BIM for Virtual Reality

Overview

Construction industry due to every site and building being different is not easily scaled industry. Earlier Architects prepared 2D design on paper which could not enhance the user experience and could not gauge how the building after being built would look like. The 2D model that was created could solve issues emerging once it is on the process of making or after it is built reworking and re-designing needs to be done for addressing those issues. It increased rework which in turn increased time cost and labor and construction was done at a slow phase due to that.

But with Virtual Reality coming into existence has drastically changed the perception of users. Virtual Reality is the fourth emerging pool of technological growth. It is shaping the construction industry. Virtual Reality stands for replicating the reality in a non-real world and is all about the alteration of senses. Information flow in virtual reality can be added or deleted through the electronic device. Through BIM Modeling we can create 3D based virtual model of buildings or structures which makes it look live. Virtual reality concept is deeply connected with BIM technology as it is inter-linked to help create 3D model under a virtual environment.

Virtual reality is not just to feel and experience it anymore but it also now focuses on enhancing the users are live on the site and supervising the construction work of the building. Immersive reality is also known as “Virtual Reality” reproduces the real world in a digital environment and present walkthrough by using 360-degree videos, photos, and renderings.

There are many types of virtual reality gadgets available in the market, but the commonly used are headsets and real-time motion capture. The headset is a type of virtual reality display that provides a 3D experience and 3D walkthrough of the entire building where all the relevant information is given as to estimate the cost of building or material included or completing the project on time mentioned can be tracked. Real-time motion capture systems another type of virtual reality display allows us for a walk through the virtual model of the project and eliminating the use of mouse and keyboard to explore the building.

An architect uses virtual reality to show rendered images of the model including exteriors and interiors to communicate their design to clients. Whereas for contractors uses it for coordination tool between MEP engineers and structural engineers. VR enhance client engagements as the client would get a clear picture of what he wanted is built or not through it and can monitor all changes and progress too.

Types of Virtual Reality

Oculus Rift: – It is an interactive VR headset developed by Oculus Company. It has inbuilt Immersive reality sensor and 3D audio effect which give accurate positional and rotational plug-ins. It can replicate an entire building or structures and provide a detailed model description about materials, spaces and more. It has a viewing angle of around 110 degrees.

PrioVR: – This contains real-time motion capture systems using VR. This system works with body motion and provides an entire body suit with multiple interior sensors in it. Once the device is connected, it becomes easier to capture every detail. It gives a 360-degree angle of view to make it more realistic.

Touchable Holograms: – Research projects can make hologram projections into reality. Different textures from different formats can be chosen through this device to make it more enhanced experience.

Enscape Revit plug-in:- This device helps to provide different options to its client that makes a realistic experience to choose different textures of the projects. A walkthrough runs with SketchUp or Revit software reflecting every parametric and non-parametric detail of the project.

Visidraft: – It is an emerging application that creates a 3D world around you. It can easily convert 2D projections into 3D model allowing the client to Walkthrough the model under a virtual environment.

Challenges of BIM for VR

In earlier days, virtual reality’s cost was higher and very fewer companies agreed to adapt it. The construction industry has plodding progress of adapting BIM Level 2 on all projects due to which they face a lot of problem of re-designing and reworking on clash detection which not just consumes their time, but labor efficiency is broken too. IR has a practical approach, and all practitioners using it must know how to operate it through apps on phone and tablets. Proper training and support to everyone on using BIM through VR must be given which incurs a lot of training cost and time period.

Benefits of BIM for Virtual Reality

The use and development of VR are immensely more in AEC industry which helps the client has a complete walkthrough building and capture in-progress note of every material and structure details. It helps to get quicker project approvals, improved client communications, and greater customer satisfaction. By reviewing the model through immersive reality displays, it can save time for the client and you to detect proper information detailing. Its emphasis on visualization of the model providing full details. Materials or services to be incurred in the model building can be supervised regularly through VR which in turn helps to reduce costs and make project flexible. With the help of IR we can personalize the property or adapt it to our tastes and needs, it can include the change in textures or color combination of walls, etc. Rework and repairs are an unnecessary cost to the company and clients, so VR here helps to examine all relevant work inside the model building stage.

Conclusion

Virtual Reality in 2019 is booming technology that most of every AEC industry must want to invest upon as the cost of displays has went down. It can detect problems in the design stage before the construction is done and improves coordination. All the practitioners involved in the construction of any projects use 4D and 5D BIM so that time span in which construction would be done can be tracked with knowing the actual costs of materials incurred with it. BIM helped to generate a 3D model with better graphical representation but still lacked inaccuracies and necessary details. Virtual Reality has been an added advantage to BIM as clients can now immerse themselves like they are there and visualize how the building would be built through the walkthrough.