Complete CAD system for construction engineering

Project Management Methodology

Waterfall

The classical Project Management Methodology model is considered to offer a well-defined set of criteria and requirement indications before actually starting the design phase and implementation of the project, thus, offering a basis plan of the project before starting and continuing in an orderly sequence of phases. The approach of the Waterfall model starts with the concept inquiry, namely with analysis of requirements.

Challenge

CeeCAD, is a web-based application that helps construction and geotechnical engineers solve one of the most complex tasks in Civil engineering— determining the bearing capacity of the soil base as well as the stability of the foundation and the retaining structures. This process involves complex calculations which, when performed manually, are too time-consuming and often inaccurate. To have a complete CAD system that is able to support drawings and complex calculations into the same environment (web), was the main objective. Since the different components (Shallow Foundations, Pile Foundations, Retaining walls, Diaphragm wall, etc.)  can be placed anywhere on the drawing the soil layers properties (thickness, water levels, soil layer parameters, etc.) must be determined automatically.

The main challenge was to have a complete CAD system that is able to support drawings and complex calculations into the same environment (web). The drawing itself is used as an input for the next steps, which are Bearing Capacity calculations, Settlement calculations, etc. 

Solution

CeeCAD modules include Pile foundations, Shallow foundations, Foundation slabs, Strip foundations, Retaining walls, Sheet pile walls, Pile load test, Boreholes, CPT, DPH, DPM, DPL, automatic terrain surface and soil layers interpolation, Kriging interpolation, Flexible retaining walls, Cantilever walls, Gravity walls and more.

The first solution was to have a drawing engine capable of working with parameters and entities. Since most of the drawing elements are parametric objects there was no way to draw them – line by line. The solution was to have an object-oriented drawing engine. This was achieved by designing BGO’s first and only drawing engine with SVG graphics and an inline command prompt.

The second solution was to interpolate soil layer thicknesses based on a 2-D triangular mesh. For that purpose, Delaunay Refinement Algorithms for Triangular Mesh Generation was used by our engineering teams.

Results

Provided as a service (SaaS), CeeCAD is suitable for professionals and students to create and print drawings, run complex calculations and prepare project documentation using only a web browser. It puts online all the features and functionality, currently available for desktop-based applications only, without compromising feature diversity and performance.

We, at BGO Software, have a complete CAD system that integrates both drawing and calculation capabilities. CeeCAD was designed to work with one of the most complex materials on earth, the soil. Its complexity arises from the fact that in almost all cases it is a natural material, meaning that we cannot control its properties, not like concrete and steel.

Calculation reports are printed with one click on the button. All reports are built over LaTeX templates making them fully customizable for every user.