Building Construction Information System Using GIS

Abstract

The stages of building construction vary with respect to activities and procedures. Execution schedules and two-dimensional (2D) drawings are commonly used to identify hazards in construction. Geographic information systems (GISs) can provide stakeholders, construction engineers and contractors with the required data during building construction. Planners can visualise 2D drawings and three-dimensional (3D) models using a GIS model that logically links their components with the activities in the schedule to establish the construction sequence. This study suggests the use of a GIS in building information modelling to construct a building construction information system by integrating 2D drawings and 3D models with the activities database in the GIS model. GIS modelling can be used to generate and update schedules, databases and geospatial analyses within a single platform, which is a major requirement in the construction industry. Combining a GIS model in construction with its surrounding topography by linking 2D drawings and databases of activities or components of a building can produce a safe execution sequence. If a hazardous situation is identified during the analytical review process, it can be prevented within the GIS platform prior to the actual implementation. If defects are identified during and after construction, the cause of the defects and suitable mitigation can be determined. The methodology is tested using a real-life project in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results conclude that GIS modelling can be employed to establish an information system for all stages of building construction and to create an archived system for efficient project documentation.