IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

Planning heavy lifts is a complex process. The conventional tools available for planning are limited. As a result, the planning process is tedious and cumbersome. This work focuses on developing a heavy lift planning tool within the AutoCAD environment. The planning features of the tool are developed within two key modules: the Visualization. Module and the Database module. The visualization module is implemented using AutoLISP and incorporates features for viewing and manipulating the spatial attributes of the plan. The Database module is implemented using Visual C++ and Microsoft Access. This module updates the lifting capacity of the crane based on the selected configuration, boom length and lift radius. The implemented lift planning functions were tested successfully using a case study. © 2004 ASCE.

Department Of Civil Engineering

Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering

A computer-aided heavy lift planning model

This paper presents the work done toward developing a computerized heavy lift planning system (HELPS) for planning crane lifts. Initially, a survey of the industry was carried out to define the heavy lift planning process and identify the developments necessary to improve the process. This survey identified eight tasks in the lift planning process. Based on these tasks, a logical framework representing the planning process was developed. The scope of the current work was limited to developing a tool for planning three of these tasks. A visualization environment - Walkthru - was selected to implement the heavy lift planning system. Although Walkthm provided many of the features required for the system, critical functions had to be added. The developmental work for this study focused on (1) developing a shell that could control the visualization environment and related files to provide seamless access to the library of cranes and (2) providing features to perform critical lift planning functions. The resulting prototype system was tested on sample lifts, and all the functions worked as designed. © 1997 Microcomputers in Civil Engineering. Published by Blackwell Publishers,.

Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

A heavy lift planning system for crane lifts

The layout of a construction site has a significant impact on the overall productivity and cost effectiveness of a construction project. This paper presents the work done in applying genetic algorithms towards the optimization of the layout of the temporary facilities on a site. The genetic algorithm technique combines survival of the fittest among string structures with a structured yet randomized information exchange to form a powerful search technique. Unlike traditional optimization techniques, the assumptions required to use this technique is not restrictive. The key issue in developing genetic algorithm based model for the site layout problem was the formulation of a string representation of spatial information. Other issues in developing the model were developing a fitness function and selecting strategies for selection, and generation. Initial tests of the model show that the approach gives workable layouts within reasonable time.

World University root node

Computing in Civil Engineering (New York)

Optimization of construction site layout - a genetic algorithm approach

This paper presents statistical models for forecasting the engineering manpower requirements for highway preconstruction activities. Two sets of models were developed in this study. In the first set of models, the independent variable used was estimated construction cost, and in the second set of models the estimated construction cost and project type were the independent variables. The models forecast engineering manpower requirements in terms of engineering man-hours as well as engineering cost. The data used to derive the models were collected from projects awarded for construction by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Simple linear-regression and multiple-regression techniques were used to derive the models. Curves developed from the models illustrating design man-hours per million dollars of construction as well as engineering as a percentage of construction cost are also presented. This study found that project construction cost and project type are excellent predictors of engineering manpower requirements.© ASCE.

Journal of Management in Engineering

Forecastng engineering manpower requirements for highway preconstruction activities

This paper describes the development of a prototype system for planning access routes for large vehicles within an industrial construction site. Access planning is an important consideration in the development of an effective project-execution plan. But conventional planning tools do not facilitate effective planning. The primary objectives of this work are to define a structured process for planning access and to automate the tedious and difficult tasks within the process. Concepts from the areas of information representation, geometric reasoning, and artificial intelligence are found to be applicable for automating route-planning tasks. The implementation of these concepts to develop the route-planning system is achieved by using the expert system Nexpert Object and the geographic information system Arc/Info in conjunction with the computer-aided design (CAD) package Microstation, the spreadsheet Excel, and custom programs. © 1995 ASCE.

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Routing large vehicles on industrial construction sites

The application of graphical visualization to construction can serve a wide variety of objectives and offers many significant benefits. Heavy lifts are an important component of industrial construction. These lifts usually involve the placement or removal of prefabricated plant components. This paper describes a case study of using graphical visualization to assist in planning the replacement of a 145t compressor at an industrial plant. Advanced technologies are used to develop 3D graphical models of the lift site and these models are analyzed to develop a reliable lift plan. The case study was performed using the visualization program Walkthru on a Silicon Graphics workstation. The geometry of the site was obtained from the as-built drawings provided by the plant owner and the equipment specifications were obtained from the lifting contractor. The site model and equipment models were created using the 3D CAD package MicroStation and then translated to a Walkthru format. Basic procedures developed for visualizing heavy lifts are described and these procedures are applied to the compressor replacement project. The paper also presents a discussion on the benefits and costs for this particular case study.