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.

The Information Modeling and Intelligent Optimization Method for Logistics Vehicle Routing and Scheduling with Multi-objective and Multi-constraint

The vehicle routing and scheduling (VRS) problem with multi-objective and multi-constraint is analyzed, considering the complexity of the modern logistics in city economy and daily life based on the system engineering. The objective and constraint includes loading, the dispatch and arrival time, transportation conditions,total cost,etc. An information model and a mathematical model are built,and a method based on knowledge and biologic immunity is put forward for optimizing and evaluating the programs dimensions in vehicle routing and scheduling with multi-objective and multi-constraints. The proposed model and method are illustrated in a case study concerning a transport network, and the result shows that more optimization solutions can be easily obtained and the method is efficient and feasible. Comparing with the standard GA and the standard GA without time constraint,the computational time of the algorithm is less in this paper. And the probability of gaining optimal solution is bigger and the result is better under the condition of multi-constraint.

Evaluation on Information Model about Sensors Featured by Relationships to Measured Structural Objects

In accordance with the requirements of expanding Machine-To-Machine communication (M2M), the network overlay is in progress in several domains such as Smart Grid. Consequently, it is predictable that opportunities and cases of integrating yielded data from devices such as sensors will increase more. Accordingly, the importance of Ontology and Information Models (IM) which normalize the semantics including sensor expressions, have increased, and the standards of these definitions have been more important as well. So far, there have been multiple initiatives for standardizing the Ontology and IM in regards to the sensors expression such as Sensor Standards Harmonization by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), W3C Semantic Sensor Network (SSN) and the recent W3C IoT-Lite Ontology. However, there is still room to improve the current level of the Ontology and IM on the viewpoint of the implementing structure. This paper presents a set of IMs on abstract sensors and contexts in regards to the phenomenon around these sensors from the point of view of a structure implementing these specified sensors. As several previous studies have pointed out, multiple aspects on the sensors should be modeled. Accordingly, multiple sets of Ontology and IM on these sensors should be defined. Our study has intended to clarify the relationship between configurations and physical measured quantities of the structures implementing a set of sensors. Up to present, they have not been generalized and have remained unformulated. Consequently, due to the result of this analysis, it is expected to implement a more generalized translator module easily, which aggregates the measured data from the sensors on the middleware level managing these Ontology and IM, instead of the layer of user application programs.

Feature-based and objectoriented product information model for welding structure

Product information model for welding structure plays an important role for the integration of welding CAD/CAPP/CAM. However, existing CAD modeling systems are not capable of providing enough information for subsequent manufacturing activities such as CAPP and CAM. A new design approach using feature technique and object oriented programming method is put forward in this paper in order to create the product information model of welding structure. With this approach, the product information model is able to effectively support computer aided welding process planning, fixturing, assembling, path planning of welding robot and other manufacturing activities. The feature classification and representing scheme of welding structure are discussed. A prototype system is developed based on feature and object oriented programming. Its structure and functions are given in detail.

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.

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.

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.

Information Models for Forecasting Nonlinear Economic Dynamics in the Digital Era

The aim of this study was to develop an adequate mathematical model for long-term forecasting of technological progress and economic growth in the digital age (2020-2050). In addition, the task was to develop a model for forecast calculations of labor productivity in the symbiosis of “man + intelligent machine”, where an intelligent machine (IM) is understood as a computer or robot equipped with elements of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as in the digital economy as a whole. In the course of the study, it was shown that in order to implement its goals the Schumpeter-Kondratiev innovation and cycle theory on forming long waves (LW) of economic development influenced by a powerful cluster of economic technologies engendered by industrial revolutions is most appropriate for a long-term forecasting of technological progress and economic growth. The Solow neoclassical model of economic growth, synchronized with LW, gives the opportunity to forecast economic dynamics of technologically advanced countries with a greater precision up to 30 years, the time which correlates with the continuation of LW. In the information and digital age, the key role among the main factors of growth (capital, labour and technological progress) is played by the latter. The authors have developed an information model which allows for forecasting technological progress basing on growth rates of endogenous technological information in economics. The main regimes of producing technological information, corresponding to the eras of information and digital economies, are given in the article, as well as the Lagrangians that engender them. The model is verified on the example of the 5th information LW for the US economy (1982-2018) and it has had highly accurate approximation for both technological progress and economic growth. A number of new results were obtained using the developed information models for forecasting technological progress. The forecasting trajectory of economic growth of developed countries (on the example of the USA) on the upward stage of the 6th LW (2018-2042), engendered by the digital technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution is given. It is also demonstrated that the symbiosis of human and intelligent machine (IM) is the driving force in the digital economy, where man plays the leading role organizing effective and efficient mutual work. Authors suggest a mathematical model for calculating labour productivity in the digital economy, where the symbiosis of “human + IM” is widely used. The calculations carried out with the help of the model show: 1) the symbiosis of “human + IM” from the very beginning lets to realize the possibilities of increasing work performance in the economy with the help of digital technologies;2) the largest labour productivity is achieved in the symbiosis of “human + IM”, where man labour prevails, and the lowest labour productivity is seen where the largest part of the work is performed by IM;3) developed countries may achieve labour productivity of 3% per year by the mid-2020s, which has all the chances to stay up to the 2040s.

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.

Tufting Carpet Machine Information Model Based on Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control Unified Architecture

In view of the lack of research on the information model of tufting carpet machine in China,an information modeling method based on Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control Unified Architecture(OPC UA)framework was proposed to solve the problem of“information island”caused by the differentiated data interface between heterogeneous equipment and system in tufting carpet machine workshop.This paper established an information model of tufting carpet machine based on analyzing the system architecture,workshop equipment composition and information flow of the workshop,combined with the OPC UA information modeling specification.Subsequently,the OPC UA protocol is used to instantiate and map the information model,and the OPC UA server is developed.Finally,the practicability of tufting carpet machine information model under the OPC UA framework and the feasibility of realizing the information interconnection of heterogeneous devices in the tufting carpet machine digital workshop are verified.On this basis,the cloud and remote access to the underlying device data are realized.The application of this information model and information integration scheme in actual production explores and practices the application of OPC UA technology in the digital workshop of tufting carpet machine.

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.

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.

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.

Common Information Model： A Bus Service for Electric Calculations in AES Eletropaulo

This paper resumes a research project developed in the concession area of AES Eletropaulo, the largest electrical energy distribution company in Brazil. First, the global standards of information exchange within power transmission and distribution area were evaluated, allowing the definition of state of the art on the theme, followed by determining its applications considering technologies already applied by the company. The specifications needed for the generation of a data integration model are adapted to radial overhead network at company concession area. The project developed an intermediary connectivity layer, based on the CIM （common information model）, which enables corporative systems to communicate in a standard way, through the use of integrating technologies. It, therefore, enabled modeling all main subjects of an electrical network in an open, extensible and non-proprietary way, in a model that contains classes and attributes of such subjects, as well as their relationships. Calculation and planning products adopted by the company were integrated to the technological layer implemented.

Estimation of Building’s Life Cycle Carbon Emissions Based on Life Cycle Assessment and Building Information Modeling: A Case Study of a Hospital Building in China

Throughout the life cycle, the buildings emit a great deal of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which directly leads to aggravation in the greenhouse effect and becomes a severe threat to the environment and humans. Researchers have made numerous efforts to accurately calculate emissions to reduce the life cycle carbon emissions of residential buildings. Nevertheless, there are still difficulties in quickly estimating carbon emissions in the design stage without specific data. To fill this gap, the study, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Building Information Modeling (BIM), proposed a quick method for estimating Building’s Life Cycle Carbon Emissions (BLCCE). Taking a hospital building in Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, China as an example, it tested its possibility to estimate BLCCE. The results manifested that: 1) the BLCCE of the project is 40,083.56 tCO2-eq, and the carbon emissions per square meter per year are 119.91 kgCO2-eq/(m2·y);2) the stage of construction, operational and demolition account for 7.90%, 91.31%, and 0.79% of BLCCE, respectively;3) the annual carbon emissions per square meter of hospital are apparently higher than that of villa, residence, and office building, due to larger service population, longer daily operation time, and stricter patient comfort requirements. Considering the lack of BLCCE research in Chinese hospitals, this case study will provide a valuable reference for the estimated BLCCE of hospital building.

Battery Energy Storage System Information Modeling Based on IEC 61850

This paper discourses the typical ways to access system of the battery energy storage system. To realize the battery energy storage system based on IEC 61850, hierarchical information architecture for battery energy storage system is presented, the general design and implementation methods for device information model are elaborated, and the communication methods of the architecture are proposed. Example of battery energy storage system information model based on IEC 61850 tests that the battery energy storage system information architecture established is feasible.

Black Holes—Information Models

Estimation of the volume of information in black holes is necessary for generation of restrictions for their formation, development and interconversion. Information is an integral part of the Universe. By its physical essence information is heterogeneity of matter and energy. The universal measure of physical heterogeneity of information is the Shannon in- formation entropy. It is important to note that the Neumann entropy cannot be applied as the universal measure of het- erogeneity because it is equal to zero for structured pure state. Therefore information is inseparably connected with matter and energy. The informatics laws of nature are: the basic law of Zeilinger’s quantum mechanics postulates that the elementary physical system (in particular, fundamental particles: quarks, leptons,…) bears one bit of information, the law of simplicity of complex systems, the law of uncertainty (information) conservation, the law of finiteness of complex systems characteristics, the law of necessary variety by W. Ashby, and the theorem of K. Gödel. The law of finiteness of complex systems characteristics and the principle of necessary variety by W. Ashby impose restrictions on the topology and symmetry of the universe. The author’s works testify about the practicality of information laws simultaneously with physical rules for cognition of the Universe. The results presented in this paper show the effectiveness of informational approach to studying the black holes. The article discusses the following questions: The volume of information in the black hole, Emission and absorption of usual substance by a black hole, Formation and development (changing) of black holes, Black hole merger. Black hole is called optimal if information content is minimal at the University region. Optimal black holes can exist when at least the two types of substance are available in the Universe: with non-linear and linear correspondence between information content and mass. Information content of optimal black hole is proportional to squared coefficient correlating information content with mass in usual substance and in inverse proportion to coefficient correlating information content with black hole mass. Concentration of mass in optimal black hole minimizes information content in the system “usual substance—black holes”. Minimal information content of the Universe consisting of optimal black holes only is twice as less as information content available of the Universe of the same mass filled with usual substance only. An information approach along with a physical one allows obtaining new, sometimes more general data in relation to data obtained on the ground of physical rules only.