BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4 - (Page 14)

MARINA BAYFRONT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE The Marina Bayfront Pedestrian Bridge in Singapore is the ﬁrst of its type in the world. At 280 meters long, the bridge features a unique doublehelix exoskeleton constructed from stainless steel, which gives structural support to a six-meter-wide deck spanning 65 meters between piers. By balancing the unraveling forces of the opposing helices, the bridge is being constructed out of signiﬁcantly less steel. The bridge curves in plan view while rising to a high point in the center to allow ships to pass underneath. Arup designers had to provide sufﬁcient clearance for the shipping lane below, but also keep the slope gentle enough for pedestrian trafﬁc. Other design considerations included the need for a link to a nearby vehicular bridge and a passage for pedestrians under the bridge at each abutment. Using a 3D model enabled designers to understand the complex geometry and create drawings suitable for cost estimating and construction. Arup was able to minimize construction costs by approximating the double-curved helix geometry with a series of single-curved planar segments. Initially, the helix tubes all had slightly different bend radii. Using macros and spreadsheets, designers developed a new curve geometry that used only one bend radius for each of the two spirals that formed the double helix. This, in turn, cut the time needed to bend the steel and reduced the amount of waste. The central workﬂow featured a streamlined ﬂow of information between various packages used in the design process. GenerativeComponents allowed the Arup team to begin modeling the complex detail geometry even before the ﬁnal geometry was ﬁnalized. Import/export facilities of the software allowed Arup to analyze the geometry in a number of ways and provide accurate information to internal and external parties in an easy-to-understand format. Other software deployed included MicroStation, InRoads, and Bentley Structural. —BE Magazine BE Award Winner instance used, such as plan_setting_out_arc, or elevational_proﬁle_curve, and so on. Quite a simple and logical concept really. So what we have here is a way of identifying each unique component and a means of establishing the relationship of each to any other. Once a relationship has been established, it can be changed by any subsequent input or Update Method, which are also interchangeable. In such a way, it is possible to generate extremely complex dependency models, with so many components and complex relationships that any human would soon lose track. However, the computer with GenerativeComponents rises easily to the challenge by breaking down the symbolic model into smaller, more manageable graph models. And by allowing users to capture different parts of a single large model as new user-generated component deﬁnitions, the original, more complex model can then be simpliﬁed, making it much easier to read and work with. Furthermore, user-generated components are a way that the architect or engineer can extend the capabilities of GenerativeComponents in a project-speciﬁc way, without the need for any scripting or programming (GenerativeComponents actually writes the code for the user under the hood). © Marina Bayfront Pedestrian BridgeArup + Cox + Architect 61 Behind the Scenes Read how a community of practitioners collaborated to help develop GenerativeComponents in Greg Bentley’s “The Last Word” (page 48) Because of its integration with Bentley’s structural and architectural software, an architect or engineer can also design a parametric building using predefined components, and then rapidly explore alternative conﬁgurations (ﬂoor-to-ﬂoor heights, column spacing, etc.) without having to remodel the building using direct and manual manipulation methods. The resulting model can also be analyzed with Bentley’s reporting tools. Alternatively, an architect or engineer can use the model to prepare the geometry Imagine, for example, that you want to design a new double-curved roof but don’t yet know what the constraints will be. You would start by intuitively sketching, reﬁning, and sculpting the roof using simple surfaces, solids, and meshes to create an aesthetic that appeals. Then, let’s assume you want to convert the double-curved roof section of the model into glass panels. With GenerativeComponents, you can intuitively build your model once and logically apply interdependencies between each component. Now the user can execute commands to calculate the required number and conﬁguration of glass panels— even the exact dimensions for each—for maximum efﬁciency, even for structural members of organic shapes or modern bridges. Each component should be identiﬁed and given a set of characteristics—a component type, which deﬁnes its properties—and Update Methods, which describe its functionality, and given a unique name for each 14 BE MAGAZINE | Volume 4, Issue 4

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4

BE Magazine - Volume 4, issue 4 Contents The Drive To Innovate News BE Newsletter Highlights Converging on the Market Bytes and Bricks Generative Components Building Courting Success Remodeling an Icon Structural Integration Building News From Bentley Civil Greenfield Airport Takes Flight Good Neighbors Collaborative Innovation Civil News From Bentley Advertisers Index Geospatial Ring of Fiber Revolutionizing Integrity Management Port City Transformation In Conversation With Greg Bentley Geospatial News From Bentley Plant Single-Source Service Committed to Cleaner Air Expediting Expansion Plant News From Bentley Strength in Numbers The Art of Visualization A Winning Legacy Zero Change Culture: Further Definition A Remarkable Collaboration With a Forward-Thinking Community

BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4

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