Automatic space analysis using laser scanning and a 3d grid: To industrial plant facilities

Donghyun Kim, Soonwook Kwon, Chung Suk Cho, Borja García de Soto, Daeyoon Moon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

While industrial plant projects are becoming bigger, and global attention to the plant as a construct is increasing, space arrangement in plant projects is inefficient because of the complex structure of required facilities (e.g., complex MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) installations, specialized tools, etc.,). Furthermore, problems during installation, operation, and maintenance stages caused by inconsistencies between floor plans and actual layout are on the rise. Although some of these conflicts can be addressed through clash detection using BIM (building information modeling), quality BIM models are scarce, especially for existing industrial plants. This study proposes a way to address the complexities caused by changes during plant construction and securing space for the installation of equipment during the construction and lifecycle of built facilities. 3D cloud point data of space and equipment were collected using 3D laser scanning to conduct space matching. In processing the space matching, data were simplified by applying the 3D grid and by comparing the data, easier identification of the space for target equipment was accomplished. This study also proposed a pre-processing method based on sub-sampling that optimizes the point cloud data and verifies the processing speed and accuracy. Lastly, it finds free space for various equipment layouts required in industrial plant projects by space analysis, proposed algorithms, and processes for obtaining the coordinates of valid space for equipment arrangement. The proposed method of this study is expected to help solve the problems derived from arrangement and installation of new equipment in a complex plant site.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number9087
Pages (from-to)1-17
Number of pages17
JournalSustainability (Switzerland)
Volume12
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2020

Keywords

  • 3D grid
  • 3D shape scanning
  • Equipment and facilities relocation
  • Point cloud
  • Space analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science (miscellaneous)
  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Hardware and Architecture
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Automatic space analysis using laser scanning and a 3d grid: To industrial plant facilities'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this