Developing an Automated System for Checking the Strut Arrangement in Deep Excavation

Abstract

At the early stage of the project, the clash problem in the strut arrangement was reviewed by using two-dimensional construction drawings. This practice was time-consuming and error-prone. Moreover, some 3D construction software could detect clashes between the structural strut and permanent building structures. But they were still limited in this arrangement including (1) decision of strut arrangement relying on human judgment; (2) unable to distinguish between unreal clash and real clash in the strut arrangement based on work practice, and (3) unable to present overview of all clash detections from each strut at one time. To solve these problems, this paper integrated rule-based approach with Building Information Modelling (BIM) to develop an automated system for detecting and solving clashes of the structural strut. The methodology primarily developed three main modules of an automated system by using rule-based approach. Then, these modules applied with BIM software, visual programming and spreadsheet for generating, checking and solving the clashes. To proof the efficiency, a case study of office basement construction was applied to test the system. As a result, this system could improve the strut arrangement work by reducing the human judgement. Moreover, the system has shortened the time of the strut arrangement by only specifying on the real clash problems. Last, this system also could provide better visualization of clashes.