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| Atkins’ BIM tool plays key role on Fort Belvoir US Army  A major realignment and expansion project on the historic Fort Belvoir US Army post is nearing completion, thanks to the help of an innovative new BIM (Building Information Modelling) tool developed by Atkins. The 4D model, which runs on a Google Earth platform, is the first of its kind to be used by the US Army Corps of Engineers and is set to provide a new industry application for BIM.To support the planning and programme management of the Fort Belvoir expansion, which includes over 6 million square feet of new facilities, Atkins was tasked with creating a visualisation tool to coordinate all development activity on the installation across a five-year period. Atkins' programme managers, working closely with technology company Onuma Systems, developed the Google Earth 4D model, which combines 3D BIM models with planning data, AutoCAD files and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) layers, then adds the fourth dimension – time – by incorporating construction schedules. The result is a unique tool providing animation of multiple projects across both time and space, with access to project and site data and details of construction progress. The entire 4D model is available to all authorised team members through a secure web portal. The Fort Belvoir programme comprises a dramatic expansion under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act of 2005. It includes $4.5bn in new construction, completed concurrently with 140 other projects spread across 8,000 acres and a tight five-year schedule. Major new missions include a hospital complex and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, which will almost double the population of the entire installation to some 44,000 employees. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |