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Problems at 4D and 5D Modeling Process - Navisworks and Costx

Research · January 2020

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25669.19684

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Running head: PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 1

Problems at 4D and 5D Modeling Process - Navisworks and CostX

Mert Yacan

AR590 - Building Information Modeling

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Emre İLAL

January 27, 2020

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 2

Abstract

Time and cost are very important variables for efficiency of a project. The BIM technology

which is becoming more popular every day has a big potential to control time and cost values

easily during the design process. The BIM files can be utilized by analysis programs and

easily refreshed after changes on the project. For these technologies to be widely used, it is

important to provide an easy and seamless workflow. This study aims to simulate the process

of modeling BIM, 4D and 5D models and to solve any problems faced during this simulation.

Keywords: Problems, 4D modeling, 5D modeling, BIM;

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 3

Introduction

Success of a construction project is highly related with quality, time and cost

management (Sheng, Tsong, & Khamidi, 2016). It is believed that the emergence of Building

Information Model (BIM), an alternative technology, will solve issues related to project cost

and time control as it easily improves stakeholder cooperation (Haron, Alias, Muhammad, &

Dorothy, 2018).

BIM is very advantageous in term of design change management since it allows real-

time alteration or adjustment on the components of the model (Juszczyk, Tomana, &

Bartoszek, 2016). The model information is rearranged, and adjustments are visible in all

views (Juszczyk et al., 2016). With the analysis speed and adjustable aspect of 4D and 5D

BIM tools, they are becoming very strong tools for the building industry, yet these tools are

still not being utilized by vast majority of companies worldwide.

Goal of this study is simulating a 4D and 5D analysis workflow to determine any

problems a user might face and to find a solution when it’s possible.

Method

To simulate an analysis process as it is done at any architecture or construction offices,

a BIM model is created on Revit and the BIM model is transferred to analysis programs, first

to the Navisworks to create a 4D model and to create an animated construction process then to

the CostX to create a 5D model and to do a cost analysis. Java programming language is used

to create a file converter tool.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 4

4D Modeling and Animated Construction Process

A basic building, with only a slab, four reinforced

columns, four reinforced beams, flooring, one door, two

windows and roof, is modeled on Revit.

To see the response of analysis programs towards

structural elements, some reinforcement bars are added to

the beams.

To continue the study on Navisworks, the model

is exported. We have two file format options for

exporting to Navisworks, IFC and NWC.

Both IFC and NWC options, have settings that the

exported file can be adjusted according to the needs of

the user. The settings can be accessed from the exporting

screen.

The BIM model is imported to the Navisworks

both as an IFC file and NWC file to be able to find

problems and advantages for both workflows. The

importing process of NWC file almost instantly

completed while the process for IFC file took

significantly longer time.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 5

As the both files opened on Navisworks a problem

was clearly visible on the screen. The project imported

with NWC file was rendered with textures on screen

whereas the project imported with IFC file was rendered Imported IFC file

with default texture for all building elements.

Problem 1) Textures getting lost after importing a

model to Navisworks with IFC file format. Imported NWC file

- This problem occurs because the materials used on Revit are from Autodesk

Material Library and their visual properties cannot be exported to IFC files.

- An easy solution for this problem is using NWC file format.

- If IFC file format will be used then sets feature of Navisworks can be used for

coloring some group of building elements created by user.

- To use this solution, sets button which

is located on toolbar’s select and

search section is clicked then manage

sets is selected from the drop-down

menu to open the sets window.

- After the sets window is opened, any

building elements needed to be

colored can be selected as a group or

individually from the selection tree. In this case

IfcWallType is selected from the selection tree and

then save selection button on sets window is clicked

to create a set of walls and it is named walls.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 6

- Then to color the wall sets appearance

profiler button located on the toolbar’s tools

section is clicked to open the appearance

profiler window and by sets panel is selected

from the opened window. The set just created is not visible on the screen because

the panel needs to be refreshed.

- The refresh button on the window is clicked

to refresh the panel and walls set become

visible.

- To give a color to the walls set, walls label is

clicked and from the color selection box a

color is selected.

- Add button is clicked then run button is

clicked to complete the coloring process of

the walls set.

- After the process is completed the walls by

default still look gray because by default the

3d view window is rendered in full render

mode which shows the texture of model

instead of the set color.

- To be able to see the color we just added to

the walls set, from the viewport tab’s render

section, mode is changed into shaded mode.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 7

- Another solution to the texture problem is to select textures for the texture groups

which are already imported but changed into

default groups.

- The texture window can be opened through

render tab then Autodesk rendering button.

- After the texture window is opened, all the

texture groups can be viewed and they are all

converted into grey default textures.

- Any texture wanted to be changed can be

selected with a double click.

- The textures can be modified from the

material editor window. To add an image for

texture groups, the image button is clicked.

- The changes can be seen on the viewport

simultaneously.

After the texture problem is solved, to create a

construction process animation, TimeLiner button is

clicked.
PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 8

The time component for the 5d analysis is added

from the TimeLiner window with created tasks. Each

task consists of elements and a date value.

Add task button is clicked to create a new task and

planned start end dates are selected.

To attach a building element to the tasks, building

elements are selected and attach button is clicked.

Finally, building construction is simulated.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 9

5D Modeling and Cost Calculation

To start 5D modeling the CostX is opened. To export a project from Revit to CostX as

a BIM project, there is only IFC file format option.

To import the IFC file add button is clicked and the

file is selected from the file browser.

The project is successfully imported. The building

elements are shown with different colors which make them

recognizable.

Since there is no section tool at CostX and the

camera is unmovable it is not possible to the building

elements inside.

Problem 2) Building elements at indoors can’t be seen

- To be able to see the elements indoor, transparent view can be preferred.

- To activate transparent view transparent button

from the home section of toolbar is clicked.

- The beam reinforcements, placed for testing the

programs, can easily be viewed at transparent

view.

- Another solution for this problem is selecting

the building elements from the selection tree

located at the model tab.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 10

CostX needs dimension groups and rates to be able to calculate costs. We need to

create groups and import some rate values.

CostX has a nice feature which create dimension groups automatically.

To use the feature, from the Dimensions tab, the

Import button and “Import Dimensions Using BIM

Template” option is selected.

From the opened file browser, the “BIM Import

Revit General.xslt” option is selected.

After the feature is used, the dimension groups are

ready to use under the dimension groups tab.

There are some problems about dimension units.

Some dimensions are needed as count while others needed

as meters and some as square meters.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 11

Problem 3) Dimension groups are shown in wrong units.

- First the wrong dimension units are determined.

(The cost of doors is calculated with counts not

square meters.)

- The dimension units are right clicked.

- The “Edit Dimension Group Properties” is

clicked to open the properties window.

- “Count” option is selected from the Default

Display drop-down menu and “Update” button

is clicked.

- The correct dimension unit can be seen on the

dimension groups window.

- Another solution to this problem is editing the “BIM Import Revit General.xslt”

file with a code editing program according to the needs.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 12

There is a chance that the dimension unit that we want to use in the calculations is not

present in the IFC file that we imported. We need to edit some settings on Revit to solve the

problem.

Problem 4) 1) Imported IFC file is not containing required variables.

- If IFC format will be used, exporting settings should be adjusted to include the base

quantities in the file.

- IFC Export screen is opened with File>Export>IFC menu path.

- On this screen, one of ready-to-use setups can be used or the in-session setup can be

modified.

- To adjust the settings, modify setup button is clicked.

- On the modify setup screen there are many options to modify the content of exported

IFC file.

- To get all the variables present in Revit exported to CostX, first three boxes in the

property sets tab should be ticked.

-
PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 13

For rate values, we can use the unit price list shared by the Environment and Urban

Ministry. The unit price list is shared as an excel file. To be able to import the unit price file

we need to convert it into a CSV file.

To convert the file into a CSV file, the file can be opened with Excel and exported as a

CSV file but if the computer used in this operation has a Turkish OS, the CSV file will

probably be exported with Turkish CSV file settings which will not work with CostX.

Problem 5) CSV file can’t be imported.

- Turkish CSV files are not compatible with CostX. The CSV files must be converted

into international CSV files to be imported to CostX.

- A CSV converter program is written with Java language in the scope of this

project.

- The program can be downloaded through the link:

www.mertyacan.com/csvconverter

After dimension groups and rates are successfully created, the cost calculation can be

performed.

CostX program has two views which are Dimension

View and Costing View. To get to the cost calculation

phase, the Costing View is opened.

Costing View is basically a table where we can

multiply dimension groups with rates we imported or

created.
PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 14

The rates can be added with more complex details like material cost and labor cost.

Rates for oak parquet flooring

The dimension groups and rates can be clicked and dragged to the empty table and the

total cost will be shown at right top corner.

PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 15

Conclusion

BIM, 4D and 5D modeling concepts are promising technologies that might increase

the efficiency and save time, but it is important to analyze how smoothly the analysis

programs work at practice.

The 4D and 5D modeling processes are simulated and 4D modeling process was

relatively easier with only texture problem faced during the simulation. The 5D modeling

process had a regional setting problem for importing rates and two more problems with BIM

object variables. The problems for 5D modeling were more complicated and harder to solve

for users.

While IFC was the only file format available to use at CostX, there were two file

format options for Navisworks which are IFC and NWC. IFC format was, with some

additional export settings, efficient for using with CostX. The NWC format was working

smoothly and fast with Navisworks but when IFC file is used, texture problem is faced and

import process was relatively slower.

All in all, more works should be done to make the workflow easy and seamless so that

the users will have no problems and these new technologies will become standard for

construction sector.
 PROBLEMS AT 4D AND 5D MODELING PROCESS – NAVISWORKS AND COSTX 16

References

Sheng, Lee & Tsong, Cheah & Khamidi, Dr. Mohd Faris. (2016). 5D Building Information

Modelling – A Practicability Review. MATEC Web of Conferences. 66. 00026.

10.1051/matecconf/20166600026.

Haron, Nuzul & Alias, Aidi & Muhammad, Isa & Dorothy, Baba. (2018). Improving Cost and

Time Control in Construction Using Building Information Model (BIM): A Review.

Pertanika Journal of Science and Technology. 26.

Juszczyk, Michał & Tomana, Andrzej & Bartoszek, Maja. (2016). Current Issues of BIM-

based Design Change Management, Analysis and Visualization. Procedia Engineering.

164. 518-525. 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.653.

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