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Towards a Reference Architecture for BIM (Building Information Model) Integration in the Construction Industry

Bosdriesz, Y. L. (2018) Towards a Reference Architecture for BIM (Building Information Model) Integration in the Construction Industry.

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Abstract:Traditionally, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry relies heavily on the use of paper-based communication. This is a major source of errors resulting in extra costs, delay, friction and even lawsuits in the construction process, since AEC projects typically involve complex communication-intensive processes across multiple organizations. In the past years, Building information modelling (BIM) has been hailed as the solution to help with many of these problems. BIM is one of the most promising recent developments in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Using this technology it is possible to digitally construct a virtual model of a building. BIM has proven to provide various benefits, but also faces some barriers during its adoption. The biggest barriers we’ve found were the high knowledge requirements, and thus training costs, and difficulties integrating different BIM platforms. This leads to a proposed reference architecture and data platform to help overcome these barriers of Building Information Modeling (BIM) adoption by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry and to support digital transformation and transition to smart industry. The reference architecture focusses on keeping the traditional application landscape intact (therefore reducing training costs) and simplifying BIM integrations by adhering to the industry wide standard for BIM models: the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). The architecture is prototyped using eMagiz Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS), BIMServer and Mendix. We provide science and practice alike with an example of a functioning, process-wide BIM integration. By reducing the two biggest barriers identified in literature, namely Required Training and Knowledge (by allowing users to work without BIM without having to learn everything about it) and Software and Integration issues (by creating an open integration based on existing standards and simplifying the integration tasks), the reference architecture will hopefully increase BIM adoption.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
Subject:54 computer science, 56 civil engineering, 85 business administration, organizational science
Programme:Business Information Technology MSc (60025)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/76656
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