Frameworks for visualizing real-time construction operation simulations

Visualized construction information may provide more impressive and interactive effects to information users. For construction operation designers and operators, enhanced visualization information may promote their skill and knowledge level and in turn elevate the performance of each individual operation they design or operator in a construction project. Construction operations can be simulated in real time with fully visualized computer graphics to convey to users even more direct and effective construction information. However, the path for constructing fully visualized, dynamic and three-dimensional simulations for construction operations is not straightforward.;Construction operation simulation is a program of an abstracted system used to represent the key characteristics and properties of the real construction operation system. Therefore, a construction operation simulation system should be capable of at least generating a virtual simulation environment, performing operational calculations and handling uncertainties of the represented system.;This research proposes a system structure of simulation frameworks that provide approaches for constructing construction operation simulations that are real-timely visualized in real time and are three-dimensional. This framework concept enhances the ideas of software modularity and reusability for facilitating creating complex applications. The proposed structure of the simulation frameworks consisted of three parts: the visualization framework, the modeling framework and the control modules framework. These three simulations frameworks, as their names suggest, in the simulation system will perform visualizing, model calculations and control tasks respectively. The combined outputs of these tasks enable the simulation to appear like real, operate like real, and react like real.;In the visualization framework, general models and methodologies in computer graphics for rendering a simulation scene in real time and graphical user interface are included. This framework is indeed the rendering power-house that will promptly perform calculations in object transformation, viewing transformation, generating lighting and textures, displaying simulation data, and providing interactive operation functions. The second simulation framework, the modeling framework, contains libraries and functions needed for simulation operation calculations. In this research, a rigid body physics engine is implemented and included as the main component of this framework. This physics engine can dynamically compute three dimensional motions and movements of rigid bodies simulated in the scene; and in turn calculate the corresponding reactions between rigid bodies if collisions occur. The third simulation framework, the control module framework, holds libraries and functions that enable the simulation system to better handle uncertainties and vagueness in real situations.;Due to the framework modularity and reusability, purpose-specific simulation applications can be created easily. Simulation applications can be created based on the need of specific study objective by just generating objects or retrieving needed functions from the three established simulation frameworks. The provision of an integrated simulation structure and unlimited simulation possibilities, the utilization of software framework design, the implementation of the reliable physics engine and the extensible base program are major contributions of this research. Demonstrations of application examples are included in this research. The convenience and power of utilizing simulation frameworks in creating simulation application is also satisfactorily proved.