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Constructability assessment using BIM/4D CAD simulation model

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Implementation of constructability/buildability ideas in the construction industry has a potential return on investment concerning time and money. Literature shows that quantified assessment of constructible designs provides benefits to the owners, contractors, and designers. The potential use of new technology-based tools to assess constructability of a design has not been fully realized. A new methodology to evaluate the level of application of constructability principles in residential buildings was proposed. This methodology integrates the object-oriented Building Information Model (BIM) and the 4D CAD simulation model. Factors affecting constructability of building designs in Canada are identified from a questionnaire survey on constructability attributes. Multi-attribute decision analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were used to assess the overall constructability value. The new methodology was validated using a case study of a condo project in downtown Montreal. The outcome showed that integrating BIM with 4D CAD simulation models has many benefits to designers in which evaluation of different designs can be done in a more accurate and faster way.
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2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.1
BIM.04
Constructability Assessment Using BIM/4D
CAD Simulation Model
Wissam Hijazi, Dr. Sabah Alkass, P.Eng., and
Dr. Tarek Zayed
ABSTRACTImplementation of constructability/buildability ideas in the construction
industry has a potential return on investment concerning time and money. Literature shows
that quantified assessment of constructible designs provides benefits to the owners,
contractors, and designers. The potential use of new technology-based tools to assess
constructability of a design has not been fully realized. A new methodology to evaluate the
level of application of constructability principles in residential buildings was proposed. This
methodology integrates the object-oriented Building Information Model (BIM) and the 4D
CAD simulation model. Factors affecting constructability of building designs in Canada are
identified from a questionnaire survey on constructability attributes. Multi-attribute decision
analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were used to assess the overall
constructability value. The new methodology was validated using a case study of a condo
project in downtown Montreal. The outcome showed that integrating BIM with 4D CAD
simulation models has many benefits to designers in which evaluation of different designs
can be done in a more accurate and faster way
KEY WORDS: 4D CAD, Analytical Hierarchy Process, BIM, constructability/buildability,
design, and investment
he construction industry, because of its fragmented nature, separates practitioners
with different expertise and disciplines. This segregation feature has caused
misunderstanding and lessened productivity. This is obvious under the traditional
procurement system, whereby contractors are only brought in after design completion. The
Business Roundtable reported a potential return on investment of 10:1 by applying
constructability [5]. The idea was to minimize the gap between what designers draw in
offices and what contractors execute on sites. Analysis of case studies has proved that savings
as much as 10.2 percent in project time and 7.2 percent in project cost can be achieved by
applying constructability practices [21]. Also, carrying out constructability principles on
building designs can have many benefits to owners and designers [3].
T
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.2
Many researchers have explored constructability to understand its implementation to the
construction industry, mainly the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and the American
Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE) [20]. By reviewing current literature, F.W. Wong and
others found that quantified assessment of design is the best approach to improve
constructability of designs [25].In 2007 the ASCE Constructability and Construction
Research Council reported in a special publication “…the potential of new technology-
based tools such as 4D CAD or BIM have not been fully realized. This area could also
include validation of new constructability software tools” [9].
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one of the most promising developments in the
architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. BIM facilitates a more
integrated design and construction process that results in better quality buildings at lower
cost and reduced project duration [8]. Another promising development is the four-
dimensional (4D) Computer Aided Design (CAD) models that allow design and
construction professionals to test different design and sequencing alternatives. 4D models
are models that link each design unit to its corresponding time schedule. A symbolic object-
oriented 4D model has the potential to support automated constructability reasoning and
helping a project team in identifying constructability issues early in the design and
construction phases [13].
This paper proposed a new methodology to measure the level of application of
constructability principles on building designs using BIM and 4D models. The analysis of
previous assessment methods revealed a lack of a clear and an accurate way to measure
constructability. This research argued the idea that object oriented models have the
potential to quantify the application of constructability factors were designers may have a
fast, simple and a precise tool to analyze their designs. This paper proposed a new
methodology to measure the level of application of constructability principles on building
designs using BIM and 4D models. The following sections discuss the proposed framework
followed by a brief description on a case study done on a condo project in downtown
Montreal.
Relevant Literature
CII defined the term constructability as, “The optimum use of construction knowledge and
experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations to achieve overall project
objectives” [6]. Similarly the CIRIA defined term buildability as, “The extent to which the
design of a building facilitates ease of construction, subject to overall requirements for the
completed building” [7]. Practitioners used the two terms interchangeably during different
research areas. For this research, authors will use the term constructability throughout this
paper.
Initially, construction managers display the benefits of constructability in terms of cost
saving within the range of 1 to 14 percent of the capital cost [11]. The more researchers
carried out studies on constructability, the more they identified benefits in terms of time,
quality, and safety, as well as intangible bonuses [12]. As for constructability improvement,
quantifying assessment of designs has proven to be the most common approach [25]. Hei
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.3
developed and implemented an empirical system for scoring buildability of designs in the
Hong Kong construction industry [14]. The Singaporean government introduced the
Buildable Design Appraisal System (BDAS) where a mathematical model was developed
based on standardization, simplicity and single integrated elements. Another Buildable
Multi-Attribute System (BMAS) was proposed for the Malaysian government where a five-
point scale (very low to very high) was established to evaluate each building component
[27]. A cognitive model for buildability assessment based on knowledge mining and
protocol analysis was established by O. Ugwu and others [23]. A fuzzy quality function
deployment system for buildability design decision was elaborated by Y.Q. Yang and others
to model constructability implementation on a given design [26]. Limitations to the
preceding researches were recorded. Mathematical models needs trustworthy benchmarks
to evaluate the assessed score, these benchmarks are time-consuming and rely on
governmental statistics [14]. Time factor was not presented, thus analyzing the sequence of
installed components cannot be done. The fuzzy models are a demanding assessment
models were the user must assign many attributes: weight factors, client satisfaction indices,
buildability aspects values etc [14].
Regarding the stages of implementation, constructability focuses itself at the design stage [6].
A big obstacle in getting true data integration through the life cycle of a building project has
been the lack of proper integration of design information from the design team to the
construction team. Even under the best circumstances, whatever the design team delivers to
the contractors, the engineers must adjust the construction documents to achieve true
constructability [18].
Proposed Methodology
The design of buildings requires the integration of many kinds of information into an
artificial single model. An integrated process, or "whole building" design process, includes
the active and continuing participation of users, code officials, building technologists, cost
consultants, civil engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, structural engineers,
specifications specialists, and consultants from many specialized fields. The best buildings
result from active, consistent, organized collaboration among all players [1]. This paper does
not aim to discuss this integrated design process, but the proposed assessment methodology
will be based on an integrated project delivery system.
Before introducing the new method, let’s take a look at certain terminologies which formed
the bases of this concept. The first term to start with is “3D object-oriented, AEC-specific
CAD “, which was used by Autodesk to describe BIM theories. It is agreed on that object
oriented models and BIM are common names for a digital representation of the building
process to facilitate exchange and interoperability of information in digital format. From this
concept, the idea of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) which is the use of integrated
multidisciplinary performance models of design construction projects arouses [15].
The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an object oriented file format with a data model
developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) to facilitate interoperability
in the building industry. The IFC data model is a neutral and open specification that is not
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.4
controlled by a single vendor or group of vendors. Also it is a commonly used format for
Building Information Modeling (BIM). The IFC model specification is open and available
because of its focus on ease of interoperability between software platforms [24]. The Danish
government has made the use of IFC format(s) compulsory for publicly aided building
projects [10].
Figure 1—Building Data Model
Traditional 2-D and 3-D CAD programs don't represent a space because it doesn't exist as a
distinct physical entity. However, a space entity will be a fundamental part of a building
model, and will include the suitable relationships to walls; ceilings, floors, and so on. Thus,
information about spaces that will be needed for constructability analysis can be easily
obtained from an application using a building data model (See figure 1), whereas several
complex calculations will be required to derive the same information from an application
using a geometric data model [16]. The proposed framework is based on the integration of
constructability design principles and building information modeling. Throughout excessive
literature readings, 18 different design-relevant attributes were identified and distributed to
six main groups. These groups constitute the main factors that affect constructability of
building design. The next step was to assign weights to all the factors throughout a
questionnaire survey based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The AHP
method is used to convert subjective assessments of relative importance to a set of overall
scores or weight [22]. This method deals with a complex decision according to the weight of
criteria. It is suitable for decisions with both quantitative and qualitative criteria [4].
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.5
Figure 2—Snapshots of a 4D Model Simulator
A BIM model was generated using Autodesk product; Revit 2009. Building components like
walls, materials, components are identified and drawn as object oriented elements. Building
construction data like resources needed, time schedule, costs are linked to their
corresponding elements using IFC modules already defined in the Revit software. Certain
factors need to have custom modified IFC modules; these factors will be discussed in detail
in following publications. 4D models are models that link the 3D description of a product to
be constructed with the plan and time-based schedule to build it in order to show the
animation of the construction of a project [15]. A preliminary time schedule was formed
and linked to its matching component in the BIM model; thus a 4D model using
NavisWorks Manage 2009 is generated. This model simulated virtual construction of the
building so that every design component was tested and evaluated, minimizing unexpected
problems when construction starts on site. Quantitative and qualitative data from BIM and
4D models are linked to the previous identified 18 constructability factors using Access 2007
data models. Figure 3 summarizes the overall evaluation framework.
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.6
Figure 3—Proposed Methodology for Constructability Assessment
The assessment method developed is based on the calculations of two techniques AHP and
Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART). The SMART is a multi-criteria
decision analysis method that was developed by Von Winterfeldt in 1986 [17]. This method
is a simple implementation of the Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) in linear format
[4]. Design components and construction specifications from BIM and 4D models are
evaluated by the integrated design team using a five-point scale from very bad to very good,
which are converted to utility values (UF) between 0 and 1. Each scale coefficient is
multiplied by its corresponding constructability factor weight (WF) to form a constructability
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.7
index (Ci). The overall measure is the total summation of all the constructability indexes of
all factors. This concept is illustrated in figure 4.
Figure 4—Constructability Assessment In An Integrated Project Delivery System
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.8
Input From
Level
# 1
Level
# 2 Level # 3 BIM 4D Factor Description
Prefabrication X Precast Concrete, Prefabricated utility products,
etc…
Grid Layout X Horizontal / Vertical / Radial Grid dimensions
Standardization
Standard
Dimensions X Dimensions for door, windows, partitions, tiles,
etc…
Components'
Flexibility X Flexibility of movement of internal partitions
(fixed / mobile).
Resources'
Availability X Availability of materials or special equipments.
Design Attributes
Economical
Impact
Labors’ Skills X Availability of special labor skills
Construction
Sequence X
Sequence of installation of components.
Time under Ground X
Construction time under ground level.
Building Envelope X
Construction of the whole building envelope.
Weather Effect X
Effect of climate conditions on construction
work.
Installation
Safety X
Effect of construction sequence of workers'
safety.
Material Access X
Space for material storage and transportation
on site.
Personnel Access X
Accessibility of equipments and tools for and
from different site locations.
Construction Attributes
Space
Equipment Access X
Accessibility of personnel for different site
locations.
Government
Facilities X Availability of governmental facilities like
electrical and infrastructure services.
Utility
Availability
Roads use ability X
Applicability of public roads for transportation.
To Adjacent Sites X
Effect of current construction to adjacent
constructions.
External Impacts
Site Impacts
To Infrastructure X
Effect of current construction to adjacent or
nearby infrastructure constructions.
Table 1—Factors Affecting the Impacts of Building Design on Constructability
Constructability Factors Vs. BIM Components
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.9
As previously discussed, each constructability factor must be linked to its corresponding
BIM component in order to evaluate the whole model. Factors are gathered from previous
researchers who worked with constructability knowledge acquisitions. Table 1 show in detail
factors classification followed by their explanatory description concerning constructability
aspects. For example, prefabrication of building component falls under standardization
factor which is one of two main subcategories of the design attribute. The input for the
quantitative data concerning this factor will be exported from the BIM model and imported
to the data model generated in Access 2007 software. Similarly factor like accessibility of
material access, will be analyzed from a 4D model where the sequence of executed activities
can be visualized graphically and thus assessed subjectively using the SMART technique.
case study
To test the applicability of the earlier methodology, a condos project in Montreal was taken
as a base for our case study. The project is a building with four floor levels, each level
constitute of eight apartments, except for the first floor. Using BIM technology, sections,
elevations and construction details are generated without human intervention using the
parametric features found in the BIM vendor. Materials take off and components quantity
are calculated automatically and exported to the data model to be included in the
assessment evaluation. The basic benefits of a BIM-based methodology for our case study
include the following three items.
BIM allows a 3-D simulation of the building and its components, where we
predicted elements, calculated materials, and time quantities.
The ability to construct the building virtually before physical construction begins
on site. And,
The aptitude for contractors to share their construction experience with designers
to minimize problems when real construction starts.
Figure 5—Automatic Architectural Drawings Are Generated From A Single BIM Model
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.10
This section will discuss briefly how BIM / 4D models were used to assess constructability of
designs. The best way to test for constructability is to simulate the construction of building
and visualize what might goes wrong when real construction starts. As discussed earlier BIM
tools can achieve maximum payback when used in an integrated project delivery system
where designers and contractors are involved together in building up the construction set.
Scenario # 1 (See figure 6) will focus on the analyses of building envelopes. BIM illustrated
the specific design components need to form the building skin by using a proper
components filter. Quantitative values like material types and costs are exported to the data
model using Access 2007. This data model will link various attributes and modules from
BIM to their respective constructability factors where they will be measured and evaluated.
Screenshots from the 4-D simulator will show how the proposed envelopes will acts when
linked to other building systems.
Concerning the building envelopes, the following are some of the constructability factors
than need to be measured.
construction sequence;
weather effect;
material access;
workers access, etc.
The consideration and detailing of a building shell, including the roof, should facilitate the
enclosure of the building at the earliest possible stage so that work can be carried out
without hindrance from inclement weather. Figure 6-b stresses this constructability concept
where the construction manager can visualize the work done on the envelope and then
figure out if the sequence is accepted or not. Numerous modifications can be done to the
original planned time schedule until the work sequence is optimized as much as possible.
Moreover, 4D snapshots illustrated active working spaces. This allowed worker and
equipment access to different building locations to be planned, so there would be minimum
problems. The efficient location and distribution of temporary work and storage areas is also
necessary for good constructability. Accessibility of personnel, materials and equipments
during construction is essential for constructability performance [2, 6]. Also designers
should optimize the use of plant and equipment, taking their specific features and capacities
into account [6].
Scenario #2 shows the analyses of another important building component, internal
partitions. The design of these partitions may seem functionally to the designer and
economically feasible to the owner, but a nightmare to contractors to construct. In order to
assess properly this aspect the following constructability factors must be taken into
consideration.
material cost;
material quantity;
resources availability; and,
components flexibility, etc.
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.11
As discussed, quantitative data will be linked automatically to their corresponding
constructability factors and the 4D simulator, which can be adjusted on any given date, will
simulate their construction sequence. The method of construction should encourage the
most effective sequence of building operation to ensure good constructability. Moreover the
design should arrange work sequencing in such a way that a trade can complete all its work
at one location with minimum visits as possible [19]. In addition to this, a good
constructible design should arrange work on site to be carried out in a workmanlike manner
without risk of damage to adjacent finished elements and with minimum requirements for
special protection.
Designers should use widely available and easily converted materials that can be worked on
quickly and economically for optimization of constructability. The products and materials to
be used must be proven suitable for the purposes, with which contractors recommendations
should be complied [2]. Methods should be sought to improve constructability by designing
for economical use of labor and widely available and versatile tools, plant and equipment
[12].
Based on data exported from BIM / 4D models, the design team can analyze each
constructability factor identified earlier in this paper and rate the compliance with
constructability concepts from very bad to very good. These subjective values are converted
to utility values between 0 and 1 (very bad = 0, bad = 0.25, moderate = 0.5, good = 0.75,
very good = 1). A weighted criterion score (not shown) is obtained by multiplying the utility
values by the normalized weight factors established from the questionnaire survey. The
weighted criterion scores for both BIM and 4D inputs are summed into the overall final
utility scores.
Figure 6—Scenario # 1
2009 AACE International Transactions
BIM.04.12
Figure 7—Scenario # 2
his paper introduced a new methodology to assess constructability of building
design. The importance of such an assessment is documented throughout recent
researches. Certain limitations were recorded concerning previous concepts to
measure constructability. This paper argues the idea that BIM based models can be effective
in generating a detailed virtual construction document, which facilitates the assessment of
quantitative and qualitative data accurately. Two different assessment techniques were used:
AHP and SMART. AHP converted subjective assessments of relative importance to set of
overall weight for constructability factors affecting building design. SMART technique was
used to scale the performance of any given design based on the inputs from BIM and 4D
models. The application of this concept was demonstrated throughout a case study done on
a condos building found in Montreal. BIM models were generated and a brief explanation
was given to show how 4D models can be used to check for constructability factors. Further
publications will show more applications with reference to the proposed concept. One of
many benefits for using BIM technologies in such an assessment is the easiness and
preciseness to modify the design. Because of the parametric capabilities found in BIM
models any single change done to any specific object will be updated to the whole
construction set automatically. This technological aspect gives the designers the freedom to
optimize their designs as much as needed to achieve the best possible result.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Wissam Hijazi is a graduate student with the Department of Building, Civil, and
Environmental Engineering at Concordia University, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Sabah Alkass is a professor and Chair of the Department of Building, Civil, and
Environmental Engineering, at Concordia University, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, He
can be contacted by sending e-mail to: alkass@bcee.concordia.ca.
Tarek Zayed is an associate professor, with the Department of Building, Civil, and
Environmental Engineering, at Concordia University, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, He
can be contacted by sending e-mail to: tzayed@alcor.concordia.ca.
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... Examples of 4D scheduling programs include Primavera, Microsoft Project, and Vico Office Schedule Planner. (Hijazi et al., 2009) 4D with cost-related data. Specifically, this model is used for planning, cost analysis, and budget monitoring. ...
... It can generally be described as a method of project management used to assess the construction processes from the beginning to the end. Constructability issues often originate due to the gap between the designers' drawings and the contractors' executed projects (Hijazi et al., 2009). Most often, engineers encounter problems with the use of 2D CAD drawings when executing the project. ...
... It identifies possible problems and design errors that might lead to rework delays and an increased cost. Furthermore, constructability analysis is made easier with BIM as it defines the spaces and establishes a suitable relationship between the components of a building model (Hijazi et al., 2009). In summary, the utilization of BIM technology has made it easier to solve the major constructability problems, including design, measurement, clash detection, and space review ( Fig. 3.8). ...
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A number of bridge infrastructures are rising significantly due to economic expansion and growing numbers of railway and road infrastructures. Owing to the complexity of bridge design, traditional design methods always create tedious and time-consuming construction processes. In recent years, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been developed rapidly to provide a faster solution to generate and process the integration of information in a shared environment. This paper aims to highlight an innovative 6D BIM approach for the lifecycle asset management of a bridge infrastructure by using Donggou Bridge as a case study. This paper adopts 6D modelling, incorporating 3D model information with time schedule, cost estimation, and carbon footprint analysis across the lifecycle of the bridge project. The results of this paper reveal that raw materials contribute the most embodied carbon emissions, and as the 6D BIM model was developed in the early stage of the lifecycle, stakeholders can collaborate within the BIM environment to enhance a more sustainable and cost-effective outcome in advance. This study also demonstrates the possibility of BIM applications to bridge infrastructure projects throughout the whole lifecycle. The 6D BIM can save time by transforming 2D information to 3D information and reducing errors during the pre-construction and construction stages through better visualisation for staff training. Moreover, 6D BIM can promote efficient asset and project management since it can be applied for various purposes simultaneously, such as sustainability, lifecycle asset management and maintenance, condition monitoring and real-time structural simulations. In addition, BIM can promote cooperation among working parties and improve visualisation of the project for various stakeholders.
... Constructability scoring or rating of concrete formwork systems for determining optimal constructability score for simpler constructions can be performed manually and more accurately without any difficulties, but for the heavy construction projects due to its inherent difficulties and complexities associated with the projects, performing constructability rating is quite perplexing rather challenging and hence additional guides and tools are required. Many researchers developed computerized solution for constructability implementation for concrete formwork construction starting from integrated microcomputer packages (Christian and Mir 1987;Tah and Price 1997), 2D CAD and 3D CAD models to sophisticated 'Enterprise Design/Data Management' (EDM) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) for developing nD models (Kannan and Santhi 2013b;Kannan and Knight 2012;Lee et al. 2009;Santhi 2013a, 2015;Jun and Yun 2011;Meadati et al. 2011;Neto and Ruschel 2015) and collaborative construction process using customized software tools (Multimedia constructability tool 1998;Ganah et al. 2005;Hijaji et al. 2009). ...
... The 3D BIM formwork module proves to be an essential tool in checking for clashes with the associated 3D BIM architectural, structural and MEP models in the pre-construction stage of the construction project, which is commonly termed as 'clash detection' (Kannan and Santhi 2015) to identify and eliminate obstacles or prevent error, delays and cost over-run that could probably occur during construction. Thus, the interoperability characteristics of BIM plays a vital role in incorporating the constructability criteria of formwork construction Santhi 2013b, 2015;Hijaji et al. 2009;Kim and Cho 2015). In this research, the implementation of BIM for constructability assessment of concrete formwork systems is portrayed for the pre-construction visualization and decision-making phase of a project This is achieved by developing an unique add-in functionality for Autodesk Revit known as 'CONSTaFORM'. ...
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The main objective of this research is to develop an automated constructability rating framework for different concrete formwork systems that are commonly used for the construction of reinforced concrete residential buildings. Initially, various constructability criteria (cost, time, quality, safety and environmental sustainability) that are analogous to the concrete formwork construction are rationally characterized through an intriguing data acquisition mechanism (a complete process involving the collection, recording and processing of data) known as constructability survey. Withal, an unified 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) Model (i.e., 3D Structural BIM Model and 3D BIM Formwork Family or Module) is developed to providence CONSTaFORM, an automated constructability assessment framework for concrete formwork systems. The CONSTaFORM is a supplementary Add-in for Autodesk Revit developed by a process called API-fication, i.e., customizing Revit API to provide additional functionalities and hence enhancing the capabilities of existing framework invariably. The optimal constructability scores of various concrete formwork systems obtained from the constructability survey are initially fed into their respective 3D BIM formwork families as shared parameters, which are later used for the computation of the overall constructability rating of the formwork systems involved in the entire project, using BIM via CONSTaFORM Add-in. To reinforce the profundity and advocacy of CONSTaFORM Add-in, a suitable case study is reported.
... In addition, it facilitates efficient, economical, and safe construction [11,12]. Various studies have been conducted on the benefits of applying constructability, showing that by applying an assessment of the constructability of designs, 10.2% of the time, and 7.2% of the cost of a project can be saved [13]. Russel et al. introduced a framework to measure the benefits of constructability [14]. ...
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One of the most significant concerns in urban development today is the organization of areas of cities that have become run-down over time. In order to complete previous constructability studies in other fields of construction, the current study evaluates constructability based on BIM, specifically in the context of the Tehran limited land renewal project. The motivation for this study is the current difficulties facing renewal designs for limited lands, and the lack of a quantitative constructability model for urban renewal projects in Iran. This paper aims (1) to discuss the design elements that should be considered in the design phase of urban renewal projects; (2) to identify the factors that may affect constructability; and (3) to propose a framework for assessing urban renewal designs by considering constructability factors using building information modeling (BIM). To meet these needs, this paper investigates constructability factors and their relative importance, considering the design elements that should be acknowledged in limited land renewal, using a multicriteria techniques. Some 28 constructability factors are identified through a literature review, and based on 52 responses received from a questionnaire survey, the factors are ranked using pairwise comparisons of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The final constructability factors that are identified through the technique for order preference using the similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method are standard dimensions, safety, simplification of structure, resource intelligence and alignment, and skilled labor availability. The contribution of this research to the body of knowledge is, firstly, the development of constructability factors for measuring the constructability of urban renewal designs, and secondly, the introduction of BIM as a most beneficial tool for assessing the constructability of the proposed designs. In using the constructability assessment framework and identifying the trade-offs between the constructability of renewal projects in the limited areas of urban spaces, design alternatives become more feasible.
... Mahmood and Abrishami (2020) picked 'automated generation of models and documents' as one of the most important components in building surveying. This evaluation not only helps the owner minimize wastes and generate flow but also helps the customer better define value on alternatives (Hijazi, Alkass, and Zayed 2009;Alarc on, Mesa, and Howell 2013;Al Hattab and Hamzeh 2015;Ciribini, Ventura, and Paneroni 2016). The key point here is to delay decisions until the last responsible moment to avoid missing better alternatives because of rashness and lack of information (Ward et al. 1995;Dave et al. 2013). ...
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An Analytical Network Process (ANP) was created to test the Lean and BIM concepts with data collected from U.S. companies to find the success factors of the Lean/BIM framework. After an extensive literature review, a total of 17 sub-categories for Lean/BIM are classified into three clusters, namely Communication, Production, and Visualization. An ANP network is then established to station the links between the attributes of the framework while computing their importance weights. Eight experienced civil engineers took part in the questionnaire study to assess the relations between the attributes. The main purpose of this study is to reveal the synergy between Lean and BIM with different components reflecting this synergy and present the Lean and BIM synergy on a comprehensive model. The results indicate that Production is the prominent cluster and Production Control, Standardization and Information accuracy are the most important factors in the Lean/BIM synergy. To validate the model, five construction projects were selected to test and observe the results accordingly. The study is expected to help construction industry leaders set their priorities, benefit more from the interaction between Lean and BIM, and revise their strategies accordingly. This study identifies Lean/BIM categories and subcategories as a roadmap for research and implementation. In this context, the study reveals the relationship between the categories/subcategories along with the weights and most and less important categories for Lean/BIM implementation and research.
... As a consequence, the risk is that the justification for the technological choices is established on the basis of individual and subjective references from the project's stakeholders who do not share the same interests, and without a consensus on a quality index. However, with the data quality, cost and time index, the subsequent use of a multi-criteria choice model would make possible to select an optimal option (Chen, Okudan, & Riley, 2010) (Ebrahimian, Ardeshir, Zahedi Rad, & Ghodsypour, 2015) (Hijazi, Alkass, & Zayed, 2009) (SK Kim & Song, 2009). For a project, without a multilateral consensus between the owners, the architect and the contractors, on the type of the quality index (qualitative or quantitative), its multidimensional description and measurement, the evaluation of constructive alternatives remains ambiguous (see Table. 1). ...
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For any building project, the project management triangle QCT (Quality, Cost, Time) are decisive in the decision-making process. Indeed, better, faster and cheaper remain very important goals in the design of new industrial products in a competitive environment. In this paper, we propose a reference framework to formalize the quality criterion that characterizes a building made during a project. A quality measurement is then defined based on the performance levels of the functions actually provided by a building and the requirements originally formulated by its owner. In addition, a modeling of the building production process is proposed to observe the effects of technical or managerial choices on the expected quality of a new or renovated building. Finally, a representation of the level of performance of each building technical attribute over its life cycle is proposed in order to represent the performance recovery allowed by a renovation operation as a resilience process. In the end of this paper, a section is dedicated to a computational experiment for illustrating the theoretical approach.
... In addition, constructability assessment, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), and value engineering are also mentioned in these reviewed papers. Hijazi, et al. [42] and Hijazi, et al. [41] established a method for constructability assessment. ...
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Integrating building information to support decision-making has been a key challenge in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The synergy of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is expected to improve information integration and decision-making. The aim of this paper is to identify strategies to improve the synergy between MCDM and BIM. From the earliest literature (2009) to the present, this study examines 45 articles combining MCDM with BIM. We find that the five major application domains are sustainability, retrofit, supplier selection, safety, and constructability. Five established strategies for improving the synergy between MCDM and BIM were discussed and can be used as a benchmark for evaluating the application of decision techniques in practice. This study points out gaps of combining MCDM and BIM in the current literature. It also sheds new light into combining MCDM with BIM for practitioners, as to promote integrated decision-making.
... Hartmann and Fischer [10] proposed an operational process (SADT type) illustrating the specific functions required for constructability analysis based on 3D/4D models. Hijazi et al. [66] proposed a table of the factors affecting the impacts of building design on constructability. The metamodel proposed in Fig. 3 is mainly based of this proposal. ...
Article
Immersive Virtual Reality-based collaborative BIM 4D simulation can offer a unique, supportive environment for conducting constructability analysis meetings in the construction industry. While many research works have addressed various aspects of VR-based 4D simulation, there is still no comprehensive and neutral framework to help both practitioners and experts to identify the main challenges to address. This paper proposes four main complementary steps with which to define the VR environment, to develop the 4D model, to prepare and transfer the model in the VR system and to conduct constructability analysis meeting. In the current state of the framework, the 4D-based constructability analysis is more about the collaborative use of 4D rather than the collaborative generation and interaction with the 4D model. Each step of the framework is supported by appropriate methods and tools. A collaborative personas-based case study helps to evaluate the framework and to show how it can be used. Compared to recent related works, the proposed framework is more structured and comprehensive, providing a structured approach using concepts from multiple scientific areas.
... According to Hijazi et al. (2009) and Papadopoulos et al. (2017), due to its parametric nature, the use of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology provides designers with the freedom to search the best alternatives for project implementation. By simulating the construction project in a virtual environment, the combination of BIM with constructability concepts contributes to achieve overall objectives in terms of time, cost and quality. ...
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One of the main problems the construction industry faces is the high cost and slow execution time due to inadequate planning, which results in poor use of human resources. A common solution for reducing time and costs is the adoption of prefabricated components (prefabs). This paper proposes a novel methodology for interdisciplinary management of construction projects by integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Lean Thinking to improve the production planning and control of pipe-rack modules in an industrial facility. The article first presents a literature review to assess the key synergies between BIM and Lean Thinking. These led to the development of a new integrated work methodology named Digital Obeya Room. This model focuses on the required workflows, the analysis of collected data, and the visual management of construction planning and control. A real-world empirical study in the Oil and Gas industry evaluated how the newly devised practices could improve prefabrication and preassembly planning. The proposed methodology was capable of reducing the welding-time in 8.7% related on global prefabrication average in construction projects from Fails Management Institute (FMI) prefabrication report survey 2017.
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Improving the productivity and quality of construction projects along with the minimization of cost and time are significant concerns in construction engineering and management. These concerns have stimulated specialists to gather the best practices and generate new techniques leading to more productive projects. Constructability review is one of the established methods for integrating design and construction phases, taking construction knowledge and experience into considaration in the early stages of a project. Performing an appropriate constructability review is one of the best practical solutions for projects that may potentially end up with high costs, schedules overruns, and complicated designs. In this process, by continuous involvement of experts in all phases of projects, their knowledge and experience will be reflected in the project considerations, leading to a more feasible design and construction. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive list of constructability concepts and their significance by reviewing the literature and complement it by a survey from industrial experts. The list of compiled constructability concepts is divided into conceptual phase, design and procurement, and field operation phases. The significance of constructability concepts, regarding each stage of a project, was identified through a survey. Finally, constructability implementation in a steel fabrication company using defined constructability concepts was studied, and recommendations for improving their practice by applying this research's output are provided.
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Purpose This paper is aimed at identifying the common approaches for improving constructability and evaluating their effectiveness of implementation. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive survey has been carried out on contemporary literature, i.e. from 1990 onwards, to trace the development of the buildability and constructability concepts and the common approaches of improvement. Findings Results show that buildability is mainly concerned with design, quality of built products, ease of construction, as well as efficient and economical construction. Constructability emphasises integration of construction knowledge and experience at various project stages; optimisation of different project requirements to achieve overall goals; and ease of construction. Therefore, “constructability” embraces the concept of “buildability”. The implementation of Quantified Assessment, Constructability Review and Constructability Programmes are the three commonly adopted approaches. Practical implications Improvement measures should be implemented at the design stage, whereas improved constructability would eventually bring about tangible benefits in terms of time, cost, quality and safety. The Quantified Assessment approach appears to be the most practicable way of improving constructability. Originality/value Up till now, there have been very limited studies providing an evaluation of different approaches for improving constructability. The study has offered an insight into the commonly adopted improvement measures, highlighting proven success cases, hence enabling effective strategies to be developed for enhancing constructability.
Article
Constructability is a system for achieving optimum integration of construction knowledge in the building process and balancing the various project and environmental constraints to achieve maximisation of project goals and building performance (CII Australia 1993). Constructability concepts and principles, considered during conceptual planning, design, procurement, construction and use, can make the total building process easier to manage, quicker and more cost effective. When constructability becomes an implied and accepted aspect of the total building process it has the potential to deliver real benefits to clients, consultants, contractors and users. Constructability practices have developed from application and a considerable body of research conducted over the last thirty years. This paper reviews the development of constructability concepts and the identification of the key principles of constructability, and identifies the likely future developments in constructability research and practice. Historically, the attention given to constructability has been somewhat narrowly focused on individual project stages, and therefore, the multi-dimensional aspects of constructability have not been fully considered and the real benefits may have been missed. The findings presented in this paper indicate that the construction industry has begun to address more purposefully the concerns and difficulties of actively managing the interface between the various stages of the building process in addition to considering the facets of the individual stages themselves. In this way, constructability is becoming an important and powerful concept which can be applied beneficially to the total building process.
Article
In an attempt to formalize the integration of construction knowledge and experience into the planning and design phases, many organizations have developed constructability programs. For many such organizations, development of a formalized program is viewed as a work process. This paper presents a comparison of two formal corporate constructability programs. The first program is part of the construction division of a design/construct organization (constructor performed), while the second is within the project management group of an owner organization (owner performed). The attributes of the two formal programs are described and compared. Documented results regarding program performance including costs and benefits for both the corporate and project levels are provided. The constructor-performed program relates to the constructor functioning as both the facilitator and source of constructability. The owner-performed program, however, facilitates construction input by managing and tracking program progress while constructability input is provided through feedback from constructors, subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, and the owner’s field construction manager. Benefit/cost ratios for both programs show the potential return on investment in a formal program.
Article
This paper describes how the project team of the Fulton Street Transit Center (FSTC) project in New York City supported knowledge communication and generation with three-dimensional (3D)/four-dimensional (4D) models during the constructability review process. The paper analyses how 3D/4D models support the communication and generation of design, construction sequencing, and scheduling knowledge. It is furthermore analysed how the project management team used 3D/4D models to communicate the generated knowledge to non-engineers. Based on this analysis, an integrated process is suggested that can serve as a starting point to improve the application and research of how project teams can use 3D/4D models efficiently to support the knowledge communication and generation needed during the constructability review on construction projects.Cet article explique comment l'équipe chargée du projet Fulton Street Transit Center (FSTC) de la ville de New York a contribué à la transmission et la production du savoir avec des modèles tridimensionnels (3D) et quadridimensionnels (4D) lors du processus de revue de la constructibilité. Il examine comment les modèles 3D/4D aident à la transmission et la production du savoir dans le domaine de la conception, du déroulement de la construction et de l'établissement des calendriers. Il poursuit en expliquant comment l'équipe de direction de ce projet a utilisé des modèles 3D/4D pour transmettre la connaissance générée à des non-ingénieurs. Sur la base de cette analyse, l'auteur suggère un processus intégré pouvant servir de point de départ à l'amélioration de l'application et de la recherche afin que les équipes de projets puissent utiliser efficacement des modèles 3D/4D en soutien de la transmission et de la production du savoir qui sont nécessaires pendant la revue de constructibilité de projets.Mots-clés: communication, processus de construction, transmission de la conception, pratique de conception, processus de conception, visualisation
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This report reviews guidance on constructability programs from a variety of sources and presents the current practice of constructability. The advice of several organizations and researchers is summarized to describe expectations for ideal constructability. Actual current constructability practice, based on results and analysis of a Constructability State of Practice survey, is described. Approximately 100 owners, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and construction managers answered the survey's ten questions and provided written comments. The results provide a picture of current constructability practices in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and progress in recent years. Major conclusions include: (1) constructability has gained acceptance throughout the industry; (2) constructability efforts are clearly beginning in early project phases; (3) a wide variety of constructability techniques and new technologies are being implemented; and (4) obstacles to improving constructability remain, but may be changing. Finally, recommendations are provided based on areas where constructability practice can still be improved. This report is relevant to both industry practitioners and researchers.
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Productivity and quality are two inter-related issues of utmost importance in the construction industry. The buildability concept and ISO 9000 quality management systems are used to help raise productivity and quality standards in construction. However, both buildability principles and ISO 9000 quality system elements are frequently considered separately in many consulting and construction firms. Many of these firms have also developed and implemented ISO 9000 quality management systems in their organisations. To achieve synergy, this paper argues by means of a case study of a private condominium project that buildability principles can be integrated within ISO 9000 quality management systems.