VISUALIZING BUILDING INFORMATION MODELS USING INTERACTIVE HOLOGRAMS

By

RALPH TAYEH

A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2018

© 2018 Ralph Tayeh

To Sami, Najwa, Joelle and Joe, for their endless love and support

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express the deepest gratitude to my advisor and thesis committee

chair, Dr. R. Raymond Issa for his continuous support throughout the process of this

research. I would also like to acknowledge the help I received from the Rinker School of

Construction Management, University of Florida. Additionally, I want to extend my

appreciation to my professors at the Lebanese American University, Byblos Lebanon for

believing in me and helping me pursue my graduate studies.

Finally, I give thanks to the Almighty God for giving me amazing parents and

siblings to whom I will always be thankful for their support and prayers.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................... 4

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ 7

LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. 8

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................ 9

ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................ 10

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 12

Scope of Research ..................................................................................................... 12 Statement of Purpose ................................................................................................. 14

2 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 16

Building Information Modeling (BIM) .......................................................................... 17 Use of BIM in the Construction Industry.............................................................. 18 Platforms Developed for BIM Software ............................................................... 20

BIM in Education .................................................................................................. 21 Virtual and Augmented Reality ................................................................................... 22

Virtual Reality ....................................................................................................... 22

Augmented Reality ............................................................................................... 24 Applications of VR and AR in the Industrial Sector ............................................ 25 Applications of VR and AR in the Educational Sector ........................................ 26

Game Engines ............................................................................................................ 27 Use of Game Engines for the Creation of Serious Games................................. 27 Use of Game Engine for Visualization ................................................................ 31

Holography .................................................................................................................. 32 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 33

Limitations of Previous Studies ........................................................................... 33

Contribution of This Research Project ................................................................ 34

3 RESEARCH METHODOLODY .................................................................................. 36

Instrument Development ............................................................................................ 36 Hardware .............................................................................................................. 36

Software ............................................................................................................... 37 Testing the Effectiveness of the HMVS ..................................................................... 40

Functionalities of the HMVS ................................................................................ 40

Experimental Procedure ...................................................................................... 42

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4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS........................................................................................ 44

Demographic Questions ............................................................................................. 44 Ease of Use and Effectiveness of TIM Plug-in .......................................................... 47

Ease of Use of TIM Plug-in .................................................................................. 47

Effectiveness of the TIM Plug-in .......................................................................... 51 Effectiveness of the HMVS ......................................................................................... 53 Evaluating the Concept of the HMVS ........................................................................ 57

5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................... 60

Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 60 Limitations of this Research ....................................................................................... 63 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 63

APPENDIX

SURVEY ..................................................................................................................... 65

Part 1: General Information ........................................................................................ 65

Demographic Questions ...................................................................................... 65 Knowledge and Skills Questions ......................................................................... 66 Reading Construction Drawings .......................................................................... 66

Estimating ............................................................................................................. 66 Clash Detection .................................................................................................... 66 Using BIM Software ............................................................................................. 66

Using Autodesk 3D Max and Autodesk Maya..................................................... 66 Using Game Engines such as Unity 3D, Enscape, and Stingray ....................... 66

Part 2: Export FBX Models from Revit to Unity ......................................................... 67

Method 1 (TIM Plugin) ......................................................................................... 67 Method 2 (Autodesk 3D Max) .............................................................................. 67 Method 1 (TIM Plugin) ......................................................................................... 68

Method 2 (Autodesk 3D Max) .............................................................................. 68 Part 3: Clash Detection and Estimating ..................................................................... 69

Method 1: Using 2D Drawings ............................................................................. 69

Method 2: Using the Proposed Visualization Technique .................................... 70 Part 4: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Proposed Visualization Technique ....... 71

LIST OF REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 72

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH................................................................................................ 80

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LIST OF TABLES

Table page 4-1 Age distribution of the participants. ...................................................................... 45

4-2 Level of construction experience of participants. ................................................. 46

4-3 Frequency and percentages of participants based on level of knowledge of construction related skills. ...................................................................................... 47

4-4 Scores associated with options. ........................................................................... 49

4-5 Results of the MWW test regarding the ease of use of TIM plug-in. ................... 50

4-6 Results of the MWW test regarding the visual appearance obtained from TIM plug-in. ............................................................................................................. 51

4-7 Results of the MWW test regarding the information obtained from TIM plug-in. ............................................................................................................................ 53

4-8 Summary of the MWW tests regarding the effectiveness of TIM plug-in. ........... 53

4-9 Number of correct answers obtained on the collision detection exercise. .......... 54

4-10 Number of correct answers obtained on the quantity takeoff exercise. .............. 54

4-11 Results of the Student’s t-test regarding the effectiveness of the HMVS. .......... 56

4-12 Results of the Student’s t-test correlating the level of experience of students with the effectiveness of the HMVS. ...................................................................... 57

4-13 Results of the Student’s t-test regarding the ease of use and the functionalities of the HMVS. ................................................................................... 58

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure page 3-1 Rendering of the HMVS. ....................................................................................... 37

3-2 Logic of the HMVS software. ................................................................................ 39

3-3 Building model projected on the HMVS..... A) Photo of the HMVS, B) Photo of the hologram pyramid................................................................................................... 41

3-4 User interface of the HMVS. ................................................................................. 42

4-1 Distribution of the participants based on their level of education. ....................... 44

4-2 Responses of participants regarding the ease of use of the TIM plug-in and 3D Max. .................................................................................................................. 49

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AECO Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations

API Application Programming Interface

AR Augmented Reality

BIM Building Information Modeling

FBX Flimbox

HMVS Holographic Model Visualization System

HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

IFC Industrial Foundation Class

LED Light-Emitting Diode

MWW Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon

ODBC Open Database Connectivity

SDK Software Development Kit

TIM Transfer Information and Material

VDC Virtual Design and Construction

VR Virtual Reality

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Abstract of Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Construction Management

VISUALIZING BUILDING INFORMATION MODELS USING INTERACTIVE

HOLOGRAMS

By

Ralph Tayeh

May 2018

Chair: R. Raymond Issa Major: Construction Management

For the success of a construction project, effective means of communication

should be applied to aggregate dispersed information among stakeholders. Rapid

advancements in information technology have helped in creating new ways of

communicating and visualizing this information. Since the early 2000s, research studies

have discussed the use of building information models in the industrial and the

educational fields. Using these models, virtual and augmented reality environments

were developed to examine design and construction procedures, or to visualize models.

However, one limitation to virtual environments, identified in the construction literature,

is the lack of a human-human interaction, since only the user immersed in the virtual

world can interact with the building model. Game engines were used in previous

research projects to create virtual environments, or to develop serious and educational

games. However, they lack the ability to create complex building shapes, and to import

all the information in a building information model. In order to address the limitations of

previous studies, this research project has two main objectives. The first objective is to

develop a Revit plug-in to address the issue of data interoperability between modeling

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platforms and game engines. The second objective is to develop a holographic model

visualization system (HMVS). The HMVS was developed using a game engine to allow

the interaction with building holograms using hand gestures and voice commands.

Through a series of experiments, the interactive hologram was proven as a good

learning tool helping students visualize building models, detect collisions, and estimate

quantities in a building.

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

The construction industry relies heavily on information exchange between project

stakeholders. Adequate communication of information is of utmost importance for the

success of a construction project. Visualizing this information helps project parties in the

decision-making processes. Several tools have evolved from research efforts to

increase the efficiency of information communication. Traditional communication

methods have been centered on the use of two-dimensional drawings and plans.

However, with the advancements in information technology, there has been a shift

towards visualization techniques based on building information modeling (BIM).

Scope of Research

In the last decade, new visualization techniques utilizing BIM models have

emerged. BIM is a modeling technology with an associated set of processes to

produce, communicate, and analyze building models. BIM models provide realistic and

detailed 3D virtual environments with graphical and non-graphical data representing the

different properties of a building system. For a better representation of the project, time

and cost information can be added to the 3D model in the virtual world. In addition, BIM

serves as a tool for better understanding of building materials, assemblies, and

systems. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are among the newest

technological advancements utilizing BIM.

VR is usually associated with the use of head-mounted devices where the user is

completely immersed in the virtual world. In the construction industry, VR is used as a

cognitive learning platform allowing learners to observe virtual site environments,

recognize hazards, and understand the consequences of their actions without harmful

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real-life consequences. AR augments the user’s knowledge by displaying information on

top of real objects, i.e., AR merges virtual models embedded with information and

representing expected construction with real objects representing actual construction.

Accordingly, AR allows the interaction with both the virtual and the actual objects.

VR and AR environments can be developed using game engines. Many studies

have focused on the use of game engines in construction and have developed games to

visualize building information or as learning tools. Visits to construction sites are often

associated with a number of constraints and safety concerns, and thus cannot be

arranged as needed. Innovative 3D video games can represent a safe project

environment with a series of assessment items to enhance site personnel safety

training, or to teach students construction-related topics. In comparison to traditional

teaching methods, one of the major advantages of using educational games is the

improved representation of the construction site. Because of the graphical capabilities of

game engines, different research projects have studied their use as a visualization

technique for construction projects since they allow real-time renderings.

In the construction literature, there have been few research studies that

investigated the use of holography as a visualization technique for construction projects.

Different methods can be used to build holograms ranging from simple glass reflections

to more complicated propagation of waves in the space. Holography is widely used in

the medical field as an effective way to visualize information for better and more

accurate medical diagnosis. However, the applications of holography in the construction

industry, discussed in the literature, focused on simple representations of building

models.

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A number of limitations are associated with research projects related to

visualization techniques in the construction field. VR and AR rely on the use of

expensive head-mounted devices and do not allow multi-user input and collaboration.

Moreover, even though game engines were proven as an effective visualization

technique, BIM models exported to be used in these engines lose important information.

The automation of data transfer between modeling platforms and game engines has not

been fully addressed. Finally, holographic applications in the construction sector are still

basic and do not explore all the embedded information within a BIM model.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this research is to develop a Holographic Model Visualization

System (HMVS) for construction projects. The developed hardware allows a

collaborative interaction between its users since the hologram can be seen from all

directions. The software for the holographic projection unit is developed using a game

engine and standard BIM systems. Moreover, a plug-in for a BIM modeling platform is

developed to allow the automatic transfer of information into game engines. The

developed system allows the user to explore the building model using hand gestures

and voice commands. A set of menus and options is introduced to the hologram; the

user can explore different levels of the building, isolate disciplines (e.g., architectural,

structural and mechanical disciplines), perform simple quantity takeoff tasks and check

for modeling problems and collisions. The developed technology is intended for use

during coordination review meetings, and as a learning tool for students in the

Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) field.

This document is organized into five Chapters. In Chapter 1, the Introduction, a

summary of related work is presented, including the current uses of BIM, the developed

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plug-ins for BIM modeling platforms, and the use of VR and AR in the AECO field. The

literature review, in Chapter 2, elaborates on the use of game engines in education and

visualization, and then discusses work related to the applications of holography in

construction. Chapter 3 of this document explains the hardware and software

development for the HMVS. The experimental tests, aiming at validating the usefulness

of the developed system, are then presented. Chapter 4 examines the obtained results

and discusses the effectiveness of the HMVS. Finally, Chapter 5 presents the

conclusions and limitations of the current development and recommendations for future

studies.

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Over the last few decades, the investments in more complicated construction

projects, involving multiple disciplines and different teams, have increased the need for

more complex communication means. The purpose of communication methods is to

ensure higher levels of coordination between participants (owners, architects,

engineers, contractors, suppliers, etc.). Adequate communication brings many benefits

to a project, such as improved team performance due to information exchange,

increased knowledge of other participants’ skills or their availability (Malosiovasi and

Song 2014). Timely and effective communication throughout the lifecycle of a project is

essential for successful construction project delivery. A typical construction project can

be divided into four phases: (1) conceptual planning, (2) design, (3) construction, and

(4) operations. An important factor in communicating ideas, during any of the

aforementioned phases, is the ability of project parties to visualize different components

in the project.

During conceptual stages of the project, it is essential that the architect/engineer

and the owner both have the same vision for the project in order to meet the owner’s

requirements. Visualizing the project is of utmost importance during the design and

construction phases of the project. Engineers and contractors should be able to

communicate ideas based on certain components of the projects displayed on two-

dimensional drawings or electronic displays. Furthermore, during the operations phase

of a project’s lifecycle, involved parties should be able to communicate concepts and

decisions based on as-built drawings or on representations of actual spatial locations in

the completed project. Briefly, construction projects are all information dependent;

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visualizing this information is crucial to the success of the project. Some of the

traditional visualization techniques include two-dimensional (2D) drawings, in hard or

soft copy formats, and three-dimensional (3D) sketches. With the advancement of

information technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, new visualization

techniques for construction projects have emerged such as BIM models, virtual reality,

and augmented reality. The main purpose of these visualization techniques is to

improve communication between project stakeholders, in an attempt to reduce the

construction industry’s high fragmentation and organizational disintegration.

This chapter explores the work of researchers related to visualization techniques

for construction projects. First, a review of research projects in the field of BIM is

presented, since BIM is the basis of many of the newly-developed visualization

techniques. Secondly, different research studies utilizing virtual and augmented reality

are summarized. The third part of this literature review focuses on the use of game

engines in the construction industry. Finally, an overview of the use of holography in

construction is presented.

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Practices in the construction industry have evolved from master craftsmanship to

split responsibility design and construction (Nawi et al. 2014). More recently,

collaborative systems have been used on construction projects increasing the amount

of information shared between construction parties. According to Jacoski and Lamberts

(2007), BIM was developed to help in aggregating dispersed information between

project participants. Therefore, the use of BIM on construction projects can address

some challenges of the construction industry especially those related to cost overruns,

schedule uncertainty, safety, and product quality (Gallaher et al. 2004). These benefits

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are based on the ability of BIM to improve data interoperability among different parties

(Akintola et al. 2017).

Use of BIM in the Construction Industry

Eastman et al. (2008) defined BIM as a modeling technology used to produce,

analyze, and communicate building models. The AECO industry started using and

implementing BIM in the early and mid-2000s (Jung and Lee 2016). Initial applications

of this technology were centered on design and construction (Shen and Issa 2010;

Zhang and Hu 2011). To achieve better performance, BIM users need to understand the

process and workflow since a BIM model is not a CAD or a 3D sketch. A BIM file

includes all the construction project properties and its representations. Each element in

a BIM model is embedded with information that can be presented using different

visualization techniques. Project documents and the BIM model share the same

information, changes made to one will affect the other. Besides its ability to generate

information-embedded models and drawings, BIM can be used for advanced analysis of

buildings such as analytical activities, clash detections, code activities, quantity takeoff,

scheduling, energy analysis, structural analysis, facility management, and lifecycle

analysis. All this information is stored in the model and can be easily shared between

project parties, enabling thus collaborative process (Yuan and Yang 2015). Therefore,

BIM is recognized as a virtual design and construction milieu (Lu and Li 2011).

The National Building Information Modeling Standard NBIMS (2007) divided BIM

categories into three major sections which are Product, Collaborative Process, and

Facility. The product is the smart 3D model of the building. According to Kim (2012), a

BIM model has many advantages compared to 2D and 3D CAD including, efficiency,

accuracy, and 3D design visualization for a better understanding of the building. The

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product also has rich visualization content that can be used for daylighting studies,

animations, and renderings. Moreover, integrated design documents and automated

schedules of building components can be generated from a BIM model. The use of BIM

models enables better planning and predictability for material quantity takeoff, as well as

interference checking to examine conflicts between trades (Kim 2012).

The collaborative process category of BIM, defined by NBIMS (2007), includes

automated process capabilities, business drivers, and open information standards. BIM

enables designers to work on the model together in real time using cloud services. All

design logs are kept within the model to help the project team members work

collaboratively even if they are not geo-located. During the construction phase of a

project, BIM can be used on the field to share request for information (RFI) documents,

markups, submittals, and other construction documents about the project. BIM is also

extensively used in design coordination meetings to detect clashes between disciplines.

These meetings consist of iterative processes needed to reach the appropriate and

optimal designs. The information generated from these meetings, and information

exchanged during construction activities can be also used as a basis for construction

knowledge formalization and reuse (Wand and Leite 2016).

The third category defined by NBIMS (2007) is the facility model which includes

procedures, workflows, and information exchange throughout the building lifecycle. The

operations phase of a building lifecycle accounts for around 60% of the total life-cycle

cost of a facility (Arcamete et al. 2010). Therefore, the use of BIM’s relational and

parametric features allows different kinds of facility management analyses and results in

high benefits especially for owners (General Services Administration 2006; Golabchi et

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al. 2017). Many common challenges can be addressed when applying BIM in facility

management. Some of these challenges include localization of the system or asset in

large and complex buildings, information accessibility problems, and determination of

the effect of current malfunctioning or ongoing repair operation on the facility’s spaces

or systems (Pishdad-Bozorgi 2017). For example, a computerized maintenance

management system can be automatically generated from the equipment inventory built

in a BIM model (Mayo et al. 2012). The benefits of BIM on facility management are not

only observed during the design process but are also very beneficial at handover, since

BIM reduces the need to manually enter documentation and information into another

platform for facilities use (GSA 2011).

Platforms Developed for BIM Software

In addition to the current implementations of BIM on construction projects, many

research studies have proposed frameworks or user interfaces for current BIM software,

in order to invest the information embedded in a BIM model in different fields. Some of

these fields are construction safety, sustainability, and information visualization.

Improvements in construction safety can be achieved through the collection,

analysis, and visualization of safety leading indicators. Shen and Marks (2016) created

a near-miss data visualization tool to improve decision making for safety managers by

analyzing near-miss information within a BIM model and to help project stakeholders

mitigate safety hazards. The tool was developed using the open Application

Programming Interface (API) within a widely used BIM software. The developed plug-in

allows the user to query the data, to visualize it in 2D or 3D viewpoints, and to export

the near-miss information to external databases. Similarly, Kim and Cho (2015)

developed a plug-in for BIM modeling platforms to automatically find the optimal and

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safest design of temporary stair towers. Their plug-in has the ability to automatically

generate the design, shape, and location of temporary stair towers based on the

geometry of the BIM model and the effect of the stair towers on safety.

Frameworks related to sustainability were also proposed for BIM software. Wu

and Issa (2011) proposed a web-based service to facilitate the LEED documentation

generation and management. Their service relies on information exchange between

BIM models and web platforms developed using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

and the Industrial Foundation Class (IFC). Jiang and Wu (2017) proposed a universal

rule code checking approach for green construction. In order to check the rules, IFC

models are generated from BIM models, rules from green construction standard are

then converted to model view definitions and checked against the IFC model. In the

literature, there are many research projects that aimed at integrating BIM within the

different aspects of construction projects. Plug-ins, platforms, and services were

developed to visualize information related to energy use (Muthumanickam et al. 2014),

scheduling (Park and Cai 2015), power consumption (Chiang et al. 2015), and facility

management (Liu and Zettersten 2016; Shalabi and Turkan 2017).

BIM in Education

In addition to its use on real-life projects, BIM can be used in colleges as a

learning tool. By creating virtual environments, BIM presents an opportunity for AECO

students to learn necessary skills by closely mimicking real-life industry practices, rather

than going to real sites every time (Lu et al. 2013). In addition, Kim (2013) proved the

effectiveness of BIM in helping students overcome the difficulty of reading and

understanding 2D drawings. On another hand, many governments are requiring the use

of BIM on public construction projects, increasing thus the demand for professionals

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with BIM education. Different approaches have been developed in the literature to help

schools and colleges implement BIM in their coursework, whether in freshman years

(Sacks and Barak 2010), in undergraduate courses (Woldesenbet et al. 2017), or during

graduate studies (Dossick et al. 2014). Other research projects discussed the use of

BIM as a learning tool in different construction activities such as operation of

construction machinery (Fox and Hietanen 2007), occupational health and safety

(Eastman et al. 2008), logistics planning (Sacks et al. 2009), and training field staff

(Becerik-Gerber and Kensek 2010). Furthermore, BIM is currently extensively used to

facilitate project visualization, especially when integrated with VR and AR (Behzadan

and Kamat 2009).

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Visualization plays an important role in the construction industry. Over the past

decade, visualization techniques have evolved to the era of information technology.

Examples of these visualization techniques are VR and AR. Since these technologies

integrate BIM into construction projects visualization, they are used in advanced

construction communication and collaboration (Leite et al. 2016).

Virtual Reality

VR is a three-dimensional method to interface with computers. VR allows the

user to walk through the building model by wearing a head-mounted audio-visual

display built-in with a tactile interface device, position, and orientation sensors (Kensek

et al. 2000). Brooks (1999) discussed four technologies that are needed to develop a

VR experience: the visual and aural system, the graphics rendering system, the tracking

system, and the database construction and maintenance system. The visual system is

the technology that immerses the user in the virtual world and blocks any contradictory

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sensory impressions coming from the real world. The graphics rendering system allows

the production of the 20-30 frames/s needed for the immersive experience. The tracking

system reports the position of the user’s head and limbs using a set of position and

orientation sensors. Finally, the function of the database construction and maintenance

system is to maintain detailed, realistic, and updated models of the virtual world. Newer

VR experiences incorporate the use of input devices allowing a hand to eye

coordination, and giving the user a sense of the physical dimensions of the virtual

model; this visualization of the model might not be well perceived using 2D platforms, or

3D computer renderings (Fogarty et al. 2018).

VR is a rich environment for visualizing and analyzing three-dimensional

arrangements. Using a VR headset, the user can walk through the building, climb stairs,

or fly up and around the building model for an overview. The user can, therefore,

experience the important features in a BIM model in a natural and intelligible way; the

user can as well interact with the model and manipulate some of its properties in the

virtual world (Fogarty et al. 2018).

Although the benefits of VR have been widely recognized in improving

visualization and communication amidst project parties, research efforts are still needed

to improve information exchange and human interaction in the virtual world (Du et al.

2018; Yan et al. 2011). For a successful VR experience, Du et al. (2018) defined three

major VR-driven interactions that should be respected. The first interaction is the BIM-

data interaction which refers to an automated data transfer process from BIM modeling

platforms into VR visualization environments. Few research projects have addressed

the automation of data transfer (Du et al. 2017). The second type of interaction is the

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human-building interaction in VR. This interaction has been subject to some recent

research projects that focused on allowing the user to modify the building model in VR

rather than just visualize it (Fogarty et al. 2018). The third type of interaction is the

human-human interaction; this interaction enhances the communication between

remote VR users and improves decision-making procedures. Most research studies in

the construction literature developed single-person VR experiences and did not focus

on multi-user VR. Multi-user VR can address some challenges faced by virtual

construction teams such as poor communication, lack of trust, and insufficient quality

control of the building components (Du et al. 2018; Nayak and Taylor 2009).

Augmented Reality

AR is similar to VR except that, unlike VR where the user is completely immersed

in the virtual world, AR overlays virtual objects on top of the real objects. This allows the

visualization to be mobile and linked to the real construction site. In this context, and in

comparison to VR, AR facilitates the decision-making process on site (Wang et al.

2013). Moreover, AR allows the user to interact with the digital information in an intuitive

and natural manner while performing a work task. The power of AR lies in its ability to

spatially augment the user’s knowledge with information displayed on top of the field of

view (Dunston and Wang 2005).

A successful application of AR is a function of three factors: (1) coexistence of

virtual and real objects in the augmented space, (2) registration of virtual and real

objects with each other, and (3) running the simulation in real time (Azuma et al. 2001).

Johansson and Nordin (2002) discussed two main techniques for combining real and

virtual objects in real time: the optic technique and the video technique. The optic

technique uses an optical combiner to combine real and virtual objects. The video

25

technique combines computer-generated virtual images with camera-captured real-time

video using a computer or a video mixer.

Augmented information can be displayed via see-through head-mounted devices.

However, the construction literature identified some limitations associated with these

devices. AR head-mounted devices are expensive compared to VR devices. Moreover,

since only the person wearing the device can see the virtual world, interaction from

other users with the augmented information is not possible. This affects the multiuser

collaborative process needed for decision making and reduces effective communication

between the participants on a project (Williams et al. 2015).

Applications of VR and AR in the Industrial Sector

VR and AR have several applications in both the industrial and the educational

sectors. Moussa et al. (2006) examined the AR applications to traffic operations. That

research team developed an Augmented Reality Vehicle System to test human

performance under different circumstances while driving a real vehicle. Based on their

research results, Moussa et al. (2006) concluded that AR could be used to test different

highway design alternatives. AR can also be used on urban planning projects. Shen et

al. (2001) examined the benefits of using AR in visualizing new construction projects

with respect to their surroundings, and in analyzing lighting and human visual effects.

In addition to the aforementioned uses of AR, Jáuregui et al. (2005) discussed

how VR could be used for bridge projects documentation. The technology used in that

research allowed the user to store panoramic images and renderings in a virtual world

where visual inspections, observations, and measurements can be stored as well. The

stored information was used to make decisions regarding future maintenance,

rehabilitation, or replacement of the bridge (Jáuregui et al. 2005). Setareh et al. (2005)

26

developed a VR structural analysis system by combining a visualization software and a

structural analysis software. Their developed technology was used to perform structural

analyses of building components in a virtual world.

Other applications of VR and AR have been discussed in the literature such as

rapid assessment of earthquake (Kamat and El-Tawil 2007), maintenance of

underground infrastructure (Behzadan and Kamat 2009), hybrid discrete event

simulation for construction management research (Sacks et al. 2013), construction

equipment operation (Lu et al. 2013), piping assembly (Hou et al. 2013), and cost of

cooling and heating (Ham and Golparvar-Fard 2013).

Applications of VR and AR in the Educational Sector

In the educational sector, previous research projects discussed different use

cases for AR as a learning tool. Chen et al. (2011) studied the effect of using AR in an

engineering graphics course. They developed an AR model including all geometric

features usually taught in a graphics course. The AR model was proven to significantly

increase the learning performance of students, and their ability to understand and depict

the graphic representation of engineering objects. Ayer et al. (2016) examined the

effectiveness of AR in sustainable design education. In that research, students were

asked to visualize, design, and assess the exterior walls of a building in order to retrofit

the building and improve its sustainable performance. Ayer et al. (2016) concluded that

students who used AR to solve the problem were able to assess their designs and

reach better overall performance among all disciplines in comparison to students who

used traditional paper-based format drawings.

Mutis and Issa (2014) analyzed the role AR plays in enhancing spatial and

temporal cognitive ability in construction education. Their research developed an AR

27

environment to help students visualize and understand the process of building a

temporary structure. The students were able to manipulate the assembly parts of the

structure as virtual computer objects and to visualize the critical elements for load

transfer. Mutis and Issa (2014) concluded that AR improves the learner’s perception

and helps in identifying spatial and temporal constraints through the interaction of virtual

objects and their representation in the real world. In other terms, the use of AR in

education improves the students’ understanding of construction processes, products,

problems, and sequences found in the context of the project (Marc et al. 2007).

Game Engines

Many of the aforementioned VR and AR applications were built by incorporating

BIM and game engines. BIM models can be exported from modeling platforms into

game engines where the programmer can create systems to visualize different aspects

of the building, or to analyze the information embedded within the model.

In the last decade, many research projects focused on the use of game engines

in the AECO industry. These projects can be divided into two main categories. The first

category includes projects that invested in the interaction capabilities of game engines

to create simulation or serious games. The second category includes research projects

that focused on visualization and the use of game engines for real time renderings.

Use of Game Engines for the Creation of Serious Games

Zyda (2005) defines a game as “a physical or mental contest, played according

to specific rules, with the goal of amusing or rewarding the participant.” A serious game

is “a mental contest, played with a computer in accordance with specific rules that uses

entertainment to further government or corporate training, education, health, public

policy, and strategic communication objectives” (Zyda 2005). According to Hartmann

28

(2016), a serious game is an artifact with three major components. First, it provides one

or multiple goals that the players should aim for when playing the game. The second

component of a game is its mechanics, i.e., the responsibilities and rules that must be

followed by the player to make logical decisions and attain the goal of the game.

Finally, games are built within an abstract model of the reality allowing the user to

interact with the environment and to meaningfully enact the different parts of the game’s

mechanics.

In the construction literature, serious games have been used to enhance the

construction site experience, or as a learning tool in construction management and

engineering curricula. In the construction industry, games have been especially used to

overcome the hazardous nature of the project site. Serious games offer the possibility to

simulate innumerable conditions and avoid high-risk activities (Lin et al. 2011). For

example, safety training, performed using serious games, provides workers with the

knowledge of what occurs on-site beforehand. Chen et al. (2013) discussed the benefits

of interactive simulations in serious games related to construction safety training. These

interactions impart knowledge and skills to the trainee, especially when the game

considers the outcome of the trainee’s action in the virtual environment, leading thus to

a reduction in human-error based accidents on construction sites.

Another example of the use of games in the construction industry is the design of

emergency evacuation plans. Emergency evacuation games have been developed in

the literature, where the goal of the game is to survive a fire in a building. The game is

driven by the player’s decisions and behavior during the fire (Ribeiro et al. 2013). Liu et

al. (2014) proposed a serious game to solicit the behavior decisions made by the

29

players. Their proposed BIM-based game is accessible through cloud computing, which

makes it available to a larger base of game players. The behavioral data collected from

all these users are more accurate and comprehensive compared to performance-based

data. The collected data provide a foundation for future emergency evacuation

simulation and management (Zhang and Issa 2015).

On another hand, educational games have been proven to increase learners’

understanding of the subject matter (Fasli and Michalakopoulos 2006; Shaffer et al.

2005). Kim et al. (2009) argued that games help construction students engage in task

learning, and learn more effectively through practical experience. Educational games

started with several studies that developed simulation games with educational

purposes. Nikolic (2011) developed a simulation game to improve the learning process

of planning and managing a construction project, the player has access to a library of

resources, and the goal of the game is to finish the project more efficiently. Jaeger and

Adair (2010) developed a simulation game that focused on human factors and their

importance on construction projects. Goedert et al. (2011) developed a visually

enhanced simulation game where the students can make decisions and check their

effects on the project. The three games mentioned earlier are simulation games that

lack the fun factor and the element of desirability to them. To address the limitations of

simulation games in education, Shanbari and Issa (2016) introduced an educational

strategy-driven game. Their game was developed based on real construction workflows

and variables. Shanbari and Issa (2018) concluded that the developed game would add

an experience level to students’ learning, and help in graduating students with better

understanding of the industry.

30

Besides the ability of educational games to help students understand the

construction process as a whole, other educational games focused on specific aspects

of construction such as scheduling, sustainability, procurement, and negotiation.

Linhard (2014) developed a game to help teach construction scheduling. The game puts

the student in a project-like environment with different constraints such as geometric

surroundings, materials, machinery, climate, work conditions, and safety. The

developed game was proved to help students schedule the project. In order to increase

understanding of building sustainability concepts and practices, Dib and Adamo-Villani

(2014) developed an educational game that helps students recognize sustainability

principles, interpret the acquired knowledge, and transfer it to other situations.

Compared with traditional learning methods, the developed game increased the player’s

declarative and procedural knowledge. The third example of educational games

focusing on specific construction aspects is a game developed by Dzeng and Wang

(2016). The goal of the game was to help students make procurement and negotiation

decisions within a competitive virtual market. The game was proven effective in

complementing conventional lectures on procurement and negotiations.

To summarize this section of the literature review, different serious games were

developed to help project parties in the construction industry in decision-making

processes. Moreover, research projects evolved from creating simulation games with

educational purposes to developing actual educational games that were proven to be

effective learning tools. In addition to their use in creating serious games, game engines

were used in the literature as means for better visualization and communication of

information within a BIM model.

31

Use of Game Engine for Visualization

The same game engines used in the development of simulation and educational

games can be alternative tools for visualization of many aspects in construction

projects. Game engines give the user the opportunity to move in the virtual world by

means of powerful graphic quality. Not only better graphics and rendering quality are

provided by game engines, but most of their software development kits (SDK) are open

source, redistributable and free to use (Germanchis and Cartwright 2003). In 2005,

early applications of game engines were centered on the incorporation of 3D models

and GIS data. Different visualization games were created to visualize city models, and

communicate information using online platforms (Stock et al. 2005, Zeile et al. 2005). In

2012, Shen et al. (2012) developed a web-based game using BIM models. Their game

helped the players better visualize HVAC systems in a sample project. In a similar

context, Yang and Ergan (2016) used game engines to create a multi-view visualization

platform to provide HVAC mechanics with information pertaining to maintenance tasks,

and to the decision-making process of troubleshooting HVAC-related problems.

Cicekci et al. (2012) developed a standalone game to visualize field conditions.

Integrating GIS, BIM, and borehole information, the players of that game were able to

better visualize and understand the stratification of the soil on site. Game engines were

also used by Fang et al. (2016) to create a cloud-enabled real-time radio-frequency

identification localization system and visualize the location of mobile construction

resources within the BIM model.

Previous research investigated the use of game engines in creating serious and

educational games, and in developing visualization platforms for construction projects.

However, two main issues with game engines were identified in the literature. First, it

32

can be time-consuming to create realistic building models using game engines since

most of these engines do not support complex and detailed building designs. Second,

data interoperability between BIM modeling platforms and game engines is an issue

due to the loss of information in model transfer.

Holography

Among the visualization techniques for construction projects is holography. The

use of holograms was widely examined in the field of medicine (Mishra 2017). However,

there is only a few research projects in the literature that examined the use of

holograms in the field of construction.

The first applications of holography relied on the concept of Pepper’s Ghost

illusion created by Henry Dircks (1806-1873) and John Henry Pepper (1821-1900). This

concept is used in magic tricks and in theaters; a sheet of glass is placed at a 45-

degree angle from the audience and light is reflected off the glass at a 90-degree angle

from the line of sight. Other holography techniques have been discussed in the literature

such as the hologram pyramid (Roslan and Ahmad 2017), holograms produced from

LEDs and waveguide (Lin et al. 2017), and holograms transmitted using quantum back-

propagation neural network (Liu et al. 2017).

In the medical field, holograms have the potential to help medical workers and

doctors in their diagnosis of complex medical conditions (Mishra 2017). In the

construction field, Kalarat (2017) developed building holograms using the hologram

pyramid. The pyramid can display the hologram from three sides, and the user can

rotate the building using hand gestures. The application was created using a game

engine. Even though the developed holographic experience was proven as an effective

visualization tool, Kalarat (2017) did not address the issue of information interoperability

33

between BIM modeling platforms and the used game engine. Moreover, the

functionalities of the hologram pyramid were only centered on simple visualization of

architectural components of buildings.

Summary

This chapter examined different research projects related to the use of

information technology in the field of construction. Most of these research projects used

BIM models to visualize and communicate information pertaining to different aspects of

a building.

Limitations of Previous Studies

In addition to the functionalities embedded within available BIM software, such as

3D modeling, clash detection, quantity takeoff, energy analysis, structural analysis, and

others, many platforms and plug-ins were developed to analyze the information within

the model. These platforms were mainly related to safety, sustainability, and facility

management. However, there was no plug-in developed to help export the building

information to be used in game engines.

The interoperability of data was the subject of many research studies related to

VR and AR. VR and AR have many applications related to the construction industry,

such as equipment operations, assessment of earthquakes, discrete event simulation

for construction management research, and others. In the educational sector, VR and

AR were proven to be effective in increasing the learners’ understanding of concepts

related to building construction. However, the automation of data transfer was not

extensively discussed in these research studies. Moreover, many of the proposed

applications depend on the use of expensive VR or AR headsets. Moreover, the human-

34

human interaction in the virtual world was not addressed. Most of these applications do

not allow multi-user input into the virtual world.

Another advancement in the use of information technology in the construction

sector is the development of serious games. In the construction literature, serious

games were created to help in safety training, design of emergency evacuation plans, or

to be used as learning tools. Game engines were also used for visualization of

information within BIM models. Two main limitations to game engines were discussed in

this chapter. First, the creation of complex 3D buildings in game engines is a tasking

and time-consuming procedure. Moreover, BIM models cannot be automatically

exported from modeling platforms into game engines, without loss of information.

Finally, holography is a newer visualization technique that is starting to attract

researchers’ attention. This technique is extensively used in the medical field; however,

its use in the construction industry is still in its infancy. The construction literature review

showed a small number of research projects related to holography. In addition, the

developed holographic applications were based on basic human-building interaction.

Contribution of This Research Project

This research project builds on existing literature and addresses the limitations of

previous research projects. This project is proposing a Holographic Model Visualization

System (HMVS) to visualize construction projects. The proposed technology is a less-

expensive technology developed using game engines. All interaction levels needed for

a successful visualization (Du et al. 2018) are addressed in this project. The BIM-data

interaction is achieved through the developed plug-in that allows the automatic transfer

of information from BIM modeling platforms into game engines. The human-building

interaction includes different functionalities embedded within the HMVS, such as clash

35

detection, estimating, and visualization of multiple disciplines of the building. Finally, the

HMVS enhances the human-human interaction due to the fact that multiple users can

see and interact with the virtual world at the same time.

36

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLODY

Instrument Development

Hardware

The HMVS was completely developed by the researcher. The hardware of the

HMVS uses a hologram pyramid that applies the Pepper’s Ghost concept. The image of

a building displayed on a screen monitor is projected on a Plexiglas sheet placed at a

45-degree angle from the horizontal. The building image is repeated four times which

allows the same projection on all sides of the pyramid. The building hologram can then

be seen from any point of view. Other materials were used to build the mobile platform

of the HMVS including wood paneling and aluminum. This mobile platform holds the

computer, the screen monitor, and the Plexiglas Pyramid and allows for an easy

transportation of the HMVS.

In order to establish the human-building interaction, an Xbox Kinect camera was

used. The choice of this sensor was based on three main factors. First, the cost of this

camera is less expensive compared to similar technologies on the market. In addition,

the camera is equipped with motion sensors and microphones. This allows the capture

of voice commands and hand gestures from the users within seven feet of the HMVS.

Finally, an important factor in selecting the Xbox Kinect camera is the availability of its

SDK and API.

The hardware base is approximately 24 inches by 20 inches with a height of 59

inches. A bigger version of the HMVS was also built by the researcher. However, with a

base of 4 feet by 4 feet, it is hard to move the larger HMVS around. Figure 2-1 shows a

rendering of the HMVS.

37

Figure 3-1. Rendering of the HMVS.

Software

To achieve all the levels of interaction discussed in Chapter 2, the creation of the

HMVS software was divided into two parts. The first part of the software is the

development of a plug-in for a BIM modeling platform to automatically transfer the

information embedded in the BIM model into the game engine. The second part of the

software development is the creation of a game-like environment to interact with the

model.

In this project, Autodesk Revit is the BIM modeling platform used to model

buildings. In order to use BIM models in game engines, the model has to be exported in

a format named Flimbox (FBX). The elements in an FBX file lose most of the

information stored in them when in a BIM model. Besides the location and the shape of

the model components, the only information that is transferred from a BIM model to an

FBX file is the name and the ID number of the element. This ID number is the basis of

the developed plug-in. A series of codes utilizing the API of Revit was written using C#

in order to develop the plug-in. The plug-in was given the following name “Transfer

38

Information and Material” or TIM. The TIM plug-in runs through all the elements of the

BIM model and stores their respective IDs in a structured database. The information

needed for the software of the HMVS is exported and stored within the same database

based on each element’s ID. Finally, the TIM plug-in exports the FBX file and saves

both the database and the FBX file in the same location. The TIM plug-in can be easily

modified to extract the required information based on the needs of the game engine. It

takes the TIM plug-in between ten seconds and two minutes to export the information

depending on the size of the model.

Once the information and the FBX file are exported from Revit, they can be easily

integrated into the development of the game. In the case of this project, Unity 3D was

the game engine of choice. In order to visualize a building model on the holographic

projection, the software was designed to execute three major steps. These steps are

repeated every time a model is loaded into the HMVS. The first step is to import the

FBX file and the information database into the game engine. When an FBX file is loaded

into the game engine, all its elements are stored as children elements of the main FBX

file. Each of these children elements have unique IDs attached to them. The IDs are the

same in Unity 3D and in Revit. Therefore, this ID is used to query for information

pertaining to each element in the database. The needed information is then linked back

to all the elements in the game engine (Unity 3D), including colors and material

textures. Moreover, the game can refer to the database at any time during run-time to

use the elements’ information, such as floor level, system classification (architectural,

structural or mechanical element), or material quantities.

39

Once this first step is completed, the game executes the second command. The

role of the second command is to scale and position the building model for optimal

display on the holographic pyramid. The building is replicated four times so it can be

seen from all four sides of the HMVS. Moreover, using virtual boundaries and building

colliders, the building can be scaled to be well displayed irrespectively of its shape.

Finally, a series of menus and options were developed within Unity 3D using C#

scripting. The developed user interface allows the user to explore different aspects of

the building. Using the SDK for the Xbox Kinect camera, signals sent from the user’s

hand gestures are transformed into a cursor on the user interface to select the needed

option and use the interactive hologram. Using speech recognition from the Unity 3D

API, voice commands from the user can be used as well to manipulate building. Figure

3-2 summarizes the software development of the HMVS.

Figure 3-2. Logic of the HMVS software (©Copyright 2017 University of Florida

Research Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.”).

40

To sum up, the hardware and the software of the HMVS were developed to

respect the levels of interactions, discussed by Du et al. (2018), and needed for a

successful visualization technique. The first level of interaction is the BIM-data

interaction. This interaction is achieved using the TIM plug-in, since it exports all

information with the BIM model into a database accessible by game engines. The

second level of interaction, the building-human interaction, is achieved by the developed

game-like environment. The user can, not only visualize the building, but also interact

with the hologram and perform different tasks using hand gestures and voice

commands. Finally, the human-human interaction level is promoted by the concept of

the HMVS itself. Since the HMVS does not require the use of any head-mounted

device, and the hologram can be seen from any place around the HMVS, the

collaborative process needed for construction-related decisions can be achieved using

the interactive building holograms.

Testing the Effectiveness of the HMVS

To test the effectiveness of the HMVS in visualizing and analyzing information of

building models, a set of functionalities was designed to help enhance the experience of

the interactive hologram. Students were asked to explore the interactive hologram and

give their feedback.

Functionalities of the HMVS

To facilitate the experimental study, the HMVS was built in with a sample project

in order to prove the concept of the holographic projection. The sample project is a

three-story building, with brick-covered exterior walls and wide curtain walls. The project

includes as well a structural model showing structural foundations, columns, beams,

and joists. A mechanical model showing supply, return, and exhaust systems was also

41

exported into the HMVS. Figure 3-3 shows a photo of the sample model displayed on

the HMVS.

A B

Figure 3-3. Building model projected on the HMVS. A) Photo of the HMVS, B) Photo of the hologram pyramid.

Figure 3-4 shows a sample user interface that can be used by the user to access

the different functionalities of the HMVS. Using hand gestures and voice commands, the

following is a list of the tasks available to the user:

In the main menu, the user can select one of three options: estimating, model

comparison, or rotation.

In the estimating interface, the user can use voice commands to perform simple quantity takeoffs of building components.

In the model comparison interface, the user can compare the architectural, structural and mechanical disciplines of the building hologram. The user can also isolate

different systems of each discipline, e.g., choose to visualize only the air supply system of the mechanical model.

In the rotation interface, the user can see an automatic rotation of the building or can rotate the building using hand gestures. The rotations can be performed for the

whole building or for separate floors. The comparison interface and the rotation interface can be used to check for modeling errors in the building visually.

42

Figure 3-4. User interface of the HMVS.

Experimental Procedure

Students from the M.E. Rinker School of Construction Management were asked

to participate in an experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of the HMVS.

Students from different educational levels, educational backgrounds, and construction

experience were sought. The experiment was divided into four parts and had two major

goals. The first goal was to compare the HMVS to traditional 2D drawings and methods

in collision detection and estimating. The second goal was to evaluate the effectiveness

of the HMVS in visualizing buildings and as a learning tool in construction management.

Both these goals helped in determining the value added by the HMVS to the body of

knowledge.

The first part of the experiment was a short survey that participants had to take.

This survey covered demographic questions as well as questions related to the

participants’ experience in the topics covered in the experiment, such as reading of

construction drawings, estimating, and collision detection.

43

The second part of the experiment aimed at testing the ease of use of the

developed TIM plug-in. Participants were asked to export a BIM model from Revit into

Unity 3D, using TIM and then using traditional methods such as Autodesk 3D Max.

Participants then had to compare and assess the output obtained from the two

methods.

The purpose of the third part of part of the experiment was to evaluate the

functionalities of the HMVS in comparison to traditional 2D drawings. Each participant

was given a set of construction drawings and asked to estimate some quantities, and

check for modeling errors, collisions or missing building elements in the drawings. A

similar set of questions was then answered based on the use of the HMVS. Answers

were compared, and the effectiveness of the HMVS was studied in light of demographic

data.

Finally, participants were asked to interact with the HMVS to explore all its

functionalities. A short survey was then administered to the participants to evaluate the

effectiveness of the HMVS as a visualization technique. Students were also asked to

elaborate on the benefits of the HMVS, its drawbacks, and the barriers they faced when

using it.

44

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The study was conducted at the M.E. Rinker School of Construction

Management, University of Florida during the spring 2018 semester. Forty-five students

participated and completed the study. The results of the study are presented in this

chapter, and are analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Demographic Questions

The purpose of this section of the study was to collect demographic and

background characteristics of the participants. The questions were centered on the level

of education of the participants, as well as on their experience in the construction

industry. The first question of this section determined the age of the participants. The

number of participants between the ages of 18 and 22 was the most abundant (64%).

Table 4-1 shows the age distribution of the participants. Sixty-Four percent of the

participants were undergraduate students (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior

levels), the rest of the participants were masters or doctoral students. Figure 4-1

summarizes the distribution of the students based on their level of education.

Figure 4-1. Distribution of the participants based on their level of education.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Masters PhD

Num

ber

of part

icip

ants

Education level

45

Table 4-1. Age distribution of the participants.

Age Number of participants

Percentage of total

18 8 18%

19 6 13%

20 9 20%

21 5 11%

22 4 9%

23 3 7%

24 3 7%

25 3 7%

28 1 2%

29 1 2%

30 2 4%

Totals 45 100%

The rest of the questions in this section of the survey were related to the level of

industry experience of the participants. Students were asked if they had worked in any

capacity in the construction industry. Out of the 45 students, 27 students (62%) worked

in the construction industry, and 18 students (38%) did not have any internship or work

experience. Students indicated they worked in the industry between two months and 24

months, with an average construction experience of seven months. Table 4-2 shows the

durations of construction experience reported by the participants. Students with

construction experience reported working as project engineers, assistant project

managers, superintendents, structural engineers, estimators, scheduling engineers, or

Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) engineers. The data collected in this part of the

study will be used later in this chapter to correlate between the construction experience

of participants and the effectiveness of the developed holographic unit (HMVS). The

subsequent part of the study examined the knowledge and skills of participants with

construction-related skills. These skills were (1) ability to read construction drawings, (2)

quantity takeoff, (3) collision detection, (4) proficiency in the use of BIM software, (5)

46

proficiency in the use of Autodesk 3D Max, and (6) proficiency in the use of game

engines.

Table 4-2. Level of construction experience of participants.

Duration of construction

experience (months)

Number of

participants

Percentage of total

2 1 4%

3 6 22%

4 1 4%

5 9 33%

7 2 7%

9 1 4%

10 3 11%

12 2 7%

24 2 7%

Totals 27 100%

Participants were asked to evaluate their level of understanding and experience

in the aforementioned skills on a Likert scale ranging from very poor to excellent.

Results from these questions are summarized in Table 4-3, which shows the distribution

of students based on how they evaluated themselves for each skill. Reading

construction drawings is the skill students are more proficient at with 70% of students

having indicated they were good or excellent at reading drawings. Students who

indicated that they were poor or very poor at reading drawings (24%) were freshman

students. The second skill discussed in this series of questions was quantity takeoffs.

Out of 45 participants, 26 students (58%) indicated they were good or excellent at

quantity takeoff, whereas 15 students (33%) said they were poor or very poor at

quantity takeoff. The ability to detect clashes, collisions and modeling errors was to the

third skill examined in this study. The students’ levels of knowledge and understanding

of collision detection were randomly distributed between very poor and excellent.

Similar trends were observed in the students’ proficiency in BIM software, 16% of

47

students indicated they did not have any experience in BIM software, 16% said they

were very experienced in BIM, and the highest percentage of students (27%) evaluated

their level of experience in BIM as moderate. For the last two skills, proficiency in the

use of Autodesk 3D Max and game engines, none of the students indicated they were

good or excellent in the use of these platforms. Most students indicated they had a little

or no experience in 3D Max or game engines. The results obtained from these survey

questions are used later in this chapter to correlate between the level of experience of

participants in construction concepts and their ability to use and interact with the HMVS.

Table 4-3. Frequency and percentages of participants based on level of knowledge of

construction related skills. Level of knowledge and understanding

Construction-related skills

Reading construction drawings

Quantity takeoff

Collision detection

BIM software

Autodesk 3D Max

Game engines

Very poor 6 5 7 7 16 24

Poor 5 10 10 8 19 12

Moderate 5 4 9 12 10 9

Good 13 13 12 11 0 0

Excellent 16 13 7 7 0 0

Totals 45 45 45 45 45 45

Very poor 13% 11% 16% 16% 36% 53%

Poor 11% 22% 22% 18% 42% 27%

Moderate 11% 9% 20% 27% 22% 20%

Good 29% 29% 27% 24% 0% 0%

Excellent 36% 29% 16% 16% 0% 0%

Totals 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Ease of Use and Effectiveness of TIM Plug-in

Ease of Use of TIM Plug-in

The second part of this experiment was designed to evaluate the ease of use

and effectiveness of the TIM Plug-in. Students were asked to export a BIM model from

Revit and import it into Unity 3D, first using the developed plug-in and then using

48

Autodesk 3D Max. A detailed explanation on the export/import procedure was given to

the students to account for any participant with a low level of experience with the

software used.

Participants were then asked to rate the ease of use of each method, and to

evaluate the output displayed in Unity 3D. The evaluation of the output was based on

the colors and textures of the building, as well as on the information embedded within its

elements.

The ease of use of each method was rated on a Likert scale ranging from very

easy to very difficult. Out of the 45 participants, 29 students (64%) perceived that it was

very easy to use the TIM plug-in, 12 students (27%) perceived that it was easy to use it,

and four students (9%) perceived that the ease of use of the TIM plug-in was moderate.

None of the students reported that the TIM plug-in was difficult or very difficult to use.

On the other hand, 21 out of the 45 participants (47%) perceived that using 3D Max to

export a model from Revit and import it to Unity 3D was a difficult or a very difficult

procedure. Figure 4-2 shows the responses of the participants in regard to the ease of

use of the TIM plug-in in comparison to 3D Max.

In order to test if there were a significant difference between the methods used to

export a BIM model to Unity 3D, a Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon (MWW) test was applied to

the data. Since the data are based on a Likert scale, i.e., they are ordinal data,

parametric techniques cannot be used to statistically compare the two methods. The

MWW test evaluates the z-score of the sample data based on the sum, mean and

standard deviation of ranks.

49

Figure 4-2. Responses of participants regarding the ease of use of the TIM plug-in and

3D Max.

The following are the hypotheses used in the MWW analysis:

H0: The ease of use of the TIM plug-in and 3D Max is the same

Ha: The ease of use of the TIM plug-in and 3D Max is different

Each of the Likert scale options was given a score according to Table 4-4 in

order to calculate the U-value. The analysis considered two samples. Sample 1

describes the use of TIM, and Sample 2 describes the use of 3D Max. Since both

sample sizes are equal (𝑛1 = 𝑛2 = 45), and at a significance level of 𝛼 = 0.05, the

expected U-value is obtained from U-tables as 1,012.5.

Table 4-4. Scores associated with options.

Option Score

Very easy 5

Easy 4 Moderate 3 Difficult 2

Very difficult 1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Very Easy Easy Moderate Difficult Very Difficult

Num

ber

of part

icip

ants

Level of difficulty

TIM 3D Max

50

Using Microsoft Excel 2016, the two samples were compared, and the U-Value

for each sample was calculated based on Equations (4-1) and (4-2), with 𝑅1and 𝑅2

being the sum of ranks of the data under Sample 1 and Sample 2 respectively.

𝑈1 = 𝑅1 −𝑛1(𝑛1+1)

2 (4-1)

𝑈2 = 𝑅2 −𝑛2(𝑛2+1)

2 (4-2)

The U-value used for the computation of the z-score is the smallest value

between 𝑈1 and 𝑈2. The z-score was computed according to Equation (4-3), and based

on ranks of both samples combined.

𝑧 =𝑆𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠−𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 (4-3)

The ranks for the data of each sample were generated using MS Excel, and

corrected to avoid rank duplications. Results from the MWW test are presented in Table

4-5.

Table 4-5. Results of the MWW test regarding the ease of use of TIM plug-in.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Samples 1 and 2 combined

Sum of ranks 2,907 1,188 4,095 Mean of ranks 64.6 26.4 45.5

Expected sum of ranks 2,047.5 2,047.5 Expected mean of ranks 45.5 45.5 U-value 1,872 153

Expected U-value 1,012.5 1,012.5 Standard deviation 123.9

With a large sample size (larger than 10), the distribution of Samples 1 and 2 can

be assumed normal (Conover 1999). Using Sample 1 and Sample 2 combined, the

calculated z-score was 6.93 with a corresponding p-value less than 0.00001. The result

is then extremely significant at 𝑝 < 0.05. The null hypothesis can be rejected using the

z-test proving that a statistical difference exists between the ease of use of the TIM

plug-in and that of 3D Max. Since the sum of ranks of Sample 1 is higher than the sum

51

of ranks of Sample 2, TIM was proven to be easier to use than 3D Max to export a

model from Revit and import it into Unity 3D.

Effectiveness of the TIM Plug-in

Similarly, participants were asked to evaluate the output of both methods. In

other terms, participants were asked to inspect the final product in Unity 3D and assess

the colors and textures of the building, as well as the information related to those

elements, such as building floor level, system classification (architectural, mechanical,

structural, etc.), and family (walls, doors, windows, etc.). The responses were recorded

on a Likert scale from one to five, with one being the lowest visual appearance or the

lowest amount of embedded information, and five being the best visual appearance or

the highest amount of embedded information in the exported BIM model.

For each of the aforementioned evaluations, a MWW test was conducted to

compare the TIM plug-in and the Autodesk 3D Max outputs. For the visual appearance

of the model, the null hypothesis (H0) postulates that the visual appearance obtained

from the use of either method is the same, while the alternative hypothesis (Ha)

postulates that there is a significant difference in the visual appearance. At a 95%

confidence level, the results from the MWW test are summarized in Table 4-6.

Table 4-6. Results of the MWW test regarding the visual appearance obtained from

TIM plug-in.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Samples 1 and 2 combined

Sum of ranks 2,149.5 1,945.5 4,095 Mean of ranks 47.77 43.23 45.5

Expected sum of ranks 2,047.5 2,047.5 Expected mean of ranks

45.5 45.5

U-value 1,114.5 Expected U-value 1,012.5 1,012.5 Standard deviation 123.9

52

Since the distribution is approaching a normal distribution (𝑛1 = 𝑛2 = 45), the z-

score was computed from the combination of Samples 1 and 2. The corresponding p-

value for the obtained z-score (0.81) was 0.41, which is higher than the significance

level. Therefore, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. In other terms, there is no

statistical difference between the visual appearance of the outputs obtained from the

TIM plug-in or from 3D Max. The TIM plug-in was able to provide a visual appearance

as appealing as that obtained from the use of 3D Max.

The last question of this part of the study aimed at determining the level of

information embedded in the exported 3D model. The null hypothesis (H0) assumes that

there is no significant difference between the information embedded in the model

exported using the TIM plug-in and the information in the model exported using 3D Max.

The alternate hypothesis (Ha) postulates that such a difference actually exists. The

results from the MWW test are listed in Table 4-7.

The computed z-score from Samples 1 and 2 combined turned out to be 7.53,

with a corresponding p-value less than 0.00001. At a significance level of 0.05, the

result is statistically significant, and the null hypothesis can be rejected. Therefore, there

exists a significant difference between the amount of information in a model exported

using the TIM plug-in, and that of a model imported into Unity 3D using 3D Max.

Moreover, since the sum of ranks of Sample 1 is higher than the sum of ranks of

Sample 2, it can be concluded that the model exported using the TIM plug-in was

embedded with more information than the model exported using 3D Max. Table 4-8

summarizes the three MWW tests performed in this section of the chapter at a 95%

level of confidence.

53

Table 4-7. Results of the MWW test regarding the information obtained from TIM plug-in.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Samples 1 and 2 combined

Sum of ranks 2,906 1,010 3,916 Mean of ranks 64.58 23.49 45.5 Expected sum of

ranks

2,002.5 1,913.5

Expected mean of ranks

44.5 44.5

U-value 1,871 64 Expected U-value 967.5 967.5 Standard deviation 119.79

Table 4-8. Summary of the MWW tests regarding the effectiveness of TIM plug-in.

Null hypothesis Alternative hypothesis

P-value

Ease of use The ease of use of TIM plug-in and 3D Max is the same.

The ease of use of TIM plug-in and 3D Max is different.

<0.0001*

Visual appearance The visual appearance of the

models exported using TIM or 3D Max is the same.

The visual appearance of the

models exported using TIM or 3D Max is different.

0.41

Amount of embedded

information

The amount of information

embedded in the models exported using TIM or 3D

Max is the same.

The amount of information

embedded in the models exported using TIM or 3D

Max is different.

<0.0001*

* p<0.05; H0 is rejected.

Effectiveness of the HMVS

In order to determine the effectiveness of the HMVS in estimating building

quantities, and in detecting collision, each participant in the study had to answer a set of

questions using first 2D drawings (Sample 1) and then using the HMVS (Sample 2).

Five modeling errors leading to collisions were added to the model. Participants were

asked to identify these clashes. In addition, participants were asked to takeoff five

54

quantities in the building. The number of correct answers for each task was recorded

whether the students were using 2D drawings or the HMVS. The obtained data,

summarized in Table 4-9 and Table 4-10, were used for statistical analysis.

Table 4-9. Number of correct answers obtained on the collision detection exercise.

Method used 2D Drawings HMVS

Number of correct answers

Number of participants

Percentage of total

Number of participants

Percentage of total

0 4 9% 0 0%

1 7 16% 4 9%

2 15 33% 5 11%

3 12 27% 13 29%

4 5 11% 14 31%

5 2 4% 9 20%

Totals 45 100% 45 100%

Table 4-10. Number of correct answers obtained on the quantity takeoff exercise.

Method used 2D Drawings HMVS

Number of correct answers

Number of participants

Percentage of total

Number of participants

Percentage of total

0 1 2% 0 0%

1 8 18% 0 0%

2 14 31% 0 0%

3 6 13% 0 0%

4 8 18% 7 16%

5 8 18% 38 84%

Totals 45 100% 45 100%

In order to determine whether or not the HMVS helped students in the collision

detection and in the quantity takeoff exercises, a Welch’s t-test was conducted using

Microsoft Excel 2016. The t-statistic used to test whether a statistical difference existed

between the answers obtained from Samples 1 and 2 was calculated using Equation (4-

4).

𝑡 =𝑋1 −𝑋2

𝑠Δ

(4-4)

55

Where

𝑠Δ = √𝑠1

2

𝑛1+

𝑠22

𝑛2 (4-5)

For use of significance testing, the distribution of the test statistic was

approximated as an ordinary Student's t-distribution with the degrees of freedom

calculated using Equation (4-6).

𝑑. 𝑓. =𝑠Δ

2

𝑠12

𝑛1(𝑛1−1)

+

𝑠22

𝑛2(𝑛2−1)

(4-6)

In Equations (4-4), (4-5), and (4-6), 𝑋1 and 𝑋2

denote the mean number of correct

answers obtained from Samples 1 and 2 respectively; 𝑠1 and 𝑠2represent the standard

deviation of Samples 1 and 2 respectively; and 𝑛1 and 𝑛2 represent the sample size

which is 45 for both Samples 1 and 2. To determine if the HMVS helped students find

collisions in the building, the null hypothesis (H0) postulates that the mean number of

correct answers obtained using the HMVS (𝑋2 ) is less than that obtained using 2D

drawings (𝑋1 ). The alternative hypothesis (Ha) the mean number of correct answers

obtained using the HMVS (𝑋2 ) is higher than that obtained using 2D drawings (𝑋1

).

Equations (4-7) and (4-8) represents these hypotheses.

𝐻0: 𝑋2 − 𝑋1

< 0 (4-7)

𝐻𝑎: 𝑋2 − 𝑋1

≥ 0 (4-8)

Table 4-11 summarizes the results of the one-tailed Student’s t-tests conducted

to validate or reject the null hypothesis. Similar hypotheses were used to determine the

effectiveness of the HMVS in helping students in the quantity takeoff exercise.

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Table 4-11. Results of the Student’s t-test regarding the effectiveness of the HMVS.

Collision detection Quantity takeoff

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 1 Sample 2

Sample size 45 45

Mean 2.28 3.42 2.80 4.84

Standard deviation 1.24 1.18 1.43 0.36

𝑠Δ 0.25 0.22

t-value -4.43 -9.24

Degrees of freedom 44 44

p-value 9.71E-05 1.14E-11

Significance level 0.05

Decision Reject 𝐻0 Reject 𝐻0

Using a significance level of 0.05, and a degree of freedom of 44, the null

hypothesis was rejected for both exercises (collision detection and quantity takeoff). The

alternative hypothesis was then accepted, concluding that the mean number of correct

answers is higher when the participants were using the HMVS. The HMVS was able to

help students detect more collisions in the building and obtain correct estimates of the

quantities.

Correlation between level of experience and effectiveness of the HMVS:

This section analyzed whether the HMVS helped less-experienced participants better

visualize the building and obtain correct answers on the two exercises. Based on Table

4-3, 15 out of the 45 students (33%) said they were poor or very poor in quantity takeoff

exercises, and 17 students (38%) reported they were poor or very poor in collision

detection. These participants were the subject of a Student’s t-test statistical analysis

test and the results are shown in Table 4-12. Equations (4-7) and (4-8) were used as

the hypotheses of these tests.

57

Table 4-12. Results of the Student’s t-test correlating the level of experience of students with the effectiveness of the HMVS.

Collision detection Quantity takeoff

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 1 Sample 2

Sample size 15 17

Mean 4.93 2.23 4.93 2.23

Standard deviation 0.26 1.50 0.26 1.50

𝑠Δ 0.23 0.25

t-value -11.49 -5.04

Degrees of freedom 4.67 6.04

p-value 5.56E-05 1.17E-03

Significance level 0.05

Decision Reject 𝐻0 Reject 𝐻0

Based on the results displayed in Table 4-12, and at a level of significance of

0.05, the null hypothesis was rejected in the case of both the collision detection exercise

and the quantity takeoff exercise. The alternative hypothesis was accepted, affirming

that, for the samples in these tests, the mean number of correct answers obtained using

the HMVS was significantly higher than that obtained using two-dimensional drawings.

Thus, the HMVS helped less-experienced students understand concepts related to

collision detection and quantity takeoffs.

Evaluating the Concept of the HMVS

After using the HMVS for collision detection and quantity takeoffs, students were

asked to explore the different functionalities of the HMVS, and then complete a survey.

The purpose of this survey was to determine how the participants evaluated the ease of

use, the functionalities, and the overall experience of the HMVS. The answers to these

questions were based on a Likert scale ranging from one to five, with one being the

lowest level of satisfaction and five being the highest level of satisfaction. A moderate

level of satisfaction was assumed to be equal to three.

58

In order to analyze these data, a single sample one-tailed T-test was conducted

for each of the aforementioned questions at a 0.05 level of significance. The population

mean was assumed to be equal to a moderate level of satisfaction (𝜇 = 3). For the test

to be significant, the mean of the scores (𝑀) on each question should be higher than a

moderate level, i.e., higher than the population mean. Equations (4-9) and (4-10)

describe the null (H0) and the alternate hypothesis (Ha) respectively.

H0: 𝑀 − 𝜇 < 0 (4-9)

Ha: 𝑀 − 𝜇 ≥ 0 (4-10)

The t-value in Table 4-13 was obtained using Equation (4-11), where 𝑠2 is the

sample variance, and 𝑛 is the sample size. The p-value in Table 4-13 was obtained from

T-tables at a degree of freedom of 𝑛 − 1.

𝑡 =𝑀−𝜇

√𝑠2

𝑛

(4-11)

According to Table 4-13, the p-value for each of three questions is less than

0.0001. The tests were extremely significant at a confidence interval of 95%. Therefore,

according to the data obtained from the survey, the HMVS was proven to be user-

friendly and easy to use.

Table 4-13. Results of the Student’s t-test regarding the ease of use and the functionalities of the HMVS.

Ease of use of

HMVS

Functionalities of

the HMVS

Overall experience

of the HMVS

Sample size 𝑛 45 45 45

Mean score 𝑀 4.2 4.11 4.42

Standard deviation 𝑠 0.86 0.74 0.65

t-value 9.26 10.00 14.52 p-value <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 Significance level 0.05 0.05 0.05 Decision Reject 𝐻0 Reject 𝐻0 Reject 𝐻0

59

Moreover, the participants were highly satisfied with the functionalities and the

overall experience of the HMVS. According to the survey, 94% of the participants (42

out of 45 participants) perceived that the HMVS was a good learning tool, and this

conclusion was solidified by the high significance of the statistical tests performed in this

section.

Finally, the participants of the survey were asked to list two benefits of the

HMVS, and two drawbacks associated with its use. The users affirmed that the HMVS is

a good visualization tool as they were able to better understand the building model, and

because it provided an intuitive manipulation tool for the BIM model. Moreover, based

on their ability to visualize the building from all four sides of the HMVS, students

believed that the interactive hologram would be a good tool to visualize projects for

clients in a collaborative environment. The users were also satisfied with the

functionalities of the interactive hologram as it helped them save time and answer

questions they were not able to tackle using 2D drawings. Amidst the drawbacks listed

by the participants were the smaller size of the building model compared to a computer

monitor and the sensitivity of the motion sensor as it captured hands other than those of

the user controlling the model.

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CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The sections of this chapter outline the conclusions obtained from the literature

review and the experiment results. Limitations of this research and recommendation for

future studies are then presented.

Conclusions

With construction projects becoming more complex and multidisciplinary, the

amount of information exchanged between project parties has increased the need for

more advanced communication methods. Advancements in information technology in

the field of construction resulted in the introduction of BIM in the early 2000s. BIM is an

effective method to store and exchange information throughout the building lifecycle.

The information embedded in a BIM model can be used for daylighting studies,

renderings, quantity takeoffs, and interference checking to examine conflicts between

trades. BIM enables a collaborative environment between project parties during the

design, coordination, and construction phases of a building. In addition, BIM models can

easily transfer information at handover to be used for facility management of the project.

The information embedded in a BIM model has been the subject of many studies

that developed new platforms and plug-ins for BIM modeling software. These plug-ins

used BIM models for near-miss data visualization, safe stair tower design, LEED

documentation, energy design, scheduling, and facility management. Moreover, many

research projects examined the use of BIM in creating VR and AR experiences. Using

VR headsets, the user, completely immerses themselves in the virtual world, can walk

through the building and explore its components. AR allows the overlay of information

on top of real objects; using head-mounted see-through devices, the user’s knowledge

61

of the model is augmented by information displayed virtually on top of the real world.

The use of VR and AR has been proven as an effective method to solve many problems

in the industrial sector, and to help students in the educational sector better visualize

building models. However, VR and AR are often associated with the use of more

expensive devices; they also do not allow a human-human interaction since only the

user with the head-mounted device can interact with the virtual world.

Many of the BIM platforms and the VR/AR applications examined in previous

research studies were developed using game engines. Game engines were also used

in the literature to create serious games. Serious games were proven helpful especially

in safety training, and in designing emergency evacuation plans. In the educational

sector, serious games evolved from pure simulation games to become fun educational

games helping students better understand the construction process. Game engines

were also used in the construction literature to create visualization platforms. These

platforms were proven effective in visualizing soil stratification, HVAC systems, city

models and field conditions. Although the use of game engines resulted in many

benefits especially in visualizing information, previous studies identified two main

limitations to game engines. Firstly, importing models into game engines from modeling

software is a complicated procedure; and secondly, game engines are not capable of

creating complex 3D building models.

The last section of the literature review investigated the use of holography in

construction. Even though holograms are widely used in the medical field, their use in

the construction industry is still in its infancy. Few research projects examined

62

construction building holograms, they were only based on simple visualization of

buildings and did not investigate the information embedded in a BIM model.

This research project presented two advancements to address the limitations of

previous studies. The first contribution is a Revit plug-in (TIM plug-in) that allows an

automatic transfer of information between Autodesk Revit and game engines. The

second contribution is a less-expensive visualization technique that allows a

collaborative environment. The developed technology, the HMVS, is a holographic

display of building models, where different users can interact with the model to visualize

it, compare different trades, check for collisions, and perform quantity takeoff exercises.

To test the effectiveness of the developed technologies, an experiment was

conducted with the participation of 45 construction management students. After

answering a series of demographic questions, the participants in the experiment were

asked to compare the ease of use of the TIM plug-in to traditional methods used to

export models from Autodesk Revit and import them into game engines. At a confidence

level of 95%, the TIM plug-in was proven as an effective technique to export BIM

models to be used in game engines. Moreover, participants reported that the

appearance of the models is the same whether they used the TIM plug-in or traditional

methods. However, unlike 3D Max, TIM was able to export all the information related to

the BIM Model.

The second part of the experiment examined the effectiveness of the HMVS.

Students were asked to interact with the HMVS to visualize the building, detect

collisions between trades, and perform quantity takeoffs of some building components.

In comparison to 2D drawings, students were able to detect more collisions using the

63

HMVS; also, they were able to get more correct answers to the quantity takeoff

problems. At a significance level of 0.05, the HMVS was recognized to significantly help

students with less construction experience understand the different components of the

building. The HMVS was then proven to be user-friendly and easy to use. According to

the survey, the functionalities of the developed technologies and the overall experience

of the students identified the HMVS as a good and intuitive learning tool.

Limitations of this Research

The current version of the HMVS has three major limitations. First, the

functionalities of the developed software are less than those of a BIM modeling

software. The HMVS is not able to perform more complex quantity takeoffs that are

based on more than one criterion. Second, the size of the hologram can get too small,

and the details of the model might not show well. Moreover, unlike VR and AR, the

HMVS cannot be used outdoors, in direct sunlight, since the Pepper’s Ghost concept

needs a low light setting for the hologram to be displayed more effectively. Finally, when

multiple users are in front of the Xbox Kinect sensor, many hands are captured by the

sensor which will make it harder to select options and menus and interact with the

hologram.

Recommendations

The hardware and the software of the HMVS are subject to future studies. The

hardware can be re-designed to have a seamless design, with a brighter and more

precise building holograms. More motion sensors can be added to the HMVS to allow

interaction from multiple users and eliminate any erroneous input. Moreover, different

sizes of the hologram pyramid can be built to have larger sizes of models, and discover

new applications of the HMVS without the limits of the size.

64

The HMVS software can be further developed to include more functionalities,

such as real-time material change, enhanced collision detection, and visualizing

elements’ information. Moreover, the planned and actual schedules of a project can be

linked to the HMVS in order to have a continuous visualization of the work. Finally, site

logistics could also be implemented into the HMVS to better visualize the placement of

fences and construction equipment on site.

In addition to being a good learning tool for students, the HMVS is hypothesized

to thrive in two other use cases. The HMVS can be used to display new projects to

clients, or less-experienced members of the AECO industry to visualize the geometric

properties of the building and its major components. Moreover, the HMVS can be used

in coordination and review meetings to help meeting attendees with a lower or no BIM

expertise better understand what component of the building is being discussed. To

validate the effectiveness of the HMVS in these use cases, experts from the industry

should be solicited to use the HMVS and report its benefits or any drawbacks

associated with its use.

65

APPENDIX SURVEY

Part 1: General Information

Demographic Questions

What is your age?

_______________

What is your current level of education?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you worked in the construction industry prior to taking this survey?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If yes, how many months?

______________________________________________________________

Briefly, what were your responsibilities?

___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

66

Knowledge and Skills Questions

How do you rate your level of understanding and experience in the following subjects?

Reading Construction Drawings

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Estimating

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Clash Detection

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Using BIM Software

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Using Autodesk 3D Max and Autodesk Maya

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Using Game Engines such as Unity 3D, Enscape, and Stingray

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

67

Part 2: Export FBX Models from Revit to Unity

In this part of the experiment, you will be asked to export a Revit model to be

used in Unity using two methods.

Method 1 (TIM Plugin)

The first method is developed by the researchers. Please follow the following

steps to export an fbx file into unity.

Step 1:

Open a Revit model

In order for the plugin to work, you need to be in a 3D view named {3D}. If you don’t have this view, and you run the plugin from a different view, the plugin will generate

an error and then create the 3D view for you.

Go to Add-ins, then External Tools, then click on TIM which is the name of the

plugin.

The plugin just exported your database.

Step 2:

Open the Unity TIM application.

Click Play on the top of the screen.

Your model is now scaled within the window, with all material colors, and other

embedded information.

Method 2 (Autodesk 3D Max)

The second method utilizes Autodesk 3D Max. You have the option of actually

applying the method or watch the provided tutorial video and then answer the questions.

68

Based on the use of TIM Plugin and on the YouTube video, please answer the

following questions.

Method 1 (TIM Plugin)

How easy was is to use the TIM plugin?

Very Easy Somewhat

easy

Moderate Difficult Very Difficult

How do you evaluate the output?

Colors and textures of the model 1 2 3 4 5

Level of information embedded in the model

1 2 3 4 5

Method 2 (Autodesk 3D Max)

How easy was is to use Autodesk 3D Max to export the fbx model?

Very Easy Somewhat easy

Moderate Difficult Very Difficult

How do you evaluate the output?

Colors and textures of the model 1 2 3 4 5

Level of information embedded in the model

1 2 3 4 5

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Part 3: Clash Detection and Estimating

Method 1: Using 2D Drawings

Using the provided set of drawings, kindly answer the following questions.

Locate and briefly describe five clashes or errors in the building.

a. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

e. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of windows in the building.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of doors in the building.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of curtain panels in the building.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of supply diffusers in the building.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

70

Method 2: Using the Proposed Visualization Technique

Using the large holographic projection, kindly answer the following questions.

Locate and briefly describe five clashes or errors in the building.

a. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

e. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of windows in the building.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of doors in the building.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of curtain panels in the building.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of supply diffusers in the building.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Estimate the number of cubic yards of concrete.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

71

Part 4: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Proposed Visualization Technique

Please use your hand gestures and voice commands to navigate through the

building displayed on the small holographic projection. A list of available commands are

played to you when you start using the machine.

Based on your use of the holographic projection, kindly answer the following

questions.

How do you evaluate the ease of use the holographic projection?

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

How do you evaluate the functionalities of the holographic projection?

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

In general, how do you evaluate your experience using the holographic projection?

Very Poor Poor Average Good Excellent

Do you think the holographic projection is a good learning tool?

Yes No

In your opinion, what are two benefits brought by the holographic projection?

a. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

In your opinion, what are two drawbacks of the developed holographic projection?

a. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

72

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Ralph Tayeh was born in Lebanon and lived there until he moved to the United

States in 2016 to pursue his graduate studies. In 2015, he earned his Bachelor of

Engineering in civil engineering from the Lebanese American University, Byblos

Lebanon. In May 2018, he will be graduating with a Master of Science in Construction

Management from the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the

University of Florida. Upon completion of his master’s degree, he plans to continue his

research and education, working towards earning a Ph.D. degree in construction

management from the College of Design, Construction, and Planning at the University

of Florida.