Image: Polyscan

Photogrammetry is the method of using photographs to make 2D and 3D computer models.

Photogrammetry’s two biggest advantages are ease of use and easy access. Everybody has a digital camera and a 3D computer model can be created simply by pushing a button to process the photos (usually on the cloud) into 3D models.

How does photogrammetry work?

You take a lot of photos of an object, be it a part, product, building, structure, project site, etc., from different angles, going all around it, and input them all into a photogrammetry application which will stitch them all together to make what is essentially a 3D image.

Like the 2D images you took with your camera, the photogrammetry image looks like the object but is not to scale. You need to scale the 3D image up or down so it is dimensionally accurate. For example, if a room is measured at 25 feet, but the photogrammetry image has it at 25 inches, you will need to scale it up 12 times.

From then on, you can use the photogrammetry model for measurement.

What are alternatives to photogrammetry?

Photogrammetry is one type of “reality capture” software. Another reality capture method is LiDAR. LiDAR is more accurate. LiDAR generates a point cloud, which is not as user-friendly as a photogrammetry image. Each point could be at mm-level accuracy (depending on the LiDAR sensor), but LiDAR hardware is usually more expensive and LiDAR systems are typically more difficult to use.

What are the applications of photogrammetry?

Photogrammetry can make 3D models for reverse engineering, orthomosaic and symbolic maps, GIS software layers or triangulated meshes of building site.

If you have used Google’s Street View, you have used photogrammetry. Google uses specially designed vehicle-mounted cameras that take multiple photos as the vehicle moves down the street. Google’s servers stitch the pictures together to create a 3D image of the roads.

Bridge inspection can be done using cameras mounted on drones flying over and under bridges and with photogrammetry, bridge inspectors can inspect a 3D model of the bridge in the comfort and safety of their office.

In civil engineering, construction, mining, and waste management, photogrammetry models can monitor project progress by analyzing the volumes of cuts, fills, and piles.

Photogrammetry can be used to produce nicely rendered 3D images of historical artifacts for museums. When online, these images can make a museum’s holdings accessible to the public and scholars worldwide.

The accuracy issue

Photogrammetry, which creates 3D images of smaller objects, say on a one-foot scale or less than one meter scale, has been slow to catch on, perhaps due to accuracy issues. All CMMs (coordinate measuring machines) use lasers, not photos, for precise measurement.

How about the quality?

What a mess! Quick images created with photogrammetry have disappointed me.

The quality of photogrammetry’s results depends on several factors, including the number of photos taken (25 to 200, the more the better, according to one vendor), the quality of the images, the software’s ability to detect edges and features, and finally, in its ability to seamlessly stitch the photos together. Lured in by stunning 3D images, seamless and colorful scenes or carefully staged interiors created by photogrammetry vendors or professionals, beginners will be disappointed by their results, usually a ragged and blotchy 3D image with significant gaps (where the camera did not see), shapes that appear in the image that were not there (such as a mysterious undulating black shape on the left of the picture above), objects not intended to be captured (such as those in the background of a product shot) or objects missed altogether or with parts of objects the software is somehow unable to resolve. Interloping background objects can be cropped using 3D volumes but a ragged or missing surface could mean a re-shoot.

Photogrammetry is a technology with much promise, but after multiple attempts with many different consumer-grade apps, I have yet to create a photogrammetry image worth keeping.

The post What is photogrammetry? appeared first on Engineering.com.

SketchUp is the first CAD program to directly use the LiDAR from consumer
devices. Trimble, the company that owns SketchUp, announced that it will use the built-in LiDAR on Apple’s giant iPads (iPad Pro) to create a SketchUp model from a scan. You may not have an iPad Pro, but after reading about how
fast and easy it is to make 3D models of buildings and interiors, you may very well want one.

Suppose you are a general contractor, interior designer, floorer, real estate agent, broker or DIYer… let’s say anyone who needs a floor plan or a 3D model, anyone who has had to use a tape measure to lay out an as-built, a homeowner who needs a floor plan for a permit and doesn’t want to hire an architect… All those that have had to spend hours taking measurements can
all now pretty much wave an iPad at the walls and voila! Up pops a 3D SketchUp model. Modeling of existing spaces and as-builts has never been easier.

Accuracy or speed? Pick one. 

Here is the LiDAR scanner on the latest model of the iPad Pro. Image: Apple.

Okay, it’s not quite
as quick as implied. It takes a few minutes to paint the walls, as it were, with the invisible LiDAR beam of the iPad. It takes a few more minutes to process the LiDAR data
(Trimble does that on the cloud). You have to have a few things in place, like a license for SketchUp. And, of course, you must have a recent model iPad Pro, at least a 5th generation. They’re the most expensive tablets you can buy. The most recent and most significant, the 13″ model iPad Pro 6th generation, was recently introduced with a starting price of $1299. Then there are models with extra RAM models, the Pencil, the keyboard, insurance… and the cost can climb to over $3K.

Clearly, the iPad Pro can’t be a toy; it must be a tool. Then, think of it not as a very expensive tape measure but a very reasonably
priced scanner. Trimble’s professional quality laser scanners, for which it is
famous, can be 10 to 20 times as much.Think of it as CAD operator, but one you buy and keep. Much to your delight, you will find that it can do 2D
and 3D, unlike most CAD operators, for whom 2D is their only space.

We have looked at several apps that use Apple devices, including Polycom (our current favorite for its interface and one-price-all-you-can-eat-for-one price: $99.99/year), CamToPlan,& Canvas (used by SketchUp), and Magicplan/a>.
All these applications are most impressive for their ability to recognize walls, ceilings, windows, and doors
using Apple’s built-in RoomPlan& framework and
its LiDAR hardware. Canvas.io and SketchUp ups the ante, acting in concert to tag objects.
Scan-to-Design, as this feature is called in SketchUp, is smart enough to recognize and tag furniture, such as tables, chairs, and sofas, storage (closets), appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, dishwashers, TVs, sinks, toilets, and bathtubs. These are stored as blocks and can be moved, replaced, etc., as single objects.

Accuracy or speed. Pick one. 

All the LiDAR apps for Apple devices work by pressing a record button which
immediately lets the app gather the walls and other features in an interior space. The best of them (Polycam) let you see the 3D model as you scan,
detecting edges and corners for walls, furniture, visually verify your LiDAR coverage with an inset image of a 3D model. It’s magical and fun. Others, such as Canvas and SketchUp implementation of it, cover the scanned surfaces with a 3D mesh or attempt a fully rendered 3D model. The 3D mesh and the rendered 3D model will easily confirm areas that have been scanned so you
don’t miss a spot. Still, the mesh and rendered model move around, quivering
like Jello, seemingly constantly updating, which is a little distracting compared to the neater, more precise-looking, more stable 3D model
Polycam uses. 

Still, both are a welcome alternative to a tape-measure and sketch approach in
widespread practice today. At the end of your scan, you may finally use a tape measure (or laser measure) to check one or two dimensions to confirm the miracle: you have captured all the details of a space without a single measurement until
it was all over.

In all fairness, you will find your tape measure to be more accurate than the Apple LiDAR models,
which can be off 1 to 2%, according to Canvas.io. Over a 50 ft length, that can
be a whole foot. Don’t stop reading. The apparent advantage of accuracy over tape or laser measure is at least partially offset by building inaccuracy.
Walls are rarely completely square to each other. A wall-to-wall measurement on
one side of the room could be different than on the other side. A single
measurement, even with a laser measurement, could give you a false sense of
accuracy. A scan, however, will accurately capture the out-of-square in the as-built
with millions of measurements. But most importantly, even with drift error from
room to room, whatever you have lost in accuracy, you have gained in time. It can take hours to measure up each floor and make a CAD drawing, something you have accomplished in minutes by scanning. 

For trades in which utmost accuracy is required, such as flooring, which may
need to cut to the 16th of an inch, it would be wise to use tape or laser measurement.

Scanning in SketchUp

The Scan-to-Design command is hidden in the Other Tools button in the latest release of SketchUp for the iPad. Click on it and press the button. Point it at a wall to activate the Canvas technology. You will see the giant iPad screen fill up immediately with a 3D mesh that drapes over walls, doors, windows, furniture…

Here are the settings for SketchUp’s new scanning feature.

You can vary the resolution of the grid from 2 to 12 inches. You move the iPad up, down, and sideways
in a sinusoidal path, more or less, watching the grid drape over all the iPad sees.
Don’t trip over the furniture. Move too fast and you get a warning. If you
haven’t turned on all the lights you might end up in a dark hallway and the
scanning will lose its place and you will have to start over. Had you read the instructions, you would have known to clear the path of obstructions and turn on all the lights. Oops. It’s okay to overlap as you
move about. A little overlap is encouraged in these scanning apps but too much overlap can be confusing. The app
may not register the end of the scan with the beginning due to drift error
accumulating over the length of the scan in a really big space but you can
correct that in SketchUp.

The Scan-to-Design feature, like in the other scanning apps, does an excellent job of guessing where corners are, even able to determine the existence of corners hidden behind furniture or clutter, by inferring that a corner
at ceiling level has a similar corner on the cluttered floor. So smart! This is
a big advantage over tape measurement — you don’t have to move the furniture to stick in a tape measure.

It’s a mosaic more than a 3D photo. You’ll have to hide it to see the 3D SketchUp model.

When you are done scanning, you tell Scan-to-Design so
by pushing a button to upload the mesh to the cloud where it will be; after a minute or two for larger scans, but without any effort on your part, all that has been captured is turned into a SketchUp model. It may not look like a SketchUp model at first. You will see a ragged and blotchy
mosaic that if you squint, looks like a 3D photo. This is common to most consumer-level scanners which are unable to seamlessly stitch and iron out the micro images captured by the
scanner. No matter. The offending 3D mosaic comes in on its own layer. Turn the visibility of the layer off, and viola! Your  SketchUp model
pops into view. 

The SketchUp model appears when you turn off the layer for the
colored model.

You can work with the as-built room or building like any other SketchUp model
— because it is one. Dan Scofield of Trimble, who gave us this demo, used his hotel room as an example,
capturing it, then upgrading it by switching out the furniture (using models from SketchUp 3D Warehouse) and moving walls
for a better layout. The app performed like a pro in Scofield’s video of the Scan-to-Design scan. It was less fluid in my hands
— no doubt because I tried it on an Apple iPad over three years old. (I have
since ordered the latest model and expect it to perform flawlessly, even faster
than was demoed since the latest model has the Apple’s latest processor, the
M4.)

Get yourself a
room upgrade. Since SketchUp recognizes objects such as walls, beds, furniture, etc., from the scan, the objects can be easily moved and swapped out. Here is the same  hotel room but with furniture rearranged and walls moved for better space utilization.

The Scan-to-Design feature in SketchUp may have finally succeeded in removing
tape measurement and floor plan sketching in the workflow of architects,
interior designer and contractors, and hopefully launched a whole generation into 3D
and BIM.

The post SketchUp lets you scan a space with an iPad appeared first on Engineering.com.

This white paper will help provide guidance on how your firm can go about it practically, evaluating and successfully executing the adoption of the technology you need to progress and stay competitive in the market.

You will learn:

• Top challenges facing the AEC industry
• Technology trends in AEC, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data
• Practical steps to take when implementing digital technologies

Your download is sponsored by ARKANCE.

The post AEC Industry Tech Trends: What to Invest in Now, Next and Later appeared first on Engineering.com.

(Image: LANTANA LED.)

The advent of artificial lighting forever changed the landscape of how humans live and work. While constant access to light created new opportunities for productivity, traditional lighting was crafted for seeing when it was dark outside and made it possible to work indoors. However, not considered was the effect of depriving us of natural light.

Lighting and human health has been one of the latest areas of focus for LANTANA LED.

With extensive knowledge and experience in circadian lighting, Dawn Pogue, Channel Manager at LANTANA LED explains, “We have consistently addressed indoor lighting challenges by identifying the issue at hand and strategizing solutions. LANTANA LED is prioritizing circadian lighting to address the growing need for human health and well-being in commercial spaces.”

In the realm of modern illumination, the quest for lighting solutions that mimic the benefits of natural light has led to the emergence of Biological LED lighting. This innovative approach not only seeks to replicate the positive effects of sunlight but also addresses the detrimental impacts of artificial lighting on human health and well-being.

Natural Light Versus Artificial Lighting

Humans need sunlight. Unfortunately, most people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors under artificial lights. Depending on the facility, some workers may not get any real light while on duty. Considering that burnout and exhaustion are on the rise, with one study noting that 52% of respondents frequently or always felt exhausted, the time has come to consider the true effects of natural and artificial light on humans and how human-centric lighting can assist in keeping employees healthier.

Sunlight varies throughout the day from morning sunlight infused with more blue light to evening with warmer amber hues that signal the brain to produce melatonin for sleep. Circadian entrainment is an approximately 24-hour cycle that humans need to reset and recharge. The process helps the body coordinate its vital functions, including cell regeneration.

Regardless of the type of sunlight, one study indicated that spending a median of 2.5 hours outdoors in the daylight can greatly affect one’s well-being, significantly reducing the potential for depressive disorders.

When a person’s circadian rhythm is aligned, it not only provides energy to get through the day but also enhances the quality of sleep. Even getting 30 minutes of direct sunlight daily has proven to help people sleep better at night. A good night’s rest goes hand in hand with enhanced productivity, another benefit of natural light. Absorbing the sun’s rays, especially during the day with blue light, increases alertness, focus and energy. Natural lighting helps create a pleasant working environment, which can also influence employee satisfaction.

Although science has proven the benefits of taking in natural light, the modern world does not always accommodate this basic human need. Constant exposure to inefficient lighting can lead to headaches, vision issues, depression and fatigue. Compounded over time, these conditions increase the chances of long-term illnesses, including diabetes, heart conditions and some cancers.

From too much to too little light, the amount and type of light create conditions that may make employees lose focus, work slower and decrease morale. That in turn increases the chances of higher turnover and absenteeism. Decreased focus also impacts the rates of workplace injuries and accidents.

Creating Human-Centric Light

The blending of human biology and lighting technology is now making it possible for public and private entities to install lighting that not only lets employees see better, but which also works to promote circadian rhythms. The latest circadian LED lighting mimics how light regulates the body, incorporating different colors and intensities that align with the natural light cycle.

While the rods and cones in the retina allow humans to see and provide color and details, scientists have uncovered the cells that absorb light and emit signals to the brain regarding light levels. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) have a receptor called melanopsin, which creates the non-visual responses to light needed for the circadian rhythm.

The ipRGCs in the retina communicate blue light levels to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is the human biological clock. This constant clock relies on taking in circadian blue between 460 to 490 nm during the daytime for energy.

The science behind lighting also revolves around color, intensity and illumination. The established color temperature scale (CTS) reflects the visual spectral output of LED lighting. As opposed to melanopsin, which triggers a biological response, CTS provides a psychological response. A CTS above 4,600 creates blue-white light that is cool and evokes a sense of energy while lower levels provide a non-temperature warmth that can impact melatonin production. Lighting designers use Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) to translate the Kelvin scale to CTS.

While traditional LED lighting provided a more efficient means of providing light, it still lacked qualities that align with the human body. The spectral power distribution (SPD) graph provides a way to determine the effect of light on humans, enabling the creation of more lighting colors and accurate output. This visual representation of a light source’s wavelengths also showed that there are gaps in the spectra.

Illustration of color spectrum of the sun, circadian and conventional LED lighting relative to the Cyan distribution and gap. (Image: LANTANA LED.)

“Color correlated temperature is not an indicator of the biological impact of a light,” Pogue said. “Careful selection of the semiconductor material, doping it with appropriate elements and optimizing the LED design to emit light in the blue wavelength range of 480 to 490 nanometers is required for circadian influence.”

Lighting professionals can tailor lighting solutions that not only enhance visual perception but also support the body’s biological responses to light using the Melanopic/Photopic (M/P) ratio, which compares how different light sources affect both visual and non-visual functions. A high M/P of more than 0.9 mimics the blue-filled sunlight of the morning while a M/P ratio under 0.4 provides depleted blue light that signals the body to start slowing down.

Illustration showing cyan levels in circadian and the biological impact. (Image: LANTANA LED.)

Another key measurement is the Equivalent Melanopic Lux (EML). EML is a more comprehensive measure of the light’s impact on human biology than traditional lux measurements. EML focuses on the melanopsin response rather than just melatonin suppression. The WELL Building Standard recommends aiming for 200 EML during daylight hours.

Circadian lighting stands at the forefront of revolutionizing indoor illumination by harmonizing our biological rhythms with the natural patterns of daylight. Its benefits extend across diverse industries, enhancing productivity in office settings by boosting alertness and reducing fatigue, improving patient outcomes in healthcare facilities through better sleep and mood regulation and fostering learning environments in educational institutions by optimizing focus and cognitive function. Embracing circadian lighting not only elevates the quality of illuminated spaces but also nurtures well-being and performance across a spectrum of professional domains.

Elevate your lighting experience and read more about circadian lighting at LANTANA LED here.

The post Biological LED lighting: A tool for employee well-being appeared first on Engineering.com.

To help handle the growing workload, digital delivery offers a valuable solution to organizations seeking increased productivity and efficiency. Digital delivery can help organizations do more with less, delivering projects faster with leaner teams. It is also becoming more widely accepted by governing agencies, with owners increasingly relying on digital products instead of printed plan sets to build projects large and small.

In this white paper, you will learn:

• What digital delivery is
• How digital delivery can be used by public agencies
• What to consider when pursuing digital delivery in your organization

Your download is sponsored by U.S. CAD, An ARKANCE Company.

The post Digital Delivery of Civil Engineering Projects: The New Normal appeared first on Engineering.com.

Interoperability agreements initiated by Autodesk to its rivals mark a sharp contrast to Autodesk’s previous administrations. Autodesk fought tooth and nail at the turn of the last century to keep its data proprietary, taking to court the fight to keep its DWG format a secret.

“Autodesk is dedicated to creating open, integrated, cloud-powered solutions that empower our customers by unlocking data and connecting project teams,” stated Amy Bunszel, executive vice president of architecture, engineering, and construction solutions at Autodesk. “The extension of Autodesk’s cloud and desktop solutions with Nemetschek interoperability is a significant stride towards streamlining workflows and enhancing the ability to deliver superior project outcomes.”

It is a marriage made, if not in heaven, at least in the cloud. The data exchange occurs in both companies’ cloud products and lays the foundation for sharing data between desktop products.

It would be a marriage made in heaven if CAD rivals adopted the same data structure, such as IFC, rather than share data formats, but this is a good start.

International firms come into design and construction projects each with their own language, spoken in different applications and data formats, creating a veritable Tower of Babel, with none able to understand the other. In this world, interoperability agreements are like Rosetta stones.

With Autodesk’s Revit the BIM market leader in the U.S. and Nemetschek’s Archicad and Allplan leaders in Europe (and its Vectorworks the leading CAD program on Mac) the Autodesk Nemetschek agreement is a big deal … and in some ways, an intercontinental and inter-device industry pact of sorts.

This cooperative agreement between Autodesk and Nemetschek isn’t the first of its kind. In 2008, Autodesk and Bentley Systems set a precedent by signing a pledge to allow their AEC data to flow between their applications. Autodesk followed suit with Trimble in 2016. With this agreement, Nemetschek becomes the final major vendor with which Autodesk will share data, marking a significant shift in the industry landscape.

Autodesk’s share-the-data wealth extends into mechanical design, with interoperability agreements with both PTC (2006) and
Siemens (2016, PLM only).

The only big CAD vendor missing in Autodesk’s commune is Dassault Systèmes.

The post Autodesk announces interoperability agreement with Nemetschek appeared first on Engineering.com.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize those activities and every other aspect of the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) industry, from the initial design to management and maintenance when it’s complete.

With these AI-powered efficiencies, AECO companies can tackle some of the industry’s biggest challenges, including rising interest rates, widening labor gaps and growing sustainability requirements.

In this eBook, you’ll learn:

• The current state of AI in construction
• Potential AI applications for accelerating each stage of the project lifecycle while reducing errors
• How firms can effectively navigate the AI revolution and take advantage of the opportunities it presents

Your download is sponsored by Bluebeam.

The post Bracing for Change: The Coming AI Revolution in Construction appeared first on Engineering.com.

Oshkosh, Wis., the city made famous by OshKosh B’gosh bib overalls for children, is now getting attention for another type of software — 3D visualization in the digital realm. The little city of 67,000 on Lake Winnebago has been 3D modeled in great detail.

The buildings were created using the popular 3D modeling program SketchUp, but a recently introduced a universal scene description (USD) graphic file software connector is what enabled detailed views of all the buildings, trees, infrastructure, vehicles and watercraft.

Trimble, the company that owns SketchUp, is a member of the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD), whose founding members include visualization heavyweights Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk and Nvidia. AOUSD aims to make the USD file format (created by Pixar) a universal standard. Nvidia has fully embraced the USD format, making it the foundation for Nvidia Omniverse, a platform of APIs, SDKs and services to let developers easily integrate USD and RTX rendering technologies into existing software tools as well as modeling and simulation workflows.

USD was initially conceived to render the backgrounds in video games and 3D animated movies — including millions of models that populate imaginary worlds and cities with fictional characters. Cutting-edge AEC design firms such as Chicago-based community and urban design consultancy Houseal Lavigne Associates were quick to seize on USD to portray real-world locations having millions of objects. The USD format lends itself to efficient viewing of large datasets. A USDZ derivative (with Z standing for zip) allows AR and VR viewing of these locations.

This is an initial SketchUp model of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Image: Trimble.

The Oshkosh city model was created by a team led by Houseal Lavigne principal and cofounder Devin Lavigne. The Chicago-based firm provides 3D visualization services to city planners and architectural firms aiming to show proposed projects in 3D AR/VR with high visual fidelity. Such immersive experiences serve to convey spaces, explain visions, and dazzle decision makers. That’s in contrast with communicating via 1/36 scale models or 2D renderings and stylized artwork that can be somewhat less impressive.

Lavigne starts with early conceptual 3D models made with SketchUp and then (using Omniverse) adds layer upon layer of eye candy — a brick-like texture on one layer, foliage on another, leaves on a tree lollipop, vehicles on the roads — until the scene comes to life. One can still tell it’s computer rendering, not a photograph, but the difference between the original SketchUp models and the result is night and day.

This would’ve been practically impossible with the old USD converter, Lavigne explains, because the USDZ exporter understands model components.

More specifically, every tree, car, building, window, and so on is a component. Once created, a given model can reuse these components as a way to keep file size down. One window component might be copied and reused thousands of times on a given building and even throughout a city. Changes on one instance of a window design propagate to all other instances. Likewise, thousands of instances of a tree can be concurrently changed to autumn colors or swapped with another species … it’s a cinch.

A previous USD connector didn’t take advantage of components. With the new connector, users can bring whole city models into Omniverse. Will this capability be easy enough for architects to use? Lavigne thinks so. The program is a lot like Adobe Photoshop, which architects use all the time.

The Oshkosh model details the city to LOD two and a half according to Nikolas Davis, who helped with the modeling, and the environs in lesser detail. The urban model is meant to be used for city planners who are looking at plans for downtown development, such as how a planned building might block views or enhance the skyline. (Yes, Oshkosh has one.) The model is not accurate in the GIS sense as it’s not geolocated and doesn’t account for terrain or the curvature of the Earth. “Oshkosh is on a 2° slope,” says Davis. “We did not model that.”

Still, the use of Nvidia Omniverse and the new USDZ converter expands the world of SketchUp users.

The post Modeling a whole city with CAD? Universal scene description makes it possible. appeared first on Engineering.com.

You can review construction companies who have made the change to digital and the results they realized. You will learn why it’s never been a better time for small and mid-size companies to make the transition along with tips for starting your digital journey.

Download this free eBook to learn how small construction businesses can go digital to maximize their full potential.

You will learn:

• The hidden costs of paper-based workflows
• How going digital can help your team design and build more efficiently, profitably, and securely
• Tips for getting started on your digital journey

Your download is sponsored by U.S. CAD, An ARKANCE Company.

The post 6 Reasons Small Businesses Get Big Benefits from Construction Software appeared first on Engineering.com.

Recent updates to Autodesk’s InfraWorks offer new possibilities to bridge and tunnel modelers. With modified workflows in InfraWorks 2025, designers can better visualize key components of their work and more readily collaborate with designers working in Inventor or Revit.

InfraWorks, a conceptual design tool for modeling, analyzing and visualizing infrastructure design concepts, originated as a geo-visualization solution developed by 3D Geo GmbH, a German company acquired by Autodesk in 2008. Under the Autodesk umbrella, InfraWorks was tweaked to focus on the emerging concept of building information modeling (BIM) in the infrastructure industry. With the latest release, designers have new tools to model designs more realistically.

Instead of using generic objects to represent tunnel portals, designers can now use parametric portals to represent the ends of circular or rectangular tunnels. Parametric portals better adapt to project terrain and alignment geometry. Designers can also now remove multiple terrain layers with a single click instead of having to remove layers individually.

InfraWorks 2025 also includes an enhanced algorithm for configuring tunnel rings. When bored ring tunnels are added to a model, the rings are generated, inserted and rotated to best follow the geometry of the host component road. The ring segment seams are staggered to avoid aligning with seams of adjacent rings, which can result in cruciform joints that can be points of potential structural weakness. Users can specify tunnel regions to disallow segment seams in successive rings to avoid cruciform joints.

For designers who also work with elements designed in Inventor or Revit, the latest release of InfraWorks has improved how design elements are stored. File paths are stored more consistently for access by teams working with parametric content stored in Autodesk Docs.

Revit designers can also create bored rings instead of relying solely on rings created in Inventor. Revit-created rings become part of the library and can be manipulated in InfraWorks. The rings also remain editable during the documentation phase in Revit, allowing users to make minor edits at the end of the Revit design workflow.

Bridge designers can now develop and work with girder tendons that are not already in the InfraWorks tendons library. The tendons can be imported into Autodesk Structural Bridge Design (ASBD) for a refined girder analysis.

Designers can also add multiple line beams to ASBD projects, which provides ASBD projects with the flexibility to contain either a single refined analysis model or one or more line beam models.

InfraWorks 2025 also includes numerous fixes to issues identified in previous versions, such as models not displaying properly in Autodesk Construction Cloud. With a robust feature set geared toward civil and structural engineers, InfraWorks might seem to overlap features of Civil 3D, but the two are distinct products with unique capabilities. Autodesk provides a comparison matrix for those new to one or both products.

Recent updates to InfraWorks and Civil 3D appear to be part of Autodesk’s overall plans to address significant demands in the infrastructure world, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and resilience. Autodesk also recently introduced a Total Carbon Analysis for Architects for the AEC Collection, which offers carbon analysis tools to help track the carbon footprint of buildings. As the U.S. and other countries focus on infrastructure needs, Autodesk has a prominent seat at the table. 

The post InfraWorks 2025 Opens Doors for Advanced Bridge and Tunnel Modeling appeared first on Engineering.com.