Product Models in Network Based Co-operation in Structural Engineering

The Priority Programme ‘Network Based Co-operation in Structural Engineering’ of the ‘German Research Foundation’ (DFG) has been established in the year 2000. This paper describes and discusses the main research directions and first results of the workgroup ‘Distributed Product Models’. The five projects of the workgroup have developed completely different solutions for specific application domains. Each solution concept deals with a consistent product modeling and knowledge processing in a distributed environment in the planning process. The individual solution approaches of the projects are described and the underlying basic assumptions are discussed. A unified system architecture is described for all projects of the workgroup. Two different approaches (object-oriented and graph-based models) have been introduced for product and knowledge modeling. The common structure of these models will be explained to fully understand the differences of these modeling approaches. Finally the concepts for co-operative work and conflict management in a distributed environment are described: The solution approaches will be distinguished by classifying the supported co-operation according to time. A final scientific summary describes the state-of-the-art in network based co-operation in structural engineering: The role of research directions like knowledge modeling, standard product modeling and versioning in the distributed planning process will be explained

Model server enabled management of collaborative changes in building information models

The issues and challenges involved in controlling the collaborative changes in a Building Information Modeling (BIM) data repository, in a multi-model collaboration environment, are discussed. It is suggested that managing iterative changes in BIMs is a database problem, exacerbated by the long transaction times needed to support collaborative design progression. This is yet to be resolved in the construction industry and better solutions are needed to support the underlying workflows and computing operations for seamless collaboration on BIMs. With this in mind, this paper proposes the use of the structural and semantic characteristics of BIM objects as a mechanism for tracking changes across co-developed solutions. The creation of object signatures, using hash codes derived from their characteristics, provides a potential mechanism for object comparison and effective change recognition and management

A characteristics framework for Semantic Information Systems Standards

Semantic Information Systems (IS) Standards play a critical role in the development of the networked economy. While their importance is undoubted by all stakeholders—such as businesses, policy makers, researchers, developers—the current state of research leaves a number of questions unaddressed. Terminological confusion exists around the notions of “business semantics”, “business-to-business interoperability”, and “interoperability standards” amongst others. And, moreover, a comprehensive understanding about the characteristics of Semantic IS Standards is missing. The paper addresses this gap in literature by developing a characteristics framework for Semantic IS Standards. Two case studies are used to check the applicability of the framework in a “real-life” context. The framework lays the foundation for future research in an important field of the IS discipline and supports practitioners in their efforts to analyze, compare, and evaluate Semantic IS Standard

Structural sustainability appraisal in BIM

The provision of Application Programming Interface (API) in BIM-enable tools can contribute to facilitating BIM-related research. APIs are useful links for running plug-ins and external programmes but they are yet to be fully exploited in expanding the BIM scope. The modelling of n-Dimensional (nD) building performance measures can potentially benefit from BIM extension through API implementations. Sustainability is one such measure associated with buildings. For the structural engineer, recent design criteria have put great emphasis on the sustainability credentials as part of the traditional criteria of structural integrity, constructability and cost. This paper examines the utilization of API in BIM extension and presents a demonstration of an API application to embed sustainability issues into the appraisal process of structural conceptual design options in BIM. It concludes that API implementations are useful in expanding the BIM scope. Also, the approach including process modelling, algorithms and object-based instantiations demonstrated in the API implementation can be applicable to other nD building performance measures as may be relevant to the various professional platforms in the construction domain

A governance approach for bim management across lifecycle and supply chains using mixed-modes of information delivery

Built environment data is of varying nature embedding various forms of sensitivities with potential legal, contractual, intellectual property, and security implications. The paper presents a governance approach for managing multi-actor, multi-discipline, and total lifecycle data, informed by a wide industry consultation conducted in the UK between March and September 2011. The study identifies a number of barriers in engaging with Building Information Modelling (BIM) efforts with a view of facilitating collaboration around a common and integrated project specification. A governance model is proposed that addresses the identified adoption blockers underpinned by a “mixed approach”, that factors in various modes of information delivery, ranging from paper-based documents to object-based information conveyed by IFC (Industry Foundation Classes). A demonstrator system is developed and used to validate our BIM governance concepts. Our governance model is discussed in the context of the recent UK government BIM industry consultation document supported by a research and development (R&D) roadmap taking into account current industry structure and its various levels of stakeholders’ maturity, capability and readiness

Management of collaborative BIM data by the Federatinon of Distributed Models

The architecture engineering and construction sector is currently undergoing a significant period of change and modernization. In the United Kingdom in particular this is driven by the government’s objective of reducing the cost of construction projects. This is to be achieved by requiring all publicly funded projects to utilize fully collaborative building information modeling by 2016. A common goal in increasing building information model (BIM) adoption by the industry is the movement toward the realization of a BIM as either a single data model or a series of tightly coupled federated models. However, there are key obstacles to be overcome, including uncertainty over data ownership, concerns relating to the security/privacy of data, and reluctance to “outsource” data storage. This paper proposes a framework that is able to provide a solution for managing collaboration in the architecture engineering and construction (AEC) sector. The solution presented in this paper provides an overlay that automatically federates and governs distributed BIM data. The use of this overlay provides an integrated BIM model that is physically distributed across the stakeholders in a construction project. The key research question addressed by this paper is whether such an overlay can, by providing dynamic federation and governance of BIM data, overcome some key obstacles to BIM adoption, including questions over data ownership, the security/privacy of data, and reluctance to share data. More specifically, this paper provides the following contributions: (1) presentation of a vision for the implementation and governance of a federated distributed BIM data model; (2) description of the BIM process and governance model that underpins the approach; (3) provision of a validation case study using real construction data from a U.K. highways project, demonstrating that both the federated BIM overlay and the process and governance model are fit for purpose. - See more at: http://ascelibrary.org/doi/full/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000657#sthash.jIj574Lh.dpu