Which types of structural framing systems and materials are most commonly used in the US for residences? For office buildings?
What factors determine why these are the most used materials?
Depending on project size, type, location, and cost - wood framing for residential construction is a popular choice in the U.S. for its low cost, availability and adaptability to climate and environmental conditions, while larger scale commercial building materials often employ steel and concrete for strength, durability and fire resistance. Other potential considerations for material determinations include construction time and labor, sustainability, and building codes/regulations.
Why do different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models during the design process?
What are the advantages of linking models?
Are there any disadvantages to linking models?
How do you think design coordination was done before we started using digital models?
What advantages does doing this coordination digitally have over previous methods?
Design coordination before digital models required more involved communication efforts (including potential collaboration with multiple parties) which could lead to delays and errors with physical drawings, in-person meetings and revisions through requests for information (RFI's). With modernized digital coordination, clash detection, improved communication and visualization can reduce delays and errors much more quickly to produce a successful outcome.
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
What can be done besides sharing the models digitally?
Design coordination can identify conflicts before construction by early collaboration between all involved parties (owner, prime contractor and subcontractors) by using manual and physical models, employing regular meetings to discuss early coordination items, and having constructability review performed by engineers/designers/contractors for forecasting potential problems. A combination of both traditional (e.g. paper drawings and field site walks) and modern methods (2D and CAD drawing analysis) is usually the optimal route to get a head start on addressing potential issues prior to construction.
At what point in the project development process should design coordination start?
Is it ever too early?