From point cloud to model: Efficient BIM creation through user-assisted automation

Large construction sites regularly exceed time and cost budgets – by an average of 20% and 80% respectively. Digital technologies such as 3D scanning and Building Information Modelling (BIM) offer enormous potential for reducing these inefficiencies.

However, the automatic conversion of huge point cloud data into usable building models remains an unsolved problem.

LargeClouds2BIM is developing an innovative, user-centred workflow that makes the journey from unstructured 3D point cloud to ready-to-use BIM model significantly more efficient and automated.

Why LargeClouds2BIM?

• Today's 3D scanners deliver high-resolution point clouds with hundreds of millions of data points – but further processing remains manual and time-consuming.
• A lack of interfaces, fragmented workflows and high costs prevent the effective use of point cloud data.
• A consistent, user-guided digitisation process saves 20–30% in time and costs during modelling.
• Future-proof interfaces to open and proprietary BIM systems enable flexible further processing.

Project description

LargeClouds2BIM is researching new methods for real-time visualisation and automated model generation from point clouds – with people at the centre of the digital workflow.

The project aims to:

• The development of robust similarity transformations for the precise registration of multiple point clouds, regardless of the 3D scanner used
• An interactive workflow that combines minimal user input with powerful optimisation algorithms
• The step-by-step, user-guided reconstruction of BIM objects from raw data
• The design of active interfaces to leading BIM platforms

An interdisciplinary team is designing customised data structures and prototype software solutions for processing huge point clouds in real time – without long lead times.

Vision

LargeClouds2BIM shows what people-centred digitalisation in construction can look like in practice. The project creates an efficient, flexible and traceable path from the real construction site to the digital model world – thereby making an important contribution to increasing productivity and conserving resources in the construction industry.