Generation of a construction planning from a 3D CAD model

In construction planning practice, increasingly 4D CAD system are applied for construction analysis and communication. Normally the planning expert is responsible for relating building components to construction activities. In this article we describe a method for automated generation of the construction planning. An algorithm is presented that derives the construction order from a solid model of the building. Experiences from a pilot study illustrate the differences between the real planning and the generated planning, and they show the limitations of the current implementation. Finally an outlook is presented on a more advanced planning system that includes contractor's specific knowledge for more accurate results. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.