Feature Template–Based Parametric Swept Geometry Generation from Point Cloud Data: Pipeline Design in Building Systems

Abstract

Reverse engineering has been used in construction, including residential and commercial buildings and heavy civil constructions, to help integrity access complex or combined damages. However, the previous reverse-engineering process was an inefficient timely manner approach, which was simple to measure the dimensions by the equipment, recorded and modeled by personnel who has engineering knowledge. For this reason, this research study focuses on developing reverse-engineering methods to support the previous reverse-engineering process, which is the parametric swept geometry definition and generation with a predefined feature template (FT) from point cloud data (PCD). PCD were recently obtained and used from the scanned images for facility management purposes. However, the geometry modeling for management in PCD required a lot of effort and time consumption. This research study focuses on the pipelines in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems as a case study. The swept geometry, which includes ducts, cable trays, pipes, and H-beams, was modeled considering standardized dimensions and constraints in MEP systems in building construction. This study also finds how to generate the parametric swept geometry from PCD based on the predefined FT and provide engineers/designers with flexible reverse-engineering capabilities.