Case Study: AECOM achieves smarter civil object creation and clash detection with 12d Model from 12d Solutions

Steve Hunter of AECOM on civil object creation in 12d Model software

AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting firm, faced the challenge of creating adaptable and efficient civil engineering models for complex infrastructure projects. Their designers needed a way to add necessary detail for space-proofing and clash detection without being bogged down by unnecessary visual elements or manual updates, as traditional Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows were not well-suited to the dynamic nature of civil design. They turned to the 12d Model software from 12d Solutions to find a smarter approach.

12d Solutions provided a solution through custom macros and workflows within 12d Model. A key development was a custom macro, created in collaboration with a consultant, to automate the creation of civil objects like wire rope safety barrier terminals and light poles, ensuring they were correctly oriented and contained the right metadata for clash detection. This process was designed to be immune to design changes, saving significant manual effort. The result was a federated engineering model where drainage structures and other civil objects were integrated efficiently, automatically adapting to road grades and design alterations, which streamlined the entire design and space-proofing process for AECOM.

AECOM