Coates has introduced building information modelling (BIM) solutions to enhance the efficiency of temporary works.
Major construction and infrastructure projects are like intricate puzzles, where every piece – from architectural design to structural engineering – must fit together perfectly. The success of these massive undertakings hinges on the seamless collaboration of multiple disciplines, each bringing their own specialised knowledge to the table.
But with so many moving parts, the risk of miscommunication, delays and costly errors looms large. This makes finding ways to simplify and streamline the process not just beneficial, but essential.
For more than two decades, BIM has been key to reducing the complexity of these projects, integrating data from a variety of sources to create 3D virtual building models.
David Dragicevich, national technical engineering manager at Coates Engineering Solutions, explains that BIM helps people visualise and comprehend the details and complexity involved in designing, constructing, operating and demolishing buildings.
The application of BIM in temporary works
While BIM has been widely adopted in the construction industry, its uptake has been comparatively slow for temporary works, says Dragicevich.
“Customers are now requesting digital models of our products, and we’re increasingly seeing BIM integration specified as a supplier requirement when tendering for Tier 1 contracts,” he says.
To meet this demand, Coates Engineering Solutions has launched a suite of BIM content in the widely used Revit format for its most popular temporary works products. From 1 October, digital models of Coates’ award-winning Quadshore Prop System, Universal Prop System, Dono Brace, and Tilt Prop range are available to customers at no additional charge.
“By providing BIM content for our products, we’re enabling project owners and their engineering teams to integrate temporary works into their designs,” says Dragicevich. “We’re also helping customers to tender competitively and to harness the value of more informed, efficient and cost-effective solutions.”
Building smarter, building better
Integrating BIM into temporary works enables safer, more efficient construction processes and improved project outcomes for the industry. It can facilitate better collaboration between stakeholders, assist with decision-making, streamline project management and documentation, as well as improve design, efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness of a project.
“Not everyone can read technical drawings, but the visualisation that BIM offers affords everyone a good understanding of the temporary works design and its wider context,” explains Dragicevich.
“By centralising all project data, BIM ensures everyone in the design team can make decisions based on current, reliable and highly contextual data. It also highlights where these designs overlap, and where there’s potential for conflict.
“If we attend site for the first time to install a temporary works solution, we often find some unexpected conditions onsite that require adjustments to be made. BIM gives you a much better understanding of the environment you are designing for, and will be working in, before you get to site.”
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Modelling the built environment in three dimensions can also make it much faster and easier to translate temporary works designs into highly detailed drawings.
“BIM brings more detail, context and understanding to the design of temporary works, without necessarily costing you more in design time or labour to build,” says Dragicevich. “It also allows a broader range of factors to be considered and design efficiencies to be achieved outside of the scope of temporary works.”
For example, Dragicevich says using BIM allows project teams to optimise structural components by identifying areas where fewer or lower-capacity elements may be sufficient. Conversely, it can also pinpoint locations where additional support might be necessary to maintain the safety and integrity of the overall solution.
“Extending BIM to include temporary works empowers project teams to find these efficiencies,” says Dragicevich. “It also informs design accommodations like access requirements and the type of machinery that can be moved into and used in the space.”
Crucially, the enhanced project documentation enabled by BIM solutions can set a project on the right path from the very start.
“Construction project delays are often caused by inaccurate or insufficient project documentation, miscommunication and other clashes that occur during design,” says Dragicevich. “BIM provides a way to address many of these design phase challenges.”
“Improving the efficiency of design and project documentation helps to automate these processes – as with highly accurate and comprehensive 3D models to work from, you no longer need to reinvent the wheel every time changes need to be made.”
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