BIM as a Management Tool in Construction Projects

Figure 1: Illustration of the content of a Building Information Model (click to zoom)

As the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry evolves, the demand for more complex and unique constructions increases, and the risk for failure increases with it. Furthermore, the nature of construction projects, with their high value, long duration and multiple factors of uncertainties, often results in delays and busted budgets. The Project Manager, in the field of construction, is faced with dealing with and preferrably minimizing these risks.

In order to carry out a successful project, it is advantageous to make the project more transparent, optimize the process and the communication between the active stakeholders of the project e.g. the AEC-team. Projects based on 2D drawings are still the most common at the moment, but with the high complexity and increase of digital documentation in construction, the aspect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is of great importance, and within construction, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become an effective tool for the Project Manager to reach the desired goals of a project within the given constraints.

As the illustrated in Figure 1, One single model can be the digital platform where in multiple informations are stored, and thus limiting the human facot for error, as all changes are updated automatially in all views and documents. Already in 1975, this road to transparency was shortly illustrated by the "Father" og BIM, Charles M. Eastman with the following quote:

“A model can represent all three dimensions of a composition directly, while a drawing can represent only two unambiguously. Thus it takes two drawings to represent the information provided by a single model.” - Charles M. Eastman

The purpose of this Wiki is to illustrate how the relatively new technology of Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be used in a Project Management regi. This will be done by listing and elaborating the benefits of BIM as a management tool/process in coretation to some of the Project Management focus areas, such as Communication, Stakeholders, Risk, Cost, Quality and Time.

Finally, the limitations of BIM will be listed and elaborated, as these are some of the areas, that needs further development or focus.

As I have worked as a Technical Designer on construction projects (based on 2D drawings in AutoCAD) since 2005, attended several BIM courses on DTU and is now working on implementing the BIM process in a small Electrical Engineering company, some parts of this article are based on experience.

Definition of BIM

BIM (Modelling) is a digital management tool/process, containing BIMs (Models). The concept of BIM is to create an intelligent platform for sharing data and construct the building virtually in 3D, before starting the physical construction.

The models used in BIM are parametric object based, meaning that each object contains data about how it can interact with connected objects. The object can also contain design parameters, altering the visualization of the object according to the input and the changes to an object are able to automatically change in all views.

The management possibilities of using BIM has developed from simple visualization into a multi functional tool, depending on the chosen dimension of modelling:

Illustration of the development of Building Information Modelling (click to zoom)

3D - Visualization

The project is modelled in 3D and components contain detailed data for extraction of bills of quantity with limited product information, e.g. number of doors/windows in the building, but not necessary the specific product type or cost.

4D - Scheduling

The 3D model is combined with a time schedule (e.g. from MS Project or similar compatible scheduling software), making it possible to simulate and manage the time aspect of the project, with the information stored in the model.

5D - Estimating (current development)

The cost aspect is added to the 4D model. The bills of quantity are connected to catalouges from the suppliers and the cost estimation is automatically calculated.

6D - Sustainability (developing)

An environmental aspect is added to the 5D model, making it possible to automatically generate lighting and energy consumation analysis. As the model at the current state of development already contains most of the informations needed for these analysis, and seperate semi-manual software for making these analysis already exists (e.g. Dialux for lighting and Be10 for energy consumption), the use of 6D BIM might not be too far in the future.

7D - Facility Management Applications (future development)

After the construction phase has ended, and the building is finished, the detailed and information packed models can be used for facility management, as the Facility Manager then has the detailed information (such as price, supplier, material etc.) about every component in the building all stored in one model.

Historical development

Present and future use of BIM in 2016 (click to zoom)

The 2D construction drawing has been used for centuries and for complex constructions, physical models have been used to get a better understanding of the physical spaces of the construction.

BIM, as we know it today, has been 40 years in the making and already in 1975, Charles M. Eastman mentioned in an article from 1975 several disadvantages of both 2D drawings and the physical 3D models and described the ideal vision for a digital, multidisciplinary 3D model with the possibility of extraction of 2D drawings, lists of quantity for cost estimation and automatized clash-testing. Furthermore Eastman explained how the models should be based on components containing non-redundant data, meaning that a change in one view, would propagate to the rest of the views.

The “Building Description System (BDS)” approach, described by Charles M. Eastman, was further developed during the 70s and 80s and was in the USA referred to as “Building Product Models” and in Europe as “Product Information Models”. These two terms were later combined to the term "Building Information Modelling (BIM)" as we know it today and was first documented in 1992 by van Nederveen and Tolman from TU Delft in the Netherlands.

Due to the limited development of the personal computer and the fact, that the construction industry has a reputation for being very slow/reluctent to adopt change, the further development of BIM was slowed down, and it was not until the first launch of Revit in 1999, the evolution of BIM started accellerating. 3D modelling software such as ArchiCAD, was already on the market, but Revit revolutionized the industry, with a new type of userface. Where ArchiCAD-models were created by coding, the Revit-models were created by modelling each component in a more WYSIWYG kind of userface. The use of the program was more intuitive, than it's predeccessors, which meant that more people were keen on learning how to use it.

The use of BIM has expanded during the last decade and in 2016, according to the NBS , 81% of the respondents in Denmark was using BIM.

Application

Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be applied to any size of construction project as a tool or process of managing the fundamental areas in Project Management and some of the application areas, listed by Marketing Analytic, Rachel Burger , is following:

3D visualization of buildings

A 3D models have been used for visualization of project for a long time, which is why many users and developers often stop at this application of BIM. However, the Building Information Models are so much more than a vizualisation tool.

Change management (clash tests, revisions)

By using a shared server (e.g. Revit Sever) a central model can be created, for all the discipline models to be linked into. By linking the models together, changes in one model, are automatically changed in all views (in contrary to the 2D way of working, where e.g. new architectural drawings would have to be manually imported to all electrical-, ventillation-, water- and plumbing drawings as xreferences, leaving many steps for failure).

The 3D models from the architects and all the engineering disciplines can be tested for clashes between the models.

Construction simulation (4D)

The time estimation can be visualized with adding the time-aspect to the 3D model

The 3D model can be combined with a time schedule of the project in order to simulate the construction from start to finish.

Data management (quantity and cost estimation)

The BIMs of today, can contain large amount of information, that are automatically shared along with the model itself.

Bills of quantities can be automatically created from the information, stored in each object in the model (e.g. windows, doors, lighting fixtures etc.)

Operational management

Use and Benefits

The measured percentage benefits from using BIM in construction projects are based on data from 32 major projects, gathered by Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facilities Engineering (SUCIFE). The benefits of BIM as an ICT-tool in construction are closely related to the actual use of the model. BIM has the possibility to be an effective tool for managing multiple challenges in construction projects.

The benefits of BIM (click to zoom)

Illustration of clash between HVAC installations and electrical installations. 2D drawing on the left and the same situation illustrated in 3D on the rigt (click to zoom)

Illustration of a fixed clash between HVAC installations and electrical installations. 2D drawing on the left and the same situation illustrated in 3D on the rigt (click to zoom)

An example of some of the benefits of using BIM, is the clash detection tool. As mentioned earlier in the article, construction projects are planned and designed by multiple departments, companies and fields of expertease and therefore communication is the key to successfully manage such a project.

The clash detection tool alone manages to influence both Communication, Risk,

Communication

Illustration of the improved communication from 2D to BIM

As a construction projects are highly dependent on coordination of multiple fields of construction and therefore multiple people from different organizations. By using BIM the project can be made more "transparent"

In large, multistorage constructions, different tasks can be carried out by different constractors (carpentry, painting, electrical etc.) simultaniously, which can cause conflicts and unecessary waiting

Stakeholder

The stakeholders of a construction project span from the professionals in the decision making and design phase, such as engineers, users, neighbours, investors etc. The 3D visualization part of BIM can be used to manage stakeholders expectations as it gives a more relatable visual of the product, in comparison to the 2D drawings.

Risk

In every project, the Project Manager is faced with uncertainties and risks, wherefore it is important to be able to act and react to unexpected events, exploit possibilities and plan for the unknown. In construction, the most common uncertainties and risks are time and economy overrun due to failure in communication, changes in the work/design, complications on site etc. By using BIM as a management tool, some of these risks can be reduced by planning for the unknown and simulating multiple outcomes.

Cost

Since the models in BIM contain information about all the components in the building, detailed lists of quantity can be extracted and the study from SUCIFE found that the cost estimation accuracy was within 3% as compared to traditional estimates, where the a cost estimation was made separately for each discipline and multiplied with a safety factor, causing the final estimate to be unnecessarily far on the safe side.

During the construction phase, research has shown how up to 40% of unbudgeted changes had been eliminated by using BIM in the design phase and how through clash detections would result in savings of up to 10% of the contract value.

Quality

As the information in the project is automatically shared, the model is automatically updated in all linked models and the most fatal clashes of installations can be solved prior to physically starting the construction, the resulting construction/building will be of much higher quality.

Time

With the use of a 4D Building Information Model, the time can be managed through simulated construction. A simulation can reveal time conflicts early in the design phase, which can then be solved before they become a delay. By preventing delays and being able to pre-plan for conflicts, the research from SUCIFE showed up to 7% reduction in project duration in the 32 projects.

Also the duration of the design phase has potential to be reduced, as the research has found that the use of BIM resulted in up to 80% reduction in time taken to generate a cost estimate.

Tools

When using BIM, it is important to use the right software for the extended desire of use, and to ensure, that the different chosen software are compatible.

The following list some of the more popular software for each use of BIM:

• 3D Model

- Autodesk Revit

- Archicad

- Graphisoft

• Clash Test

- Navisworks

- Solibri

• 4D model (3D + time)
  • Time schedule

  - MS Project

  • Simulation

  - Navisworks

• Classification Coding
  • Cuneco Classification System

Limitations

As mentioned previously, BIM can be applied advantageously in any size of construction project, however, at the current state of BIM adoption, the economical cost/benefit is more obvious in the larger, more complex construction projects.

• Education/Modelling skills
• Cost of software
• Added cost and time in design phase (making the model)

Education/Modelling skills As BIM requires 3D modelling done for all engineering fields (e.g. water, plumbing, ventilation, construction and electrical) in order to gain the most value in terms of clash-testing, the modelling skills of the individual person and the cost of the 3D modelling software, can be limiting for smaller projects and companies. It is possible for companies to purchase project specific modelling assistance, however, the decision to spend the extra money, highly depends on the size and complexity of the project in question.

Cost of software The commercial 3D software solutions, such as Revit and ArchiCAD, are very expensive, causing the smaller companies to delay the adoption of BIM. In addition to the 3D modelling software, the aspects of CCS coding and cost estimation, requires add-ins, which also are relatively expensinve.

Added time in design phase A detailed model can be more timeconsuming to create, than a project based on 2D drawings.

As the economical benefits of BIM are not as upfront and visible as the added expense of using BIM are, Project managers are still reluctant to spend the extra cost in the beginning of a project, eventhough studies has shown how the use of BIM is advantegous for the outcome of construction projects.

Annotated Bibliography

For further reading about BIM,

Books

CCS Coding (Cuneco Classification System) - CCS Identifikation - Regler, definitioner og eksempler (Direct link to pdf-file: [1]) NB! ONLY IN DANISH Summary: This

Articles

Charles M. Eastman, "The Use of Computers Instead of Drawings In Building Design" (Direct link to pdf-file: [2])

References

ICF, CCS, Construction projects, Revit, 3D]]