BIM + 8 Major Technologies: How Many Do You Know?

The following article is sourced fromRevit Tutorial

As BIM is applied ever more deeply, projects that rely on BIM alone are becoming fewer and fewer. A growing number of projects integrate BIM with other advanced technologies or application systems in order to deliver greater combined value. BIM+PM, BIM+cloud computing, BIM+IoT... What does the future hold for the 'BIM+' trend? Here is your answer.

01 BIM+PM

          

PM is the abbreviation for project management, which refers to achieving predetermined goals within limited time, quality, and cost targets. The integrated application of BIM and PM establishes a data-exchange interface between BIM application software and the project management system, giving full play to BIM's intuitiveness, analyzability, shareability, and manageability in order to provide accurate and timely integrated data. It supplies integrated data and technical analysis as various business tools for project management, working in coordination with the project management workflow. Through process and statistical analysis, it achieves full closed-loop management of data generation, data use, process approval, dynamic statistics, and decision analysis, thereby improving a project's overall management capability and efficiency.

          

The integrated application of BIM and PM can provide project management with visual management tools. For example, the comprehensive application of 4D management can intuitively reflect the construction process and physical progress of the entire building, helping project managers formulate reasonable construction plans and optimize the use of construction resources. At the same time, the combined application of the two can provide project management with more effective analytical tools. For instance, for a given floor, revenue and planned cost can be obtained from the BIM integrated model and actual cost data from the project management system, and a three-way calculation and comparative analysis can be carried out to support dynamic cost management. In addition, the integrated application can provide data support for project management. For example, the BIM integrated model can conveniently and quickly supply data for cost estimation, material management, and subcontracted quantity review, effectively improving work efficiency and the quality of decision-making.    

          

Given the difficulty of constructing supertall buildings and the frequent cross-disciplinary overlaps involved, the Guangzhou East Tower (CTF Finance Centre) project worked with Glodon Software Co., Ltd. to develop the East Tower integrated project management system. In project management, BIM interconnects the BIM model with all kinds of data, effectively reducing cost, shortening the construction period, and raising the level of engineering management. It has become a model of integrated BIM and PM application in supertall building construction.

          

It is expected that BIM-based project management systems will become increasingly mature and may even completely replace traditional project management systems. BIM-based project management will also promote the application of the new project delivery model IPD. IPD stands for Integrated Project Delivery. It is based on engineering general contracting and requires all project parties to be involved in the early stages of the project, to cooperate closely, and to assume corresponding responsibilities through to project delivery. Participants focus on the entire project process, apply their professional expertise, and make decisions based on the project's value and interests. Under the IPD model, the integrated application of BIM and PM can bring project stakeholders together into a single team, benefiting from a wider decision-making circle, a broader knowledge base, a shared information platform, better decisions, continuous optimization, and reduced waste. Therefore, the IPD model will be an important path for innovation and development in project management, as well as a new application model for the integrated use of BIM and PM.

          

02 BIM+Cloud Computing

              

Cloud computing is an Internet-based computing method in which software, hardware, and information resources can be shared with computers and other terminals on demand. The integrated application of BIM and cloud computing leverages the advantages of cloud computing to turn BIM applications into BIM cloud services. At present, this is still at an exploratory stage in China.

          

Drawing on the powerful computing capability of the cloud, BIM applications can offload large amounts of complex work to the cloud and improve computing efficiency; drawing on the cloud's large-scale data storage capability, BIM models and related business data can be synchronized to the cloud, making it convenient for users to access and share them anytime, anywhere. This takes BIM technology out of the office, allowing users to connect to cloud services through mobile devices at the construction site at any time and promptly obtain the BIM data and services they need.

          

Recently, the Tianjin Goldin Finance 117 project, which has just been topped out, launched the Glodon Cloud service at the very start of construction as a data platform for the BIM team's data management, task issuance, and information sharing, and put forward a BIM cloud construction plan. The system is based on Glodon Cloud and develops the deep application of BIM technology. Glodon Cloud manages tens of thousands of engineering files for this project and provides model collaboration services to project members from 10 different organizations. The project department simultaneously saves BIM information and engineering files to the cloud; through fine-grained permission control and a variety of collaboration features, it meets the needs of storing massive data across all disciplines and processes of the project and of multi-user simultaneous access and collaboration, ensuring that engineering files are transmitted quickly, safely, conveniently, and under control within the team. Through sharing, it greatly improves the level of management and work efficiency.

          

Depending on the form and scale of the cloud, integrated BIM and cloud computing applications will pass through primary, intermediate, and advanced stages of development. The first stage is marked by the project collaboration platform, where the BIM applications of major vendors preliminarily form file-collaboration-level BIM applications by accessing the project collaboration platform. The second stage is marked by the model information platform, in which cooperating vendors develop BIM applications based on a common model information platform, forming component-collaboration-level BIM applications. The advanced stage is marked by an open platform, where users can obtain the BIM applications they need from the BIM cloud platform according to different requirements and form customized BIM applications.    

03 BIM+IoT

          

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network that uses radio-frequency identification, infrared sensors, the Global Positioning System, laser scanners, and other information-sensing devices to intelligently identify, locate, track, monitor, and manage objects, linking them to the Internet to obtain information and exchanging information and communicating according to agreed protocols.

          

The integrated application of BIM and the IoT is essentially the integration of information throughout the entire construction process. BIM technology provides the upper-level functions of information integration, interaction, display, and management, while IoT technology provides the underlying functions of information sensing, collection, transmission, and monitoring. The integrated application of these two technologies can achieve a 'closed-loop information flow' throughout the entire construction process and organically integrate virtual information management with the hardware of the physical environment. At present, BIM is widely used in the design stage and has begun to extend into the construction and operation stages. IoT applications are mainly concentrated in the construction and maintenance stages, and their combined application will generate enormous value.

          

During the construction stage, the combined application of these two technologies can improve safety management at the construction site, establish a reasonable construction schedule, support effective cost control, and raise the level of quality management. Safety hazards such as inadequate edge protection at tunnel entrances and workers not wearing safety harnesses are common on construction sites. BIM-based IoT applications can detect these hazards in real time and provide alarm prompts. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) installed on the helmets, harnesses, and ID cards of workers operating at height can achieve precise positioning within the BIM system. If an operation does not comply with the relevant regulations, the ID card and the related positioning in the BIM system will sound an alarm simultaneously. Managers can then accurately locate the hazard and take effective measures to avoid safety accidents.    

          

In the construction operation and maintenance stage, the combined application of these two technologies can improve the efficiency of daily equipment maintenance, raise the monitoring level of important assets, strengthen security protection capabilities, and support intelligent O&M.

          

A large-scale precast concrete (PC) residential project in Pujiang, Shanghai integrated BIM and the IoT. Based on BIM technology, a construction information management platform for prefabricated buildings was built. Component coding rules were studied and established, and radio-frequency identification technology was used to manage precast components dynamically. The project applied BIM technology to the design, production, and use of prefabricated concrete buildings throughout the management of the entire construction process, achieving intelligent, dynamic information management of the production and installation of precast components and improving the efficiency of construction management.

          

The integrated application of BIM and the IoT is still in its infancy. It lacks systematic and operable integration and implementation standards for data exchange, storage, transmission, classification and coding, and application, and it faces many problems involving laws and regulations, the current business model of the construction industry, and BIM application software. However, these problems will be resolved as technology advances and management levels continue to improve.

          

The deep integration and application of BIM and the IoT will surely raise smart construction to new heights, usher in a new era of smart construction, and become an important direction for the development of construction informatization in the future construction industry. In the future, intelligent building control systems will be centered on the IoT, with functional classification and mutual communication compatibility as their main features.

              

04 BIM+Intelligent Total Station

          

Construction surveying is an important part of engineering surveying. It includes establishing the construction control network, setting out the building, deformation monitoring during construction, and as-built surveying.

          

In recent years, super-large, super-tall buildings with complex appearances have become increasingly common. Electronic total stations are mainly used for surveying and setting out. With the application of new technologies, total stations are gradually developing toward automation and intelligence. An intelligent total station is driven by motors. Under the control of the relevant application software, it can automatically identify, calibrate, and measure multiple targets without any interference, and it can also directly locate ordinary targets without the need for a reflecting prism.

          

The integrated application of BIM and intelligent total stations combines software and hardware, brings the BIM model to the construction site, and uses the three-dimensional coordinate data in the model to drive the intelligent total station for surveying. The combined application of these two approaches compares the actual as-built structural information obtained from on-site surveying with the data in the model, checks the deviation between the on-site construction environment and the BIM model, and provides a basis for the further detailed design of disciplines such as M&E, fine decoration, and curtain walls. At the same time, based on the efficient and accurate setting-out and positioning function of the intelligent total station, combined with the on-site axis network, control points, and elevation control lines, design results can be effectively and quickly marked out on the construction site, achieving accurate construction setting-out and providing construction personnel with more accurate and intuitive guidance. In addition, based on the precise on-site data collection function of the intelligent total station, on-site objects are surveyed after construction is completed, and the survey data are compared with the design data to check construction quality.

          

Compared with traditional setting-out methods, the integrated BIM and intelligent total station setting-out method can control accuracy to within 3 mm, whereas general building construction requires an accuracy of 1-2 cm, far exceeding traditional construction accuracy. Traditional setting-out requires at least two people to operate, whereas with integrated BIM and intelligent total station setting-out, one person can precisely locate hundreds of points per day, at an efficiency 6-7 times that of the traditional method.    

          

At present, many foreign-invested enterprises have already integrated BIM with intelligent surveying and setting-out total stations in construction, whereas China is still at an exploratory stage, with only a few projects - such as Shenzhen Urban Rail Transit Line 9, the Shenzhen Ping An Finance Centre, and Beijing Wangjing SOHO - applying it. In the future, the integrated application of these two technologies will be further combined with cloud technology to achieve two-way synchronization between mobile terminals and cloud data, and further integrated with project quality control so as to seamlessly incorporate quality control and model updates into existing workflows, further enhancing the application value of BIM.

          

05 BIM+GIS

          

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer information system used to manage geospatially distributed data. It acquires, stores, manages, computes, analyzes, and displays all kinds of data related to positions on the Earth's surface in an intuitive geographic graphics form; its English abbreviation is GIS. The integrated application of BIM and GIS is achieved through data integration, system integration, or application integration. GIS can be integrated into BIM applications, BIM can be integrated into GIS applications, or BIM and GIS can be deeply integrated, so as to give full play to their respective strengths and expand the range of applications. At present, they are integrated in many fields, such as urban planning, urban traffic analysis, urban micro-environment analysis, municipal pipeline network management, residential area planning, digital disaster prevention, and the renovation of existing buildings. Compared with their separate applications, their combined use brings marked improvements in modeling quality, analysis accuracy, decision-making efficiency, and cost control.

              

The integrated application of BIM and GIS can improve the management of large-area, long-term projects. The object of BIM application is usually a single building. By leveraging the macro functions of GIS, its scope of application is extended to engineering fields such as highways, railways, tunnels, hydropower, and ports. For example, the Xingfen Expressway project combined BIM with GIS to achieve multi-level construction management that integrates GIS-based macro management, BIM-based cross-section management, and refined bridge and tunnel management.

          

The integrated application of BIM and GIS can improve the management of large public facilities. At present, BIM applications are mainly concentrated in the design and construction stages. The integrated application of BIM and GIS can address the O&M management of BIM for large public buildings, municipal works, and infrastructure, and extend BIM applications into the O&M stage. For example, the Kunming New Airport project organically combined the two and successfully developed an O&M management system for the airport terminal, achieving daily O&M management of terminal property and M&E equipment as well as dynamic information queries for machinery, processes, inventory, repairs, and inspections.

          

The integrated application of BIM and GIS can also broaden and optimize their respective functions. Navigation is an important function of GIS applications, but it is limited to the outdoors. The combined application of these two technologies can not only extend GIS navigation indoors but also optimize existing GIS functions. For example, through the detailed description of indoor information in the BIM model, it can be ensured that the indoor escape route in the event of a fire is the most reasonable one rather than merely the shortest one.

          

With the rapid development of the Internet, the integrated application of BIM and GIS based on Internet and mobile communication technologies will change its application model and develop toward network services. At present, BIM and GIS are beginning to merge with cloud computing, and 'cloud BIM' and 'cloud GIS' have emerged respectively. The introduction of cloud computing will change the way BIM and GIS store data, increase data volumes, and enable their applications to develop by leaps and bounds.    

          

          

06 BIM+3D Scanning

          

Three-dimensional scanning is a high technology that integrates optics, mechanics, electronics, and computer technology. It is mainly used to scan the shape, structure, and color of objects in order to obtain the spatial coordinates of their surfaces. It has the advantages of fast measurement, high accuracy, and ease of use, and its measurement results can interface directly with a variety of software. Three-dimensional laser scanning technology, also known as scene-reproduction technology, uses a high-speed laser scanning measurement method to quickly obtain large-area, high-resolution three-dimensional coordinate data of an object's surface, providing a new technical means for rapidly building three-dimensional graphical models of objects.

          

Three-dimensional laser scanning technology can effectively and completely record the complex conditions of a construction site. By comparing the scan with the design model, it can directly reflect the actual on-site construction conditions, which is of great help for engineering inspection and related work. At the same time, for some ancient buildings, three-dimensional laser scanning technology can quickly and accurately produce electronic records and digital archive information, facilitating subsequent repair and renovation work. In addition, for construction conditions that are difficult to alter on site, real information can be obtained through three-dimensional laser scanning technology and used for the cutting of decorative components. The integration of BIM and 3D scanning involves comparing, converting, and coordinating the BIM model with the corresponding 3D scanning model, so as to assist in engineering quality inspection, rapid modeling, and reduced rework. It can solve many problems that traditional methods cannot.    

          

The integration of BIM and three-dimensional laser scanning technology is being applied more and more in the construction field, and it has important application value in construction quality inspection, assisting with actual quantity statistics, and steel structure pre-assembly. For example, comparing the results of three-dimensional laser scanning with the BIM model can check the differences between on-site construction and the model and drawings, helping to identify problems in on-site construction. In the traditional way, this requires staff to carry drawings and tape measures during on-site inspections, which is time-consuming and laborious.

          

For example, to solve the difficulty of calculating earthwork volumes during excavation, three-dimensional laser scanning can be performed after excavation, three-dimensional modeling can be carried out based on the point cloud data, and BIM software can be used to quickly measure the volume of the actual model and calculate the on-site foundation pit excavation volume. In addition, by comparing with the design model, other information such as the quality of foundation pit excavation can be intuitively understood.

          

The Shanghai Tower project introduced large-space three-dimensional laser scanning technology. By acquiring three-dimensional information of complex scene environments and spatial targets, it can quickly reconstruct the three-dimensional model of a target and data with three-dimensional coordinates such as lines, planes, volumes, and spaces, reproducing the true morphological features of the target object. At the same time, the point-cloud-based three-dimensional model was compared with the original design model to check on-site construction conditions; a model was built by collecting actual pipeline and keel data on site, providing a basis for further specialized design in late December. The combined application of BIM and 3D scanning technology not only improves the efficiency and accuracy of construction quality inspection but also provides a basis for the further design of disciplines such as decoration.

          

07 BIM+Virtual Reality    

          

Virtual reality, also called virtual environment or virtual reality environment, is a three-dimensional environment technology that integrates advanced computer technology, sensing and measurement technology, simulation technology, microelectronics, and more. It produces a realistic three-dimensional sensory environment of vision, hearing, touch, force, and so on, forming a virtual world. Virtual reality technology uses computers to perform visual operations on complex data. Compared with traditional human-computer interfaces and popular window-based operations, virtual reality represents a qualitative leap in technical thinking.

          

The idea behind BIM technology is to build a model information database covering the entire life cycle of a construction project, so as to achieve model-based information integration and sharing across different stages and disciplines. The integrated application of BIM and virtual reality technology includes virtual scene construction, construction progress simulation, simulation of complex local construction schemes, construction cost simulation, multi-dimensional model information simulation, and interactive scene walkthroughs. Its purpose is to use the BIM information database to assist virtual reality technology in better application throughout the entire project life cycle.

          

Combining BIM with virtual reality technology can improve the realism of simulation. Traditional two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations can only convey partial information about a building at a single scale. Using virtual reality technology, a vivid virtual building can be presented, allowing people to immerse themselves in it. In addition, any relevant information can be integrated into the virtual scene that is created, and multi-dimensional model information can be jointly simulated. It allows the relationships between various kinds of information and the model to be viewed in real time and from any angle, guiding design and construction and assisting supervision and related work.

          

The integrated application of BIM and virtual reality technology can effectively support project cost control. According to incomplete statistics, about 30% of the construction process of a project requires rework, with 60% of human resources and 10% of materials wasted. It is not hard to calculate that, in the vast construction industry, roughly one trillion yuan of capital is lost every year. Through the simulation of the construction process, the combined application of BIM and virtual reality technology determines the feasibility and reasonableness of a construction scheme before actual construction, reduces or avoids most design errors, conveniently analyzes the reasonableness of the construction scheme and process, and generates corresponding procurement plans and financial analyses. It identifies problems in design and construction in advance, promptly updates the attributes of design, budget, and schedule, and ensures the consistency and accuracy of data and information. The combined application of these two technologies can greatly reduce the inefficiency, waste, and rework that are common in the construction industry, shorten the time needed for project planning and budgeting, and improve the accuracy of plans and budgets.    

          

Combining BIM with virtual reality technology can effectively improve engineering quality. Before construction, a three-dimensional simulation of the construction process is demonstrated on the computer, which can identify and avoid various problems that may be encountered in actual construction, such as pipe collisions and component installation. This guides construction and helps formulate the optimal construction scheme, improving overall construction efficiency, ensuring engineering quality, and eliminating quality hazards as well as potential safety hazards. It also helps reduce construction cost and time consumption.

          

Combining BIM with virtual reality technology can improve the interactivity of simulation work. In a virtual three-dimensional scene, different construction schemes can be switched in real time, and different construction processes can be experienced from the same observation point or the same observation sequence, which helps compare the advantages and disadvantages of different schemes and determine the optimal one. At the same time, specific parts can be modified, and a real-time analytical comparison with the scheme can be made before modification. In addition, we can directly observe the three-dimensional virtual environment throughout the entire construction process, quickly identify anything unreasonable or erroneous, and avoid rework during construction.

          

The application of virtual construction technology in the field of building construction will be an inevitable trend. Virtual construction technology has broad application prospects in future design and construction and will surely push China's construction industry into a brand-new era.    

08 BIM+3D Printing

          

Three-dimensional printing technology is a rapid prototyping technology based on three-dimensional digital model files. It constructs objects through layer-by-layer printing or powder casting. It integrates advanced technologies such as digital modeling, electromechanical control, information technology, materials science, and chemistry.

          

The integrated application of BIM and 3D printing is mainly used in the design stage - for scheme display, review, and simulation analysis - where a 3D printer is used to produce small-scale prints of the BIM model. In the construction stage, 3D printers are used to print the BIM model directly into physical components and entire buildings, partially replacing traditional construction techniques for building structures. The combined application of BIM and 3D printing can be described as the union of two revolutionary technologies, which opens a 'highway' for the process of turning a building from a design scheme into a physical object and provides a more effective solution for the processing and manufacture of complex components. At present, BIM-based overall three-dimensional printing of buildings, BIM and 3D printing-based complex components, and BIM and 3D printing-based physical model display of construction schemes are the three modes of the combined application of BIM and 3D printing technology.

          

BIM-based three-dimensional printing of an entire building. The building is designed using BIM, and the design model is used to print the whole building through a dedicated 3D printer. Constructing houses with three-dimensional printing technology can effectively reduce labor costs and produces no dust or construction waste during the process. It is a green, environmentally friendly technology that has clear advantages over traditional techniques in terms of energy saving, consumption reduction, and environmental protection.

          

Complex components are produced based on BIM and 3D printing. Traditional manufacturing processes for complex parts are heavily influenced by human factors, so deviations in accuracy and appearance are inevitable. A 3D printer is controlled by a computer, so as long as there is data support, any complex, irregularly shaped component can be manufactured quickly and accurately. By integrating BIM and 3D printing technology to produce complex components, there is no longer any need for complex processes, measures, or molds - only the BIM model of the component needs to be sent to the 3D printer. Complex parts can then be printed in a short time, shortening the processing cycle, reducing costs, and achieving high accuracy. It can guarantee the geometric shape, dimensional accuracy, and physical quality of complex irregular components.    

          

Physical model demonstration of construction schemes based on BIM and 3D printing. The miniature model of a construction scheme produced by 3D printing can help construction personnel understand the content of the scheme more intuitively. It does not need to rely on a computer or other hardware devices for carrying and display, and it can be observed from a full 360-degree perspective, overcoming the shortcomings of 3D pictures and three-dimensional videos that can only be viewed from a single angle.

          

As various technologies develop, the integration of BIM and 3D printing technology will solve many technical problems. The prices of 3D printers and printing materials are also becoming more reasonable. Lower application costs will expand the scope of 3D printing applications and raise the level of automation in the construction industry. Although 3D-printed buildings do not have the advantages of industrial prefabricated production in terms of the efficiency and economy of mass-producing ordinary civil buildings, they have clear advantages in individualized and small-scale construction. With the rise of the personalized custom-building market, 3D-printed buildings have very broad market prospects in this field.

          

          

          

END

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