Automated Inlet Spacing for Road Drainage Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for configuring inlet spacing on a road grade are time-consuming, prone to errors, and infeasible on a large scale, as they require manual computation and do not account for various factors such as road geometry changes, leading to inefficiencies in drainage system design.
Innovation Solution
A method for automating the design of drainage systems in BIM 3D models that considers road geometry and surrounding conditions, allowing for user-configurable rules and dynamic adjustments to inlet spacing based on construction or cost priorities, using logical flows to determine optimal spacing that meets safety and efficiency criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual computation is used for inlet spacing, then construction precision can be maintained, but time consumption increases significantly and scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical computation with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to calculate inlet spacing. The system automatically processes road geometry data, applies drainage criteria, and computes optimal inlet positions without requiring manual calculations, thereby eliminating time consumption while maintaining precision through computational accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically executing the entire inlet spacing computation process without requiring user intervention. It self-calculates based on input road geometry data, self-validates against drainage criteria, and self-adjusts inlet positions, replacing the manual iterative process with an autonomous computational system.
2Productivity
If fixed inlet spacing is used for construction priority, then construction efficiency improves, but adaptability to road geometry changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making inlet spacing adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows users to select between fixed spacing modes for construction efficiency and variable spacing modes for optimal drainage performance. The inlet spacing can dynamically adapt to different road geometries, slope changes, and drainage requirements while maintaining construction feasibility through automated recalculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by allowing inlet spacing to vary based on road geometry characteristics. Instead of using a constant spacing value, the system calculates and adjusts spacing parameters according to factors such as road slope, curvature, and drainage area, thereby adapting to different geometric conditions while maintaining construction efficiency through automated parameter optimization.
3Quantity of substance
If inlet spacing is increased to minimize cost, then cost savings are achieved, but drainage safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously validating inlet spacing calculations against drainage safety criteria. The system checks whether the calculated spacing maintains adequate drainage capacity and provides feedback to adjust spacing values. This feedback mechanism ensures that cost-reducing spacing increases are automatically limited by safety constraints, maintaining drainage reliability while optimizing cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by dynamically adjusting inlet spacing based on drainage safety requirements. Instead of using a single fixed spacing value, the system varies spacing parameters according to local drainage conditions, road geometry, and safety criteria, thereby optimizing the balance between cost efficiency and drainage safety through parameter optimization.
4Productivity
If automated computation is implemented, then time consumption is reduced and scalability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex automated computation system into modular functional components. The system is segmented into separate modules for data input, geometry processing, spacing calculation, validity checking, and output generation. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity by making each component independent and easier to understand, while maintaining high productivity through automated integration of these segments.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, apparatus, and computer program products provides the ability to dynamically define and generate inlet spacing along a road in a building information model (BIM) computer aided design (CAD) three dimensional (3D) model. A representation of a road is acquired in the BIM CAD 3D model, wherein the representation includes a geometry. An inlet spacing is defined for the road. Inlet locations for inlets are determined based on the inlet spacing. A determination is made regarding whether the inlet spacing and inlets satisfy design rules for the road. When the inlet spacing and/or inlets fail to satisfy the design rules, a different inlet spacing is selected from a group of preset integers, and the process repeats until the design rules are satisfied.