BIM-based automated construction waste estimation algorithms: The case of concrete and drywall waste streams

Abstract

Globally, the growth of construction activities over the past years has resulted in large quantities of waste generation. Much of this waste is not reused or recycled and is subsequently redirected to landfills. The environmental impact of construction waste (CW) generation and the shortage of land resources for the creation of new landfills have reinforced the need to adopt more innovative CW management practices. Estimation of CW is a necessary step for the adoption of CW management practices. In this study, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is used to automate CW quantification. In this context, CW generation is estimated as the materials purchased but not incorporated into the actual building structure. Algorithms developed to quantify concrete and drywall waste streams are presented to demonstrate the proposed CW estimation method. The proposed concrete algorithm is validated by comparing estimated waste to actual waste data reported in the waste hauling tickets of a real-world project. Furthermore, CW generation quantities reported in the literature are used to validate estimates of both concrete and drywall waste streams. By leveraging material quantities directly from BIM—as opposed to manual estimations—CW estimation can be streamlined, enabling decision makers to implement more efficient construction waste management practices in the field.