Tekla Structures for Cast-in-Place
concrete represents a rapidly growing
part of the Tekla Structures platform,
which also includes solutions
for construction management, precast concrete,
steel detailing and fabrication, engineering,
and more. Tekla Structures for
Cast-in-Place concrete allows real-time collaboration
between the concrete contractor,
reinforcing bar detailer, general contractor,
structural engineer, and other project disciplines
to create a smooth flow and
exchange of building information in a 3D
environment.
These details can include all concrete
shapes and volumes, concrete mix information,
reinforcement bar types, quantities
and much more. Since the model is
essentially a database, all available information
is readily accessible and tasks
such as quantity take-off (QTO) and estimating
can be completed quickly and
efficiently. Any drawings, whether they
are lifting drawings, reinforcing bar
placement drawings or formwork, are all
generated directly from the model.
Information such as volumes of poured
concrete, reinforcement schedule and
much more can be rapidly generated and
viewed in a formatted
report or
even in a spreadsheet.
Using BIM software
also brings
benefits further
downstream, with
tools for site planning,
scheduling,
material tracking
and visualisation,
greatly enhancing
the construction
management
and performance
measurement of
reinforced concrete
structures
Case study:
While building the
Digital Arts Facility
at the University
of California,
Santa Cruz, USA,
the challenge for
DPR Construction
was to rapidly generate
concrete
formwork layout
options adapting
to the site and the
building. Tekla
Structures BIM
software provided
the technology to
create adaptive
formwork components
which could
generate the formwork
layout for different
shapes and
sizes of walls with varying details in different
physical settings. DPR created intelligent
user defined custom components in
Tekla Structures that adjusted to shape and
size of the wall and automatically generated
a formwork layout.
In the process of automating the formwork
layout process, DPR discovered a
powerful method for capturing formwork
layout knowledge from experienced foremen
and superintendents. Sample hand
sketches of the formwork layout were the
foundation for the Tekla Structures formwork
components that were created.
In addition, considerations for erecting
the formwork in complex areas like the
bottom of beams, around steel columns
and wall openings, at wall transitions,
were incorporated into each of the components.
These components are now
being used on other concrete projects in
the company resulting in knowledge
transfer and increased efficiency across
projects, which has always been a challenge
in the construction industry.
Quantifiable benefits: Using Tekla
Structures BIM software to automate the
formwork layout saved the field crew
considerable time by eliminating the
need to layout formwork for every wall
in the building manually. The layout
drawings were then given as handouts
to the foreman to erect the formwork in
the field. Formwork layout has traditionally
been a 2D process, field situations
are often overlooked, inadequately
accounted for, resulting in stripping and
redoing of the formwork.
By generating the formwork in 3D,
complex and project specific issues
were easily identified and assessed at
an early stage. As a result, there was no
rework related to formwork erection on
this project.
Furthermore, the model helped the
superintendent to manage material and
pour size definition, and was also useful
in identifying the panels that could be
reused between pours resulting in cost
savings. Formwork panels were prefabricated
on site based on the information
from the Tekla Structures model. Quick
generation of formwork arrangement
helped the team run through multiple
scenarios of how to arrange the panels so
that minimum material and field cuts
were required.
For example, a vertical arrangement of
16' high panel was better than a horizontal
arrangement as it required fewer panels
and in turn less material and labour.
Savings in material and labour to construct
and put into place formwork
assemblies are estimated at $25,000.
"With Tekla formwork modelling we were
able to rapidly try out various formwork
options enabling us to choose the
arrangement that worked best with
regards to cost and constructability," says
Karl Goeking Concrete Superintendent
on UC SC, Digital Arts Facility.