Reconstruct supports multiple workflows that cater to different users in the construction process. This article explains how to use the tools and features in Reconstruct cloud-based platform to generate as-built documents of your constructed project. This workflow enables users to:
- View a 3D/2D model of the project from anywhere
- Access Image frames that are mapped to the point cloud and perform visual inspection
- Generate as-built BIMs and as-built CADs as submittal documents for the owner in the most reasonable and quickest fashion
- If you already have as-built design docs, you can overlay them onto reality and do QC on your modeling attempt.
What You Need
To get started with this workflow you need the following:
- Do a few on-site measurements for scaling/transformation reference
- Purchase a 360 camera or Drone
- Have access to modeling software licenses
Getting Started
You should follow the steps below to get started with this workflow:
Step #1: Login to Reconstruct on your computer
If this is your first time to use Reconstruct, then you will need to create an account, login, and go to the Data Manager. It is important to do this step on a computer using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.
Some projects may already have some old design documents (BIM or Drawings) available (Less likely). In these cases, you can use Reconstruct to inspect how good your current as-built modeling is. If you have access to the drawings follow steps 2 to 5 that will help you using Capture App during your capture, otherwise, jump to step 6.
Step #2: Upload BIM models/Drawings of your project
You may want to upload your BIM and drawing files into Reconstruct Data Manager. If you do not have access to any design documents, you can skip to step #6
Step #3: Assign locations
Once your BIM models are uploaded to Reconstruct you should create locations and identify bounding boxes for each of them. The next step is to assign a default drawing for each location.
Step #4: Download and install Reconstruct Capture app on your iOS device
Click here to download Reconstruct Capture app from the Appstore. Once the app is installed on your iOS device, use your Reconstruct username and password to login to the app.
Step #5: Connect your 360 camera to the app
Once logged in to the app, you should connect your 360 camera by following the instructions here.
Step #6: Prepare the site before capture
Before you perform your capture, you have to make sure your site is prepared. This includes basic preparations like removing obstacles that block the key elements (e.g., columns) from being visible by the camera lens, unlocking the doors, and provide enough lighting.
[Available soon] You may need to divide your entire project into different locations and different captures instead of a single continuous capture. In order to successfully align and scale these reality captures with each other in step XX, you have to place tags. Between every two consecutive captures (area A and B), you need to have a common (overlapping) area that has three non-collinear tags in it. Take a look at the visual below:
Step #7: Perform on-site measurements
You need to have a number of actual measures of the on-site objects to use as reference values to bring your reality data to the right scale. Pick at least three candidates from the objects in each capture area that ideally have a rectangular shape (door frame, desks, panels) with typical steel tapes or laser measures.
Step #8: Capture 360 videos of your indoor and outdoor spaces
You can use the Reconstruct Capture app to guide you through capturing 360 videos of your projects. Also, check our guidelines for 360 video capture regardless if you are using the app or not. Remember that accuracy and quality of point clouds are crucial in this workflow, so we recommend walking half the recommended speed and try capturing your key elements from different angles, distances, and heights.
Step #9: Stitch the captured 360 videos
The raw format of the 360 videos usually includes one or two files in INSV or other proprietary formats. Once you captured your 360 videos, you will most likely need to stitch them and convert them into MP4 format. This can be done on the cloud and inside Reconstruct or on your local computer.
Step #10: Process point clouds
Once your videos are captured, stitched, and converted into MP4 format, you should process them to create point clouds. Click here for more information. Please avoid combining different datasets to generate one point cloud in this workflow. Run them separately and then you can merge them in stepXX if you need to.
Step #11: Capture Drone images
If you are planning to use drones to capture the core and shell phase of your project, then you need to follow our guidelines to achieve a good quality capture.
Step #12: Upload and process Drone images
Once you captured drone images according to Reconstruct guidelines, you should upload them and process them into point clouds.
Step #13: Align point cloud(s)
Once the point clouds are processed and ready, you will receive an email from Reconstruct. Based on the tools you have follow the instructions below to align your point clouds using one of the methods.
[Available soon] 1- You can align point clouds to each other using tags you placed in step XX. Read more here about how to use this tool.
2- In the absence of the tool above, if you already have access to an as-built BIM file of the project, you can align point clouds to BIM (you can skip the scale step). Then you can perform QA/QC on the quality of your modeling by verifying the overlay of reality data vs BIM.
3- If you have access to pre-made as-built CADs, use this instruction to align point clouds to your CAD. Then you can perform QA/QC on the quality of your modeling by verifying the overlay of reality data vs CAD.
4-You most likely do not have a design document to align to, distribute point clouds and assign each capture to a different date on the timeline.
Step #14: Scale point cloud(s)
Based on the method you followed in the prior step, you can do scaling as described below
1- Use the calibration tool to use your on-site measurements data. Since all point clouds are aligned with each other one calibration will bring the whole reality model to the right scale. Theoretically, one calibration would be enough but you can multiple calibrations (use the other two references in step 7) to smooth out the error.
2- You do not need to scale your data here.
3- Go to the 2D viewer and use the calibration tool to bring both CAD and Reality data to the right scale by using the on-site measurements and finding the corresponding objects in 2D.
4- Similar to 1, try calibrating each of your reality data on different dates at least one time.
Step #15: Merge point clouds (optional)
[Available soon] In case that you have divided your projects into multiple capture areas, you may want to have all reality data merged into one model so it would be easier and more efficient to create as-built documents.
From this point, you can start your modeling based on Reconstruct's 2D output - Reality Floor Plans (steps #16 to #19), or directly from the 3D output - Point clouds (steps #20 to #22) depending on your preferences. The latter may be faster, but it may also come out with lower accuracy.
Step #16: Export 2D output and start from 2D
You can download the reality floor plan of your point clouds from Data Manager. Reconstruct gives you the option to download this image in high resolution in two versions: Colored floor plan (Recommended, encaptures more details) and Schematic floor plan - and [Available soon] with the right scale and orientation.
Step #17: Import Recnstruct's output to a modeling software
Once you downloaded the orthophoto with the highest resolution, you can import it into a 2D or 3D design software (Autodesk's Autocad or Revit). If your Reconstruct output does not have the right scale, first you need to use the rotation tool inside the modeling software to rotate it, so it would be orthogonally placed then scale the image with the same method described in Step 14.2.
Step #18: Start modeling 2D as-built CAD or 3D BIM
Place(Revit)/Draw(Autocad) walls, doors, columns, and other elements into the floor plan, tracing over the inserted image.
- To help place walls, look for differences in floor finishes.
- If there are problematic areas, go into the image view in Reconstruct to get a sense of the area’s layout.
Determine wall thicknesses.
- This process does not determine the exact wall thickness.
- You can estimate by looking at the average width of the wall in the Reality Floor Plan, measuring in the 3D image viewer, or making assumptions based on the wall finish.
[Only if you are using Revit] Determine wall, door, and ceiling heights.
- Use the measurement (distance and height) tools in the 3D viewer
Step #19: Use the as-built CAD to generate as-built BIM
If you have used a 3D modeling environment (Revit) so far now you have the as-built BIM model of your floor plan. But if you used 2D modeling (Autocad) now you can use the prepared as-built CAD to use it as a baseline to create a BIM model. Import the CAD into a 3D modeling software (Revit) and start modeling elements with respect to their height information that you can obtain from Reconstruct 3D viewer and measurement tool (Distance and height).
Step #20: Export 3D output and start from 3D
As stated in Step #15, you can virtually start your modeling process by using the 3D output of Reconstruct (Point clouds). Reconstruct give you the ability to download your Point clouds in LAS format with the right scale and alignment [Available soon] or without any scale and transformation.
Step #21: Import Reconstruct's output to a 3D modeling software
You may have to use a secondary software (Autodesk Recap) to convert your LAS point cloud into RCP and scale and align it, especially if that your Point cloud is downloaded without alignment, and then import it into the modeling software (Revit).
Step #22: Start modeling 3D as-built BIM
Once your point cloud is inserted into the modeling software (Revit) with the right alignment, start modeling the floor slab, structural columns and beams (if any), exterior walls, and lastly interior elements to complete your as-built BIM of that floor.
Step #22: Upload your as-built result into Reconstruct for Quality Control (optional)
You can repeat all steps as needed to correct any modeling mistakes and audit the quality of your modeling
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