Virtual Construction as a New Method of Bringing Projects to Life

The main theme of 100+ Forum Russia this year will be virtual construction. What does it mean for the construction industry? Is it a distant future or has the era of imaginary construction already begun?

The advantages of creating virtual reality are getting more and more obvious now. A virtual architectural structure presents the final project as realistically as possible. You can take virtual walks and fly-arounds, change the whole projects or its parts interactively. Unlike a paper mockup, virtual reality makes it possible to correct the model in the online mode. An informational model enables all project participants - customer, contractors, architects, designers, utilities engineers, installation workers and operating organizations - to share data as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Even recently, it was believed that these technologies were not cheap and were only required for building unique facilities like stadiums, etc. But digital technologies have found use in civil construction as well quite quickly.

The business program of 100+ Forum Russia is putting a lot of emphasis on the issues of digital design, construction and operation as well as digital manufacturing of contemporary materials and technologies. Here are some of the topics:

• Applying Automated Technical Systems and Information Technologies in Construction (during engineering surveying that applies robotized solutions, organization of construction process that applies robotized construction machinery and control of construction works completion using unmanned aerial vehicles).
• Virtual Prototyping in Design and Construction of Buildings and Structures (virtual reality technologies for working with BIM models, determining buildings’ life cycles based on the results of facility modelling, projects visualization for assessment of construction progress based on photo surveying results).

BIM Technologies in Design, Construction and Operation of Buildings and Structures (changing regulatory framework on Building Information Modelling in facility design and construction, domestic and foreign experience of applying BIM technologies, building information models during its operation).