A new bridge, which will replace the older Nerlandsoy Bridge from 1968, is being planned. The bridge will connect the islands Bergsoya and Nerlandsoy in Heroy Municipality in Norway. Ramboll is working on the design for the bridge.
In normal conditions at this point in the construction, Ramboll would typically bring paper sketches of everything from road designs to the bridge’s foundation while examining the site together with the contractor.
They’d then meet at the site with a set of drawings. They’d be going through pictures to examine the road’s design to the sewer and water and so on. Mili Myrteza Terstena from Ramboll clarifies.
As the Head for Automation and BIM-Lead, Terstena is responsible for the development of new processes and automating them and tasks within Ramboll. He is passionate about innovative AR visualization technology. Instead of drawing on paper, Ramboll made use of Trimble SiteVision to visualize the models at the site during meetings together with the Owner, More, and Romsdal County Council early in January 2021. “I will never again use 2D drawings for site inspections, commented Halvor Knutsen, Head of Road at Ramboll, during his first experience with utilizing SiteVision on site.”
They’d then meet on-site with a selection of drawings. They would then go through sketches to see how the road’s design to those of sewers and water and so on. Mili Myrteza Terstena from Ramboll clarifies.
Imagine the BIM 3D model by using AR models on your smartphone.
Ramboll employs their Novapoint software to create Road and Water and Sewer. For the brand new Nerlandsoy Bridge project, they additionally use their Tekla solution to make structures. Every domain model is exported into the Trimble Quadri to create the entire model of infrastructure.
TrimBIM is a TrimBIM format used for the model information exported in Quadri to SiteVision. It ensures the texturing capabilities and the powerful 3D viewing capabilities of the Quadri model are preserved. If you save your model files within Trimble Connect, these can be opened by SiteVision to be viewed on-site, Anders Hoie from Trimble explains.
SiteVision has support for open formats, such as IFC as well as DWG. So, using Novapoint and Quadri options isn’t necessary to be successful using SiteVision. The data flow stays the same.
Jan Halvor Knutsen is inspecting the 3D model of the brand-new Nerlandsoy Bridge using Trimble SiteVision. Photo: Ramboll
In the course of examining the site together with members of the County Council, Knutsen, the Project Manager at Ramboll and in charge of Ramboll’s Nerlandsoy Bridge project, had an entirely new experience:
We were able to see our 3D model and observe how the model will appear using precise measurements and positioning. Additionally, we need to discern where we’d need to make changes to ensure the model’s design is functional, according to Knutsen. With SiteVision, it is possible to study the model within the context of the actual world and explore it, looking at the design from every angle.
Knutsen adds that the feedback received from the Owner’s perspective is that this method of conducting site visits makes it simpler to visualize the project as opposed to using 2D sketches.
Enabling more informed decision-making
Experience and viewing the 3D model on-site gives an encompassing and complete understanding of the infrastructure planned as opposed to a deck of sketches. Additionally, the ability to see the model on the ground is based on previous experience, Terstena comments.
This image comes from SiteVision, showing the various parts that are part of the Nerlandsoy Bridge project; it illustrates how the new road, which is shown in the correct dimensions and location, will match the current route. Photo: Ramboll
Civil engineers who are conducting the design have this knowledge, but not all other project participants may be able to do this. This is the reason why using AR technology to visualize models is extremely beneficial.
For example, the use of SiteVision to wander around the model at a site can allow a politician to have more information about an infrastructure project, which, in turn, will allow better decision-making, Terstena explains.
The same is true for affected neighbors who are now capable of assessing how the bridge’s proposed design could affect their view or the lighting conditions. In general, it’s nearly impossible to imagine the new structure based on drawings. Says.
According to Terstena, the list doesn’t end there. This kind of visualization is extremely helpful when making decisions on whether the design fits with its surroundings in real life. Consider this scenario: We have created a bridge that people find to be rather ugly. In this instance, it’s just a couple of clicks; we could upload and view a new design using SiteVision quickly, which could be more popular with the people who are involved.
Savings for the Owner
Anders Hove, customer responsible for SiteVision in the Nordics He, says that in the last year, a lot of engineers, contractors, and owners are getting their eyes fixed on the possibilities offered by tools such as SiteVision.
It’s not an accident, Hoie continues, as high-quality 3D models are an essential requirement for success with SiteVision. The Nordics is the most favored region for these, as well as the precise Nordic 3D models paired with the latest AR technologies from the US in addition to New Zealand, where SiteVision is being developed, is an incredible combination.
The brand-new Nerlandsoy Bridge model is visualized through Trimble SiteVision. Photo: Ramboll
This allows us to look at the whole extent of a project and see both what’s underneath and above the surface. This will enable us to prevent model conflicts during the initial phases of the project and, consequently, qualify for cost reductions, says Terstena.
The feedback received from Trimble from industry professionals confirms that the tool has facilitated collaboration between contractors and civil engineers. In projects that involve many stakeholders, it could also be a great idea to stream live streaming of the model’s view from out in the field to offices, which allows several participants to participate in the site inspection and talk about the model in a real-world setting. Hoie says that live streaming can be achieved by using digital meeting platforms like Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. This could result in a reduction of travel time, which could save time and money as well as the environment.
Images taken from SiteVision can offer valuable insight into the discussions that take place in virtual and in-person meetings. Photo: Ramboll
This type of work is also extremely convenient because, nowadays, taking part in virtual meetings at home from a desk is the norm for a lot of us. Terstena was actually the first to come up with this idea, and we’re happy that it is available to everyone SiteVision users, according to Hoie.
AR technology is beneficial for contractors who work on-site. They don’t require a thorough knowledge of BIM in order to make use of SiteVision. The ability to view the plans on-site alongside the existing conditions using SiteVision can be beneficial for civil engineers who typically spend their time in offices. We also observe that owners make use of SiteVision to give landowners a visual understanding of how the completed project will affect the local community as well as the nearby regions, Hoie continues.
For Terstena, over the last few years, it has been more and more easy to create excitement and enthusiasm for the concept of the project in the initial phases of the project. This is in large part due to BIM models. In the present, SiteVision is taking it one step further: AR technology enables a better understanding of the shape and depth and shape, which is before construction actually begins. I’m convinced that visualization using AR is vital in the future of infrastructure projects. Terstena is closing.
What is Trimble SiteVision? Trimble SiteVision works
Trimble SiteVision is an outdoor user-friendly AR system that brings information to life so you can explore and visualize complicated information with unprecedented precision. Trimble SiteVision is an AR solution comprised of a mobile app as well as a GNSS receiver that you connect to your phone. SiteVision offers high-accuracy positioning and lets you view the models on your phone’s screen in precise dimensions.