Week 4 BIM Discussion - BIM makes the Engineer's Jobs Harder vs. BIM makes the Engineer's Job Easier

BIM has made the engineer’s job harder because there are greater expectations of the engineers to multitask, collaborate, understand others disciplines, perform non engineering tasks, build increasingly complex buildings, using multiple sophisticated programs. Fear of missing a mistake made by the computer. BIM also makes an engineer’s job easier and allows them to get more done at a higher quality because of the complexity of BIM and its capabilities. It removes the tedious design  tasks from what the engineer normally does and indicates where they need to pay attention. The easy problems are solved automatically, but the complex problems are not. Designers are able to make better building designs and gain a realistic understand understanding of the building by making collaboration, communication, and visualization easier, but leads to more complicated problems.

B3: Group C - Alexis

I thought the most interesting possible future advantages of building information modeling were the site survey applications discussed during the presentation. The digital terrain models created with 3D imagery allow for images and point clouds to be integrated into design development drawings [1]. This will improve the overall quality of the project by giving project engineers quick access to existing conditions or progress on site. Modeling site plans and mapping existing infrastructure will become significantly simpler in future years with 3D imagery. Like we discussed last week in lecture, with advancements in raster processing design firms can utilize drones to fly over project sites and collect hundreds of photos. These images are later stitched together in a scalable 3D model known as digital terrain models (DTM). A DTM is created by overlapping high quality images associated with specific coordinates. This will enhance topographic maps of the site and make demolition drawings much quicker, since existing conditions are already modeled. Developments have also been made in image recognition for 3D texturing applications.

Applying 3D visualization to as-built and record drawings comes with many advantages for the building owner and facility managers. Implementation has just begun for buildings in the post-construction phase, used during commissioning and the testing and balancing process to locate mechanical equipment throughout the facility [2]. As discussed in lecture, the facility manager will be able to hold up a tablet anywhere on site and identify the location of tagged items through their camera. Contractors will be able to outfit their digital record drawings with tagged locations of mechanical rooms and switchgear for commissioners. In the future it will become common practice for mechanical and electrical equipment to have individual QR codes. This way, facility maintenance and building owners can easily pull up their specifications, past performance, energy usage, and location on site. 

Advancements in parametric design software will continue to enhance the architectural complexity of buildings. Generally, the designer uses CAD software to manipulate lines of a digital plan. Today’s parametric technology automatically modifies the model when the designer changes a parameter, giving the architect and engineer more flexibility to explore design options. Future versions of parametric software will allow for more input parameters and make changes faster. Parametric models can already optimize features like natural lighting, ceiling heights, and structural systems, and they are also used to determine how much water and energy a building will need [3]. In the future, full body physical simulations will be applied to the 3D model to optimize the building layout. These simulations are currently used for the design of cockpits but could be applied to larger spaces to visualize occupant movement and human proportions. 

1. https://www.bentley.com/en/products/product-line/reality-modeling-software/bentley-descartes
2. www.researchgate.net/publication/283574972_3D_terrestrial_laser_scanner_for_managing_existing_building
3. http://www.technologyreview.com/review/517596/new-forms-that-function-better/

Comments:

Bridget,
I also think the main advantage of BIM software is the collaboration between design disciplines. Though there is a lot of progress that can be made to improve the parametric modeling of each type of system, the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and structural systems can be viewed in one model. This has drastically increased collaboration, allowing for integrated project delivery from the initial design concept to construction. I liked your point that BIM has given designers more flexibility to explore alternate aspects of each system.

Matt,
I agree that Revit has much to improve, but ultimately it is a software used to communicate the designs of MEP systems and not primarily an energy model. A pipe connection like that can be placed without connecting the elbow to the system, it will print as a true connection. In some cases, the software must be manipulated to better communicate the design to the constructor. Like you said in your post, Revit has drastically improved and is becoming the most widely used parametric modeling software for consulting firms.

B2: Group C - Coffey BIM Used for Maintenance and Operation

         BIM is now a crucial part of the Architectural, Electrical and Construction industry, but the the large adoption of BIM was only a recent event and has not always been the basis on which the industry has worked. Before the clash detection, project scheduling, collaboration improvement capabilities and other cost savings benefits of BIM were recognized and proven as results of BIM’s use, the time and money investment required to change from CAD to BIM deterred industrial change (Lu). There was no way to prove whether creating a BIM model of an entire project before its construction would result in the advertised benefits. Even still BIM has not been fully adopted for every project to use the advertised benefits. (Eastman).

Multiple dimensions can be added to a BIM model. Common dimensions include 3D model, construction scheduling, project cost estimation, life cycle assessment / sustainability and maintenance and operation implementations. Of these, I would like to go into more discussion about facility management. This is a dimension where BIM’s capabilities are used to improve building maintenance and operation. Although there are proven benefits to performing this extra work its is often not performed unless required by the client. Even when this dimension is required by the client it does not receive the same amount of attention as other dimensions because it does not directly affect the profit of the designer and contractor. All the benefits are passed onto the client. Even nearing the end of a project the contractor and designer are more focused on finishing the project and not highly interested in investing the profit from the project completion in something that does not have a sure return on investment. While the return on investment for the owner is conservatively 64% over a payback period of 1.56 years (Teicholz). The development and use of the facilities management dimension is able to have this significant of an impact on building maintenance and operation because the as built model of the building can be drafted to include  parametric data about each piece of equipment in the building, its exact location behind a wall, the model number, fabricator’s contact information, and equipment maintenance manuals (Teicholz). The BIM model can also be integrated with a building monitoring program that helps to identify problems and provide maintenance reminders (Teicholz). This wealth of information will enable the maintenance workers to react more quickly, reduce maintenance errors, perform better repairs, and reduce the amount of work they have to perform. These improvements will reduce the cost to maintain the building and extend the life of the building. If the building were to require renovation or retrofit, then an accurate BIM model would prove invaluable at increasing the efficiency and ease with which the building is reused.

While the cost is a significant deterrence to the owner requiring the facilities management dimension, sometimes that dimension is not necessary due to how important the building being constructed is and the cost benefit to the implementation of a building monitoring system. The cost benefit limits may fall short for the implementation of this dimension in a small residential home due be crucial tools for large, complicated and important structures such as a nuclear power plant. For the later, it is necessary that a highly accurate BIM model and monitoring system be implemented to notify maintenance workers of a problem, to extend the life of the very expensive building, and to reduce the chances of maintenance errors. The economic loss related to a failure at a powerplant greatly outweighs the loss of a residential house. In this case the reduction of risk is the primary motivator and not the return on investment. Meanwhile the investment would only be worthwhile if it actually produces plausible benefit and mitigates or prevent economic losses due to a failure.

Comments

Alexis,

I liked how you mentioned that the use of BIM for IPD is a large benefit of BIM modeling. I believe that the use of BIM as a collaboration tool is its largest benefit. The ability for the owner, maintenance manager, and building design and construction disciplines to quickly and easily collaborate improve the quality of the design and empowers the collaborators to develop solutions to conflicts between systems, often leading to a better solution then otherwise possible. The other benefits support the usefulness of BIM as a collaboration tool, through better better visualization of the building so that problems can be identified and the information in the model is the same for everyone so they can more easily and accurately communicate despite the potential distance between them.

Bryan,

I enjoyed the level of detail and explanation that you went into to describe the interoperability issues between BIM programs and supporting programs. Like you mentioned limitations on the interoperability of programs historically has been a problem that affected the effectiveness of using BIM programs and caused modeling errors. From what I have read, the interoperability has enabled BIM programs to accomplish tasks that no one program is capable of or is not as capable of when compared to supporting programs. Because there has been more focus on making the different BIM programs interoperable they are able to produce more complex buildings and perform more thorough analyses of building models. Just like you I think that there is still room for improvement and that the largest barrier to improvement is the collaboration between the software programmers developing the programs and the users of the programs. For instance, if an engineer is trying to produce an optimized building that requires the use of new technology or to perform a unique task to qualify a building that has a special use, BIM programs may not have the interoperability with the program that performs the required analysis. This interoperability will eventually be developed with enough need for BIM programs to perform that rare analysis because it was either not performed before or because the demand for that capability was outweighed by the demand for other more used capabilities.

References

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. Print.

Lu, Weisheng, Ada Fung, Yi Peng, Cong Liang, and Steve Rowlinson. "Demystifying Construction Project Time–Effort Distribution Curves: BIM and Non-BIM Comparison." Journal of Management in Engineering J. Manage. Eng. 31.6 (2015): 04015010. Web. 

Teicholz, Paul M. BIM for Facility Managers. N.p.: Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2013. Print.

B2: Group A - Samuel Boyce

This chapter aims to look at the difference between Building Information Model (BIM) and Computer Aid Drafting (CAD) software. BIM software evolved from CAD as certain industries, particularly the aerospace industry, saw improvements that could be made that they would stand to benefit from. The key development is the addition of parametric modelling. Not only does this allow 3D models to be created, it also allows the addition of non-spatial data.

Firstly I would like to discuss how the parametric modelling has influenced the ability to create 3D models. Modern BIM software comes with preloaded items that can be utilized, but users are also allowed to create their own units, and along with it the appropriate data. In terms of spatial data, typically the entered data is a definition of the shape, its own local coordinates, and its global coordinates. The local coordinates define the size of the shape, but the real importance lies in the global coordinates. These global coordinates locate the shape with regards to everything else in the drawing. It is these global coordinates where BIM really comes into its own. By utilizing these, local changes in turn have a global impact. A great example is shown in Chapter 2 where a change made to the skin of the façade results in the panels and skeleton shifting in relation to this. This ability is in stark contrast to 2D CAD programs, where there is connectivity between objects and changes on a global scale must be propagated manually.

Another part of BIM that this chapter covers, and one that I would like to draw special attention to, is the inclusion of non-spatial data. This data can range from simple financial figures to mechanical data. I would again like to emphasis that this data can be used on a global scale. For example the financial data can be tallied in order to get cost figures for the model. This ability was being utilized at my last co-op with the construction of their new building. The entire building was being modelled in BIM, and this included all of the systems. There were many reasons for doing this. Firstly there is the simple ability to just view where everything is in relation to other components. In their older buildings, ceiling tiles would have to be removed and walls surveyed in order to know exactly where systems were. Now it is simple as opening a computer file and the entire building can be manipulated and decisions made at a lesser cost. Another reason for doing this is to help maintenance staff. This plays off the first reason. A maintenance worker can enter this program and select a system, and the parametric data entered for that system would populate the screen. This includes Operations and Maintenance manuals. This means work can be planned out before setting foot in the building. Training can also be carried out using this system. Finally, as mentioned before, the global parametric data allows tallies of the financial data, water, electric, and gas capacity to be easily visualized.

Reference

Eastman, C. M. (2011). BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.


Comments:

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b2-group-d-yuyang-shi.html?showComment=1453243990964#c1094926113876020716

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-2-laura-hill.html?showComment=1453244400417#c2378138207938391738

B2: Group A- Janet Tran

BIM Tools and Parametric Modeling

                      The significant distinction between Building Information Model (BIM) software and Computer Aid Drafting (CAD) tools are the ability to input parameters determined by the user.  These parameters allow one to attribute unique identity among objects within a family, while also commanding constraints. Constraints can relate to relationships with other objects, geometry, dimensions, etc. Unique identities for specific elements can also be attributed such as: airflow, velocity, lumens, etc. The hierarchy of these objects and elements are referred to as families, which share specific common attributes.

                       A critical benefit of parametric-modeling is its ability to increase productivity, mainly for construction documentation value. Traditional drafting software requires manual edits that often result in human error. However, BIM software allows global changes to take place automatically. This dramatically reduces the effort in making small changes that may occur during the design process. For instance, when the change in a duct size changes on one sheet view (for purposes of construction documentation) it will also change in all sheets related to that change. This is especially notable because time can be expended on design rather than drafting.

                       From a contractually point of view BIM software such as Revit can also help to reduce patent and latent ambiguities in these drawings that serve as contract documents. In “Successful Contract Administration For Constructors and Design Professionals” by Charles W. Cook, BIM is referenced as a tool that in its development can help with coordination. As building become more complicated and new types of systems such as: security, telecommunications, etc. are involved coordination becomes crucial. Various designers can work within the same model and coordinate the way in which systems interact to prevent “crashes”. Warnings are displayed in parameters do not meet buildable conditions. This is because Revit allows for a 3-dimensional explicit representation of the building, whereas 2D traditional CAD software can only provide an implicit model. Another advantage of Revit is the intelligence to formulate quick schedules for contractors to process cost estimations.

                       Expanding beyond Revit, software that allows for quick input an generation for energy and design analysis is called Trane TRACE 700. It enables users to input information on a building and create a baseline model to be compared with various other types of mechanical system. This allows designers to make important decisions and know the implications of various systems for an optimal design.

                      Some shortcomings of BIM software today are a result of its ability to model a large amount of details. With so many systems modeled in one central model, the capabilities of such software have surpassed the available memory and processing power of contemporary computers. However, it is believed that these issues with naturally decreases as computers get faster. Additionally, the complexity of the software results in a bigger learning curve, which take a longer time to gain proficiency.

Sources: 

[1] Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Infromation Modeling for Owner, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2008. Web. 

[2] Cook, Charles W. Successful Contract Administration: For Constructors and Design Professionals. New York: Routledge, 2014. Print. 

Student Comments: 

Comment  on Cristian's Almendariz's post

Comment on James Redus' post

B2: Group A - Gary Reiff

Chapter 2 in the BIM handbook discusses BIM design tools and parametric modeling.  More specifically, the chapter goes into depth on the differences between the technology used for BIM design applications and earlier CAD systems.  Parametric modeling was first developed in the 1980's for manufacturing purposes, and is unique by representing objects using parameters and rules that determine the geometry of an object, rather than representing objects with fixed geometries and properties.  Not only does parametric modeling create more accurate models, but it can model more complex objects as well.  In terms of architecture, BIM software developers have predefined base building object classes, which vary based on the different parameters and relationships with other objects.  Some of the predefined base building object classes are shown in the figure below. 

BIM designers can modify the parameters of these predefined base building object classes, but more interestingly the objects can modify their own parameters based upon the context the object is being used in.  This makes me wonder if any of the AI discussed in last weeks posts used parametric modeling in a similar fashion.

As previously stated, parametric modeling was first developed in the 1980’s.  Architectural BIM design applications utilize parametric modeling by allowing users to mix 2D drawn sections with 3D modeled objects.  Not only does this allow users to produce complete drawings, but it also allows users to determine the level of 3D detailing.  The level of 3D detailing in fabrication-level BIM design applications is crucial, as every object is fully fabricated and represented in 3D.

Parametric modeling is also used in other current BIM design applications as tools to carry out specific jobs, while also providing a platform to manage and experiment with data in multiple different models. When used as tools, the BIM applications vary depending on how the base building objects were originally defined.  However, as platforms BIM applications vary in their ability of managing large and detailed projects. 

It’s crazy to me how the base building objects can be so accurately predefined by just using parametric modeling.  Parametric modeling certainly revolutionized BIM applications.  While I don’t have any previous experience with BIM applications, I have plenty of experience with different CAD applications.  The chapter discusses 3D modeling in CAD applications back in the 1960’s.  I cannot imagine how much more difficult 3D modeling was before being integrated with parametric modeling.  I can only imagine using BIM applications back in the day were equally as difficult before parametric modeling was around.

Reference

Eastman, Charles M. 2011. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed January 18, 2016).

 Comments

1.) Laura Worley's Comment 

2.) Rebecca Lynch's Comment