Virtual Reality-Based Infrastructure Reconstruction

🏗️ Overview

This final-year capstone project demonstrates how raw LiDAR data can be transformed into immersive 3D environments for infrastructure simulation and urban planning. It features a virtual walkthrough of reconstructed city zones using Autodesk ReCap, Civil 3D, and Unreal Engine. Potential applications include smart city development, public safety planning, and post-disaster infrastructure reconstruction.

🔧 Technologies Used

• LiDAR datasets – for terrain and point cloud input
• Autodesk ReCap – for importing and filtering LiDAR point clouds
• Autodesk Civil 3D – for terrain modeling and infrastructure layout
• Unreal Engine – for real-time rendering and virtual reality walkthrough
• Metaverse integration – conceptual visualization in a shared immersive space

👤 My Role

• Wrote the complete grant proposal that secured departmental approval.
• Researched, sourced, and processed LiDAR point cloud data using Autodesk ReCap.
• Performed all terrain modeling and infrastructure layout in Autodesk Civil 3D.
• Contributed to the initial Unreal Engine setup, with teammates supporting further integration and presentation development.
• Tuned rendering quality and performance for a smooth VR walkthrough.

🔗 Collaboration

This was a three-member academic project. I led the grant writing, data sourcing, and CAD modeling efforts.
My teammates supported the project through Unreal Engine environment setup, presentation visuals, and documentation refinement.

💡 Project Goal

To bridge the gap between raw geospatial data and intuitive visualization by creating an immersive VR planning tool accessible to both technical experts and decision-makers.

📸 Visuals

Stage	Preview
LiDAR Point Cloud (ReCap)
Civil 3D Model
Infrastructure Layout (Civil 3D)
Unreal Engine Simulation
Metaverse Visualization

🎥 Demo Video

📽️ Watch the walkthrough demo (Google Drive)

📝 Grant Proposal

This project was approved for partial funding based on a written grant proposal. The document is not shared publicly as it contains sensitive internal academic details.

🧠 Key Learnings

• End-to-end pipeline of converting geospatial LiDAR data into explorable 3D infrastructure.
• Integration of civil engineering tools and VR game engines for simulation.
• Real-world challenges in balancing performance and realism in immersive walkthroughs.

✍️ Author

Akanksha Yadav
B.Sc. Information Technology Graduate