Building Information Modeling In Projects Research Articles

Promoting student commitment to BIM in construction education

PurposeIndustry uptake of digital modeling is improving. Recent evidence suggests building information modeling (BIM) is the commercial reality of today’s construction education, and the way of the future that has truly begun. Amongst the significance of this is BIM’s potential to revolutionize the industry. The purpose of this paper is to use the learning experiences of undergraduate students in two construction management subjects involving quantity measurement and cost estimation to explore students’ motivation toward BIM education. In particular, the study investigates decision factors underlying students’ selection of software for information management in a modeling environment.Design/methodology/approachA total of 674 undergraduate students from the same institution were surveyed, out of which 153 responses were retrieved. The data provide insights into decisions taken by students while metamorphosing traditional processes into BIM-driven outcomes, in the form of commercial estimates of a real life project reported through a bill of quantities. Some 29 decision factors were analyzed. These include prior training, flair for creativity, ease of use, economic reasons, learning outcomes, on-going technical support and support infrastructure. Reductionist methods involving factor analysis and Cronbach’sαreliability estimate procedures were used to investigate the most important decision factors from amongst the decision factors analyzed.FindingsResults show all the 29 decision factors are statistically significant. Access to on-going support, the mandatory requirement to use a particular tool to complete an assessment task and the requirement to use the tool for job duties are the most significant decision factors. Vendors’ persuasion and the capability of the tool to achieve better outcomes than others are least significant. Statistical correlations between the decision factors were obtained. They all suggest near-absolute correlations.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of these findings are vital. They help to unravel factors that promote students’ interest in BIM education, and contribute toward the development of software selection models that are relevant to professionals and incipient businesses.Originality/valueFuture studies on decision analysis can be built on the findings also. In particular, the decision factors help in developing creative cognitive solutions to BIM adoption issues. They also help on the challenge posed by the constraints of knowledge diffusion within and across project teams, and in designing tools that meet the requirements of non-design disciplines who also play vital roles in the BIM project environment.

Contractual issues for Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based construction projects: An exploratory case study

Building Information Modelling (BIM) enables close collaboration among project stakeholders to visualize what is to be built in a simulated environment by identifying any potential design, construction or operational issues. Despite the fact of its well-documented benefits, the extensive integration of BIM throughout the project lifecycle remains sporadic. The conventional contracts used in the Malaysian construction industry were established before the development of BIM. As BIM becoming ingrain in the delivery process, the inadequacies of these existing contracts have become visible. This paper presents the results of an exploratory case study using Qualitative Content Analysis dedicated to a BIM project and discusses a procurement approach of BIM to establish the contractual context by addressing the legal and contractual impediments namely; intellectual property, liability and process related risks-allocation in a Malaysian public construction. This paper also outlines the reasons why the implementation of BIM will foster the evolution of integrated contract delivery methods.

An analysis of the integration of Lean construction principles in the BIM coordination process

The concepts of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Lean construction are increasingly popular and used for the purpose of improving the efficiency of construction projects. The Lean construction approach helps optimize the system, thereby minimizing the waste and increase the maximum amount of value for clients. This is in line with the effectiveness of BIM for the purpose of analyzing, evaluating, and managing projects based on the virtual information model before, during and after construction. The combination of BIM and Lean construction will certainly be the trend of the construction industry in the near future. This paper aims to analyze the integration of Lean construction principles in the BIM coordination process through a specific case study. The project management unit is responsible for managing and evaluating BIM models from consultants and contractors and serves as the project's BIM coordinator.
 Keywords: building information modeling; BIM coordination process; Lean construction; Lean principles.
 Received 20 November 2018, Revised 30 December 2018, Accepted 25 January 2019

Development of a benchmarking model for BIM implementation in developing countries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore building information modeling (BIM) implementation and practices in developed economies by developing a benchmarking model that will enhance BIM adoption and implementation in developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe research design adopted a qualitative approach which includes the desktop review of the extant literature as well as case study reviews of ten BIM projects using an explanatory case study technique to form the foundation upon which the study proposed the model. The moving basis heuristics technique was adopted to develop the scoring system.FindingsThe BIM benchmarking model and assessment template were developed which consisted of three-level concepts modeled to aid project organizations and project team in developing countries to assess and score the level of improvement and implementation of BIM in a project. A desktop review of BIM projects in developed countries demonstrated the significant improvements and benefits possible through the implementation of the established BIM benchmarking model.Practical implicationsThe assessment template in conjunction with the benchmarking model is useful for a comparative evaluation of similar BIM projects and benchmarking purposes. The study also discussed how current findings extends and contradicts previous findings.Originality/valueThe findings have provided policymakers, construction stakeholders and professional bodies in the construction industry in developing countries with valuable insights and counter-intuitive perspective that could facilitate the uptake of BIM in construction projects.

A lean approach to optimize BIM information flow using value stream mapping

Building Information Modelling (BIM) was introduced in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry as a shared information platform that aims to improve productivity through better collaboration. The assumption is that a virtual integration of information among project stakeholders would reduce the issues around the fragmented nature of the processes that still prevail in the construction field. This paper aims to highlight the sources of waste in the information flows between an architecture firm, a Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) engineering firm, a general contractor (GC) and a MEP subcontractor (SC) in a BIM project – an aspect of waste little covered in the Lean literature. The focus is on the MEP process from early design to the final product. This research contributes to the identification of the main barriers to information flow, including the conflicts and waste sources that emerge from using BIM, as well as to the identification of emerging successes. Moreover, the findings offer practical implications by providing a visual of the patterns emerging from the use of BIM. Finally, by providing potential waste reduction strategies such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM) this work allows construction actors to identify and reduce sources of waste in their processes.

Integration of Earn Value Management into BIM Projects

This study presents a tool which aims to support construction managers, particularly by combining BIM technology and the Earned Value Management (EVM) technique to allow the visualization of cost and time performance of construction works at a given time in a 3D BIM model. The following research will expose concepts and tools of integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) system tools in construction projects; the proposed will be tested in a real-case project and all the different software tools that can be used for modeling and customize project information workflow. The research will demonstrate how to develop an Earned Value Management (EVM) technique based on the information from Autodesk Revit models; the research will explain how to extract data from the project and analyze all the earn value variables.

Empirical Approach to Identify Operational Critical Success Factors for BIM Projects

AbstractArchitecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) organizations must adopt building information modeling (BIM) technology, define workflows, and develop internal policies to del...

Exploring behavioural factors for information sharing in BIM projects in the Malaysian construction industry

PurposeDespite the wave of enthusiasm for building information modelling (BIM) as a platform for information sharing, issues from the context of information-sharing behaviours still exist. The purpose of this paper is to explore the behavioural factors for successful information sharing in BIM projects in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review, a questionnaire was designed containing seven identified behavioural factors and their sub-elements. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey with 42 experienced BIM practitioners. In addition to that qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine construction practitioners in the Malaysian construction industry. Initially, a descriptive statistical analysis was adopted, followed by multivariate analysis that was employed to examine the possible effect of demographic attributes (i.e. nature of organisation and work experience in BIM) on the behavioural factors.FindingsThe analytical results indicated that communication, accountability and trust were the top three behavioural factors influencing successful information sharing. Additionally, the majority of the behavioural factors on information sharing were found to be not significantly dependent on both, the nature of organisations and the level of BIM experiences. Overall, the success of information sharing in the digital environment (i.e. BIM) depends on organisational behaviour supported by the collaborative constructs.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the fact that BIM implementation in Malaysia is still in its infancy, this study was limited to local context with small-scale BIM practitioners. Therefore, their views may not represent all BIM-related stakeholders in the industry.Practical implicationsThe success of information sharing in BIM projects is a result of a combination of various factors, and this study provides construction practitioners with information on the behavioural factors, which could assist them in creating collective and collaborative information sharing in a digital environment.Originality/valueDespite the fact that this study is country specific, the paper presents a new perspective on the behavioural context of information sharing in BIM projects. The findings further extend the current BIM literature by providing an insight into what it takes for project teams to reinforce their information sharing in the Malaysian digital environment through improvements in behaviours.

IFC Model Restructuring Framework for Efficient Bulk-loading to Object-relational IFC Model Server

This study proposes an IFC model restructuring framework for importing a large IFC model into an Object-Relation-database-based Industry Foundation Classes (OR-IFC) server. The purpose of using an IFC server is to facilitate collaboration by exchanging Building Information Modeling (BIM) data among construction project participants. However, the large size of IFC files could require several days to upload to the server and cause a time delay in terms of information exchange. For example, with a non-optimized algorithm, it can take several days to import a 111 MB model file into the IFC server and an import failure can occur with large model files that exceeds 300 MB due to the many cycles of iterations in the search and mapping process for IFC entities and object identifiers. Therefore, the authors proposed a new restructuring algorithm and a bulk-loading method in order to import IFC data into the server in a timely manner. The idea of bulk-loading is to presort and group all the IFC instances by IFC class into blocks. As a result, the import time for a 61 MB model required 56 seconds, and a 111 MB office-building model and a 346 MB building model were imported in 2 min 37 sec and 14 min 11 sec, respectively. The experimental result have shown that the import speed was improved by 30 times faster than the previous NoSQL-based approach. Therefore, the proposed method is anticipated to enable efficient information exchange among project participants in future BIM projects.

Critical success factors for facility management employer’s information requirements (EIR) for BIM

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the development and testing of an employer’s information requirements (EIR) template and guidance document designed to meet client and facility management (FM) needs in the building information modelling (BIM) process.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative design approach was used and triangulation of methods which included a focus group with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), semi-structured interviews with the case study Glasgow Life Burrell Renaissance Project who trialled the EIR and peer-reviews and interviews with BIM/CAFM experts from the BIM Academy and FM180.FindingsSpecific guidance to help clients and facility managers prepare key BIM documents like the EIR are needed. They are aware of industry BIM standards and guidance but often not in detail. The Glasgow Life case study illustrated the EIR as a useful collaboration-tool to bring together stakeholders in early planning stages to understand client information needs.Social implicationsAssets and buildings account for most of the energy and material use in society. A well-structured EIR will help ensure the right information is available to enable optimisation of running costs and utility-use over their whole life, thus contributing to long-term sustainability.Originality/valueThis paper provides a new EIR template and guidance document ideal for practitioners in industry as a practical starting point to plan the client information requirements for BIM projects. It can be downloaded at www.bifm.org.uk/bifm/knowledge.

Virtual reality-integrated workflow in BIM-enabled projects collaboration and design review: a case study

IntroductionA successful project delivery based on building information modeling (BIM) methods is interdependent on an efficient collaboration. This relies mainly on the visualization of a BIM model, which can appear on different mediums. Visualization on mediums such as computer screens, lack some degrees of immersion which may prevent the full utilization of the model. Another problem with conventional collaboration methods such as BIM-Big room, is the need of physical presence of participants in a room. Virtual Reality as the most immersive medium for visualizing a model, has the promise to become a regular part of construction industry. The virtual presence of collaborators in a VR environment, eliminates the need of their physical presence. Simulation of on-site task can address a number of issues during construction, such as feasibility of operations. As consumer VR tools have recently been available in the market, little research has been done on their actual employment in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) practices.Case descriptionThis paper investigates the application of a VR based workflow in a real project. The authors collaborated with a software company to evaluate some of their advanced VR software features, such as simulation of an on-site task. A case study of VR integrated collaboration workflow serves as an example of how firms can overcome the challenge of benefiting this new technology. A group of AEC professionals involved in a project were invited to take part in the experiment, utilizing their actual project BIM models.Discussion and evaluationThe results of the feedbacks from the experiment confirmed the supposed benefits of a VR collaboration method. Although the participants of the study were from a wide range of disciplines, they could find benefits of the technology in their practice. It also resulted that an experimental method of clash detection via simulation, could actually be practical.ConclusionThe simulation of on-site tasks and perception of architectural spaces in a 1:1 scale are assets unique to VR application in AEC practices. Nevertheless, the study shows the investment in new hardware and software, and resistant against adoption of new technologies are main obstacles of its wide adoption. Further works in computer industry is required to make these technologies more affordable.

A review on the execution method for building information modelling projects in Hong Kong

Building information modelling (BIM) has over a decade of development history in Hong Kong’s architect, engineering and construction industry. Its benefits have been well proven and widely recognised in a lot of previous studies. This paper looks into the amount of BIM value realisation and level of BIM participation by project members from the angle of implementation approach and procurement strategy. The past experience from different pioneers is collected and reviewed through in-depth interviews and open literature. It is found that most projects in the local market are at level 1 BIM maturity using a ‘one-sided management process’. Although some sort of project collaboration can be realised, it is still far from the full potential that BIM could offer. It is suggested that more consideration should be put on resource utilisation during the planning of BIM execution to enable better productivity through the use of technology.

Content validity of governing in Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation assessment instrument

BIM governance assessment instrument is a process of analysing the importance in developing BIM governance solution to tackle the existing problems during team collaboration in BIM-based projects. Despite the deployment of integrative technologies in construction industry particularly BIM, it is still insufficient compare to other sectors. Several studies have been established the requirements of BIM implementation concerning all technical and non-technical BIM adoption issues. However, the data are regarded as inadequate to develop a BIM governance framework. Hence, the objective of the paper is to evaluate the content validity of the BIM governance instrument prior to the main data collection. Two methods were employed in the form of literature review and questionnaire survey. Based on the literature review, 273 items with six main constructs are suggested to be incorporated in the BIM governance instrument. The Content Validity Ratio (CVR) scores revealed that 202 out of 273 items are considered as the utmost critical by the content experts. The findings for Item Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Modified Kappa Coefficient however revealed that 257 items in BIM governance instrument are appropriate and excellent. The instrument is highly reliable for future strategies and the development of BIM projects in Malaysia.

Enhancing Building Information Modeling Competency among Civil Engineering and Management Students with Team-Based Learning

In order to enhance students’ individual and team competency in building information modeling (BIM) project execution, this research adopts the team-based learning (TBL) pedagogy and aligns student learning outcomes in BIM with the hierarchy defined by Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives into a Civil Engineering and Management (CEM) capstone project under the framework of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) standards. By designing a series of BIM learning modules in accordance with the different phases of a typical project lifecycle, including design, tendering and bidding, construction, closeout, and handover, this research investigates and evaluates how TBL may help students develop essential BIM knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and achieve a higher order of learning through role play in the contexts of a real BIM project. The four learning modules address both individual and team competency with core CEM program learning outcomes and are delivered through the TBL iterative process. The assessment of student learning and their achieved BIM competency through the capstone project are conducted with both direct and indirect measures using carefully designed grading rubrics and a student feedback survey. The research findings suggest that the combination of phased BIM learning modules and the TBL pedagogy may stimulate students’ enthusiasm and foster individual and team performance at a higher level of competency in BIM project execution. The use of a real BIM project and the role play conducted by students in the TBL also enhance students’ career preparedness by bridging the gap between BIM education in CEM programs and industry expectation on BIM competency of college graduates. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the efficacy of the TBL pedagogy in college BIM education and may become a valuable reference as more CEM programs seek to integrate collaborative interdisciplinary team experiences in BIM education to cultivate a more competent BIM workforce.

Overview of the Legal Aspects and Contract Requirements of the BIM Practice in Malaysian Construction Industry

Legal, contractual issues and the absence of appropriate protocols have been ranked as critical barriers associated with the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM). As to date, these issues are under studied and there is lack of framework addressing legal and contractual measures ensuring contract best practice in BIM project setting and legal environment in Malaysia. This research attempts to review legal issues and two common local standard forms of contract in order to highlight provisions to suit BIM practice. The potential legal issues that were drawn from literature review are ownership of BIM model, intellectual property rights, level of development of the model, model management, allocation of risk, and schedule of deliverables. Appropriate adjustment or inclusion of the clauses or the contract contents is proposed, it could then be made to fit BIM practice.

BIM-based File Synchronization and Permission Management System for Architectural Design Collaboration

In building information modelling (BIM), the amount of information increases and architectural design processes become more complex as projects expand. This is because while a collaboration environment is important for smooth communication among experts, this has not been realized because of unclassified file synchronization and permission settings among team members. Therefore, this study aims to support cooperation in BIM modelling projects by synchronizing BIM data from different computers and rendering BIM project management easier by providing a BIM model viewer and data through the Web. The proposed technology, which is a construction project-type, purpose-tailored browsing technology, provides BIM information related to construction environments and planning processes only to the relevant experts.

An analysis of BIM jobs and competencies based on the use of terms in the industry

Abstract The emergence of building information modeling (BIM) has generated several BIM jobs. However, despite opinions by BIM experts, questions regarding BIM jobs and their competencies still have no clear solution. This paper addresses this question by the collection and analysis of 242 online job postings, written in English, from the US, the UK, and China. These 242 job postings comprised a total of 32,495 words, from which 35 types of job titles and 5,998 terms related to job competency were extracted. Sequentially, the 35 job types were classified into eight BIM job types by analyzing the relations between the job titles using the role and position analysis of social network analysis. The eight BIM job types were BIM project manager, director, BIM manager, BIM coordinator, BIM designer, senior architect, BIM mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) coordinator, and BIM technician. The 5,998 competency-related terms were categorized into 43 competency elements using the O*NET classification as a framework for analysis. The 43 competencies were then subcategorized into essential, common, and job-specific competencies for the eight BIM job types. The findings of this paper could contribute to the research, industry, and academia by a) providing researchers with a scientific foundation for conducting studies related to BIM jobs and competence in the future; b) setting up guidelines for recruiting and training BIM experts in the industry; and c) allowing universities to develop BIM-related courses depending on their educational goals.

An analysis of data sharing platforms in multidisciplinary education

ABSTRACTThe use of Common Data Environment (CDE) collaboration platforms, although a requirement of the government BIM (Building Information Modelling) mandate within the UK, is an area that has been under-reported in research publications, especially in relation to the education sector for the management of undergraduate multidisciplinary student BIM projects. Up to this point, academics have focused on the use of BIM authoring and analysis tools and collaborative and multidisciplinary working methods, but not necessarily on how information is managed and the platforms that can be used in this regard. This paper presents the findings of a three-year longitudinal study undertaken at Ulster University experimenting with three different platforms for the delivery of an undergraduate multidisciplinary collaborative student BIM project. A case study methodology is employed to provide a description of experiences over the three-year period, with an ethnographic approach to data collection in the form of direct observations in the field. Thematic analysis is used to identify key trends followed by a cross-case synthesis. The results of the study identify advantages for all of the differing platforms utilised depending on the functionality and learning outcomes required, whilst highlighting challenges in terms of familiarity and assessment integration. The paper concludes by presenting potential CDE methods of integration at undergraduate Levels 4, 5 and 6 (Years 1, 2 and 3).

Critical BIM qualification criteria for construction pre-qualification and selection

ABSTRACTDespite emerging research on Building Information Modelling (BIM) capability, there remain no studies that specifically look at criteria for the pre-qualification and selection of construction supply chain (CSC) firms for BIM projects. As a consequence, there is insufficient theoretical insight and empirical justification for critical BIM qualification criteria for the CSC context. In order to bridge this knowledge gap, a study was conducted to ascertain the most critical BIM capability attributes, as well as relevance to the pre-qualification and selection of suitable CSC firms for BIM-enabled projects. The relative importance of these criteria was determined based on their perceived influence on overall BIM delivery success on recent BIM-enabled projects. A sequential exploratory mixed methodological research design was adopted involving semi-structured interviews (n = 8) and a Delphi survey (n = 25) of experts, as well as a survey of CSC firms (n = 64) on BIM-enabled projects. The findings reinforce the criticality of past BIM experience in delivery success. Furthermore, it revealed that while technological infrastructure-related capacities (such as software and hardware availability) are perceived as very important qualification criteria, their actual contribution to delivery success is not as high in comparison to criteria related to previous BIM experience. This study provides insights on prioritising BIM capability criteria based on evidence on their contribution to delivery success in practice rather than their perceived importance as capability metrics.

Making friends with Frankenstein: hybrid practice in BIM

PurposeAlthough the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to generate process and performance improvement in the construction industry has been widely documented, very few projects operate in a wholly BIM environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that lead to hybrid practice in BIM across disciplines or project stages, and accommodations that must be reached within BIM project frameworks to allow for it.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with 38 BIM specialists from Australia and New Zealand, representing a variety of construction industry disciplines and roles. Data on current practice and experiences in BIM were analysed using a thematic approach within a qualitative framework.FindingsHybrid BIM practice is shown to be a common experience for practitioners in New Zealand and Australia. It is presented as a valid model of BIM adoption; both as a development stage in the process towards more complete BIM implementation, and also as an adoption model in its own right.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is based on data from New Zealand and Australia, which are currently developing BIM markets. Although surveys have demonstrated many similarities in BIM adoption processes internationally, results may be less applicable to more mature markets.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that instead of regarding hybrid BIM negatively as an unsuccessful implementation, companies should seek to identify and manage the causes and effects of hybridisation in order to improve project outcomes.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the management of transitional stages of BIM implementation, which is often overlooked in research.