Misc. metal matters

What happens when theatrical rigging submittals are not received until after MEP coordination?

Clash!! :

Walking the room in the field, taking photos with the iPad, and analyzing alternate coordination options in the BIM model provides us with images and scenarios that we can use to communicate with the applicable trades (and design team if needed) to minimize any impact that this issue might have had on the project.

Connections matter

On Middle school #3 the site utilities were modeled for coordination.  In the field there is always a debate about who makes the final connection.  In the BIM world we ran into the same situation...two trades with connecting models but neither taking the time to create the connection.

The focus of our BIM site utility coordination was to check for clashes between systems that crossed each other and not necessarily focused on the connections.  Besides, this connection looks ok in the model, right?



Wrong.  As was discovered in the field and as you can see in an elevation view of the model below, this connection would require the sewer line to run uphill.

The root cause was an error in the Civil drawings that showed the connection elevation lower than the rest of the sewer system:

Once this issue was identified the BIM model was very helpful in looking at and testing other options in a virtual environment; however, had this connection been modeled in the 1st place, the issue would have been discovered before the pipe was in the ground.  Lesson learned.

Parking Garage Headroom Clearance

To make sure code required headroom clearance was maintained in the parking garage levels, "allowable fly zone" areas were added to the BIM model.

Drain line discovered below allowable clearance

Fire protection branch line discovered below allowable ADA path of travel clearance

Column Caps

Column caps added to BIM model to check clashes against utilites

Compression Post lessons learned

A lessons learned brought to our attention by Suffolk-Roel Superintendent Chris Monahan was ACT compression posts interfering with MEP systems during field installation.  For Middle School #3 all ACT and pendant light compression posts were added to the BIM model and coordinated before construction.

ACT compression post:

Pendant light compression post:

Compression post clashes identified in BIM model:

Compression post and MEP clashes resloved in coordinated BIM model:

Compression post installed per coordinated location in BIM model: