If you have been part of an engineering design team, you might have heard the terms 4D or 5D planning. If you’ve found yourself scratching your head, wondering what on earth people are talking about, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Let’s take a dive into what we mean by 4D and 5D Planning and how does it help our project.
Let’s start from the top: 2D drafting. When we talk about 2D, or two-dimensional drafting, we refer to the typical engineering drawings: P&IDs, , general arrangement drawings, process flow diagrams, and the like. Essentially, flat representations of designs using basic geometric shapes like rectangles, squares, and triangles. These have their beginnings in traditional drawing boards, but naturally today we work digitally, in something like AutoCAD or BricsCAD.
That’s easy enough to understand. Stepping up a dimension we have three-dimensional models, which are digital representations that use complex shapes and volumes to accurately represent real-world systems. Working with 3D models gives us a much clearer idea of what we are trying to build (remember, engineering design is only as good as it is helpful to actually construct!) With 3D models, we get to run clash checks, extract 2D drawings and material take-offs (MTOs) automatically, along with a bunch of other benefits.
Clear? Let’s keep going.
In classical mechanics, the fourth dimension is sometimes referred to as time. 4D planning refers exactly to this idea; it combines the 3D CAD model with the construction project schedule, adding the dimension of time to the representation. This approach allows for construction planning and simulation, enabling the visualization of the entire construction sequence and progress over time. By linking the 3D model with the project timeline, potential issues can be identified and mitigated before they arise, leading to optimized construction processes and improved project outcomes. Normally you would do this with your 3D CAD software in conjunction with something like Primavera.
A typical output of a 4D planning process is a constructive sequence video, where project stakeholders would be able to visualize how exactly do we intend the project to be constructed. You would be surprised at the amount of issues this approach reveals; very often, there are things that cannot be erected in their planned order because of space or maintainability constraints. This is specially relevant in tight spaces, such as underground mining.
This one is a bit of a misnomer—as many things are in the BIM world—because the fifth “dimension” is cost, which of course is not a dimension at all. The idea is to integrate cost data into the 3D CAD model, bringing cost estimation and budgeting to allow for a comprehensive view of costs throughout the project lifecycle, shifting cost estimation and management from reactive to proactive.
It is specially useful for CAPEX planning. If you are working on a megaproject which is expected to last several years in construction, it is of huge importance for the project owner to know how much money are they expected to spend and at what time. A well done 5D planning will identify the investment timeframes of the project and allow the stakeholders to plan accordingly.
About 4D and 5D planning, yes, but there is one more D! Again, it’s not a dimension per-se, but it is used in this way: the first dimension, or 1D. The single dimension refers to a to a one-dimensional representation of information, essentially engineering data: line lists, equipment datasheets containing key data such as flow rates, pressures, and temperatures. This foundational data form gives life to systems’ behaviors and are a stepping stone to the higher dimensions.
In an ideal world, you would use an intelligent software like AVEVA Engineering or Engineering Base to handle this information. These datapoints would then link automatically to your 2D drawings and 3D model. The key benefit of doing this is getting a single source of truth across your project: if a pump is defined by the process discipline to have a flow rate of 200 cubic meters per hour, then that should be reflected in all engineering documents, including 2D drawings and 3D model attributes.
In practice, I would say most firms still handle this information in excel spreadsheets. Consequently, you will almost certainly have inconsistencies between the basic engineering data and the data used in the design process. For example: if the datasheet says that a pump weighs 500kg and the GA drawing says it weight 2 tons, how should the construction manager prepare to erect the equipment? These problems tend to waste a lot of time and capital being corrected during the construction phase.
Alright, alright! Remember, it is just terminology. What is important is that we embrace these advanced digital engineering techniques, to improve our project execution. In short: 4D is time and construction scheduling, and 5D is cost and budget scheduling.
If you are interested in learning more about how Thomaz Consulting can leverage the power of 4D and 5D planning to elevate your industrial projects, reach out for an assessment!