An Institutional Perspective on BIM Implementation – a Case Study of an Intercity Railway Project in Norway

Architecture and engineering offices around the world increasingly replace their dated Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) solutions with Building Information Modelling (BIM) solutions. There is a profound IT-enabled change in the way in which commercial and residential buildings are designed and produced. However, parts of the industry remain largely excluded from this trend, as roads and railroads continue to be designed based on two-dimensional CAD systems. This paper reports from a case study of BIM implementation in a Norwegian railroad project Based on institutional theory, we identified how institutional pressures affected the BIM implementation of the project team in the InterCity railway project. The cases study highlights the important role of the client’s BIM manager in enforcing these pressures in practice. Furthermore, the paper provides useful insights not only for construction project teams seeking to implement BIM in infrastructure projects but also for other organizations adopting new technologies

Implementation of Building Information Modeling in Infrastructure Construction : Lessons from Norway and Vietnam

Industrialization, innovation, and infrastructure are important drivers in improving employment and income (United Nations, 2015b). To meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, developing countries need to invest more in research and innovation that aims to improve their infrastructure (United Nations, 2015a). More basic infrastructure, such as roads, information and communication technology (ICT) systems, and electrical power grids, is essential to improving standards of living and protecting the environment in developing countries (ibid.). Construction researchers have found that the use of ICT increases construction efficiency. Adwan and Al-Soufi (2016) classified 21 sets of ICT technologies used in construction, including web-based platforms, Building Information Modeling (BIM) based technologies, CAD- and 3D CAD–based technologies, virtual reality, and video conferencing. Among these, BIM is an information system that facilitates digital collaboration in construction. BIM provides an environment for data sharing based on 3D models, and it has been used to increase productivity and quality of building construction. In the context of transportation infrastructure, BIM reduces errors, provides better understandings of projects, and improves project performance (SmartMarket Report, 2017). In my construction industry experience, 3D modeling was applied to infrastructure projects that include roads, bridges, and railways. 3D models of infrastructure, such as that related to railways (stations and line alignments) and bridges, was used to detect design clashes and support communication with stakeholders. More broadly, BIM implementation is rapidly increasing in the context of infrastructure construction (Bradley et al., 2016), and examples include the integration of 3D infrastructure models with other technologies, such as geographic information systems, global positioning systems, laser scanners, and photogrammetry (Bradley et al., 2016; Costin et al., 2018). Researchers have also reported on BIM applications in different phases of the infrastructure life cycles (ibid.). In general, BIM supports infrastructure construction by reducing costs and risks and increasing reliability (Costin et al., 2018). The trend of rising use shows BIM’s potential to benefit the infrastructure sector. Infrastructure is critical if developing countries are to achieve their Sustainable Development Goals, which motivated me to explore BIM implementation in that context. Since developed countries is leading in BIM use, this thesis explores whether they can learn from the experiences of more advanced countries. To identify useful lessons, I conducted a comparative analysis of BIM implementation in a developed and a developing contexts. Moreover, BIM-related innovation communities were studied to understand how BIM practices can be further strengthened in infrastructure projects. This thesis focused on the following research question: “How can the implementation of Building Information Modelling be improved to support infrastructure projects in a developing context?”publishedVersio

BIM technology implementation in Vietnam: an institutional perspective on a bridge project

Many of today’s building designs are created based on three-dimensional modelling technology. Architects and engineers use so-called Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems for creating digital representation all physical assets of a building. Using these systems has proven effective for improving designs and the process of construction. Inspired by the improvements in building construction projects, a Vietnamese construction project team decided to use the system to model a large-scale bridge crossing the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This paper provides an understanding of what motivated the team to deploy BIM in this new industrial context which is very different from building construction. To explain this, the influence of institutional pressures was analyzed. The findings revealed how institutional pressures influence the project team to overcome BIM hurdles for successful implementation. Furthermore, this qualitative case study presents an example for other infrastructure projects which also target BIM as an objective