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4 BIM use cases and their mutual dependencies across the different phases of a construction project (based on Joseph Joseph, 2011)
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Building Information Modeling is based on the idea of the continuous use of digital building models throughout the entire lifecycle of a built facility, starting from the early conceptual design and detailed design phases, to the construction phase, and the long phase of operation. BIM significantly improves information flow between stakeholders in...
Citations
... To ensure the design quality and the safety of the later occupants, building designs are evaluated against various standards laid down in building codes, construction practices, and requirements from owners. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) development exploits semantically rich representations of buildings under design or construction [3,4], and offers a computer-interpretable form of building designs. Using BIM to automate design checking against regulatory obligations has been a research focus for many years [5]. ...
... 2. Establish a streamlined search approach to efficiently identify feasible solutions in the context of high-dimensional design modifications. 3. Formulate a robust representation of design variables and ACC results that captures dependencies and constraints, establishing a foundation for diverse real-world design correction scenarios. ...
Automated Compliance Checking (ACC) techniques have advanced significantly, enabling designers to evaluate building designs against codes. However, architectural engineers have to improve the design by manually implementing the ACC results, which is laborious, iterative, and requires domain expertise. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a Design Healing framework that adapts the original design into code-compliant alternatives. By integrating design data and ACC results, the framework identifies critical non-compliant components through a graph-based topological algorithm and sensitivity analysis. A prior knowledge-informed design space exploration is conducted to find valid alternatives and quantify modifications using weighted Euclidean distances, allowing designers to select options closely aligned with the initial design. Multi-scenario experiments demonstrate the framework's effectiveness in resolving architectural spatial design violations. By automating post-checking design adaptation, the framework reduces manual revisions and provides an efficient tool for achieving compliance while accommodating varying design constraints. This paper establishes a basis for advancing designer-centered automated design correction methods based on ACC techniques.
... Technology has become an important part of the built cultural heritage and the development of such technologies has led to the development of various modelling tools, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM digitally represents the physical and functional characteristics of a building [6,12]. ...
New research strategies for the conservation and 3D reconstruction of cultural heritage allow the implementation of virtual web navigation systems that are useful for their virtual realization. In this paper is presented an optimized workflow for 3D modeling and scanning of the historical monument Castelul Fermecat located in the Nicolae Romanescu National Park in Craiova, Dolj County, Romania. 3D scanning was performed both inside and outside the building, topographic measurements were made for integration in the National Stereographic Projection System 1970 and in the final part all the obtained data were combined resulting in a complex 3D representation of the building. 3D scanning of the Castelul Fermecat was carried out with a view to its inventory by the Craiova City Hall - Heritage Department and its promotion by the owner for tourism and commercial purposes. Castelul Fermecat, together with the Nicolae Romanescu National Park and other objectives in it, is on the list of historical monuments with identification code DJ-II-a-A-07924.
... Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a method for generating, using, and managing digital building models throughout various stages of a structure's lifecycle. These models contain geometric and semantic information, such as construction methods and materials [1]. BIM models are crucial for structural analysis, as they can serve as the primary data source for generating finite element (FE) models. ...
(1) The presented paper proposes an approach to the BIM-based generation of FE models of different complexity and FE dimensionality. This is particularly important as different FE models are needed to assess various structural or material limit states for the same structure, affecting the accuracy and efficiency of simulations. (2) The basis of the BIM model is an IFC file that is enriched with FEM- and, if desired, SHM-relevant information. The geometry of the objects is described by SweptSolid representation with a parameterized profile definition. Moreover, material properties, supports, and structural connections are specified within the BIM model. Afterwards, the data are extracted from the IFC file. Additionally, the geometry of the structure is modified depending on the desired FE dimensionality. Subsequently, ANSYS MAPDL commands are generated and written to the macro file. (3) The approach is illustrated by an example of a laboratory test structure. Four FE models of different complexity and FE dimensionality are successfully generated based on the IFC file and used for numerical simulations. (4) This study demonstrates the efficiency, practicality, and functionality of the proposed approach, offering a robust solution for generating FE models that can be used across multiple structural analysis scenarios.
... Blueprint reading is the extraction of information from the blueprints through core image processing tasks, such as shape and object detection, recognition, tracking (Bonino et al., 2009), and cognitive tasks, for example, spatial visualization and sense making (Yi et al., 2006). While the latest developments in this matter are already integrating digitalization, such as the integration of the building information model into construction and architectural education to make and read project blueprints in 3D form using a physical model for the purpose of visualization of building elements (Bui et al., 2019;Borrmann et al., 2018) and feature extraction (Moreno-Garcia et al., 2019), 2D technical and engineering drawings are still used abundantly in small-scale and large-scale industries for maintenance of the existing systems and as a basis for designing the upgrades for the existing system or product model (Tanaka et al., 2019). Blueprint reading is a task-based skill and is composed of competencies that are associated with its different aspects. ...
This work highlights an evaluation of blueprint reading competencies among university students, with particular attention to common and core competencies. Recognizing the ambiguity and imprecision arising from such an evaluation, Einstein aggregation operators on picture fuzzy sets were adopted to model the judgments of participants derived from a pool of mechanical technology students. Results reveal the students’ competency level for each pre-identified task in blueprint reading. Although they display above-average performances, areas requiring enhancement in both competency types are identified. Pathways from these findings involve various strategies: conducting a separate in-depth study for a deeper understanding of the subject matter, incorporating particular emphasis on blueprint reading tasks, introducing competency-based exercises within relevant courses, and facilitating industry experts’ collaboration. Comparative analysis with those of intuitionistic fuzzy sets and Dombi aggregation operators yields similar results.
... BIM relies on advanced data modeling frameworks to represent the relationships between various building elements and their attributes. Technologies like Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) provide standardized data formats, enabling interoperability and seamless data exchange among different software platforms [31]. The database aspect of BIM allows for the integration of complex datasets, such as energy performance metrics, material properties, and maintenance schedules, supporting multi-disciplinary analysis and collaboration. ...
... AI-driven predictive analytics in BIM can optimize construction planning and maintenance schedules, while IoT-enabled sensors allow for real-time monitoring and updates to BIM models [34]. Digital twins, which are virtual replicas of physical assets, extend BIM's capabilities by creating dynamic, real-time simulations of physical structures and enabling continuous feedback for lifecycle management [31]. As these advancements mature, BIM is expected to play a pivotal role in creating sustainable, intelligent, and resilient infrastructure systems. ...
The manual inspection of bolts in steel structures is time-consuming and labor-intensive and poses significant safety risks. While recent studies have focused on using computer vision for bolt inspection, there is a clear gap in the automated collection of construction site data. Previous research has identified camera position as a crucial factor in the accuracy of vision-based models. This paper introduces a framework that addresses these issues by identifying optimal camera positions for inspecting bolts during construction. By integrating vision-based inspection techniques with 4D building information modeling, this approach meets data-gathering requirements such as safety distance and collision avoidance. It enhances the accuracy of deep-learning model predictions by optimizing inspection distance, view coverage, and view angle. The effectiveness of this framework was demonstrated through its implementation in an actual construction project, where a YOLOv8 architecture was trained using a new dataset, and images collected from the construction site were analyzed using the developed deep learning model. The results show that the deep learning model, which achieved 87.7 percent mean average precision on the test dataset, successfully predicts all the bolt statuses from the image captured using the optimum camera position.
... Ontologies have become essential for describing domain-specific knowledge, particularly in smart buildings, where various efforts have focused on defining entities and relationships to solve interoperability issues [9][10][11]13,21,22,32]. Ontologies such as Semantic Sensor Networks (SSN) and Sensor, Observation, Sample, and Actuator (SOSA) [18,43] offer frameworks for modelling sensor data. ...
Conventional conversational agents have a limited ability to
respond to different user intents when interacting with smart buildings. The uniqueness of each building, coupled with the heterogeneity of built environments, makes it challenging to adapt communication methods universally. A possible solution is to develop a conversational agent capable of understanding physical, logical, and virtual assets in the built environment, with the aim of establishing a standardised method of human-building communication. Current smart building ontologies and metadata description schemas aim to give smart buildings a common language for the rapidly growing number of devices in smart buildings. This research paper focuses on developing a comprehensive smart building framework that integrates chatbot-driven natural language interactions into smart buildings using the SPARQL query language to query the smart building Knowledge Base (KB) and interact with buildings using a chatbot. An environmental sensor network testbed was set up using an ontology representing a smart building to evaluate the answer to the question. We have used transformer-based machine learning (ML) models to translate the natural language (NL) queries into SPARQL queries and summarise combined SPARQL and natural language queries, which produced promising performance. By integrating chatbots into smart building systems on the edge, users can interact in natural language, provide real-time information, and detect potential threats without the need for specialised knowledge. Our future work will be to extend this model to support heterogeneous building types represented by smart building ontologies. The source code and data sets are publicly available. https://github.com/suhasdevmane/abacws-chatbot
... Building digitalization has revolutionized the design, construction, and operation of assets in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry [1,2]. These developments have significantly impacted fields such as automated construction management [3,4,5], building retrofitting and maintenance [6,7], and energy consumption inspections [8,9]. Two important innovations related to building digitalization are: Building Information Modeling (BIM), which provides a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility [3], and Building Energy Modeling (BEM), which uses physics-based simulations to analyze building energy use [10]. ...
... These developments have significantly impacted fields such as automated construction management [3,4,5], building retrofitting and maintenance [6,7], and energy consumption inspections [8,9]. Two important innovations related to building digitalization are: Building Information Modeling (BIM), which provides a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility [3], and Building Energy Modeling (BEM), which uses physics-based simulations to analyze building energy use [10]. Together, these technologies enhance the ability to design new buildings and retrofit existing structures. ...
Achieving the EU's climate neutrality goal requires retrofitting existing buildings to reduce energy use and emissions. A critical step in this process is the precise assessment of geometric building envelope characteristics to inform retrofitting decisions. Previous methods for estimating building characteristics, such as window-to-wall ratio, building footprint area, and the location of architectural elements, have primarily relied on applying deep-learning-based detection or segmentation techniques on 2D images. However, these approaches tend to focus on planar facade properties, limiting their accuracy and comprehensiveness when analyzing complete building envelopes in 3D. While neural scene representations have shown exceptional performance in indoor scene reconstruction, they remain under-explored for external building envelope analysis. This work addresses this gap by leveraging cutting-edge neural surface reconstruction techniques based on signed distance function (SDF) representations for 3D building analysis. We propose BuildNet3D, a novel framework to estimate geometric building characteristics from 2D image inputs. By integrating SDF-based representation with semantic modality, BuildNet3D recovers fine-grained 3D geometry and semantics of building envelopes, which are then used to automatically extract building characteristics. Our framework is evaluated on a range of complex building structures, demonstrating high accuracy and generalizability in estimating window-to-wall ratio and building footprint. The results underscore the effectiveness of BuildNet3D for practical applications in building analysis and retrofitting.
... A BIM model is an extensive digital representation of a building, incorporating geometric and semantic data [39]. Providing semantics, such as building element types, properties, and materials, in an interconnected way enables many design processes in construction to be automated [40]. ...
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a disruptive technology with the potential to revolutionize the construction industry by integrating digital design with automated manufacturing. This paper presents and extends Fabrication Information Modeling (FIM), a comprehensive framework tailored for automated manufacturing in construction. FIM facilitates the seamless integration of digital design concepts with automated manufacturing processes, enabling precise control over fabrication information and enhancing construction efficiency and quality. This paper demonstrates its potential to optimize construction processes through a detailed exploration of FIM's capabilities, including data preparation, path planning, simulation integration, robot control, and data feedback. By enabling a circular data flow between digital modeling and manufacturing, FIM is able to bridge the gap between digital design and physical construction, revolutionizing how construction projects are conceived, planned, and executed. The paper concludes by highlighting the challenges and future research directions in advancing FIM-based construction systems, emphasizing its transformative potential in driving innovation and sustainability in the construction industry.
... The �irst version of the IFC was released in 1997, and many revisions and extensions have followed, ending with the latest version IFC 4.3 ADD2 -4.3.2.0 released in April 2024 and approved by ISO standard. Until IFC4, the focus of the IFC standard was mainly on buildings, but with growing global demand, substantial efforts are being made to expand its reachness (Borrmann et al., 2018). ...
Nowadays in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry, the cost is quantified using 5D BIM software that facilitates and accelerates the cost estimation. However, the cost estimation process is still heavily reliant on subjective evaluations that are influenced by the judgment of each estimator. This activity can be time-consuming and prone to errors. The research aims to compare the 5D BIM cost estimation method, and a proposed method carried out through a code in IfcOpenShell. This new method uses structured cost items in IFC and defines the relationship between cost and geometric IFC entities. The results show that the new approach is more agile and effective than the 5D BIM approach based on cost assignment via attributes. The new method ensures the possibility of querying the cost item based on the information contained in the geometric entities and verifying the plausibility of the link between them and the cost estimate.
... BIM operates on the principle of maintaining digital building models throughout the entire lifespan of a structure, from initial conceptualization and detailed design phases through construction and ongoing operation. This approach fosters seamless information exchange among stakeholders across all stages, leading to improved efficiency by minimizing the laborious and error-prone manual data re-entry inherent in traditional paper-based workflows [2]. While BIM offers numerous advantages, there exist certain perceived barriers that may prevent organizations from fully adopting it. ...
