Why BIM is Better than 2D for Concrete Design

If the designers and drafters in your concrete company are still working in CAD with 2D drawings, you may be pressured to solve some of the following issues:

• Financial restrictions
• Pressure to deliver projects faster
• Need for increased accuracy and coordination
• Increased emphasis on information management

Companies are discovering that these issues can be addressed by using building information modeling (BIM). The BIM process enables you and your team to explore a building’s physical and functional features within a 3D digital model during planning and preconstruction.

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Learn all about Revit and BIM in the “Ultimate Guide to Revit.”

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One reason is the fragmented supply chain for concrete production that requires multiple working parts to come together at just the right time, whether it’s on the jobsite or at a prestressed plant. Different designers and suppliers must collaborate and simultaneously deliver the final product – concrete pours. A workable connection between concrete design and detailing is critical. The BIM process can better connect design and detailing with fabrication.

Concrete elements on a project can include walls, floors, beams, columns, and complex curved decks.

When using Autodesk Revit for BIM, the user has access to tools that help model the different types of concrete reinforcement in 3D and then document them.

With BIM-centric workflows, companies in the concrete sector benefit in the following ways:

• 2D documentation can be combined with the greater accuracy of 3D modeling. Drawings, design reports and schedules can be created faster and easier from the 3D model.
• Contractors can better plan and prepare estimates because they have access to accurate quantities in the early stages. Designs and details can be created and coordinated with other trades. This enables a particular focus on preventing errors and avoiding reinforcement clashes onsite. Fabricators can maximize their efficiency in production and delivery, while spending less time on field coordination.
• Project teams can transition from design to detailed model while valuing both perspectives. Using analysis tools, engineers and designers have more insight into the project while creating the design intent of structures. They can also coordinate seamlessly with requirements of local building codes. BIM enables any required changes to be automated and less disruptive to the project.
• Quality and transparency are increased for better bidding and purchasing. In the collaborative environment of BIM, quantifiable information is of higher quality, as well as teams’ access to it. Quantities obtained from the model are more reliable than takeoffs calculated from a 2D drawing. They are also observable for checking purposes.

When your company adopts a BIM process, your team can learn about the ins and outs of a project before construction begins. With new BIM workflows, issues with budget, timing, accuracy, coordination, and information management can be resolved.

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If you want to explore the ways the BIM process can be a wise use of your company’s time and money, contact Applied Software today. The Revit and BIM experts at Applied Software will help you set goals and choose the technology that makes the most sense for you.

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