Whole-Process Project Cost Management Based on Building Information Modeling (BIM)

The whole-process project cost management based on building information modeling(BIM)is a new management method,aiming to realize the comprehensive optimization and improvement of project cost management through the application of BIM technology.This paper summarizes and analyzes the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,aiming to explore its application and development prospects in the construction industry.Firstly,this paper introduces the role and advantages of BIM technology in engineering cost management,including information integration,data sharing,and collaborative work.Secondly,the paper analyzes the key technologies and methods of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM,including model construction,data management,and cost control.In addition,the paper also discusses the challenges and limitations of the whole-process BIM project cost management,such as the inconsistency of technical standards,personnel training,and consciousness change.Finally,the paper summarizes the advantages and development prospects of the whole-process project cost management based on BIM and puts forward the direction and suggestions for future research.Through the research of this paper,it can provide a reference for construction cost management and promote innovation and development in the construction industry.

A Building Information Modeling-Life Cycle Cost Analysis Integrated Model to Enhance Decisions Related to the Selection of Construction Methods at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a systematic approach to assess the total cost associated with owning, operating, and maintaining assets throughout their entire life. BIM empowers architects and designers to perform real-time evaluations to explore various design options. However, when integrated with LCCA, BIM provides a comprehensive economic perspective that helps stakeholders understand the long-term financial implications of design decisions. This study presents a methodology for developing a model that seamlessly integrates BIM and LCCA during the conceptual design stage of buildings. This integration allows for a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the design process, ensuring that the development aligns with the principles of low carbon emissions by employing modular construction, 3D concrete printing methods, and different building design alternatives. The model considers the initial construction costs in addition to all the long-term operational, maintenance, and salvage values. It combines various tools and data through different modules, including energy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to execute a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications of a specific design option throughout the lifecycle of building projects. The development of the said model and its implementation involves the creation of a new plug-in for the BIM tool (i.e., Autodesk Revit) to enhance its functionalities and capabilities in forecasting the life-cycle costs of buildings in addition to generating associated cash flows, creating scenarios, and sensitivity analyses in an automatic manner. This model empowers designers to evaluate and justify their initial investments while designing and selecting potential construction methods for buildings, and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions by assessing different design alternatives based on long-term financial considerations during the early stages of design.

Development of a building information model-guided post-earthquake building inspection framework using 3D synthetic environments

Computer vision-based inspection methods show promise for automating post-earthquake building inspections.These methods survey a building with unmanned aerial vehicles and automatically detect damage in the collected images.Nevertheless,assessing the damage′s impact on structural safety requires localizing damage to specific building components with known design and function.This paper proposes a BIM-based automated inspection framework to provide context for visual surveys.A deep learning-based semantic segmentation algorithm is trained to automatically identify damage in images.The BIM automatically associates any identified damage with specific building components.Then,components are classified into damage states consistent with component fragility models for integration with a structural analysis.To demonstrate the framework,methods are developed to photorealistically simulate severe structural damage in a synthetic computer graphics environment.A graphics model of a real building in Urbana,Illinois,is generated to test the framework;the model is integrated with a structural analysis to apply earthquake damage in a physically realistic manner.A simulated UAV survey is flown of the graphics model and the framework is applied.The method achieves high accuracy in assigning damage states to visible structural components.This assignment enables integration with a performance-based earthquake assessment to classify building safety.

Building Information Modeling-Based Secondary Development System for 3D Modeling of Underground Pipelines

Underground pipeline networks constitute a major component of urban infrastructure,and thus,it is imperative to have an efficient mechanism to manage them.This study introduces a secondary development system to efficiently model underground pipeline networks,using the building information modeling(BIM)-based software Revit.The system comprises separate pipe point and tubulation models.Using a Revit application programming interface(API),the spatial position and attribute data of the pipe points are extracted from a pipeline database,and the corresponding tubulation data are extracted from a tubulation database.Using the Family class in Revit API,the cluster in the self-built library of pipe point is inserted into the spatial location and the attribute data is added;in the same way,all pipeline instances in the pipeline system are created.The extension and localization of the model accelerated the modeling speed.The system was then used in a real construction project.The expansion of the model database and rapid modeling made the application of BIM technology in three-dimensional visualization of underground pipeline networks more convenient.Furthermore,it has applications in pipeline engineering construction and management.

Integrating Virtual Reality and Energy Analysis with BIM to Optimize Window-to-Wall Ratio and Building’s Orientation for Age-in-Place Design at the Conceptual Stage

This study unfolds an innovative approach aiming to address the critical role of building design in global energy consumption, focusing on optimizing the Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), since buildings account for approximately 30% of total energy consumed worldwide. The greatest contributors to energy expenditure in buildings are internal artificial lighting and heating and cooling systems. The WWR, determined by the proportion of the building’s glazed area to its wall area, is a significant factor influencing energy efficiency and minimizing energy load. This study introduces the development of a semi-automated computer model designed to offer a real-time, interactive simulation environment, fostering improving communication and engagement between designers and owners. The said model serves to optimize both the WWR and building orientation to align with occupants’ needs and expectations, subsequently reducing annual energy consumption and enhancing the overall building energy performance. The integrated model incorporates Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR), and Energy Analysis tools deployed at the conceptual design stage, allowing for the amalgamation of owners’ inputs in the design process and facilitating the creation of more realistic and effective design strategies.

Influence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on Engineering Contract Management in Nairobi, Kenya

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a technology and a process that has brought changes in the construction’s traditional procurement system. Kenya lacks contractual guidelines on implementation of BIM;this makes the adoption of BIM slow and difficult. Previous research has identified a gap in contractual relationships, roles and resulting risks. The objectives of this study were to investigate BIM adoption in Nairobi and to investigate the influence of BIM on Engineering Contract Management (ECM) in Nairobi Kenya. The survey research was a descriptive study with 175 responsive questionnaires. Respondents comprised of Civil Engineers, Construction Project Managers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Contractors and Facility Managers. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview. Descriptive analytics, correlation and Exploratory factor analysis methods were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. It emerged that adoption level was at 56.6% and shallow understanding of BIM capabilities remains to be a barrier to its adoption and implementation. It also emerged that BIM improves ECM;when time, cost, quality, collaboration and return on investment improve, ECM becomes easier. Latent factors found in BIM and ECM relationship were Legal Implications, awareness and knowledge, efficiency, versatility, mandate and leadership, and competitiveness. Further, the study found out that BIM influence on ECM demands for establishment of standards, guidelines, policy, legal framework, and regulations, which can be achieved by amending the public procurement act which dictates the operation of all the other standard forms of contract. Further research should be conducted to measure whether the understanding of BIM had positively improved.

Augmented Reality Applied to Building Assessment with Building Information Model Visualization

AR （augmented reality） is a technology that adds information to the real world adding virtual elements to its visualization in real time. AR used in AECO （architectural, engineering, construction and operations） can contribute in augmenting visualization during design, construction and operation of the buildings. This article presents a study that applies AR to building assessment with BIM （building information） model visualization. The use of AR on existing applications for smart phones and tablets is validated. AR proposed an adaptation of the method of POE （post-occupancy evaluation） subsidized. Traditional POE process model involves three phases： planning, conducting and applying. In order to incorporate AR, it is proposed a total restructuring of the planning phase, developing the research instruments in three steps： 3D modeling, model treatment and AR application development. It was observed that for POE studies, the 3D models are in large scale and need to be detailed for precise comparison. BIM models for facility management, representing building use situation, are of the highest level of detail. A balanced point between simplicity and representativeness was the solution adopted in this experiment for uploading and downloading performance issues. This article presents and discusses findings for the new proposition for the activity of research instruments development for the planning phase of POE with AR as well as initial tests with first results and difficulties faced.

A Quarter Century of Work to Revolutionize Architecture, Engineering and Construction Enterprise Information Systems

More than two decades ago, object-oriented representation of AEC （architecture engineering and construction） projects started to offer the promise of seamless communication of semantic data models between computer-based systems used from the design stage to the operation of the facilities. BIM （building information modelling） emerged and appeared as a means to store all relevant data generated during the life-cycle of the facilities. But this upstream view of the built environment, arising from the design and construction stages, extended to the downstream operations where building and industrial facilities appeared more and more as huge dynamic data producers and concentrators while being operated. This created new challenges leading to what is referred to as ISCs （intelligent and smart constructions）. The current state of the art is that final constructions still contain various and increasingly versatile control and service systems, which are hardly standardised, and not interconnected among themselves. Monitoring, maintenance and services are done by specialised companies, each responsible of different systems, which are relying on customised software and techniques to meet specific user needs and are based on monolithic applications that require manual configuration for specific uses, maintenance and support. We demonstrate in this paper that the early promises of integration across the actors and along the life-time of facilities have gone a long way but will only be delivered through enhanced standardisation of computerized models, representations, services and operations still not yet fully accomplished 25 years after work started.

The Contributions of Building Information Modelling to Sustainable Construction

Global concerns toward environmental issues have induced growing demand for new approaches in the construction because of its considerable impact on the environment and use of natural resources. Through using construction sustainability tools, methods and techniques, a greener design can be applied during various building phases. In this connection, it is argued that the analytical and integrated models applied by Building Information Modelling (BIM) may also facilitate this process to be performed more efficiently. BIM and construction sustainability are quite different initiatives, but both have received much attention in recent years in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. A rigorous analysis of the interactions between them implies that a synergy exists which, if properly it is understood that can be helpful to reduce the environmental impacts of the AEC industry. A BIM-based design model can contribute to sustainability through its three main dimensions which are environmental, economic and social. In this paper, by reviewing the existing literature on BIM and construction sustainability and using a matrix to analyze construction sustainability dimensions and BIM functionalities a number of interactions have been discussed. It can be concluded that despite there are many improvements in implementation of BIM in environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, its potential impact on social dimension has not been explicitly explored hence further studies need to be undertaken in this area.

Integrating Universal Design Standards and Building Information Modeling at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

A projection of the Canadian population shows that in 2024 one in five Canadians will be over 65 years old. This shift forces designers to consider the entire lifetime of occupants during the design of new buildings. Universal Design (UD), which is a design that accommodates all people to the greatest extent possible and aging in place design that is deeply rooted in the principles of UD, aim to house people irrespective of their age, ability, and chronic health conditions. Building Information Modeling (BIM) significantly helps advance the development of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in a more collaborative and automated way. Integrating BIM and UD allows designers to incorporate UD standards easily and efficiently at the conceptual design stage of buildings by using the functionalities and capabilities of BIM tools. Therefore, this study presents the development of an automated computer model to facilitate the adoption of UD standards and processes. The novelty highlighted in this model resides in the creation of an automated method that employs a newly created plug-in and databases to assist designers to incorporate UD standards at the conceptual stage in a timely and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, the study introduces the methodology consisting of collecting, categorizing, and storing data from various universal design and accessible design guidelines in the developed databases and developing new plug-ins in BIM tool to link the developed databases in order to automate the process of retrieving necessary information and components to help designers and owners select optimal design alternatives based on their predefined criteria.

Development Trend of Water Supply and Drainage Engineering Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Building Information Model

With the rapid development of construction engineering and municipal engineering in recent years, water supply and drainage technology has gradually matured. Building water supply and drainage design contains the design of rainwater drainage, sewage drainage design, water supply design and fire water supply design. At present, the research on the life cycle assessment of urban drainage system is mainly focused on the sewage treatment plant, therefore in this paper we introduce the theoretical basis of life cycle assessment. In the era of information network, building information model（BIM） technology is widely applied to the design of building water supply and drainage, which and effectively improves the design effi ciency, and makes up for the traditional water supply and drainage design of a lot of problems. In this paper, we analyze the development trend of water supply and drainage engineering based on life cycle assessment and building information model.

Building Information Modeling for Environmental Impact Assessment in Early Design Phases: A Literature Review

The building sector is the largest consumer of energy in industrial countries. Saving energy in new buildings or building renovations can thus lead to significant global environmental impacts. In this endeavor, building information modeling (BIM) and building energy modeling (BEM) are two important tools to make the transition to net-zero energy buildings (NZEB). So far, little attention has been devoted, in the literature, to discuss the connection between BIM, BEM, and Life-cycle assessment (LCA), which is the main topic of this article. A literature review of 157 journal articles and conference proceedings published between 1990 and 2020 is presented. This review outlines knowledge gaps concerning BIM, BEM, and environmental impact assessment. It suggests that defining the process with the right technology (at the right time) would result in a more integrated design process (IDP) and bridge current gaps. The most efficient way to improve process and technology is related to the competences of the architects, engineers and constructors (AEC). The review also indicates that the IDP in the early design phases (EDP) is in need of improvement for architects and engineers, where a better connection between design phases, specific levels of development (LOD) and BIM tools is needed. Competences, process and technology are the three main themes addressed in the review. Their relation to design phases and LOD is discussed. The aim is to propose possible solutions to the current hinders in BIM-to-BEM (BIM2BEM) and BIM-for-LCA (BIM4LCA) integration.

Analysis of Thermal Behavior of Materials in the Building Envelope Using Building Information Modeling (BIM)—A Case Study Approach

Building envelope is a fence that controls heat exchange between interior and exterior and plays an essential role in providing thermal comfort conditions of residents. In recent years, due to the necessity of conserving energy and also preventing increased environmental pollution, the importance of sustainable construction has been doubled. Checking the problems of thermal behavior of the building envelope materials, and what influences in the heating and cooling loads exerted and energy consumption of buildings, are the questions that this research seeks to answer. In this regard, building information modelling analysis (BIM) has worthy contribution in the completion process of sustainable design;thus using software Design Builder, it is paid attention to simulation of the thermal behavior of two types of defined materials for the building envelope that was designed as a Research Institute of Renewable Energy of Yazd University. For Type 1 materials, two layers of brick have been selected, and for Type 2 a thermal insulation layer also added it. Results of the analysis showed that the use of materials Type 2 in the cooling load %4.8 and in the thermal load %62.5 reduction can be achieved which means reducing the load on active system and thus reducing the initial cost of building. Also reduction in annual energy consumption by almost %2.4 for cooling and %62.9 for heating buildings have been achieved, which makes saving non-renewable energy consumption, and consequently reducing environmental pollution as well as reducing current costs will be established.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Building of Informationε-Commercial Center of Textileε-Clothing China

A new textile commercial center is being built in Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang province. The groundbreaking on April 20th was more ceremonious for this event than it was many a time before, as the project marks the shift for an innovation-led direction in this world’s largest textile province.

基于Revit平台的隔震支座快速建模模块开发与应用

随着隔震技术的推广应用以及建筑业信息化水平的持续提升,在隔震工程中对隔震层建筑信息模型(building information modeling, BIM)建模的需求逐渐增长,然而针对性的研究工作相对较少。为此,围绕隔震支座BIM模型的高效建模方法和应用模块开展了研究。首先,综合隔震支座应用情况和力学特性,可将其分为橡胶隔震支座、滑移摩擦隔震支座和其他类型隔震支座,据此提出了隔震支座BIM快速建模模块基本架构;随后,基于Revit和Visual Studio平台开发了三类隔震支座BIM模型的快速建模功能,并实现了连接节点参数化建模和支座批量/手动布置的操作功能;最后,开展了某化工公司的库房隔震加固项目的隔震层BIM模型建模实践,结果表明:利用快速建模模块可将隔震层BIM建模操作从7个步骤降低至2个步骤,且使用过程中对隔震支座构造细节的认知要求相对较低。同时,建成后的BIM模型与实际工程在建筑信息的多个方面具有较好的一致性。相关研究可为建筑和桥梁隔震工程的BIM建模提供参考和借鉴。

Estimation of tunnel axial orientation in the interlayered rock mass using a comprehensive algorithm

The axial selection of tunnels constructed in the interlayered soft-hard rock mass affects the stability and safety during construction.Previous optimization is primarily based on experience or comparison and selection of alternative values under specific geological conditions.In this work,an intelligent optimization framework has been proposed by combining numerical analysis,machine learning(ML)and optimization algorithm.An automatic and intelligent numerical analysis process was proposed and coded to reduce redundant manual intervention.The conventional optimization algorithm was developed from two aspects and applied to the hyperparameters estimation of the support vector machine(SVM)model and the axial orientation optimization of the tunnel.Finally,the comprehensive framework was applied to a numerical case study,and the results were compared with those of other studies.The results of this study indicate that the determination coefficients between the predicted and the numerical stability evaluation indices(STIs)on the training and testing datasets are 0.998 and 0.997,respectively.For a given geological condition,the STI that changes with the axial orientation shows the trend of first decreasing and then increasing,and the optimal tunnel axial orientation is estimated to be 87.This method provides an alternative and quick approach to the overall design of the tunnels.

The Study of BIM-Based MRT Structural Inspection System

The Taipei MRT （Metropolitan Rapid Transit） system has been operated since 1996. Facing the challenge of safety and sustainability of MRT, it is urgent to develop a structural inspection strategy and maintenance system based on the concept of life cycle management. In the mean while, BIM （Building Information Modeling） has become an emerging technology in the architecture and construction industries. BIM utilizes the 3D （3 Dimensions） CAD objects to simulate the real word building elements and with the ability to maintain life cycle information for a building. BIM is an ideal tool and platform for developing an inspection and maintenance system. The goal of this research is to establish a MRT structural inspection system concept based on BIM and life cycle management. In this study, a BIM model of shield tunnel was established to demonstrate the integration of 3D CAD with inspection records. A MRT structural maintenance database, which includes structural deterioration types, inspection records, and repair methods, was designed to interact with the BIM. An inspection prototype system was designed and implemented to perform the MRT structural inspection. The proposed system was designed with mobile-side and server-side systems. The mobile-side system was designed to perform on mobile devices such as tablet computer or smart phones with the ability to mark defects on BIM, as well as to fill in inspection sheets and photos; the server-side system can assign inspection tasks, maintains all inspection records, automatically output inspection reports, and analyze the database to prioritize all maintenance tasks.

A mobile application framework of the BIM-based facility management system under the cross-platform structure

The building information model/modeling （BIM） technology is currently applied in a broad range of applications and research for facility management, while the BIM-based mobile FM is difficult owing to various factors and environments. For example, the mobile applications usually require frequent cross-equipment compatibility. This paper proposes a reasonable BIM-based FM cross-platform framework and develops a mobile application on the basis of an existing BIM-based FM system. The developed mobile application is applied in a case study of a metro station project in Guangzhou to verify its effectiveness in FM practice. It helps maintenance staff in viewing BIMs, accessing related information, and updating maintenance records in a unique platform. The test results demonstrate that the proposed BIM-based cross-platform framework meet the FM application requirements and supports the extension of FM functions.