Clash Detection

Clash Detection

What is Clash Detection?

“Clash detection allows for the effective identification, inspection and reporting of interferences in a 3D project model.”

Archiscan use a Clash Detection tool to permit clash detection. It can help you to reduce the risk of human error during model inspections. It can also be used as a one-off ‘sanity check’ for a completed design work, or it can be used as an ongoing audit check of the project.

You can conduct clash detection tests between traditional 3D geometry (triangles), and laser-scanned point clouds or you can combine the Clash Detection functionality with other Autodesk Navisworks tools:

• Linking Clash Detective and Object Animation together gives you the ability to automatically check interferences between moving objects. For example, linking a Clash Detective test to an existing animation scene would automatically highlight clashes for both static and moving objects during the animation, for example, a crane rotating through the top of a building, a delivery lorry colliding with a workgroup, and so on.
• Linking Clash Detection and Time Liner together enables the time-based clash checks on the project. See Select Items for Testing for further details on time-based clashing.
• Linking together Clash Detective, Time Liner, and Object Animation enables clash testing of fully animated Time Liner schedules.

Clash Detection also allows you to create custom clash tests via Exported clash tests. If you have a common set of clash tests that you reuse on multiple projects, you can turn them into a custom clash test.

Once installed as a custom clash test, the entire batch of tests can be selected and run directly from the Select Tab. The results from all tests in the batch are combined and presented as the results of the custom clash test. The name of each test in the batch is displayed in the Description field of the results.

How can clashes be avoided?

Clash avoidance is a key part of the design and construction process. Documenting a set of standard procedures in A Building Information Modelling Execution Plan (BEP) and setting out procedures for co-ordination in Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) as part of a project’s contract documentation are crucial.

So too are the Building Information Modelling Execution Plans authored by suppliers. During the design and construction process, design team interface managers should assess design decisions and clashes to see if they can resolve them internally, and where this cannot be done, separate models may be combined for review by a design lead.

Custom clash tests are an excellent way to roll out a standardized set of tests across an organization. They allow the expertise of “power” users to be reused by everyone. Finally, they be a way of implementing object intelligence. For example, a custom clash test could be written that checked for compliance with a local building code based on object information and properties defined in a CAD system.