Abstract: Among various engineering projects utilizing BIM for decoration, the large-scale New Crystal City project stands out as a pioneering example. The solutions developed to overcome numerous construction challenges have paved the way for innovative ideas and valuable experience in applying BIM technology to decoration projects.
Author: Chen Ling
Organization: Suzhou Golden Mantis Building Decoration Co., Ltd. R&D Center
1. Project Introduction
Donghai New Crystal City is situated in Donghai County, Lianyungang, within the North New District, covering an expansive area of 452 acres. The first phase spans 360 acres, with a total construction area of 450,000 square meters and an investment of 3 billion yuan. Upon completion, this project will drive the advancement of the East China Sea crystal industry and establish the largest, highest-grade crystal commercial platform in the national crystal jewelry sector. It will promote the entire East China Sea crystal market and serve as a key project for Lianyungang City and a landmark development in Donghai County.
Our company is responsible for the interior decoration and renovation of Building 1, which comprises 4 floors and approximately 160,000 square meters.
The area supported by the digital construction technology enabled through BIM focuses on the common atrium area within the section. The atrium extends through Hall 1 and branches out to multiple adjoining areas, covering a total service area of roughly 40,000 square meters.
2. Construction Challenges
1. The atrium features a continuously curved design, including multiple elliptical and irregular curved surfaces with broad spans. Traditional 2D drawings struggle to accurately convey the spatial geometry involved.
2. Numerous deviations and changes exist between the on-site civil engineering base and the original design, complicating site detailing, positioning, and precise material ordering.
3. The site lacks effective control lines or axis references. Additionally, prolonged damp and muddy ground conditions prevent the application of BIM model reference point lines to the first floor, necessitating a high-rise layout approach.
4. Due to the project’s tight schedule, overlapping construction zones create complex challenges, requiring process optimization to save time.
5. The owner made multiple design changes during construction, which would have significantly increased costs under traditional methods.
6. With a strict deadline approaching—coinciding with the Crystal Festival at the year-end—the project must be completed promptly.
3. On-site BIM Construction
1. Conducted a thorough site inspection and developed a detailed scanning plan for large-scale, multi-level scanning. The scanning route was optimized to collect high-quality point cloud data, resulting in an accurate real point cloud model of the site.
The scanner is a high-precision instrument capable of zero deviation during single-station scans and millimeter-level accuracy across multi-station scans and stitching. However, when multiple scanning stations are involved, negligence in scanning procedures can cause significant stitching errors. Deviations in the point cloud directly affect fixed point coordinates, making point cloud accuracy critical.
This project involved nearly 100 scanning stations, covering a vast area. Initial scans revealed notable deviations. The on-site BIM team then experimented with various scanning and data processing methods, continuously analyzing and refining point cloud processing techniques tailored to different volumes and environments.
2. Created a design model based on original drawings to fully reflect design intent.
3. Simulated installation and collision detection for 13 atrium design models within the point cloud environment.
4. Facilitated plan discussions by providing accurate and detailed BIM models alongside on-site collision data. This enabled seamless communication among designers, general contractors, owners, and project teams, ensuring timely understanding of site conditions and improving coordination and management.
5. Adjusted the model based on finalized plans, performing secondary and tertiary collision checks to ensure accuracy.
One notable collision occurred when misalignment arose during on-site construction of the column formwork. The upper and lower atrium columns were misaligned and varied in diameter, causing the aluminum plate’s lower edge to collide with the base of the column’s civil engineering structure.
Considering the column surface layer, floor ceiling, and light trough, the aluminum plate design required comprehensive adjustments. Two-dimensional drawings were insufficient to express the spatial relationships among components. After consultations with multiple stakeholders, the adjustment node scheme was finalized and directly incorporated into the model.
Node Modification
The collision detection process identifies discrepancies between design and site conditions, allowing immediate adjustments. The final model becomes the authoritative data source for on-site construction. Once the main reference lines are confirmed, the model can be directly updated to reflect changes during construction, simplifying management. When combined with point clouds, even without modifying the model, corresponding surface lines can be adjusted accordingly.
6. Conducted 3D layout planning as required, enabling visualization of overall effects. Multiple layout options were evaluated to select the optimal scheme. Once finalized, material orders were placed.
7. After layout completion, model data was extracted to facilitate precise on-site fixed-point positioning.
To ensure accurate installation and construction, the finished surface segmentation points of the aluminum plates were installed at designated locations. Because these points are suspended, separate on-site calibration was necessary.
8. Installation Results.
The application of BIM technology in this project faced numerous challenges, with the most significant being how to ensure absolute construction accuracy across such a large site. Throughout the process, our BIM team devised and tested various solutions, ultimately summarizing effective methods and new ideas. This experience has enriched our company’s BIM technology application system within the decoration industry.
Suzhou Golden Mantis Architectural Decoration Co., Ltd. R&D Center
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