CU Nov-Dec 2023

CASE study
similar along the length of the building, it
was different enough that each bay of
steel was slightly dissimilar to the next.
DBM Vircon was able to take these
varying parameters of ever-changing
geometry, steel sizes, plate thicknesses,
welds and bolts quantities and develop
these parametric custom components,
complete with engineered checking data,
to control over 60,000 (82%) of these
connections. A huge time saving as the
geometry evolved.
With 23,861 tonnes of steel in the roof
and façade structure and 79,374 main
pieces of steel within the seven different
Tekla models, the heavy use of
parametric custom components enabled
DBM Vircon to rapidly connect geometry
that would otherwise have been
extremely repetitive and time consuming.
Likewise, connections that were required
to change due to design updates could
be updated on mass, far quicker than
updating manually created ones as in a
typical process.
A custom set of these connection
parameters were exported from Tekla to
Excel, allowing AECOM to rapidly check a
set of parametric connections covering a
wide range of variables. This ensured
consistent output of modelled
connections over having to individually
check many manually applied
connections. DBM Vircon achieved ratios
in some models of 100 parametric
components controlling 10,000
connection locations.
THE RESULTS
"As fabrication has been progressing, a
number of benefits have been identified,"
said Rick Sheldon, Project Manager at
AAHK. The collaborative process required
DBM Vircon and AECOM to work to a
coordinated program, resulting in AAHK
having a much clearer understanding of
the status of the structural steel design, in
particular the connection designs, and the
Architectural construction detailing. This
provided far greater clarity and certainty
with the tender quantities.
The transparency afforded by AAHK's
access to the information in Trimble
Connect provided greater certainty with
tender quantities, resulting in reduced risk
during the tender process. The process
basically eliminated the usual requirement
for significant RFI's post award as AECOM
addressed these prior to tender. It is
believed this will also considerably reduce
the potential for any delays claims.
A more complete set of structural
information was provided to the tenderers
- the extent of steelwork (including often
neglected secondary steelwork) and
more specific structural connection
details required of the Tekla model,
resulting in reduced risk for the delivery of
the entire project.
The collaborative processes developed
by DBM Vircon and AECOM for the
design stage extended into the
construction stage, with a slightly
modified version of the design workflow,
used by the contractor, incorporating
changes in the Tekla Model. These were
required by the contractor's erection
phase analysis consultants for end point
analysis related changes and required
pre-cambers, the steel fabricator for his
fabrication preferences and also the
various subcontractors for the MEP
services, roof and façade subcontractors
for their brackets and secondary
steelwork fixings. This is also being
managed through Trimble Connect."
"We're extremely proud of the teamwork
and collaboration displayed by all project
stakeholders, particularly in the wake of
the major disruptions and dislocations
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," said
Simon Schmitt, Business Manager at
DBM Vircon. AECOM, DBM Vircon and
their mutual use of Tekla Structures and
Trimble Connect played a major role in
enabling this collaboration.
"Trimble Connect allowed for a fully
transparent and traceable 3D platform
where all project stakeholders could
collaborate seamlessly, regardless of their
physical location. It offered a reliable
solution for information transfer and
tagging of ToDo's in the model which was
an integral part of how the engineering
team completed their checks of the live
3D detail model environment where the
approvals took place."
Watch the animation video demonstrating
some of the automated processes here:
https://youtu.be/UVqg2Mkg3o0
www.dbmvircon.com
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