Special software increases tilt-up productivity

By JEFF CROMAN
ConstructiVision Inc.

The computer-aided design (CAD) revolution in architecture, engineering and construction is everywhere. Powerful, multipurpose CAD software such as AutoCAD and ArchiCAD have become standard throughout the industry, streamlining the design and construction process.

But now there's a second wave to this revolution: the development of CAD tools for specific construction methods. These make possible higher levels of efficiency, not only for the design team, but for the contractor. In fact, with these tools, the contractor can become an integral part of the design team.

A case in point is ConstructiVision software, an AutoCAD-based tool for tilt-up construction, which was released at the World of Concrete '99 exposition held in January in Las Vegas.

Originally developed and field-tested by Greater Seattle Concrete Inc., a tilt-up contractor based in Lynnwood, the software yields dramatic cost reductions and productivity increases, saving more than $200 per panel on a typical project of 100 panels. Tilt-up is a construction method where reinforced-concrete wall panels are poured directly on top of a foundation slab, then tilted up with a crane and locked in place.

ConstructiVision software reduces the time and cost of building a tilt-up structure by organizing and communicating information the way it makes most sense for the contractor. It integrates and helps reconcile all panel construction data on one computerized set of drawings and generates panel books and simplified instruction sheets for crews. It offers the ability to visualize a project in three dimensions and check for errors. Any panel gaps and feature strip misalignments are caught before construction, virtually eliminating the risk of major error and associated liability and legal costs.

Three-dimensional drawings of the Diane's Foods project, generated with ConstructiVision software, allowed the construction team to "pre-build" the project and eliminate errors before breaking ground.

"We've seen the software in action on five of our projects, totaling some 573,000 square feet," said Fogarty. "From our standpoint as general contractor, it's extremely useful in allowing the project owner to visualize a tilt-up project in 3-D and then make and review changes almost instantly. We're always looking for ways to turn information around faster and cut down on errors. ConstructiVision does both very well."

The most recent tilt-up project completed by Intracorp with Greater Seattle Concrete using ConstructiVision software was Diane's Foods in Fife, a 103,000-square-foot tortilla processing and distribution plant comprising 142 panels. This project won the Tilt-Up/Industrial category in the 1999 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards sponsored by the Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association.

"Using ConstructiVision on Diane's Foods has been the culmination of a decade of work in applying CAD tools to tilt-up, and five years of development specific to ConstructiVision," said Randy Konis, Greater Seattle Concrete project superintendent. Konis has been intimately involved in the development of the software, making sure it conforms to the realities and needs of running a successful tilt-up project.

"One great advantage of using ConstructiVision is how it cuts back on supervision time and construction errors," said Konis. "The crew has a complete 3-D drawing and can visualize exactly what they're building. Plus, the information they need is broken down task by task, so it's difficult to make mistakes. It makes my job a lot easier."

Locally, general contractor GLY and owner-builder Segale Business Park have also started using ConstructiVision software.

The ConstructiVision program is simple to use, requiring no extensive CAD experience. Running as an AutoCAD extension on a Windows platform, it lets the operator enter panel data in easy-to-use dialog boxes. It draws the panels and performs all calculations, such as for center of gravity, concrete volume, weight and so forth. Once project information is entered, the program significantly reduces the time and cost of implementing revisions and change orders. The operator simply calls up a panel dialog box and enters changes with a few keystrokes. Redrawing and recalculations are automatic.

A significant benefit is the structure ConstructiVision provides for managing project information. It accelerates resolution of design issues and helps avoid costly construction delays by forcing the identification of missing data and the reconciliation of any discrepancies between information supplied by the architect, structural engineer and hardware manufacturer. ConstructiVision also cuts labor costs by allowing use of smaller crews at lower pay levels. The program allows selective output of panel information (such as form dimensions or hardware locations), easy for lower-skilled workers to follow. This eliminates time-consuming and error-prone calculations traditionally done on site by higher-skilled workers using various, often conflicting, sets of drawings.

Finally, ConstructiVision simplifies ordering of materials with a complete and accurate bill of materials generated from panel drawings. It also streamlines the process of laying out where panel forms should be placed on the foundation slab or a temporary slab nearby.

Two services are available that expand the usefulness of ConstructiVision. The first is a detailing service that will create panel shop drawings in ConstructiVision.

The second is an online tilt-up engineering service. ConstructiVision users can e-mail a compact data file for a set of panel drawings generated with the program to the engineering firm of Weiler Smith Bowers (WSB) in Burnaby, B.C. WSB feeds this data into its proprietary software to perform a stress analysis and specify the correct location of pick points, brace points and any lift reinforcement such as strongbacks. WSB will then send the user a set of stamped panel drawings with this engineering information in place. For more information about this service, e-mail Gerry Weiler.

ConstructiVision software is available to contractors and A/E firms for a licensing fee based on the number of panels drawn. For more information, call (425) 712-9021.

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