Abstract
Abstract. Recent research on the field of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, revealed that except of a few, accessible and free BIM viewers there is a lack of Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) BIM software for the complete BIM process. With this in mind and considering BIM as the technological advancement of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems, the current work proposes the use of a FOSS CAD software in order to extend its capabilities and transform it gradually into a FOSS BIM platform. Towards this undertaking, a first approach on developing a spatial Database Management System (DBMS) able to store, organize and manage the overall amount of information within a single application, is presented.
Highlights
1.1 An overview of Building Information Modelling (BIM) field, technology and marketIn the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, building modelling based on 3D solid modelling appeared and the available Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems of that period started to extend their capabilities
With this in mind and considering BIM as the technological advancement of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems, the current work proposes the use of a Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) CAD software in order to extend its capabilities and transform it gradually into a FOSS BIM platform
Regarding BIM’s activities areas, these can be distinguished into technology, process and policy field (Succar, 2009) with BIM models to be predominantly used in any kind of AEC application and lifecycle management of a building or other structure (Azhar, 2011)
Summary
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, building modelling based on 3D solid modelling appeared and the available CAD systems of that period started to extend their capabilities. BIM can be defined as a five dimensions (5D: width, height, depth, time and cost) digital representation of a structure with its physical and functional characteristics including parametric rules and data attributes for each element (Hergunsel, 2011), and as “a methodology to manage the essential building design and project data in digital format throughout the building’s life-cycle” (Penttilä, 2006). Regarding BIM’s activities areas, these can be distinguished into technology, process and policy field (Succar, 2009) with BIM models to be predominantly used in any kind of AEC application and lifecycle management of a building or other structure (Azhar, 2011). Recent research (Logothetis & Stylianidis, 2016) revealed that except of a few, accessible and free BIM viewers there is no available, a valuable and comprehensive FOSS BIM software to be used for the overall BIM process
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