[A new multi dimensional (5D) computer aided CAD approach for optimising project construction cost estimates in Saudi Arabia]

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER: LITERATURE REVIEW1

Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD)1

Design4

Application Areas6

The Process6

Hardware10

Software11

Using CAD/CAM Data in Applications14

NC Applications15

Cost Estimation15

Approaches to Cost Estimation17

Allocation of Construction Costs Over Time19

Generating a 3D model21

Implementation Challenges23

Related work25

Feature recognition25

Feature model conversion26

Building information modeling (BIM)29

Dynamic and Interactive Displays33

REFERENCES34

CHAPTER: LITERATURE REVIEW

With the increasing complexity of designs, Design Data Management is regarded as a key enabling technology to achieve higher efficiency in the development of complex products; however, this technology has proven to be surprisingly complex. Commercial solutions in the area of CAD Frameworks, Product Data Management, and Configuration Management Systems currently only solve parts of the total problem, and the acceptance of these systems in industry is still relatively low. We believe that this 5-D frame of reference can contribute to the creation of better quality solutions in the area of Design Data Management. The 5-D model can also help to explain the familiar phenomenon that a solution which has, for example, proven to be adequate for software development may be rejected by integrated circuit designers, and vice versa.

Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD)

The rapid proliferation of computers in the field of product development has lead to a sizeable amount of electronic design information which needs to be managed. The field of Design Data Management has proven to be surprisingly complex for a variety of reasons: the increasing number of files which designers have to deal with, the steadily increasing complexity of the design processes and the high rate at which design data tends to be updated. In addition, some development organizations have started regarding Design Data Management as a key enabling technology to achieve better development efficiency, throughput time reduction and other design process-related business goals.

Computer-assisted drawing (CAD) is an automated system designed to efficiently and accurately create and display graphic entities at a high level of precision, primarily for use in architecture, engineering, and mechanical design. It is important to note that the CAD acronym is often expanded in a number of synonymous ways: The A can stand for “aided” or “assisted.” and D for “drafting” or “design.” Other related terms are computer-aided drafting and design (CADD), computer-aided mapping (CAM), and computer-aided cartography (CAC).

Since the 1960s, computers have aided the closer integration of design activities with the actions required to manufacture goods, and the systems used to provide these aids have been called CAD/CAM systems. Initial CAD systems were directed at computer-aided design (CAD), with the resulting computer models used to aid manufacturing ...