L&T

  Success Story
Interface Management in 3‐D Platform 
 

For Aircraft Apron at Delhi International Airport
   Limited 
 

Introduction/Abstract
Delhi International Airport Project is the
greenfield airport project to deliver a new 36
Million passenger per year integrated
passenger terminal complex and associated
airside infrastructure works including a
4430m Runway, Taxiways, Aprons and other
related works. Under the international
competitive bidding, L&T-ECC division
bagged the EPC contract with challenging
project schedule of around 38months
including testing and commissioning. Team  K. Jeykumar 
Sabyasachi Nayak 
The challenge the project presented was to David Cugley 
develop an integrated design environment
which allowed for the fast track construction Operating Division:  Engineering Design & 
Research Centre.  
of aprons pavement whilst also providing the
DIAL Project, 
extensive services into the thin strip of space
Buildings & Factories OC,   
where the apron and terminal meet. This ECC Division 
success story describes the process of Business  DIAL PROJECT SITE 
INTERFACE MANAGEMENT adopted for function/Project:  Newdelhi 
Airside Utilities in particular the use of
advanced 3D software tool known as “TEKLA Location:  NEW DELHI 
STRUCTURES”. It portrays the methods Contact Phone  099‐993‐10600,  
being implemented to ensure efficiency, /Mobile No. of all  096‐620‐41595, 
collaboration of various sub-contractors in team members  099‐713‐90367 
design and construction stage and cohesion Review by the 
throughout for the same to implement as per superior (To certify 
that the project has 
design in site. Using the tools and techniques been completed by the   
presented here, the identification, C.Y.SHIVAJI 
team concerned) 
coordination, documentation, review and Deputy Design Head,  
EDRC – DIAL  Project 
control of design and construction sequence
099‐713‐90360 
interfaces was achieved.    

 
 Interface Management in 3‐D Platform 
Objective
¾ To develop systematic approach for identification & PROCESS
management of design interfaces.
¾ To develop a platform for communicating between
designers. Major Components of work in 
¾ To develop a protocol for the sharing of design Apron Identified
information.
¾ To ensure each element of design is developed in a
Utility corridor for various 
collaborative manner.
services in Apron is Fixed 
¾ To document the specific requirements for each
interface.
¾ To allow early identification and resolution of Scheme design of each system 
clashes of services thus reducing re-works and requirement in 2D CAD 
mitigates the time schedule in construction.

Challenges Approval for Individual layout is 
¾ Most difficult task is to co-ordinate and integrates obtained from the PMC  
the design based on individual system requirements
as often the detailed the design is in the respective
sub-contractors scope. All layouts in 2D drawings 
¾ Dislocated design offices (particularly in the case of converted to 3D Model under a 
subcontractors) required a high degree of single platform called TEKLA‐3D 
communication and cooperation. structure 
¾ Extensive services criss-crossing the utility corridor
which is located in the alignment both building and
apron construction teams wish to gain access to Clash Identified in 3D 
their sites.
Environment & resolved 
¾ Completing 6.5 lakh sq.m of apron pavements
within the design team 
adjacent to a 5 Lakh sq.m building with an evolving
scope on a fast track program and providing the
services and utilities for each using both internal
GFC drgs released to site and 
and external workforce.
Construction completed. 
¾ Developing a design which considered the
constructability of not only each individual service
but their impact on both the Terminal and Apron.
3D model Transferred to O&M  
¾ Existing active underground BPCL fuel lines had to
be protected though it crossed under the apron and
pier building alignment in an area where the new
services bottlenecked.
 Interface Management in 3‐D Platform 
Solution
Integrated CAD Environment
To enable the sharing of design information, initially integrated 2D environment had been
formed using advanced “X Ref” techniques in the CA platform. Interface team had been
formed for coordination and maintaining the coordinated parent CAD drawing of the project in
which the all other services and utilities were overlaid using “Xref” technique. Since lot of
service involved, a small change in any one of the service will have impact in others. So
through “X ref” technique the overlaid drawings will be automatically updated and reflected in
the parent drawing. Parent drawing enables integrated latest updated coordinated drawing of
the project. The procedure is reliant on discipline by all designers to keep drawings updated
and follow a standardized format for drawings and cad work. When changes are made each
designer is responsible for inform others of the changes.

3D MODELLING:
The procedure starts by setout of each service in a 2D cad model including considerations for
elements such as buildings, roads and connections. Allowance is also made for those
services for which either design has not yet commenced or future capacity must be provided.
These layouts include allowances for pits, requisite clearances and space for construction.
Levels are then allocated for each service taken from finished ground level and longitudinal
sections are developed. Typically the levels are then taken from the long section and
comparisons made for the resolution of clashes but with the complexity of services in a very
tight space and the number of connections and factors involved, this was an impossible task.
By putting the layout and long section information into the 3D model with a visualization tool
such as the 3-D Software known as “TECKLA structure” significantly improves the design
team’s ability the utilities come alive and provides a clear image of the network. Pipes sizes,
pits, finished ground level are all incorporated with clashes becoming clearly evident.

CLASH ANALYSIS AND RESOLUTION

Once each of the services is input, including allowances being made for those elements not
yet designed, a detailed analysis can be easily undertaken to determine where conflicts and
issues exist. This involves a visual walkthrough of the 3D model and a capture of each
location where services clash. Each is then given a numerical identifier and tracked until a
clash free design is achieved. Resolution is then achieved through a variety of means from
individual design changes through to Interface Meetings chaired by the Interface Management
team
 Interface Management in 3‐D Platform 
External Water lines fouling with Main trunk sewer

Clash Identified Resolution

Corridor for Services Physical Clashes

Experience had shown that use of this sort of methodology can allow for quick analysis of a
variety of design solutions and enable designers to visualize issues which might otherwise
have not become apparent until construction commenced. It also allows options to be ‘trialed’
in a design environment without having an impact on project costs and work schedules. Apart
from the design side, it provides a useful tool for providing construction planning and work
sequencing and to provide construction teams a better understanding of the issues they face.
Often the identification of one clash will spark a series of related issues which can be averted
from the outset and allow system wide implementation of fixes.

A secondary benefit for when the initial design itself has not been prepared by the designer is
that it allows them to visualize the design and think about other issues such as integration
and constructability. A flow on effect of the effective 3-D modeling is that it provided an
increased level of confidence to the Client particularly when resolving interfaces with external
 Interface Management in 3‐D Platform 
parties. The Interface Management process also provided a formalized mechanism of
ensuring each respective discipline or sub-contractor considers the interfaces related to their
component of work and addresses their responsibilities.

This 3D model enabled better understanding to define the sequence of works and
programming of various utilities done by various sub-contractors. This is particularly
important in respect to other Main Contractors and Sub Contractors and decisions/
agreements had been formally recorded and changes controlled.

Success:

¾ Innovative method to integrate all services under 3D platform rends good appreciation from
Employer.
¾ Planning and sequencing of works aligned with broader 3D spectrum which enabled minimal
re-work in site due clashes.
¾ This platform also provided a way for determining cost-effective design solutions during
conflict analysis and so completed the works in the allocated budget.
¾ Main outcome of interface management is the apron works under L&T scope was able to be
completed on its fast track schedule.
¾ The procedures and methodologies for Interface Management employed on the Delhi
International Airport Project can be directly applied to any infrastructure project where
complex networks of services exist and success is dependent upon effective coordination in
both design and construction.