Visualization of Structural Steel Product Models.
Visualization of Structural Steel Product Models.
(930 K)
Lipman, R. R.; Reed, K. A.
Electronic Journal of Information Technology in
Construction, Vol. 8, 51-64, 2003.
Keywords:
steel structures; construction; visualization;
standards; computer programs; architecture; mapping
Abstract:
A visual interface has been developed to provide a means
for users to visualize the steel structure represented
by a CIMsteel Integration Standards Release 2 (CIS/2)
file. A CIS/2 file provides for the electronic exchange
of data directly between various steel CAD software
applications. Using a web-accessible translator, objects
in a user's CIS/2 file are mapped to
application-specific VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling
Language) nodes in an VRML file that can be
interactively navigated in 3D using freely available
VRML browsers. Salient features of the web-base user
interface and application-specific VRML nodes related to
CIS/2 are described with several examples. The interface
has proved useful to both software application
developers and end-users.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899