End user Oriented BIM enabled Multi-functional Virtual Environment Supporting Building ...

279 Pages·2015·13.1 MB·English

End user Oriented BIM enabled Multi-functional
Virtual Environment Supporting Building
Emergency Planning and Evacuation

Bin Wang

Cardiff School of Engineering
Cardiff University

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
December, 2014
Summary
Relevant research has identified that high level of building emergency casualty
(e.g. due to fire) has direct link with the delayed evacuation especially in
residential and high-rising buildings. The traditional fire drill can only passively
identify some bottleneck for evacuation after the building has been constructed
and under its operation stage; and end-users normally lack of means to be
effectively involved in the decision making process in the first place (e.g.
building emergency planning and design) and lack of cost-effective and
convenient means to be well trained about emergency evacuation at later
operation stage. Modern building emergency management research has
highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically updated building
emergency information. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become the
information backbone which can enable integration and collaboration throughout
the entire building life cycle. BIM can play a significant role in building
emergency management due to its comprehensive and standardized data format
and integrated life cycle process.
This PhD research aims at developing an end user oriented BIM enabled virtual
environment to address several key issues for building emergency evacuation and
planning. The focus lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building
information provider to work with virtual reality technology to build an
adaptable immersive serious game for complex buildings to provide general end
users emergency evacuation training/guides. The contribution lies on the
seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based Virtual Reality (VR)
environment, which enables effective engagement of end-uses. By doing so
potential bottlenecks for existing and new buildings for emergency evacuation
can be identified and rectified in a timely and cost-effective manner. The system
has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the research
hypothesis and research questions, and the results show promising potential to
support more effective fire emergency evacuation and planning solutions.
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Declaration and Statements
DECLARATION
This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is
not concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree.
Signed……………………………. (candidate) Data………………………….

STATEMENT 1
This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
degree of ………………….. (insert MCh, MD, MPhil, PhD etc. as appropriate)
Signed……………………………. (candidate) Data………………………….

STATEMENT 2
This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where
otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references.
Signed……………………………. (candidate) Data………………………….

STATEMENT 2
I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying
and for interlibrary loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to
outside organisations.
Signed……………………………. (candidate) Data………………………….

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Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the supervisors, Dr. Haijiang Li and Prof. Yacine
Rezgui for their guidance on this PhD project; also thank Hoang Ong, Benjamin
Tapley, Alex Bradley, Calin Boje and Gareth Edwards for their helps on system
testing; and finally thank my family for their support to complete my PhD study.

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Table of Contents
Summary ................................................................................................................................... i
Declaration and Statements ...................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. iii
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... iv
List of Figures ......................................................................................................................... vi
List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... xii
List of Publication ................................................................................................................. xiii
Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1. Background and motivation ............................................................................. 1
1.2. Thesis Statement .............................................................................................. 5
1.2.1. Hypotheses ............................................................................................... 5
1.2.2. Aim and objectives ................................................................................... 6
1.2.3. Scientific contributions ............................................................................. 7
1.3. Thesis Outline .................................................................................................. 8
Chapter 2 Literature Review .................................................................................................. 10
2.1. Building Information Modelling (BIM) ......................................................... 10
2.1.1. Collaboration, interoperability and integration ...................................... 11
2.1.2. Barriers of BIM development ................................................................. 12
2.1.3. BIM software review .............................................................................. 15
2.1.4. Summary ................................................................................................ 20
2.2. Emergency management ................................................................................ 21
2.2.1. Emergency drill to investigate human behaviours ................................. 22
2.2.2. Virtual simulation for emergency management .................................... 25
2.2.3. Critical factors influencing fire evacuation ............................................. 28
2.2.4. Summary ................................................................................................ 36
2.3. Use of Computer Game Engine ...................................................................... 37
2.3.1. Architecture visualization ....................................................................... 38
2.3.2. Serious game for human behaviour training and research .................... 44
2.3.3. Summary ................................................................................................ 50
2.4. Ontology and its applications ......................................................................... 51
2.5. BIM based virtual environment for emergency management ........................ 56
2.5.1. BIM and its information adoption .......................................................... 56
2.5.2. BIM based emergency management ...................................................... 59
2.5.3. Need for BIM-based building monitoring ............................................... 61
2.5.4. Summary ................................................................................................ 62
Chapter 3 Methodology .......................................................................................................... 64
3.1. Systems engineering development principle .................................................. 64
3.2. Computer game system development methodology ....................................... 65
3.2.1. The world of reality and play ................................................................... 66
3.2.2. The world of meaning and play ............................................................... 73
Chapter 4 System Design and Development .......................................................................... 81
4.1. Multi-functional BIM based Virtual Environment (BIM-VE) ....................... 81
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4.1.1. ............................................... 81
4.1.2. 3D Real-time emergency evacuation guidance ...................................... 97
Two-way information communication
4.1.3. Immersive and dynamic emergency evacuation training and experiment
123
4.1.4. Real-time building information visualisation and monitoring .............. 129
4.1.5. End user engaged building emergency design environment ............... 135
4.2. Scenario-based fire evacuation modelling .................................................... 143
4.2.1. Key concluded factors for fire emergency evacuation ......................... 144
4.2.2. Using questionnaire and virtual scenario to refine the key factors ...... 148
4.2.3. Human behaviour modelling ................................................................ 159
4.2.4. Scenario based ontology modelling for fire evacuation ....................... 163
Chapter 5 System Testing .................................................................................................... 171
5.1. Generic human and BIM-VE interfacing testing .......................................... 171
5.2. Case Study based functionality Testing ........................................................ 188
5.2.1. Two way information channel testing .................................................. 190
5.2.2. Dynamic scenario generation for building emergency design ............. 194
5.2.3. Dynamic path finding for real-time 3D fire evacuation ........................ 196
5.2.4. Fire evacuation testing ......................................................................... 201
Chapter 6 Experiment Result Analysis ................................................................................ 207
6.1. The analysis method ..................................................................................... 207
6.2. Scenario based human emergency behaviour analysis ................................. 210
6.2.1. Observation .......................................................................................... 211
6.2.2. Collaboration and group preferring ...................................................... 214
6.2.3. Role and physical position .................................................................... 221
6.2.4. Degree of familiarity with building layout ............................................ 224
6.2.5. Emergency factors: fire, smoke, and toxic gas ...................................... 232
Chapter 7 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 237
Chapter 8 Further Work ....................................................................................................... 239
References ............................................................................................................................ 241
Appendix A BIM Software Survey ...................................................................................... 253
Appendix C Experimental Data and Result ......................................................................... 265

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List of Figures
Figure 2.1 The steps to do BIM software survey………………………………………...….16
Figure 2.2 BIM solutions in personal brain………………………………………………….19
Figure 2.3 Critical factors influencing fire response performance……………………….…29
Figure 2.4 Unity3D Game Engine and preferred integration with CAD/BIM software …...39
Figure 2.5 CAD model conversions art path………………………………………...………40
Figure 2.6 Architectural design-play(game) process……………...………………………...41
Figure 2.7 The BIM-Game modules and interoperability…………………..………………42
Figure 2.8 BIM-based serious gaming environment………………………...………………43
Figure 2.9 The workflow from 3D CAD into the VDRS………………………………...….44
Figure 2.10 TAO of Topic Maps…………………………………………………………….52
Figure 2.11 Formal and informal ontology language……………………………….……….53
Figure 3.1 Adapted TGD based framework for BIM-VE development ………………...….66
Figure 3.2 System Architecture……………………………………………………………...69
Figure 3.3 The Architecture of Library Approach…………………………………………..71
Figure 3.4 Interactive diagram between classes for dynamic scenarios generation………....72
Figure 3.5 Administrator work flow………………………………………...………………75
Figure 3.6 Client end work flow……………………………………………...……………..76
Figure 3.7 Existing and planned virtual reality equipment in Cardiff VR Lab…….……….79
Figure 4.1 AMP system for two way information communication…………………………82
Figure 4.2 The layout of the forms within the Revit plugin……………...………..……..….83
Figure 4.3 The appear order of forms contained in the Revit plugin……………...………...83
Figure 4.4 The basic workflow process that goes on inside of the plug-in…………………85
Figure 4.5 Main menu of game………………...……………………………………………90
Figure 4.6 Connect to server menu……………………...…………………………………..91
Figure 4.7 Functionality menu and property windows in serious game…………...………..92
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Figure 4.8 The workflow of server-clients framework for information and functionality
control………………………………………………………………………………………..93
Figure 4.9 Real time path finding scenarios during the fire emergency…………...……..…98
Figure 4.10 The shortest path from start point to end point based on space search algorithms
(red area is space search area and black line is shortest path generated by algorithms)…..100
Figure 4.11 The shortest path from start point to end point based on A* space searching
algorithms……………………………………………………...………………..………….101
Figure 4.12 The shortest path generated by A* algorithm with different h(x)…….....……103
Figure 4.13 flexible node connections to represent common shapes used by grids…......…105
Figure 4.14 The path movement within the grid system………………………...…………107
Figure 4.15 Hybrid shortest path generation based on navmesh graph……………….…...108
Figure 4.16 The complexity of vertices movement on the nevmesh graph………….…….108
Figure 4.17 Define the world within the grid coordinate (obstacle tiles in red colour area)110
Figure 4.18 A* shortest path finding based on the tile movement within grid coordinate...110
Figure 4.19 The workflow with associated classes and methods for the implementation of the
path finding algorithm in the BIM-VE……………………………………………….…….111
Figure 4.20 Workflow to create preliminary coloured 3D discretized space for shortest
evacuation path………………………………………………………………..……..……..114
Figure 4.21 Layered grid of nodes and marked obstacles in the multi-floor building…….116
Figure 4.22 The flowchart to create the evacuation path on the 3D discretized space and
make the player follow them for evacuation guidance/training……………..……………..118
Figure 4.23 Scanning pattern on mobile devices……………………………...…………...121
Figure 4.24 workflow to achieve immersive and dynamic emergency evacuation training and
experiment………………………………………………………...………………………..124
Figure 4.25 The simulation to visualize and monitoring building performance in 2D and
3D…………………………………………………………………………………………..131
Figure 4.26 The camera of mobile devices to mix virtual and real world to provide
evacuation strategies by recognizing natural symbols such as evacuation signs…………..134
Figure 4.27 The workflow to get end users engaged in emergency design…………...…...136
Figure 4.28 Main menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design………………………137
Figure 4.29 Start server menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design………………..137
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Figure 4.30 Lobby menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design……………………..138
Figure 4.31 Connect to server menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design…………138
Figure 4.32 Setting menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design………………...…..139
Figure 4.33 In game menu of BIM-VE for building emergency design…………...………141
Figure 4.34 The inventory library to assist building interior design……………………….142
Figure 4.35 Moving and rotating objects…………………………..………………………142
Figure 4.36 Building interior design in clients (right) with server supervision (left)……..143
Figure 4.37 Fire evacuation modelling by literature review…………………...…………..146
Figure 4.38 Two steps to organize the evacuation ontology and enable evacuation
simulation…………………………………………………………………………………..162
Figure 4.39 Fire evacuation behaviour simulation in the building design…………...…….163
Figure 4.40 The interactive steps to refine building designs by the evacuation behaviour
simulation……………………………...…………………………………………………...163
Figure 4.41 The class hierarchy of OntoHBFE ontology…………………………………..167
Figure 4.42 The example of User_01of OntoHBFE ontology in Protégé 3.5…………...…167
Figure 4.43 Corresponding reactions and activities conducted by User_01 based on
OntoHBFE …………………………………………………………………………………168
Figure 4.44 The player agent simulation during a fire emergency to refine building energy
and emergency plans……………………………………………………………………….170
Figure 5.1 Autodesk Revit plugin to extract building information to the BIM-VE………..172
Figure 5.2 Desktop First Person (Left) & Desktop Flight Interfaces (Right)…………...…173
Figure 5.3 Web-browser based interface of the BIM-VE……………………...…………..173
Figure 5.4 Mobile device interfaces…………………...…………………..……………….174
Figure 5.5 Activate 3D Projector with Razer Joystick Interface…………………………..174
Figure 5.6 Kinect with HMD Interface………………..…...………………………………175
Figure 5.7 Interactive diagram of main classes for applications of the information
channel…………………………………………………………………………….……….176
Figure 5.8 Recorded test results for evaluation of easy-to-use………………...…………..178
Figure 5.9 Post-questionnaire response – interface qualities……………...…………...…..180
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Figure 5.10 Which versions are preferred to be accessed in daily life……………………..182
Figure 5.11 Preferences between interfaces for common functions of the engineering
work …………………………………………………………………………………..……183
Figure 5.12 How beneficial the participants can get from the BIM-VE comparing to
traditional techniques………………………………………………...…………………….185
Figure 5.13 Which interface would be more effective as a 'Client', 'Stakeholder', 'Architect or
Engineer'………………………………………………………………..………………….186
Figure 5.14 Effects of studying engineering………………………………………...…..…188
Figure 5.15 Test results of building the medium detailed virtual environment in the BIM
-VE…………………………………...…………………….………………………………191
Figure 5.16 Automatic data transmitting between Revit, the Unity3D server and the Unity3D
clients………...…………………………………………………………………………….193
Figure 5.17 The bi-directional information transferral of the Revit API for building
design………………………………………………………………………………………193
Figure 5.18 User-centered building interior design…………………………...………..….195
Figure 5.19 Effects and tool library to create dynamic scenarios in Unity server…..…….197
Figure 5.20 The scenario of the fire alarm works with semantic information to automatically
change the fire evacuation path……………………...……………………………………..198
Figure 5.21 The automatic modification of evacuation path in the BIM-VE………...…....199
Figure 5.22 The 3D evacuation training on different platforms……………………...……200
Figure 5.23 Mobile application for general end-users to carry out effective evacuation…202
Figure 5.24 Showing the utility of specialized functions to the participants in the virtual
world……………………………………………………………………………………….202
Figure 5.25 Are the location markers useful to find yourself in the real building?..............203
Figure 5.26 Evacuation time of real fire drill with or without mobile devices……..……...204
Figure 5.27 Average evacuation time without and with mobile version of the BIM-VE….204
Figure 5.28 Which mobile version the participants would like to use in the future…….....205
Figure 5.29 To what extent participants agreed the mobile BIM-VE support can help them
find evacuation destination…………………………………………………………………206
Figure 6.1 The investigation of people who perceived and estimated the threat of danger in
the virtual fire drill………………………………………………….………...……………212
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