Enabling Construction 4D Topological Analysis for Effective Construction Planning

Construction four-dimensional (4D) models have emerged to become a powerful tool for effective construction planning and control. However, the emphasis has been visualization and 4D topological analysis capabilities are not well-incorporated in the existing practice. Some 4D models enabled space-time conflict detection or site layout analysis, subtypes of 4D topological analysis; these functions are fragmented and constrained in particular construction scenarios. This paper presents a generic construction 4D topology framework that enables 4D topological analysis to support a wide range of construction planning tasks. The framework includes a 4D topological representation method that formalizes the spatial-temporal relationships between construction activities, a topology categorization method that formats the 4D topological representations into task templates, and a mathematical method to conduct the analysis. The framework is tested in a prototype through a case study, which proves that the framework is able to facilitate many construction planning works such as space-time conflict detection and test for crane's cover range. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.