Quantification of Construction Waste in Early Design Stages Using Bim-Based Tool

Construction and demolition waste represents a growing environmental, social, and economic problem, and has become a priority for European and worldwide policies. The early quantification of construction waste is essential for the minimisation of its production and the improvement of waste management. This requires the development of design-based tools that enable a better understanding of the expected waste produced during the construction phase. Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodologies have gained recognition in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector, largely due to their capacity for data simulation, storage, and management during the building design phase. This study presents a software application, called WE-BIM Add-in, to quantify construction waste (CW) while designing the BIM model in Revit. A validated CW quantification model which enables waste types and quantities per building element to be predicted in detail according to the European List of Waste (LoW) is integrated into the Revit workflow. Design alternatives could be effortlessly simulated in real time to assist practitioners in decision-making during the early design stages. Two alternative structural systems of a Spanish residential building were compared: a reinforced concrete structure, Option 1 (O1), and a steel structure, Option 2 (O2). The results were obtained automatically: O2, in addition to reducing 56% of O1′s waste, would have increased the waste recycling rate by 49%; and displayed in Revit, thereby remaining consistent with those of other studies that compare prefabricated systems with in situ systems. This work provides a basis for future research into the automated estimation of construction waste in BIM which could become a useful tool in waste-prevention policies

Bridging BIM and building: From a literature review to an integrated conceptual framework

A Building Information Model (BIM) is at risk of being ‘blind and deaf’ if its contained information cannot be synchronized with ongoing building processes in a real-time manner. Previous studies have attempted to explore solutions to the problem, with a view to making BIM a more useful decision-support system. However, an integrated conceptual framework summarizing these studies and structuring future development in the area is missing. Based on an ex post facto critical review of 75 papers of this kind published over the past decade, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for bridging BIM and building (BBB), which highlights the importance of synchronizing information between BIM and real-life building processes. The framework is further illustrated through a case study of prefabricated housing construction in Hong Kong. With this integrated conceptual framework, future research on BBB can proceed on a more solid footing.postprin

An Enhanced CATIA – Matlab Interfacing Solution

Design in the 21st century is a collaborative process that requires contributions from several specialty engineering disciplines across several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Due to the competitive nature of design, it is in the best interest of the OEM to cast a wide net and harness expertise from across the world. The immediate trade-off seen by recruiting from such diverse elements is the decentralization of the workforce and resultant challenges for data sharing and platform interoperability. To capitalize on the advantages offered by the development of industry 4.0 and the enhanced ability to draw from a worldwide workforce it is essential that the interfacing of all design technologies is as seamless as possible. A single, but important aspect of such an interface is the ability to validate designs from a generic and globally updated model, at any time. Multidirectional translation between CAD packages and behavioural modelling software with the capability for integration of designs with optimisation packages allows for partial and complete designs to be validated, tested, and improved. Typical CAD to behavioural import methods utilise STEP / STL representations of the original CAD model. Whilst these provide accurate graphical representations of the original model, they can only be interpreted as rigid bodies and the ability to make modifications to the geometry outside of the native CAD domain is limited. In this work, a demonstration of a generic method for the integration of CAD and behavioural modelling software through the import of CATIA V5 models into Simulink is highlighted. The models are imported using a method that enables modification of component geometry within the simulation environment, enabling quick and meaningful decision support and opening a gateway to design engineering across unlinked CAD and Simulation software. The process presented enables standalone design evaluation and modification that can be used as an integral part of design development, supporting each decision with available and accurate feedback

Generative Mesh Modeling

Generative Modeling is an alternative approach for the description of three-dimensional shape. The basic idea is to represent a model not as usual by an agglomeration of geometric primitives (triangles, point clouds, NURBS patches), but by functions. The paradigm change from objects to operations allows for a procedural representation of procedural shapes, such as most man-made objects. Instead of storing only the result of a 3D construction, the construction process itself is stored in a model file. The generative approach opens truly new perspectives in many ways, among others also for 3D knowledge management. It permits for instance to resort to a repository of already solved modeling problems, in order to re-use this knowledge also in different, slightly varied situations. The construction knowledge can be collected in digital libraries containing domain-specific parametric modeling tools. A concrete realization of this approach is a new general description language for 3D models, the "Generative Modeling Language" GML. As a Turing-complete "shape programming language" it is a basis of existing, primitv based 3D model formats. Together with its Runtime engine the GML permits - to store highly complex 3D models in a compact form, - to evaluate the description within fractions of a second, - to adaptively tesselate and to interactively display the model, - and even to change the models high-level parameters at runtime.Die generative Modellierung ist ein alternativer Ansatz zur Beschreibung von dreidimensionaler Form. Zugrunde liegt die Idee, ein Modell nicht wie üblich durch eine Ansammlung geometrischer Primitive (Dreiecke, Punkte, NURBS-Patches) zu beschreiben, sondern durch Funktionen. Der Paradigmenwechsel von Objekten zu Geometrie-erzeugenden Operationen ermöglicht es, prozedurale Modelle auch prozedural zu repräsentieren. Statt das Resultat eines 3D-Konstruktionsprozesses zu speichern, kann so der Konstruktionsprozess selber repräsentiert werden. Der generative Ansatz eröffnet unter anderem gänzlich neue Perspektiven für das Wissensmanagement im 3D-Bereich. Er ermöglicht etwa, auf einen Fundus bereits gelöster Konstruktions-Aufgaben zurückzugreifen, um sie in ähnlichen, aber leicht variierten Situationen wiederverwenden zu können. Das Konstruktions-Wissen kann dazu in Form von Bibliotheken parametrisierter, Domänen-spezifischer Modellier-Werkzeuge gesammelt werden. Konkret wird dazu eine neue allgemeine Modell-Beschreibungs-Sprache vorgeschlagen, die "Generative Modeling Language" GML. Als Turing-mächtige "Programmiersprache für Form" stellt sie eine echte Verallgemeinerung existierender Primitiv-basierter 3D-Modellformate dar. Zusammen mit ihrer Runtime-Engine erlaubt die GML, - hochkomplexe 3D-Objekte extrem kompakt zu beschreiben, - die Beschreibung innerhalb von Sekundenbruchteilen auszuwerten, - das Modell adaptiv darzustellen und interaktiv zu betrachten, - und die Modell-Parameter interaktiv zu verändern