Abstract
Abstract. The proprietary software investments in the data integration field are incrementing, and the progresses are visible in the possibility to directly open in a GIS environment a 3D software data format. Still, this is limited to the integration between the proprietary data formats and standards, ArcGIS environment shapefile multipatch and Revit 3D model, by using a proprietary software (ArcGIS). This study takes advantage of the lesson-learnt results in the proprietary data integration field, wanting to replicate a similar result using the IFC open standard, which is not directly openable by a GIS interface and needs to overcome a conversion that in most of the cases leads to semantic and geometric losses. So, an IFC-to-shapefile data conversion was performed, stressing (i) the way information is stored in the attribute table to query the geometries and perform geoprocessing, by (ii) implementing workarounds to keep the Revit instances’ shared parameters in the IFC file, (iii) meanwhile having a high Level of Detail of the HBIM. The research performed the IFC-to-shapefile data conversion through FME (Feature Manipulation Engine), benefitting of the flexibility of the shapefile format and of the IFC’ possibility to keep a high LOD in the export phase. Both allowed to properly query and manage the elements of an HBIM in a GIS (ArcGIS environment), and, using relational attributes table, retrieve the information contained in each Revit instance’ property panel, as the shared parameters that implement the BIM Level of Information (LOI).
Highlights
In the vast panorama of data integration there are most recurring challenges deriving both from the use of open standards and of proprietary formats of exchange, and their consequential progressive development in the field
ArcGIS software allows to open the .rvt Building Information Modeling (BIM) model without any losses on both the physical elements and semantic aspects of the building; as when the Revit 3D was inserted into the ArcGIS environment, it completely preserved its geometry and semantic data, allowing to access the geospatial information, perform queries and achieve a proper management of the HBIM itself; these are the aspects that the research tried to replicate as a best practice applied to the IFCto-shapefile approach, finding workarounds for the Industry Foundation Class (IFC) framework, that could allow to best exploit the geometric and semantic benefits deriving from the conversion to shapefile
Stated that the digitization of Cultural Heritage is an essential prerequisite for the proper conservation, management and enhancement of structures (Massimiliano et al 2021), the main requirement of the research was to define a HBIM-Geographic Information System (GIS) rapid conversion methodology, mainly devoted to its applicative use, to help storing the Condition Assessment (CA) information of the HBIM in a geographic context, useful for a rapid implementation and easy to fill out when carrying e.g. an on field survey of the historic Trotti palace, but that could be useful for multiple actors that want to access this kind of information to carry out the management work, as electricians, carpenters etc
Summary
In the vast panorama of data integration there are most recurring challenges deriving both from the use of open standards and of proprietary formats of exchange, and their consequential progressive development in the field. The advantages of using the here presented IFCto-shapefile research approach to pursue an HBIM-GIS integration, are in the possibility to (i) define the LOD (Level Of Detail) of the IFC model directly in the Revit user interface, overcoming the LoD (Level of Development) of the CityGML model; (ii) directly achieve a geometric conversion, from solid (IFC) to solid multipatch geometries (shp), with no need to deal with the solid-to-surface issue and semantic mapping of the CityGML model; (iii) perform a join of the single instances’ attributes of the Revit model by the IfcGuID belonging to each correspondent mapped class of the IFC through shapefiles’ relational database
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