BIM (Building Information Modeling)

Prerequisites

• An active Arkan account with BIM module permissions
• A project must be selected before accessing the BIM module
• IFC files exported from your authoring tool (Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla, etc.)
• IFC files must be .ifc format and under 100 MB per upload
• A modern browser with WebGL support (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox recommended)

Overview

The BIM module brings 3D model management directly into the Arkan project workflow. You can upload IFC models organized by discipline, view them in an interactive 3D viewer, run clash tests that report geometric intersections between elements, inspect element properties, navigate the spatial hierarchy, search for specific elements, and create RFIs linked to precise 3D locations. Every RFI created from the viewer captures a camera viewpoint and screenshot, so reviewers can jump back to the exact context later.

The module is organized around five main screens:

Model List

The landing page displays all uploaded IFC models in a paginated, sortable grid.

Grid Columns

Search by keyword, filter by discipline. The View button is disabled until model status is Ready.

Warning: Deleting a model is irreversible. Linked clash tests and RFIs will lose their 3D context.

Uploading a Model

Click Upload Model from the Model List page.

Drag and drop or click Browse Files. A progress bar appears during upload. After upload, the model processes server-side (status transitions: Uploading > Processing > Ready).

Tip: If a model remains in Processing for more than 15 minutes, contact your system administrator.

3D Model Viewer

A full-screen, interactive environment for exploring IFC models.

Layout

Navigation Tools

Orbit (rotate), Pan (move), Zoom, Fit All, Show All (un-hide), Model Tree toggle, Properties toggle, Create RFI, Toggle Issue Markers.

Selecting Elements

• Single click to select (highlights blue, shows properties)
• Double-click to zoom to element
• Right-click for context menu with Create RFI option
• Click empty space to deselect

Model Tree

Displays the spatial hierarchy: Project > Site > Building > Building Storey > Elements.

Expand/collapse nodes, click to select and zoom. Right-click for Zoom To, Isolate, or Hide actions. Selection syncs between the tree and 3D canvas.

Element Search

Server-side search across all elements by name and GUID, with filtering by IFC entity type and storey.

Results paginated at 25 per page. Click a result to select and zoom to it in the viewer.

Properties Panel

The Properties panel on the right side of the viewer has three tabs: Properties, Issues, and Clashes.

Properties Tab

Displays detailed IFC property data for the currently selected element. When no element is selected, a placeholder reads "No Element Selected -- Click an element in the 3D viewer to inspect its properties."

• Click a group header to expand or collapse it.
• Click Copy GUID (clipboard icon) to copy the element's IFC GUID to your clipboard.

Issues Tab

Lists all RFIs linked to elements in the currently loaded model version, showing Ref No., Subject, Status, and Created Date.

• Click an issue card to highlight the linked element in the 3D viewer and zoom to the saved viewpoint.
• Click the external link icon on a card to open the full RFI detail page.

Tip: When you click a 3D issue marker pin in the canvas, the Issues tab automatically opens and scrolls to the corresponding card.

Clashes Tab

When you open the viewer from a clash result, this tab shows Element A (red highlight) and Element B (blue highlight) with truncated GUIDs; click either card to zoom to that element. When no clash context is present, a placeholder with a Run Clash Detection button links to the Clash Detection page.

Footer Action

When an element is selected on the Properties tab, a footer button labeled Create Issue From Selection is available for quick issue creation.

Clash Detection

Navigate via Sidebar > BIM > Clashes.

Clash detection identifies geometric intersections between model elements.

Creating a Clash Test

1. Click New Clash Test in the top-right corner. A dialog opens with two fields:
   • Model (required) -- select one model from the dropdown. Only models with status Ready are listed; the label shows the model name and version number.
   • Tolerance (mm) (required) -- clash sensitivity in millimeters. Default: 10. Range: 1-5000.
2. Click Run Clash Test. The dialog closes, a toast confirms "Clash Test Created -- Running in background", and the grid refreshes. The test shows Pending, then Running, and finally Complete or Failed.

Clash Tests Grid

Columns: Model A, Model B, Tolerance, Status (Pending/Running/Complete/Failed), Clashes Found, Run Date, Actions (View Results, Re-Run, Delete).

Tip: Lower tolerance values catch tighter clashes but produce more results.

Clash Results Detail

Filter by status (New, Active, Resolved, Approved) and storey. Grid shows Element A, Element B, Storey, Status (editable dropdown), and Actions.

Clash Status Workflow

Fly To opens the 3D viewer with elements highlighted. Create RFI opens a pre-filled RFI dialog.

Creating an RFI from the 3D Viewer

Open via toolbar button, context menu, or clash results. The dialog captures the current viewpoint and screenshot.

On success, issue markers refresh in the 3D viewer.

Issue Markers

Orange pin markers appear at linked elements' locations. Click a marker to see the corresponding issue card in the Issues tab. Toggle visibility with the pin icon in the toolbar.

View in Model Button

When viewing an RFI created from BIM, click View in Model on the RFI detail page to restore the saved viewpoint and highlight the linked element.

Keyboard and Mouse Controls

Troubleshooting

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