TRIVERA: An Efficient Tool for Cost Integration into 4D Models

State-of the-art three-dimensional (3D) software allow for information exchange with other software used within the AEC industry. In advanced applications construction schedule has been successfully integrated into 3D projects, and the resulting 4D models provide an innovative decision making tool that can facilitate the construction of large scale projects. Though 4D CAD applications in building design allow for the visualization of the construction sequence, are not designed to support the time sequenced display of cost related information. Current methods of construction integrated design do allow linking cost to a 3D software, but such applications are mostly data oriented, do not support information visualization, or are hard to utilize with commercially available software. An efficient and user friendly method for integrating cost to 4D CAD models for construction has been developed. A key feature of the method is a software application, TriVera, that facilitates the integration process. TriVera is designed to link the cost of materials reports generated from the 3D software, with the cost of resources reports generated from the scheduling software, and allows for the display of cost at the same time sequence as the construction schedule animation.