3D Modelling……why use it…?
There is no easier, clearer way to illustrate what a development will look like in it’s location than viewing it in a 3D Model as if it is already built…?
By creating, and exploring, a virtual ground model of the SITE LOCATION at the start of a project you are familiarised with the local terrain around the potential development area.
Important local features such as roads, forestry, dwellings, rivers, existing utilities (i.e. overhead lines etc.) can be identified and assessed as to how they will affect the proposed design or, in the case of access roads and overhead lines, if they can be utilised into the design, allowing access and connections to the development site.
A Few 3D Modelling FAQ’s…..?
Traditionally, 3D Modelling was, and still is, considered an expensive luxury that was only created at the end of a project when designs had been defined and finalised, much like photo montages.
With vast improvements to computer and software technology, combined with companies, like ENVsupport, who are truly INNOVATIVE and CREATIVE, it is now possible to create 3D Models for a fraction of the time and therefore at reduced cost. This significant cost reduction allows 3D Modelling to be used earlier in the project to validate designs and therefore provide confidence and tangible justifications for design decisions.
In the early optioneering stages of a project, before planning consent is applied for, multiple development options and sites may be looked at and feasibility of these options have to be assessed.
By using LOW DETAIL modelling in these early stages and UPDATING as the project design becomes more defined, you can spread the cost of modelling over the whole project lifespan (less expensive at the beginning when multiple options are being explored).
Assessments will be made with regard to:-
*Visual Intrusion *Constructability/Maintenance *Transportation *Ecology *Archaeology *Noise Pollution *Connectivity (cable/ohl routes) *Wayleaves *Compatibility to Local Area *Disruption To Local Communities and, as always, ***COSTS***.
With multiple Consultants and Disciplines (Environmental, Civil, Architectural, Electrical, Landscaping, Wayleave etc) looking at all of these elements above it is no surprise that some interfaces between Consultants may not align resulting in adverse consequences to both timescales and costs, not to mention the negative reputation these setbacks can create.
Modelling the development in 3D requires that all individual elements are correctly positioned. By showing all these elements in one place, (I.e. layers within the 3D Model), any issues or mis-alignments are highlighted and can be addressed immediately making it harder for errors to be inadvertently carried forward.
2D documents will always be used as part of any assessment package but what 3D Modelling gives is a clearer, more tangible understanding of the development (particularly to non engineers) and the issues related to each option during the site selection process.
3D Modelling will give you more visual justification that a design will work or won’t work by providing views of what you will actually see, allowing direct comparisons between designs.
Note:
All of the INNOVATIVE presentation styles and features shown on this website can be replicated to show YOUR development in a way that 2D documentation CANNOT MATCH.
If you are interested in finding out more about this feature please Contact Us via email or phone for an informal chat…?
LOW DETAIL 3D Modelling
As has been stated before
“There is no easier, clearer way to illustrate what a development will look like in it’s location than viewing it in a 3D Model as if it is already built…”
You may at some point, want a 3D visualisation model of your FINISHED development,…..To play as an animation at local consultations…..or…..Provide screen grabs to include in planning documents.
However, at the beginning of a development project, when trialling site options, it makes little sense to spend excessive time, effort & expense on each of the options, particularly as there is little detail available and most of the options will inevitably be rejected anyway.
So that leaves you with this problem…..How can you fairly & thoroughly assess each option, provide robust justifications for or against each option and ensure compliance with design and planning requirements?…..AND…..How do you do it COST EFFECTIVLY given that there may be a number of options?
By creating a simplified, Low detail, PROJECT PHASE RELEVANT, 3D model of each option you can, in a matter of days, compare option against option with regards to the MAIN FACTORS in selecting a site.
Main Factors Include
*Excavation (quantifying material volumes & costs)*
*Platform Footprint Areas (including batter slopes, which will increase footprint)
*Access Road Feasibility (proof of realistic necessary gradients)
*Visual Intrusion (providing 3D views from relevant viewpoints)
*Screening Feasibility (views showing screening effectiveness)
These are all factors that can be decisive in measuring a site’s suitability and therefore its comparative score in a site selection exercise, but….. they also happen to be factors that, to get the same information from 2D DRAWINGS, would usually require MAJOR consultant involvement, incurring higher costs and perhaps, long timescales.
Envsupport, on the other hand, with it’s experience and simplified optioneering processes can extract all the relevant information while keeping 3D modelling detail LOW and PHASE RELEVANT.
The Envsupport Process
At this early optioneering stage, aesthetic appearance of the development is not as important to site selection. Although the development model elements are primarily simple coloured blocks or lines (as shown in the examples above), they ARE created with accurate dimensions for length, width, height and position so for the purposes of comparing options they have enough realistic detail to allow quantitative scoring against each other.
These simplified model blocks also make the process much quicker (therefore, less expensive) and can be produced from something as simple as an extruded shape from a 2D drawing (e.g. a dozen options could probably be modelled and quantified in a few days (sometimes just hours) NOT WEEKS).
By keeping any modelling at this stage PHASE RELEVANT the expense of analysing unsuccessful site options has been minimised and any work modelling work already done such as the ground model can be carried on and utilised on a finished higher detail 3D visualisation of the development.
This process of PHASED modelling spreads the costs across the lifetime of the project
Ordnance Survey (O.S.)
An unavoidable expense in 3D modelling is the requirement for Ordnance Survey (O.S) Data, the most expensive item being aerial photography to give a realistic look to the land in and around the development site. Again as with the finished 3D visualisation model, at the optioneering phase, the requirement for hi-resolution aerial photography isn’t really necessary therefore Envsupport has opted to use FREE (low resolution) data mapping to show the locations of the site options (further reducing costs).
There is also FREE (low-resolution) O.S. terrain data that can be used for ground modelling but this should be reserved for large area projects (such as overhead lines) or surrounding areas to the site to provide hillside screening. Costs for the higher resolution ground terrain data preferred at the site location are currently around £60 (2017 pricing).
Layered Surveys
Creating a 3D model using INDIVIDUAL LAYERS
Locate a SUITABLE site location for the development
Determine the PLATFORM position
Design the platform AREA
Determine CUT & FILL balance
Excavated CUT (red) & FILL (blue)
Finished BALANCED platform
Add SECURITY FENCE
Add CONTROL ROOM BUILDINGS
Add BUSBARS
Add overhead line TOWERS
Design SCREENING BUND
Ensure screening bund is FUNCTIONAL
Add SCREENING BUND to 3D model
Add planting on bund to provide ADDITIONAL screening
Add ADDITIONAL planting to screen development from local dwellings
Add EXISTING trees
Add AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY to complete 3D visualisation
Show screening effectiveness - Development with NO landscaping OR screening
Development with landscaping but NO screening
Development with BOTH landscaping AND screening
Layers
Each element of the development model is created on its own layer and when all the layers are added to the terrain model survey it creates a composite model where each individual layer can be toggled on and off.
This can be very useful in consultations where you might want to show BEFORE & AFTER views of screening to show effectiveness, or you might want to show expected tree growth (i.e. for screening) after 5, 10, 15 years.
Toggled layers can be shown in either live on a PC or screen grabs on a PowerPoint presentation.
“Your” 3D VIRTUAL model
3D Modelling Enquiry
Simply contact Envsupport by email at envsupport@hotmail.co.uk, or, telephone on 07527 820689 to have a chat.
Pre-modelling Consultation
Any 3D Model request will always start with a brief consultation to determine exactly what you want, i.e. how much development detail you have (drawings etc), what are you using it for, (desktop designing, screengrabs for documents, consultations),
Ordnance Survey data you require (maps, terrain models, aerial photos) may depend on what stage your project is at and ENV will always CUSTOMISE a package that gives you what you want while keeping costs down.
If you are at the optioneering/site selection stage of your project, you may not want to go to the expense of aerial photography to drape over the terrain. Ordnance Survey (O.S.) offer free BMP mapping that will give you positional reference in the terrain model.
Creation of 3D Models
An ENVsupport 3D Model is created with all the individual layers and features added that have been requested. Once completed, a VIRTUAL model (.LVM file) is generated, by us, for you to download and explore.
The VIRTUAL model essentially “captures” all the individual model information in the ENV model as one smaller file (much like a PDF would capture a document) and is saved in a compressed ZIP file.
“DropBox”
This Virtual Model zip file will be sent to you (via an emailed DropBox link) along with a virtual model viewer (free software) and an installation/user guide.
Downloading Files
Download all files (model zip file, free viewer & user guide) onto a P.C. or laptop (C:/ drive gives best results) and unzip them. You should then be able to load your 3d virtual model into the viewer and start to explore the model.
Note: To keep all virtual model files in a recognisable/retrievable location it is recommended that you create a folder in your C:/drive named “LVM files” or “Virtual Model Files” etc.
Open Up FREE Viewer
Double-Click on the Vantage.exe file in your selected download folder to open up the free viewer then select File >>> Open >>> (browse to selected file)
Note: Although you can double-click directly on the LVM file to open the viewer and virtual model simultaneously we have found that this multiple action can cause loading problems particularly when opening large sized files.
Movement Controls
Once opened, the 3D virtual model is fully traversable by you using the control buttons to move left, right, forward, back, up, down, look-up, look-down, rotate left, rotate right giving you full movement over the terrain. You can also set the eye viewpoint to FLY-BY mode, allowing you to fly, at height, across the terrain, or, WALK mode, which will keep your eye line at a set level above ground (as if walking or driving)…….(full control guide below).
Installation & User Guide
Download or print the attached guide to view model controls and options.
Additional Options
Explore your VIRTUAL model
You can move to a location in the terrain (such as an important viewpoint) and look at your development and see what visual impact this gives. By taking a screengrab of this view and all other viewpoints of importance, you can paste them all into a document (PowerPoint for instance…?) and use it to show clients and stakeholders what the development currently looks like in its location, or, share it with your design team to analyse if the layout is adequate or if you can see areas where the design needs improvement.
Additional Features
Comparison of Site Options
If multiple site options are in close proximity to each other they can be quite easily modelled to appear in the same terrain model location.
Viewing these sites from a pre-programed VP will give instant comparison and show pro & cons of each site from that one VP.
In this example we have 4 potential site options A, B, C & D and one landowner at viewpoint (VP01)
We can see from this view that option A is closest to the landowner and at first assessment may have the greatest visual impact on the view from his house.
When we look at all of the site options together in the same view from his house we can see that the local terrain actually screens out the majority of site A and it is site B produces the more prominent impact.
…..and when we add the existing forestry layer to the 3D Model we can get a better understanding of what visual impact there is…..
By repeating this exercise from all of the other VP’s you can get a clearer understanding of what works and what doesn’t with the added benefit of compiling visual documentation for comments or justifications.
Again, it is shown that 3D Modelling of potential options can improve the quality of site selection scoring by giving clearer additional evidence of visual impacts on the local community.
Comparison of Design Options
When trying to compare changes of a design on a single site, to assess which design is better, screen shots viewed from a particular pre-programed VP can be screen grabbed of each design.
Below we have 2 development design options (position A & position B). Both are in the same site location.
Because both design options can then be viewed from the same pre-defined viewpoint (VP02), you can see immediately what effect both designs have on the visual impact from VP02.
When the screengrabs are pasted on one document. (e.g. PowerPoint slide) and, because you are viewing a 3D representation of your development, differences between the designs will show up more clearly and the comparisons can be distributed to get comment or show more certain justification for decisions going forward.
Visual Receptor/Visualisation Points (VP’s)
As well as the general visual appearance of the development in its location, there may be specific viewpoints from where it is crucial to minimise the visual impact of the development and reduce the possibility of objections to the development.
Areas such as historical sites where tourists may visit, well used rambling tracks, local parks and picnic areas, homeowners in the immediate vicinity or even busy roads with passing traffic all may require additional reassurances that the development will not have an adverse effect and create concerns within the local community.
These numbered VP’s are usually shown on a 2D map as a cross reference but when added to the 3D terrain model of the site they can give emphasis and more understanding to the issues surrounding each VP.
As well as showing VP’s (viewpoint positions where you are looking from) we have also introduced TP’s (Target Points of proposed developments) as a useful visual indicator of relative positions. The visual prominence of the numbered VP’s & TP’s also give a clear focal reference when navigating around the 3D terrain model.
In such cases where viewpoints are likely to be re-visited again and again, It would be convenient to have these VP’s pre-programed into the 3D model and accessed by a dropdown menu.
The dropdown menu not only shows the clients allocated VP number, but also gives a brief text description of the VP location (e.g. VP01 – picnic area, VP02 – junction at A9, VP03 – school etc.) which ensures the correct VP is being selected.
When selecting a VP via the dropdown menu you can move instantaneously to that VP position on the model with the eye line automatically viewing the development and because this action is repeatable, you can return to the same exact VP position every time there is a significant change to the development allowing you to compare advantages/disadvantages of each change.
The examples above show the benefits of having pre-programed viewpoints as part of your 3D virtual model. By careful selection of layers in your model you can show BEFORE & AFTER views from the exact same viewpoint position.
Screening (volumes)
When designing a screening bund that retains an aesthetic balance with the local terrain it can be possible to lose sight of the amounts of material that are required and the resultant implications to the overall development and costs.
To minimise transportation of bunding material to site it is more efficient to generate additional the material from platform excavation but this will lower platform level as well as change overall excavation footprint (larger cut batter).
By using ENV’s VOLUME REPORTING feature to determine volumes of platform excavation and screening bund requirement it is easier to create more realistic, therefore practical, bunding designs.
Screen grabs of successful bunding, viewed from VP’s, can clearly show how effective the finished design is in screening the development.
Equally important, this facility can also highlight and justify when a proposed design is unfeasible, minimising wasted time & effort and prompting a refocus on suitable solutions.
Photo Montage Modelling
Photographs were taken of the proposed site location by the landscape architect and the camera position and camera fields of view (F.O.V.) were recorded.
The 3D development model was then viewed from the same position and high resolution images (with the background features removed) were generated from the model, leaving only the structure showing.
This image was given to the landscape architect who then inserted it into the photo as an overlay.
Flood Plain Mapping
Ensure that historic and re-occurring flood patterns will not impact on chosen sites for developments
Innovative Presentation Styles
Explore unique and innovative presentation ideas to enhance your report and improve understanding of the data being presented instead of old 2D technical diagrams.
1. bird flight path analysis
2. Reflection Mapping (Solar Parks)
Assess, record and map annual sunlight availability to compare efficiency of site options
Map reflection data and identify areas of reflection issue.
If you are interested in finding out more about this feature please get in touch via email or phone for an informal chat…?