BIM as a project management tool on construction projects

This article will introduce how BIM is used as a project management tool and its underlying practices. Furthermore the different application areas and limitations of BIM will be discussed.

A Building Information Model (BIM) is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a project. BIM tools are used to develop and share information throughout construction projects. The concept of BIM has existed since the 1970s, but has only recently been considered as a fundamental project management tool, due to the many benefits associated with the use of BIM. These benefits have changed the way construction projects are managed, and can be considered a milestone in project management. Despite the benefits, the use of BIM as a project management tool is still in the early stages of development, and there are still many challenges and barriers associated with its use.

The implementation of BIM has proven successful in newer projects to address the fragmentation issues, which heavily impacts the efficiency of construction projects. Using BIM as a project management tool has shown to be a promising instrument to address these fragmentation issues and achieve better integration within construction projects. To successfully implement BIM, a project team must perform detailed and comprehensive planning.

Overview

Application context

The project participants of Construction projects are constantly being challenged to deliver successful and effective projects despite limited resources and tight schedules. Due to this pressure, which is often placed on the project participants, coordination and sharing of information becomes paramount. Construction projects are also heavily impacted by an increasing degree of fragmentation. This fragmentation occurs due to the large number of specialized actors that usually are involved in construction projects working towards a common goal. The need for a large number of specialized actors becomes even more critical, as construction project complexity increases. This also drives an even larger requirement for the integration between the different actors.

BIM as a project management tool

Application areas

As stated in ISO-21500, a project can be split into several subject and process groups (KILDE). In order to achieve a better degree of integration within a project, improvements must be made on all these subject groups throughout the project life cycle, as illustrated in the figure 2.

This article will focus on the use of BIM within the different subject groups, whereas guides such as the (KILDE), focuses on the use of BIM through the different process groups.(Kilde) specifically outlines that "Quote". The use, execution and benefits of the different BIM tools on the different subject groups are seen in chapter XX.