Towards Effective BIM/GIS Data Integration for Smart City by Integrating Computer Graphics Technique

Junxiang Zhu,Peng Wu

doi:10.3390/rs13101889

Abstract

The development of a smart city and digital twin requires the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), where BIM models are to be integrated into GIS for visualization and/or analysis. However, the intrinsic differences between BIM and GIS have led to enormous problems in BIM-to-GIS data conversion, and the use of City Geography Markup Language (CityGML) has further escalated this issue. This study aims to facilitate the use of BIM models in GIS by proposing using the shapefile format, and a creative approach for converting Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) to shapefile was developed by integrating a computer graphics technique. Thirteen building models were used to validate the proposed method. The result shows that: (1) the IFC-to-shapefile conversion is easier and more flexible to realize than the IFC-to-CityGML conversion, and (2) the computer graphics technique can improve the efficiency and reliability of BIM-to-GIS data conversion. This study can facilitate the use of BIM information in GIS and benefit studies working on digital twins and smart cities where building models are to be processed and integrated in GIS, or any other studies that need to manipulate IFC geometry in depth.

Highlights

Smart city and digital twin require three-dimensional (3D) building models to constitute a large-scale city model, based on which analysis and decision-making processes regarding city management can be carried out [1]
The integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be a fundamental technique for a smart city and digital twin, where building models produced by BIM are to be integrated into a GIS environment for visualization and analysis
(1) Application programs (e.g., Revit (California, United States) and ArcGIS (California, United States)) interpret and parse application data (e.g., Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) or shapefile); (2) the parsed data are converted into an intermediate format by application programs so that they can be processed by a Graphics

Summary

Introduction

Smart city and digital twin require three-dimensional (3D) building models to constitute a large-scale city model, based on which analysis and decision-making processes regarding city management can be carried out [1]. This virtual city model serves as the frame of the digital representation of a physical city, to which other enabling technologies of the smart city, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and real-time locating systems [2], can be attached. The integration of BIM and GIS can be a fundamental technique for a smart city and digital twin, where building models produced by BIM are to be integrated into a GIS environment for visualization and analysis

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Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion