GHD Pty Ltd is a global firm that provides engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services. The firm recently used Reality Computing for the site design of a new gas plant for Horizon Oil, an Australia-based oil and gas exploration, development and production company.
Located in a remote (currently confidential) location with only helicopter access to/from the mainland, the plant complex also includes a wharf and 80 kilometers of roads. An external consultant designed the gas plant itself, whereas the earthworks, drainage systems, and roads around the gas plant site were designed by GHD. Given its rural location, the team had a very large area to choose from for the location of roads and building sites to minimize the amount of earthworks required.
GHD used model-based design, Reality Computing, and Autodesk software to develop its design and work more efficiently with other project consultants and designers. Model-based visualizations also allowed GHD to keep the client involved throughout the entire design process without them needing to interpret very technical 2D drawings.
Create -- For its preliminary design effort, GHD imported 3D scanned data (LiDAR), aerial imagery, and other geographic and topographic data into InfraWorks to create an existing conditions model of the proposed site. The design team used this base model as a reference to determine the best locations for the wharf, road alignment, and gas plant.
Compute -- The use of these existing conditions informed the designers’ decision-making when evaluating proposed alignments. For example, when placing the road alignment, they were able to highlight clearance zones that should be avoided due to local community requirements for fresh water areas, vegetation area, and so forth. By using the existing conditions model and the plant footprint, GHD also optimized the plant layout based on the cut/fill requirements for various elevations of the different pads on the building site.
Create -- In addition to using InfraWorks for preliminary planning, GHD used the software to create 3D visualizations that helped visually communicate planning options to its client and virtually transport the client to this difficult-to-access location. GHD also used InfraWorks to communicate the design to project stakeholders and nearby residents through a series of model-based rendered images. For example, GHD used InfraWorks to show local residents that the plant would be almost completely hidden from the vantage points of their respective villages.
Click here to see more 3D visualizations of this project.
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