ITcon Vol. 10, pg. 15-16, http://www.itcon.org/2005/2

From 3D to nD modelling

submitted:April 2005
published:April 2005
editor(s):Aound G, Lee A and Wu S
authors:Ghassan Aouad, Professor
Head of the School of Construction & Property Management, University of Salford
email: g.aouad@salford.ac.uk

Angela Lee, Dr.
School of Construction & Property Management, University of Salford
email: a.lee@salford.ac.uk

Song Wu, Dr.
School of Construction & Property Management, University of Salford
email: s.wu@salford.ac.uk
summary:One of the principal challenges facing the construction industry today is how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the design and construction process. Moreover, what contribution can the effective use of information technology make to this? Recent years have witnessed a major change in the approach to construction innovation and research. There has been a huge concentration, from both the academic and industrial communities, on the development of a single building/ product model and/ or on the expansion of 3D CAD modelling with other design attributes (such as time and cost). nD modelling expounds by bringing together an nth number of design perspectives. Thus, an nD model is an extension of the building information model that incorporates multi-aspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility; including scheduling, costing, accessibility, crime, sustainability, maintainability, acoustics and energy simulation. We believe that nD modelling is a realistic potential for an improved construction industry. It is an integrated tool that will enable construction stakeholders – across time zones – to cohesively and comprehensively work within their own specialised discipline on one model. Thus, they can negotiate and collaborate to bring about an improved design by enabling true what-if analysis of design decisions. The information in the model is linked, so that when design information is changed, for example, the cost of the project will also change to reflect the new design. This Special Issue presents a constituent of the work that is being undertaken globally – forwards and towards an nD-enabled construction industry.
full text: (PDF file, 0.036 MB)
citation:Aound G, Lee A and Wu S (2005). From 3D to nD modelling, ITcon Vol. 10, Special issue From 3D to nD modelling, pg. 15-16, https://www.itcon.org/2005/2