Skip to main content

3D Repo develop virtual reality safety app for Balfour Beatty

3D Repo is working with contractors Balfour Beatty and Vinci and the UK roads agency Highways England to deploy a virtual reality simulation program for safety training. 3D Repo, a spin-off from University College London, develops open-source software for building information modelling in the cloud. More than 40 different 3D file formats are decomposed and federated in the company’s big data repository.
April 18, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Seeing is believing, and staying healthy: 3D Repo’s construction site simulation
3D Repo is working with contractors Balfour Beatty and 5177 Vinci and the UK roads agency 8100 Highways England to deploy a virtual reality simulation program for safety training


3D Repo, a spin-off from University College London, develops open-source software for building information modelling in the cloud. More than 40 different 3D file formats are decomposed and federated in the company’s big data repository.

The simulated program - part of the UK’s Smart Motorway programme – is a fully immersive simulation to prevent on-site accidents by making highways construction and maintenance projects safer through improved training. It features real world scenarios while the virtual experience gives users different perspectives of the same potentially dangerous situation in order to develop an understanding of safe working zones.  

“In order to demonstrate our understanding of our customers’ needs and facilitate the collaboration between our customers and their clients, we wanted to digitally transform our approach,” commented

Neil Thompson, head of digital research at 1146 Balfour Beatty, said that using a standard visual reality headset, the 3D Repo simulation provides multiple views of different scenarios. The user is immersed in a position relative to an activity, for example bank excavation, so they can examine both the worker’s as well as the plant driver’s visibility. The user can then position themselves where they think they are safe and switch to the plant operator’s position to understand what they would see.

All this is done within the safety of an office or training room and without the need for lengthy manuals, training sessions or specialist personnel. As the scenarios are hosted online, the system can be set up easily from any location and can be deployed across numerous sites at the same time.

“Upon login, users can access all their projects remotely on the fly and without the need to create custom executables each time,” said Jozef Dobos, chief executive of 3D Repo. “We also utilise existing site-specific 3D models and building information modelling (BIM) data so that custom scenarios can be created and uploaded as and when needed.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Smart software solution from 3D
    October 12, 2017
    Advanced software from 3D Repo offers additional support for some of the leading packages used within engineering and construction sectors, such as Autodesk Navisworks. This updated, cloud-based BIM collaboration platform provides improved support for large 3D models used in infrastructure projects. It also offers integrated VR functionality for applications such as training, safety and project consultation.
  • Optimising operations with construction software gains
    May 20, 2015
    Innovations in construction software are helping boost project efficiency and optimising project operations – Clive Davidson writes Over the past decade, while construction engineers have been putting up buildings or infrastructure, software engineers have been developing a parallel universe where virtual buildings or infrastructure can be created in ever increasing detail. What started with 2D architectural drawings in computer-aided design (CAD) systems, has become a multi-dimensional world, with 3D ge
  • Machine control technology round table discussion with Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble
    January 4, 2022
    In this, the first in a series of top-level roundtable discussions led by World Highways, editor Mike Woof and editorial director Geoff Hadwick talk machine control technology with three world-class experts from Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, Topcon and Trimble. Find out what these key opinion leaders are thinking on six vitally important topics. Let them help you stay ahead of the game.
  • Bentley Systems expanding product range and operations
    March 20, 2019
    Bentley pushes ahead with acquisitions and partnerships Software specialist Bentley Systems is expanding its range of software products both through key acquisitions and in-house developments, as well as developing its partnerships with other firms. Two firms Bentley has bought are UK company Legion (see box) which is a leading provider of advanced pedestrian modelling software. The other acquisiation is the Swedish company Agency9, which offers city-scale digital twin cloud services that will help enabl