, bicycle, and parking facilities. Three build
alternatives were developed for the segment of the road within the study limits
and for the Alton fly-over.
A 3D model of the corridor created using GEOPAK and MicroStation enabled
FDOT to show the public a photorealistic 3D movie of the fly-over alternatives.
The animations were easier to understand than construction plans or cross
sections. Alternatives were evaluated based on community feedback;
engineering details; construction feasibility; and environmental, social, and
physical impacts. The $42 million project is scheduled for completion in 2011.
