Building Information Modelling in construction

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a new look on the process of optimizing design and construction. Using the BIM technology the information model is created to ensure the overall accurate project design view.

Building Information Modelling technologies are a fundamentally new approach in architectural and structural designing, which is in building a three-dimensional digital virtual model of a building and contains full information about the planned facilities.

The application of the BIM technology in building design includes the collection and full-scale processing technological, architectural and design, as well as feasibility information about the building. Thus the construction facilities and everything related to them are considered as a whole.

The three-dimensional model of the building is tightly related to the database, therefore, a change in at least one construction parameter entails the change in all related systems and items, including drawings, specifications, visualization, and schedule.

Benefits of BIM technology

The Building Information Model is a virtual prototype of the structure, therefore, BIM technology application in designing buildings enables to verify and assess different solutions before the start of the construction works. Project key participants — the customer, the designer and the construction company — have an opportunity of more complete, rational data exchange , which improves the quality of construction work and saves time and material resources.

Unlike the conventional approach, BIM provides an opportunity to shift the main scope of adjustments to the stage of provisional design and the development of the design documents, thus reducing the costs of every project design error. Using the traditional technology, the majority of collisions is found and corrected only at the stages of detailed design documents or construction.

The BIM in construction offers great benefits, since it enables virtually to integrate as a whole and agree different elements and systems of the expected facilities, check their viability, operating properties and functional suitability.

The application of BIM technology in designing buildings has a number of advantages:

• higher accuracy of financial calculations;
• reduced time to prepare project design estimates;
• fewer spatial collisions;
• lower construction financial costs;
• higher control of expenses;
• higher forecast accuracy;
• fewer change in the project design.
• fast adjustments of the information model (after changing any parameter, other indicators will be updated automatically).
• the use of the information model allows for accurate onsite work planning for the construction machinery, creating accurate materials procurement schedules and improving all the key logistic processes of the construction and operations.

The advantages of the BIM development are obvious, since unlike older computer aided design systems, which made geometrical images, BIM creates a digital model that includes full information not only about the facility but also about the process of its construction. The application of BIM technology makes each action transparent and ensures full control, in the automated mode, which guarantees high quality of the design and construction works.

The combination of the scheduled project with money indicators provides an opportunity to forecast, plan and distribute cash flows at all the stages of the construction. The availability of prices for materials, products and works, combined with parametrical model elements enable to make an information cross-section in any aspect and by any given indicator. These data can be easily used to make the estimate.

Practical use of the building information model

The production of the information model may be roughly divided into two stages:

• the development of primary design elements (construction materials, equipment elements etc.), which are directly related to the construction facilities, but are made outside the construction site;
• modelling the items made on the construction site (foundation, columns, flooring, walls, facades, roof and many other).

BIM technologies enable to create a virtual model of the structure, and therewith, it is important that the visualization of the object is closely related to the respective engineering data. Any changes are immediately reflected in 4/5/6D-views, drawings, and cross-sections. The professionally produced structural information model is further used to issue all design documents, scope data, feasibility calculations, and construction planning. The obtained information model is kept over the whole life cycle of the building, and the information contained therein may be changed, specified and completed thus reflecting the updated status of the facilities.

Why apply BIM?

It is already evident that BIM technologies have good future prospects. The introduction of the BIM system in the design and construction process has clear benefits, because it enables to get immediate access to any information about the facilities, control the works quality at all stages, avoid project collisions, and significantly lower the construction costs. However, the key advantage of the BIM technology introduction in the construction industry is the opportunity to achieve nearly complete Customer’s requirements to the features of the future facilities.