A BIM based approach for construction and assembly driven optimisation of building design

Abstract

During the design phase of construction projects, professionals seldom consider implications of design choices in terms of the ease with which it can be constructed. This contributes to wastage when chosen design features and materials result in the use of inefficient construction production and assembly methods. In order to bridge this gap, this study provides an approach for incorporating production knowledge and data into Building Information Models (BIM) to support optimization of building designs in terms of the efficiencies associated with their onsite production. A building design assessment system is developed to aid selection of alternative building design elements and materials in a digital prototype before they are actually constructed. The assessment system relies on an index derived from production knowledge or data related to ease of assemble, speed of assemble and the waste associated with the assembly or construction of a building element or material. This paper presents the identification and prioritisation of criteria for the development of the index for optimal selection of building envelope systems. The criteria were reviewed by an expert panel (n=25) who provided weightings of criteria importance through a voting analytic hierarchy process (VAHP). A schema for implementation through the extension of BIM with external assessment index logic is also presented. The practicality of the system as an indicator of the efficiency with which a design can be built or constructed, provides a solution for leveraging production knowledge and data to improve design in terms of its buildability thereby reducing waste associated with inefficient construction and sometimes redesign or late substitution of materials.

Evaluating lean techniques to improve success factors in the construction phase

“…Despite the expansion of compatibility, constructability and waste estimation, none of these techniques have been evaluated based on the problems of the construction phase (Abbasi et al , 2020). The structural assessments are also typically focused on traditional construction processes (Gbadamosi et al , 2018). Each of these techniques could be effective in reducing problems at certain phases of the project, or several techniques could be taken into account at the same time (Aziz and Hafez, 2013).…”

Artificial Intelligence Methods for the Construction and Management of Buildings

“…The lack of adequate digital knowledge and technology implementation in the building branch is associated with project delays, cost inefficiency, poor quality of execution, uninformed decision making and low productivity as well as health and safety indicators [4]. Taking into account the existing problems of labor shortage, the need to ensure sustainable construction rates, the COVID-19 pandemic and global financial crises, it became obvious that in the coming years the construction industry should rapidly develop its technological potential and intensively implement AI methods [10][11][12][13]. AI in construction refers to the use of computer systems and algorithms to perform complex construction and construction management tasks [2,4].…”