Building Information Modeling Environment Research Articles

Digital Management Methodology for Building Production Optimization through Digital Twin and Artificial Intelligence Integration

In a construction project schedule, delays in delivery are one of the most important problems. Delays can be caused by several project components; however, the issue is amplified when delays occur simultaneously. Classifying delays is relevant in order to allocate responsibility to the parties. In Italy, the delay in the delivery of medium and large-sized works in residential urban centers is about 15% compared to the project forecast. Moreover, the AECO sector’s ability to adapt to emerging challenges, such as environmental sustainability and digitization, is limited by the lack of innovation in management methods. The aim of this research is to create a methodology for managing the built and to-be-built environment in a digital way. This will optimize the building process by reducing delays and waste of resources. The methodology will use tools such as digital twin (DT), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms. The integration of lean construction practices can make the use of these technologies even more efficient, supporting better workflow management by using the BIM environment. The paper presents a methodology that can be applied to various scaling factors and scenarios. It is also useful for construction sites that are already in progress. As highlighted below, this brings significant economic-temporal advantages.

Exploring associations between accident types and activities in construction using natural language processing

Existing accident analysis methods often fail to integrate the relationship of construction accidents with construction activities, restrict the potential for visualizing the accidents frequency in Building Information Modelling (BIM). This study proposes a decision support system that provides visual insights, and the frequency of the core construction accidents in relation to typical construction activities. K-mean clustering and keyword-matching techniques are used to group the leading causes of construction accidents and then compare them with the construction activities. The average hit rate computed for construction accidents was 91%, whereas the hit rate calculated for construction activities connected to these frequent accidents was 75%. The classification models are integrated into the Power BI platform to offer decision-makers deeper insights regarding the relationship of prevalent construction accident types and associated activities. The practical application of the system is demonstrated with a case study, exemplifying the fall accident data integrated in a BIM environment.

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Digital planning today is based on Building Information Modelling (BIM); this method greatly profits from the approach of defining use cases that lead through the process. As such, a use case for functional tests of the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems is currently being developed that begins in design development phase of the planning process. Additionally, a use case concerning the linkage between open BIM and the dynamic simulation software IDA ICE is also under development. First results of these use case developments will be presented in this work, along with the challenges of working in open BIM environment using the open BIM standard Industry Foundation Classes (IFC).

Efficiency of utilizing building information modeling tools for examining smart materials behavior in a hot climate

The significance of smart materials aligns seamlessly with promoting the seventh goal of Sustainable Development, given their adaptability and energy-efficient properties in the construction sector. Using BIM tools to simulate environmental performance can enhance understanding of the behavior of smart materials within building components. Therefore, this study proposes integrating genetic algorithms (GA) with Building Information Modeling (BIM) through the Dynamo plugin. Where genetic algorithms help link the properties of smart materials and external stimuli, which outperforms traditional simulation tools for energy analysis.A comparison between the analysis process in Dynamo and Green Building Studio (GBS) emphasizes Dynamo's efficiency in simulating energy performance within the BIM environment in a shorter process. The effectiveness of simulating smart materials in Dynamo was validated in a hot climate through two scenarios of Phase change materials (BioPCM 29) and thermochromic materials (TCM), that were used in a lecture hall in an educational building in the Faculty of Engineering at Port Said University. Through the heat transfer rate indicator, energy consumption reduction rates were calculated. Integrating (BioPCM 29) into walls, ceilings, and glazing demonstrated a notable reduction in energy consumption for cooling in the summer months by a rate ranging between 23.3% and 23.4%. While (TCM) helped reduce consumption by 19.3%–19.4% in the same period of months. These findings affirm the research objective, highlighting BIM's potential as a tool to compare the environmental performance of smart materials and thus reach the optimal choice from the initial design stages.

Dual-Level Framework for OpenBIM-Enabled Design Collaboration

Design coordination and collaboration are crucial in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries, necessitating the integration of diverse disciplines and expertise to achieve unified and functional designs. Traditionally, these disciplines operate in isolation, leading to a fragmented design process. Building Information Modeling (BIM), recognized for its collaborative capabilities, presents an opportunity to revolutionize traditional design practices. However, existing research on BIM primarily assumes an ideal environment where all major participants use BIM models, overlooking the dynamics of mixed 2D Computer-aided Design (CAD) and 3D BIM environments. Addressing this research gap, this study aims to establish a dual-level OpenBIM-enabled collaborative design framework, enhancing the design process across various disciplines. The study employs a case study approach, applying this framework to an airport project in Chengdu, China. The airport includes different corridors that are similar in scope and scale but distinct enough to allow for a comparative study. The results demonstrate a 27% faster completion rate, a 98% reduction in design errors, and improved user satisfaction with the proposed method. The paper concludes by discussing the limitations of the study and suggesting avenues for future research.

A framework for semi-automated creation of Building Information Models for existing buildings

The environmental impact of the building sector can be significantly mitigated by reusing materials and components from the existing building stock. Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology can serve as a potent tool for the documentation, management of existing buildings, and foster effective collaboration among different stakeholders in the value chain of the building sector. In addition, by providing information about the building’s structure, materials, and systems, BIM enables more informed decision-making regarding potential renovations, retrofits, and repurposing. However, developing BIM models for existing buildings is a labour and time-intensive task. There is therefore the need to investigate possible ways to automate the data acquisition and the creation of BIM models. By using the extracted alphanumerical information from two databases in a BIM and Visual Programming Language environment, we develop a workflow that can read and transform this information, which is given as input, into a parametric BIM model. We then discuss the data availability and accessibility from those databases and what data requirements are still needed to achieve higher granularity for the BIM models. Finally, we develop a workflow, and we provide suggestions for further research and data integration. A shift into a circular economy model in the building sector could support reducing the environmental impact that the sector is causing. Developing BIM models by using a simpler method, could potentially facilitate informed decision-making for the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of building-materials and elements.

Managing Safety Risks from Overlapping Construction Activities: A BIM Approach

Addressing safety risks in construction is an ongoing priority, and integrating safety considerations into construction scheduling is a crucial aspect of this effort. A notable challenge is the safety risk posed by concurrent tasks, which has received limited attention in prior research. This study aims to address this research gap by introducing a novel Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based model that assesses the increased hazardousness resulting from overlapping construction activities. Historically, research has predominantly focused on individual task safety, with less emphasis on the risks associated with overlapping activities. Our innovative approach introduces the concept of a ‘source–target’ match, which evaluates the degree of hazardousness escalation when activities overlap. Drawing on data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) fatal accident reports, we extracted 11 hazardous and 9 susceptibility attributes to build a source–target match table. This table reveals the characteristics of activities that generate hazardous conflicts when overlapping. The key contribution of this research is the assessment, prioritization, and visualization of risk levels in a BIM environment. This framework empowers safety managers to proactively address safety risks resulting from overlapping construction activities, ultimately reducing accidents in the construction industry. By shedding light on this overlooked aspect of construction safety, our research highlights the importance of integrating safety considerations into construction scheduling and provides a practical tool for mitigating risks, enhancing workplace safety, and ultimately improving project outcomes.

Towards BIM-Based Sustainable Structural Design Optimization: A Systematic Review and Industry Perspective

Structural design optimization (SDO) plays a pivotal role in enhancing various aspects of construction projects, including design quality, cost efficiency, safety, and structural reliability. Recent endeavors in academia and industry have sought to harness the potential of building information modeling (BIM) and optimization algorithms to optimize SDO and improve design outcomes. This review paper aims to synthesize these efforts, shedding light on how SDO contributes to project coordination. Furthermore, the integration of sustainability considerations and the application of innovative technologies and optimization algorithms in SDO necessitate more interactive early stage collaboration among project stakeholders. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of contemporary research in integrated SDO employing BIM and optimization algorithms. It commences with an exploratory investigation, employing both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques following the PRISMA systematic review methodology. Subsequently, an open-ended opinion survey was conducted among construction industry professionals in Europe. This survey yields valuable insights into the coordination challenges and potential solutions arising from technological shifts and interoperability concerns associated with the widespread implementation of SDO. These preliminary steps of systematic review and industry survey furnish a robust foundation of knowledge, enabling the proposal of an intelligent framework for automating early stage sustainable structural design optimization (ESSDO) within the construction sector. The ESSDO framework addresses the challenges of fragmented collaboration between architects and structural engineers. This proposed framework seamlessly integrates with the BIM platform, i.e., Autodesk Revit for architects. It extracts crucial architectural data and transfers it to the structural design and analysis platform, i.e., Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis (RSA), for structural engineers via the visual programming tool Dynamo. Once the optimization occurs, optimal outcomes are visualized within BIM environments. This visualization elevates interactive collaborations between architects and engineers, facilitating automation throughout the workflow and smoother information exchange.

Perspectives of 3D Probabilistic Subsoil Modeling for BIM

Building information modeling (BIM) in the planning and construction of infrastructure projects, such as roads, tunnels, and excavations, requires the generation of comprehensive 3D subsoil models that encompass relevant geological and geotechnical information. Presently, this process relies on the deterministic interpolation of discrete data points obtained from exploratory boreholes and soundings, resulting in a single deterministic prediction. Commonly employed interpolation methods for this purpose include radial basis function and kriging. This contribution introduces probabilistic methods for quantifying prediction uncertainty. The proposed modeling approach is illustrated using simple examples, demonstrating how to use sequential Gaussian and Indicator Simulation techniques to model sedimentary processes such as erosion and lenticular bedding. Subsequently, a site in Munich serves as a case study. The widely used industry foundation classes (IFC) schema allows the integration of the model into the BIM environment. A mapping procedure allows transferring voxel models to the IFC schema. This article discusses the significance of incorporating uncertainty quantification into subsoil modeling and shows its integration into the BIM framework. The proposed approach and its efficient integration with evolving BIM standards and methodologies provides valuable insights for the planning and construction of infrastructure projects.

GIS-Based Multi-Objective Routing Approach for Street-Based Sporting-Event Routing

This study proposes a decision-making framework that integrates a routing model based on the geographic information system (GIS) and a genetic algorithm into a building-information modeling (BIM) environment to overcoming the limitations of the planning process of traditional street-based sporting events. There is a lack of research on improving the manually conducted decision-making processes for street-based sporting events. Moreover, previous routing studies were limited to GIS environments, and proposals for decision-making models integrated with BIM environments are lacking. In this study, the applicability of the framework was verified by presenting the variables of the existing GIS-based routing model as environmental variables to consider the impact of street-based sports events on a city. The evaluation model for the route selection was parameterized independently, such that its priority could be changed according to the user’s needs. Moreover, we integrated the data into BIM to create and analyze models that assess urban effects. This method is a decision-making system for policymakers and event planners to promptly conduct initial venue surveys through the technological integration of GIS–routing–BIM. Additionally, the GIS stipulated in this study can be applied to other cities. The Gwanghwamun area of Seoul, South Korea, was selected as the case study.

Point Cloud-Based Historical Building Information Modeling (H-BIM) in Urban Heritage Documentation Studies

Integrating building information modeling (BIM) technology into historical and cultural heritage structures has resulted in historic building information modeling (H-BIM), an effective method for managing and documenting invaluable historical artifacts. H-BIM has the potential to aid with the design, restoration, and maintenance activities of historical buildings by properly integrating parametric data and deliberately assessing semantic information, thus progressing the 3D model’s performance. H-BIM also aims to conduct cultural heritage (CH) studies in a systematic manner by combining 3D modeling techniques and information management. The first step in this process is to conduct a suitable geomatic survey to build accurate 3D models. The most efficient modeling method is to employ 3D point cloud data that are acquired using the terrestrial laser scanning method. This study proposes a manual modeling strategy for urban historical buildings that falls within the scope of the H-BIM methodology. The proposed modeling strategy follows a workflow that inserts point cloud data into the BIM environment in order to create a 3D urban cultural heritage model using ontologies applied with the H-BIM methodology. With this objective in mind, the H-BIM model development platform Revit was used to model the object elements of the inheritance structure in 3D and save them in the BIM library. It is very important to model building elements separately in 3D modeling studies. The resulting BIM product sheds light on fundamental data for the future planning, design, operation, and maintenance processes of the building. Users can obtain data suitable for H-BIM by adding graphical and non-graphical data.

Automating building sustainability assessment using building information modelling: A case study

Facing the increasing pursuit of sustainable buildings, the construction industry has been adopting new project technologies. Building Sustainability Assessment (BSA) methods are a key tool to evaluate building sustainability, but their use is hindered by the time-consuming assessment process and required data. With the emergence of Building Information Modelling (BIM), new potentialities have been found, such as continuous data storage and integrated building design. Facing the opportunity to integrate BSA into BIM, this research aims to automate the assessment of a BSA scheme by creating a BIM-based application for the project's early stages. Visual Programming Language (VPL) was used to translate SBToolPT-H criteria requirements into computable rules and create the SBToolBIM application. Results show the feasibility of automating BSA with BIM, by integrating 19 criteria into SBToolBIM and identifying BIM connections for the remaining 6 criteria. The applied procedure has established a novel framework to carry out BSA within the BIM environment in a faster and more reliable way using fewer resources. It offers a decision support tool for the design process able to provide valuable contributions to enhance building sustainability and meet decarbonisation and climate goals.

Optimization of construction site layout using BIM generative design

Construction site layout planning (CSLP) is the process of allocating temporary facilities needed on construction site. It is a complex process that aims at minimizing travel distances while improving productivity and safety. Although previous studies have enhanced the CSLP, there is a lack of studies that benefit from the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM)-Generative Design (GD) integration in the field of site layout planning. This study aims to understand the CSLP problem from new aspects to facilitate its use for construction practitioners and site planners. The research presents a new modelling and optimization concept that utilizes BIM-GD tool to target optimum construction site layout plans to ensure a safe and productive work environment. The developed model applies the parametric visual programming basics (VP) to build the layout problem for optimization. The research includes a case study from the literature to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model. The results show a high validity for the model compared with previous models in terms of defining the problem from new aspects and applying all the calculations within the BIM environment software. The presented study shows great potential from the GD tool for more practical and complex applications in future research.

Computational BIM tool for automated LEED certification process

Building information modeling (BIM) and sustainable building certification integration have been the focus of several studies in recent years, aiming to create a simpler and more effective building certification process. This paper describes a novel computational tool for architects and engineers, considering that the certification process takes place in a work environment that is familiar to them. The goal is to present a method for developing a computational tool that will automate the process of verifying the achievement of certain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits using visual programming in a BIM environment. In this way, designers can have an insight into the achievement of certain LEED credits at any phase during the design process. Considering the complexity of the digital parameterization of LEED credits, this method includes the achievement of three credits listed in the Material and Resources chapter of the LEED for Building Design and Construction protocol. Apart from similar research, the presented tool enables visibility of real-time LEED credits achievement at every moment of the design, from the building concept development to the final stage. The presented method creates space for the elaboration on the other LEED credits, as well as research in the area of applicability to other green rating certification programs and evaluation of existing building stock.

Case Study of Remodelling the As-Built Documentation of a Railway Construction into the BIM and GIS Environment

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a modern approach to managing the process of preparation, realization and operation of building objects including their documentation throughout their life cycle, based on database agenda platform. The aim of our research is to analyze and innovate existing engineering procedures with the aim: 1. to remodel the existing CAD documentation into BIM for the purpose of public procurement, 2. to provide guaranteed data to the IS of the Digital Map of Public Administration and 3. to provide data for the design of new railway structures or their reconstruction. The aim of the case study was to evaluate the effectiveness of remodelling the existing as-built documentation of a railway construction into a common BIM data environment (CDE), in which further subsequent construction agenda should be managed for the remaining period of its life cycle. Using the documentation for construction realization of the railway station Šumice, this 3D documentation was remodeled into the BIM data environment CDE and alternatively also into the 2D GIS environment. The BIM data standard developed by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure was analyzed during the documentation reworking. An important parameter of the documentation rework was the use of a geodetic reference system fully compatible with the cadastral system in the Czech Republic. It turned out that the general data standard is only partially applicable for railway structures containing many special objects and many objects requiring individual classification. The remodelling of existing graphical data proved faster and more efficient in a GIS environment (layer oriented) compared to the need for 3D remodelling in a BIM CDE (object oriented). Experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of remodelling underground technical infrastructure objects, while the visible surface situation is often more effectively captured by current progressive bulk data acquisition technologies. In a CDE environment, existing as-built documentation data can be efficiently stored and administered and progressively, for the procurement and execution of construction, purposefully remodeled only to the extent required in BIM or converted into an exchangeable Digital Technical Map (DTM) format for public administration.

Sustainable Design Protocol in BIM Environments: Case Study of 3D Virtual Models of a Building in Seville (Spain) Based on BREEAM Method

One of the key problems facing the construction industry concerns the requirement to integrate sustainability criteria that effectively reduce the environmental impact throughout the lifecycles of buildings. For this, it is necessary to use digital tools with the capacity to evaluate the environmental performance of the different solutions proposed through the design process. In this context, the objective of this study was to establish a protocol of sustainable standards defined by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), employing building information modeling (BIM) technology to simplify the integration of these indicators in the initial phases of the design process. This study focuses on a case study associated with the use of BIM technology and the BREEAM method. The results of the analysis enable us to define which of the BREEAM indicators can be integrated into and evaluated in BIM environments in the initial phase of the design process and to identify the environmental improvements and economic costs associated with these indicators. This study concludes that the indicators associated with the geometric and spatial definition of the building are the most influential in improving sustainability in the initial design phase, without requiring significant economic investment. In turn, these are easy parameters to evaluate using BIM, reducing design times compared to the use of traditional tools; this facilitates their involvement in the design phase and enables them to have a real impact on improving the environmental conditions of the final construction.

Reducing Falls from Heights through BIM: A Dedicated System for Visualizing Safety Standards

Falls from height (FFH) are common safety hazards on construction sites causing monetary and human loss. Accordingly, ensuring safety at heights is a prerequisite for implementing a strong safety culture in the construction industry. However, despite multiple safety management systems, FFH are still rising, indicating that compliance with safety standards and rules remains low or neglected. Building information modelling (BIM) is used in this study to develop a safety clauses visualization system using Autodesk Revit’s application programming interface (API). The prototype digitally stores and views clauses of safety standards, such as the Operational Health and Safety Rules 2022 and Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction by NEBOSH 2008, in the BIM environment. This facilitates the safety manager’s ability to ensure that the precautionary measures needed to work at different heights are observed. The developed prototype underwent a focus group evaluation involving nine experts to assess its effectiveness in preventing FFH. It successfully created a comprehensive safety clause library that allows safety managers to provide relevant safety equipment to workers before work execution. It also enhances the awareness of construction workers of all safety requirements vis-à-vis heights. Moreover, it creates a database of safety standards that can be viewed and expanded in future by adding more safety standards to ensure wider applicability.

The Integration between Building Information Modelling and Scrumban. Case Study: FD3 Commercial Building in Damascus

Construction Project Management is one of the most significant processes that require meticulous organization and coordination to ensure the successful project implementation, meeting various criteria. Currently, the need for using modern technologies and methodologies became of utter necessity, in particular with the sophisticated advancements in technology and the emergence of the contemporary project management methodologies. This should be done to achieve the best results when implementing such projects Existing literature underscores the importance of Agile project management in projects. This is due to its effectiveness in achieving the project deliverables. Agile project management proved to reduce rework and provide assistance in dealing with possible changes that might have an influence on the project progress in the future. This is particularly evident in the current situation in Syria, where a company would take responsibility of the rework costs due to various unexpected uncertainties or risks, resulting in stopping the work on ongoing projects. Rework is considered of the most noticeable problems in the construction industry in Syria, and as a result, the industry is losing efficiency and effectiveness. All such hardships urged the need for more sophisticated methodologies and technologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), where BIM proved to be time-, quality-, and cost-effective. This study sheds the light on the application of the Scrumban methodology, the most recent Agile project management methodology, and its integration with the BIM environment in the execution phase in construction projects. This research was based on the experimental research methodology, in addition to exploring the existing literature to provide final results supported by previous experience and the application section to reach optimal recommendations to apply Scrumban in BIM-Based construction projects in Syria in the light of the current practices.

Net-Zero Energy Building Using Solar Photovoltaic Energy and Modeling within BIM Environment: Case Study of Al-Ajraf Elementary School in Quneitra

This research focuses on transforming Al-Ojraf Primary School in Quneitra Governorate into a zero-energy building by securing its energy source using a photovoltaic solar system. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) environment was utilized to create the necessary electrical plans and determine the available surface areas required for implementing this system. The existing electrical loads in the school (for lighting and fans) were initially calculated, followed by determining the suitable photovoltaic system to meet these loads, including the number of solar panels and the surface area needed for their installation. The calculated capacity of this system amounted to 12.510 kilowatts, composed of 12 solar panels, requiring an installation area of 32 square meters. The required capacity of the photovoltaic system was recalculated after replacing the school's electrical equipment with devices operating on direct current (DC), resulting in a system capacity of 7.260 kilowatts, providing a savings of 5.25 kilowatts, i.e., by 42%. The number of panels required to power the school's loads decreased to 6 panels, reducing the necessary installation area to 16 square meters, i.e., by 50%. This replacement also eliminated the need for batteries and expensive inverters, resulting in significant cost savings and a substantial reduction in electricity consumption from the main grid.In Sweida Governorate، there are a total of 253 elementary schools. If these schools were transformed into zero-energy buildings following the method outlined in this research, it would lead to a daily saving of 1328.25 kilowatts from the main grid.

Integrated model for BIM and risk data in construction projects

The acceleration in the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) techniques in many countries around the world makes BIM technology a global research trend. A few studies have shown how risk information can be properly managed in a BIM environment. This research aims to improve the risk management process using BIM techniques and proposes a new methodology within a BIM system to manage risk information for construction projects. The risk register, which represents the final risk information, and the Revit program, which represents one of the BIM platforms, are integrated using the Dynamo program in this paper’s proposed new method for integrating risk information with the BIM system. Two types of information are automatically transferred from the risk register to the BIM model: first, data and numbers, such as ‘Risk score,’ ‘Risk status,’ etc; this allows integration of risk information with the rest of the project parameters in the BIM system to achieve BIM system integration. Second, colors, where the elements are coloured the same colour as the degree of risk in the risk register. The proposed methodology demonstrates how visualisation can be used to identify risks, as visualisation is one of the most important features of BIM, and how risk information can be linked to BIM, making risk management more effective and accurate than the traditional method.