Implementation of BIM as communication tool for construction site operations

Abstract

There is an ongoing interest in the possibilities for innovations which Building Information Models (BIM) can offer in improving building design and management. This topic has the last couple of years been addressed in many publications and established its name in both the scientific world as on the building site. Both research and practice have proven the potential BIM has in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. However, until recently the focus has only been on implementing BIM in the design phase and in higher management level during construction. The area which hardly has been covered is implementing BIM on the construction site. On the construction site BIM could replace current outdated communication processes, prevent construction errors and enhance the quality of current management tools. In addition the implementation of BIM could offer more insights into processes on the building site for future innovation and research.

Applying BIM on the construction site offers the potential to replace the uniform paper-based drawings which are currently delivered at the start of the construction phase. The problem with these current drawings is that they have to provide information to all disciplines present on the construction site and are often outdated. The fact that these drawings are outdated also undermines a great deal of the benefits of BIM on management level. The new application of BIM which is proposed for the construction site makes use of an up to date BIM-server which can be consulted at any time by the project operator. The project operator can then not only offer up to date information but can also easily extract relevant information for the craftsmen on sight. This article will elaborate on the benefits and challenges of the implementation of BIM in this work field and will attempt to indicate gaps in current research.