3D environmental urban BIM using LiDAR data for visualisation on Google Earth

Abstract

Digitisation and building information modelling (BIM) technology are being adopted in the construction industry, but their application in the sustainable development of urban planning and civil engineering has been limited. A methodology was developed to generate 3D urban maps, which represent a potential environmental exposure related to urban green infrastructure. The methodology incorporated 3D geometric data obtained by Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), location and information of green infrastructure, and meteorological data (direction and velocity of wind) into a single 3D BIM model to estimate the potential levels of exposure to urban green infrastructure by applying a modified aerobiological index to create risk maps for ornamental trees (AIROT). The BIM model facilitated a 3D visualisation of the exposure in urban environments by exporting information to GIS software, which could then be visualised on Google Earth. The main advance of the developed methodology is its applicability to any urban environment for determining and reducing aerobiological health risks in civil engineering.