Augmented BIM workflow for structural design through data visualization.

This study demonstrates the research and development of a visualization method called thermal performance simulation. The objective of this study is providing the results of thermal performance simulation results into building information modeling (BIM) models, displaying a series of thermal performance results, and enabling stakeholders to use the BIM tool as a common user interface in the early design stage. This method utilizes a combination of object-oriented physical modeling (OOPM) and BIM. To implement the suggested method, a specific BIM authoring tool called the application programming interface (API) was adopted, as well as an external database to maintain the thermal energy performance results from the OOPM tool. Based on this method, this study created a prototype called the thermal energy performance visualization (TEPV). The TEPV translates the information from the external database to the thermal energy performance indicator (TEPI) parameter in the BIM tool. In the TEPI, whenever BIM models are generated for building design, the thermal energy performance results are visualized by color-coding the building components in the BIM models. Visualization of thermal energy performance results enables non-engineers such as architects to explicitly inspect the simulation results. Moreover, the TEPV facilitates architects using BIM as an interface in building design to visualize building thermal energy performance, enhancing their design production at the early design stages.

Abstract. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a highly advanced spatial modeling method that is fully incorporated in the building lifecycle. With the support of Information Technologies, the use of BIM has become common in building management such as energy efficiency, indoor navigation and emergency evacuation simulations. This study focuses on emergency evacuation simulations since, integrating BIM and Spatial Information Science, could mitigate casualties in emergencies. Traditional evacuation management methods are generally inadequate since they are based on 2D evacuation plans, they are static and do not consider the characteristics/interactions of the people in the building. This study aims to integrate BIM and Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) for emergency evacuation simulations, where characteristics of the building and the users are incorporated. Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Civil Engineering was selected as study area and the BIM model was created by using the CAD drawings of the floor plans. The users of the Faculty building such as students, academicians, administrative staff and visitors are considered for simulations. The BIM model was transferred to the ABM environment, and the routes used during the fire evacuation were generated. Fire evacuation simulations were performed, where agents having different characteristics evacuate the building according to the rules predefined. Three different scenarios were tested. Major conclusion of this study is that, via integrating BIM and ABM, it is possible to model people’s behavior within a three-dimensional digital environment, where decision-makers could be performing simulations such as fire evacuation supported by dynamic, realistic and accurate information.

Assessment of energy utilization and leakages in buildings with building information model energy

Building information modeling (BIM) aims to facilitate information management and collaboration among stakeholders in different domains over the building life cycle. BIM models are increasingly used as an object-based information hub for storing, integrating and managing building information in different aspects. Over the building life cycle, stakeholders like the owner, designers and subcontractors keep reviewing and commenting on different building components, but these social interactions are often not recorded and managed in a structured manner. This paper presents a distributed cloud-based BIM framework that was designed to support collaboration among project participants and information sharing. The framework, namely BIMCloud, was developed based on Apache Cassandra which can be deployed on public cloud servers like Amazon EC2 or private cloud servers hosted in own infrastructures. A schematic data structure was also developed to capture the building component-based social interactions, which could be used for mining and post-processing to generate knowledge in the future. The BIMCloud framework stores BIM models based on the IFC schema and the developed schema for Social BIM. Therefore, people can make changes to the BIM models in the BIMCloud framework by transferring only a partial BIM model. An example scenario is presented in this paper.

The design of the civil engineering works in High Speed Two (HS2) is a good example of what can be achieved when the Building Information Modelling (BIM) process is embraced. Central to the BIM process is a three-dimensional (3D) model that communicates the civil design to enable construction, asset management, operation and maintenance in a fully collaborative and coordinated multi-disciplinary environment. Software developers of leading BIM packages have responded to the requirements of HS2 and similar projects by delivering feature-rich applications to enable design and BIM to go hand-in-hand. HS2, however, is under a tight programme to deliver a 3D model with a Level of Detail (LOD) beyond what has been required on most projects to date, and this has resulted in exhaustive testing of the software. Such requirements have identified gaps in the BIM software tools for drainage designers. Drainage designers utilise hydraulic modelling software to design and test their designs. This software must be efficient, reliable and, most importantly, have all the design tools necessary to design and test a drainage network to meet the client’s requirements. HS2 Ltd’s requirements under the Asset Data Dictionary Definition Document (AD4) are to provide spatially accurate 3D models along with detailed and relevant asset data. The integrated project team delivering the HS2 Area North works opted to achieve this by delivering fully attributed BIM models. However, software developers of leading drainage design packages do not have the BIM capabilities required to provide a BIM model with the LOD required in HS2 on their own. They must be integrated with a BIM software. This leaves drainage designers using two separate systems with a requirement to integrate two software packages to work seamlessly together in a BIM environment. To overcome this, a suite of tools was developed using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to convert from MicroDrainage (a drainage design tool) to Bentley OpenRoads Designer (a BIM package) and fully attribute the BIM models. The tools have been developed specifically for HS2 feature definitions and requirements, however, with further development, they could be customisable for use on other projects thus improving the level of detail, accuracy and efficiency future deliverables on future projects.

Using building information modelling (BIM) within a design team allows for integration of sustainability analysis such as daylighting analysis, water harvesting, and thermal assessment whilst capturing the data which can be used for BREEAM assessment. Therefore, the availability of data compared to traditional methods can be used to design teams, stakeholders, and environmental assessment bodies’ advantage. Since BIM boasts extensive building performance analysis capabilities, design teams should be provided with standard methodologies and guidance into successfully achieving certain BREEAM criteria. This paper highlights gaps in the existing theory to develop a solid understanding for further research in order to achieve BIM integrated BREEAM design team protocol. Further to this and running parallel to the protocol and guidance, an internal conceptual framework existing within BIM software could be instigated from future research. This will require detailed and innovative solutions to link the credits with the software both from an IT and from a software coding perspective; also, there is great merit into analysing design teams’ cultural and behavioural factors towards sustainable design through the BIM model.

Building information modeling (BIM) has become an integral part of commercial construction processes in recent years. This article summarizes a research study undertaken to explore the frequency of BIM application, the advantages and effects of using BIM, and various other methods associated with developing and using BIM models in commercial construction. Executive, mid-management, and BIM practitioner-level employees from eighteen leading commercial general contracting firms (with regard to BIM use) were surveyed to determine how their companies utilized BIM. Thirty-two different applications of BIM use were identified for commercial construction, and those most commonly utilized included clash detection, 3-D modeling, team collaboration, constructability issues of design, and sales. Communication, scheduling, coordination, visualization, and clash detection were identified as the top advantages of using BIM. Regarding the effects of using BIM, companies reported a positive impact on profitability, time of construction, and marketing. Finally, this article discusses various processes for using BIM, how models were used internally and with trade partners, and the decisions affecting BIM use by leading commercial contractors.

Building maintenance is the responsibility of its owner which must use, whenever appropriate, a technician to perform the inspection. A good maintenance depends on the analysis of the anomalies detected during the inspection of the site. Building Information Models (BIM) have revealed themselves as a good tool when it comes to supporting maintenance actions, due to their ability to store enough information in one digital model. The aim of the proposed work was to implement the benefits provided by BIM on a software tool used as support to maintenance of buildings. During an inspection activity for maintenance purposes, the implemented application, containing a rigorous database, allows the user to identify each anomaly present in building components, directly onto the BIM model, automatically associating them with probable causes, repair methods and a photograph of the anomaly uploaded at the site. Therefore, gains in productivity and a decrease in the error probability can be achieved. The inspection data is stored in the BIM model, making it suitable for consultation when planning maintenance. Additionally, it was case study the interoperability between BIM modeling and visualizing software, regarding the preservation of information, especially in the standard format Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). This work contributed to demonstrate, not only that there are still problems concerning the interoperability between BIM software, but also the advantages of employing BIM for building maintenance purposes.

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced billions of people into lockdown; foregrounding the important relationship between architecture and health. In this context, there is heightened urgency for the construction sector to improve the healthiness of buildings. Accordingly, the research identifies the feasibility of measuring various building health indicators (BHIs) through the use of a building information management (BIM) model. The research seeks to find optimal strategies for integrating the near ubiquitous use of BIM with a range of health indicators related to building design.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was undertaken to identify potential BHIs for use in BIM models. The research then undertook a Delphi technique in order to test the hypothesis. In total, three rounds of questionnaire-based surveys were undertaken with expert participants.FindingsThe research identifies three different levels of BIM complexity in order to achieve the integration of health indicators. The most simple strategy suggests BHI can be directly measured using existing BIM models; the next level of sophistication requires “plug-in” software to BIM models; the final level would require additional sensors and detectors in a “smart” building.Practical implicationsThe research is significant for users of BIM, building designers, public health advisors, construction professionals, healthcare providers, social prescribers, architects and clients.Originality/valueThe integration of BHI into the architectural design process is an important step towards the construction sector improving health and well-being. The research provides for the first time a rigorous identification of the most viable mechanisms through which BIM may be used to measure the healthiness of a building.

Recently there has been growing recognition of the value of facility management (FM) in the construction field. Nowadays, FM data can be extracted from parameters of BIM (building information modeling) models. Thus, it is increasingly important to manage parameters of BIM model elements in the operation and maintenance (O&M) stage. Currently, parameters in a BIM model are mostly treated as static (i.e. fixed information of a model element). In order to make BIM model more valuable in the O&M stage, variable parameters (operating information of a model element) should be considered in a BIM model to address the data management need in actual environment of a building, such as status of a building element (e.g. movable wall's status), IoT (Internet of things) data, etc. This paper presents an effort in designing a database schema for integrating both static and variable parameters of a BIM model into the database. The design considers the compatibility with COBie (construction operations building information exchange) and supports visual management of BIM model parameters, especially variable parameters. In addition, applications of the database with the proposed design are demonstrated through API implementation in Autodesk Forge. © 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.

As a processing technology of data and information, building information modeling (BIM) is often used for producing digital engineering model and promoting interoperability among participants involved in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The real values of BIM largely depend on effective information integrating and sharing among different stages or disciplines through the whole building lifecycle. To this day, although BIM has made a substantial contribution to the Chinese AEC industry, there are still some debates on its roles. Moreover, due to the complexity of structural design process, the weak link between structural model and BIM model makes its deep application even harder. To address these issues, this paper discusses the roles of BIM from the perspective of structural engineers through comparing with the traditional CAD. Then, the BIM structural model is studied by analyzing the model conformation, design mode, and Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-format structural model. By comparing the differences between BIM physical model and structural mechanical model, an indirect method for the data transformation from BIM model to structural analysis model isproposed. An interface is developed based on the analysis of data formats and mapping rules. Three typical cases are adopted to demonstrate the data transfer efficiency by using the interface. The case study shows that the proposed method achieves higher efficiency for the data transformation from BIM model to structural analysis model.

Cobb's Paradox (Bourne, 2011) asks: 'We know why projects fail; we know how to prevent their failure-so why do they still fail?' This study immerses itself into a major Australian IT project in order to unearth the drivers of project failure. Several new and novel findings have emerged. Using Multi-Grounded Theory this research has developed models and rich descriptions of new phenomena. The phenomena identified in this research, are drawn from social psychology and economic theory and highlight the issues of project execution as a social undertaking. This paper addresses one of those findings, namely the lack of domain expertise by senior management and vendor representatives. This paper examines the consequences of 'actors-working-in-organisations' (Manning, 2008, p. 678) and in particular looking at individual interactions, decisions and consequences (Goffman, 1959) through the lens of the Kruger-Dunning Effect (1999).

This study introduces DAVE (Digital Assistant for Virtual Engineering), a Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT)-powered digital assistant prototype, designed to enable real-time, multimodal interactions within Building Information Modeling (BIM) environments for updating and querying BIM models using text or voice commands. DAVE integrates directly with Autodesk Revit through Python scripts, the Revit API, and the OpenAI API and utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP). This study presents (1) the development of a practical AI chatbot application that leverages conversational AI and BIM for dynamic actions within BIM models (e.g., updates and queries) at any stage of a construction project and (2) the demonstration of real-time, multimodal BIM model management through voice or text, which aims to reduce the complexity and technical barriers typically associated with BIM processes. The details of DAVE’s development and system architecture are outlined in this paper. Additionally, the comprehensive process of prototype testing and evaluation including the response time analysis and error analysis, which investigated the issues encountered during system validation, are detailed. The prototype demonstrated 94% success in accurately processing and executing single-function user queries. By enabling conversational interactions with BIM models, DAVE represents a significant contribution to the current body of knowledge.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a working methodology for the design and management of construction projects that facilitates collaboration and communication between the different parties involved. It is based on the digital three-dimensional representation of infrastructures within the field of architecture and civil engineering. The generated models are true data containers, capable of storing the geometric and semantic information necessary to support the design, construction and maintenance operations of the assets. This methodology promotes data exchange between different software tools through interoperability and the use of standards. Usually in the development of projects throughout their life cycle, commercial, closed-source BIM software is used. This generally leads to limitations in interoperability and data reuse. This paper details advances in the use of Blender, a free and open-source software (FOSS), to support BIM workflows in construction projects. The paper addresses the automation of the process to export a 3D Blender model to a BIM model in IFC (Industry Foundation Classes). The IFC Class Assignment add-on is developed, which allows the automated assignment of IFC classes to the different elements of the 3D model in Blender to convert it into a BIM model, using scripts written in Python. The proposed extension is able to generate, in an agile and simple way, digital models in IFC4, adequately storing the geometric and semantic information of its components. The results provide a tool that contributes to automate the creation of BIM models in an open-source software such as Blender, simplifying modelling processes and supporting collaboration and standardisation in architectural and engineering projects. Keywords: BIM, IFC, Automation, Free and Open-Source Software, Blender, Python.

Regulations play an important role in assuring the integrity of the Building Information Model (BIM) in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) project. Regulation based BIM model checking is widely used in many disciplines. It can ensure the model meets users' various requirements or detect the potential defects. However, the correctness of checking result is not certainly guaranteed because of the incompleteness of model, the ambiguity of regulation etc. IFC has become an open international standard for BIM data that is exchanged and shared among software applications used by various participants in building construction or facility management project. In this paper, we propose a method to automatically check the integrity of IFC models relative to various building regulations. It can check comprehensively whether the information required by the regulation is contained in the model, demonstrating the problem elements. The standard IFC format of BIM models are considered. Given a building regulation, we first describe it formally by logic formulas, then extract an OWL model form IFC and generate corresponding SPARQL queries to check the information integrity. We propose several optimization strategies on the style of generated SPARQL queries and its execution flow, which can improve the time efficiency and deal with large-scale applications. A prototype has been implemented and used in the BIM models of a real building project in China. Our method found out many problems on the information integrity of construction BIM automatically, which helped to reduce the manual efforts on checking and ensure the correctness of construction BIM.