VRML Modeling of the NIST Fire Research Facility Emissions Control System

VRML Modeling of the NIST Fire Research Facility Emissions Control System

The actual Emissions Control System (ECS) has been built to reduce fire test pollutants from the Large Fire Research Facility to levels that will satisfy EPA and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) regulations. The system includes exhaust hoods and industrial ductwork to capture the test emissions and direct them to the emission control equipment.

The ECS has been modeled in VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) as a test to show how construction process information can be made available through an advanced web-based 3D user interface. Initially it was modeled with a Beam PROTO (macro) to simplify modeling a wide variety of steel beams. Subsequently, the VRML for the structural steel was generated directly from a CIS/2 file.

Use the VRML plugin detector to check if your web browser is properly configured to be able to view VRML files. The following VRML files are displayed properly with most VRML plugins.

If you're interested in your own local copy of most of the VRML models, then download this free zip file to your computer. Unzipping the file will create a directory nist_cic_vrml. Use a web browser to load the file ecs.html in that directory to display a local copy of this web page.

This project was concluded in 2001. All of the VRML models and PROTOs are provided as-is. No support is available.

ECS model generated directly from a CIS/2 file. CIS/2 is the CIMsteel Integration Standards.
Structural steel from the ECS in a Google Earth model
NIST Fire Research Facility ECS (~650 beams) with construction sequence simulation, links to CAD drawings and photographs, and texture mapped terrain. This is the original VRML model using the Beam PROTO described below and is based on a preliminary design which is very different from the final design.
Same as above with no links, texture map, fire, or frames.
Wind frame assembly and erection - Use the slider to see parts of the wind frame be assembled in the laydown yard and erected into place.
Laser range scanning model - building only, no ECS, with laser range scanning point clouds, ~310 Kb to download. Laser range scanning (LIDAR) is used to capture the geometry of the terrain during the construction process. Only 5% of the points in each point cloud are shown. The terrain shown was not generated from the point cloud data. It was generated by fitting a surface to survey points.

Aerial photos of site: before construction, during construction

Photographs of the completed ECS. Click on a thumbnail for a larger image.

ECS Model

The existing structures are the large and small yellowish buildings. All of the steel trusses and emissions control systems are to be built.
The existing terrain is approximate and before any grading for the construction has taken place.
An aerial photograph is the NIST campus is mapped onto the existing terrain and a larger plain to show the entire campus and surrounding area.
Use the Construction Simulation slider to show an approximate order of construction. The assembly of the wind frame in the laydown yard and erection is simulated.
Moving the mouse over a beam, column, or other structure displays some text information about that part.
Clicking on the drawing icons brings up other web pages with links to CAD drawing and other information.
Navigate into the Fire Test Area to see the fires burn.
Go into "Walk" navigation mode to walk around the model. Trying walking on the walkways on the scrubbers and stack.

VRML PROTOs

A Beam PROTO was developed to generate most of the structure. The PROTO, based on the Extrusion node, generates a variety of cross sections and end conditions of AISC steel structural elements commonly used in the building industry. The Script part of the PROTO is written in JavaScript.
Each element is described by (1) an element type (typ), (2) two endpoints (point) or a length (lngth) and origin, axis, and reference direction (point), and (3) various parameters which describe its cross section and end conditions (flange, angx, udxsection, string, notch, elbow, appearance, etc.). For example:
```
Beam {typ "LB"      point [ 0 0 0  1 0 0  0 1 0] lngth 12 appearance Steel {}}
Beam {typ "CY"      point [ 1.4  1.4    0   .6 .7  -.2]}
Beam {typ "P6STD"   point [  .6   .7  -.2  1.4  0  1.4]
      flange [.05 .05 .05 .05] string "Flanged pipe"}
Beam {typ "IB"      point [-1.1 -1.1 -1.1   .6 .7  -.2]
      notch  [.2 .2 .35 .35 .35 .35]}
Beam {typ "W24X207" point [   0    0    0   -2  0    0]}
Beam {typ "ST3X8.5" point [   0    0    0    2  0    0]  angx [30 45]}
Beam {typ "GE"      point [   0    0    0    3  0    0]
      udxsection [-.5 0, 0 1, .5 0, -.5 0]}
Beam {typ "BO"      point [   1    0    0    0  1    0]
      elbow 90  string "elbow"}
```
Holding the mouse over a beam pops up some text information about that element.
An Axis3d PROTO is used to position and orient assemblies or individual members. Typically, elements are not positioned by using a rotation and translation that correspond to the VRML Transform node. Rather, elements are position by three coordinate triplets. The first is the location (origin) of the element, the second is the axis of the element, and the third is a reference direction (up-vector). The reference direction should be approximately orthogonal to the axis. The axis and reference direction define two of the three axes. Their cross product defines the third. This way of specifying axes used to position and orient elements is very common in the CAD world. The PROTO optionally displays a labeled axis triad with a user-defined label.
This example of axes shows 26 different axes. The green x-axes point away from the center. The reference direction (red y-axis) points up, except for the two axes on the y-axis. This is another example of beams positioned and oriented with the Axis3d PROTO.
The Axis3d PROTO is used in the ECS models above.
Each axis is described by an origin, axis, and reference direction (point) or (origin, axis, refdir). For example:
```
Axis3d {origin 17.2 -6 23.9  axis 1 .1 .5  refdir 0 1 0 show 1 string "Center"
  children [
    Beam {typ "CY" point [ 1.4 1.4 0  .6 .7 -.2]}
    Beam {typ "W24X137" point [ 2 2 -2  0 1 0 -1 0 0]  lngth 15}
    MyWidget {}
    Shape {geometry Box{}}
    Axis3d {point [ -10 0 -1,  0 1 0,  -1 0 0] show 1 string "OffCenter"
      children Shape {geometry Cone {}}
    }
  ]
}
```
Since the Beam PROTO is very large, complex, and may not be useful for simpler applications, a Cylinder PROTO was developed. It shows the basics of translating, rotating, and scaling a cylinder based on its end points. Here is a sample VRML file of cylinders. The Cylinder PROTO is overkill for axisymmetric cross sections. However, for non-axisymmetric cross sections, such as beams, it is important how the cross section is oriented. A simpler and faster cylinder PROTO can be found here (click on: Library -> PROTOs -> Connecting Cylinder).
A Box PROTO (similar to the Cylinder PROTO) and a sample of boxes was also developed.
The Beam PROTO was used for some of the visualization of the Quantum Cloud, a very large sculpture near the Millenium Dome in England. This VRML file of the inner body part of the sculpture (832 beams) uses the Box PROTO for all the elements.
Two other simple PROTOs were developed for this work. The PopupText PROTO pops up a text box associated with a group of VRML nodes when the cursor is over the group. Here is an example of the text popup. The OnOffSwitch PROTO switches on and off a group of VRML nodes at a particular 'time' based on a fraction between 0 and 1. It is used for the construction sequence described above.

This software was developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology by employees of the Federal Government in the course of their official duties. Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code this software is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. This software is an experimental system. NIST assumes no responsibility whatsoever for its use by other parties, and makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, about its quality, reliability, or any other characteristic. We would appreciate acknowledgement if the software is used.

This software can be redistributed and/or modified freely provided that any derivative works bear some notice that they are derived from it, and any modified versions bear some notice that they have been modified.

By selecting some of the links above, you will be leaving NIST webspace. We have provided these links to other web sites because they may have information that would be of interest to you. No inferences should be drawn on account of other sites being referenced, or not, from this page. There may be other web sites that are more appropriate for your purpose. NIST does not necessarily endorse the views expressed, or concur with the facts presented on these sites. Further, NIST does not endorse any commercial products that may be mentioned on these sites.

The original URL for this page is http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/ecs.html

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Date created: July 1, 1999
Last updated: October 12, 2006