Application of data-driven methods for multidisciplinary design coordination through avoidance

Abstract

Achieving efficacy and economy is an ongoing pursuit for the construction industry. However, obstacles within Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based multidisciplinary coordination, coupled with a significant number of detected clashes in the federated model, impede the optimization of BIM-based practices and hinder the collaborative benefits derived from this technology. As the first step in resolving this problem, different groups of researchers have pointed out the most impactful obstacles to BIM coordination and the causes of clashes. Other investigators have recommended different approaches for mitigating the identified obstacles and causes of clashes. This work constitutes the natural next step for increasing efficiency in the construction industry and identifying the most effective solution framework to avoid these coordination obstacles, thus reducing the number of clashes to be resolved. Consolidated overviews of solution frameworks were formulated so as to draw connections between the obstacles and causes of clashes, their solutions, and the phases of BIM coordination where they have the most expected effect. The next step of this work is verifying whether the proposed frameworks apply to the construction industry in its current state. This is necessary to ensure that any proactive avoidance strategy implemented based on the proposed framework will be optimally impactful for the industry. This thesis validates the proposed frameworks presented in previous works, using BIM experts’ opinions. Industry experts confirm that the importance of the application of lessons learned and best practices during the earliest phases of BIM coordination is paramount for clash avoidance. Furthermore, the design rules and best practices derived from the BIM experts promise to reduce the number of clashes in the BIM model creation phase. Drawing on expert opinions, this study introduces an integrated rule-based assistance system designed for BIM authoring tools. The purpose is to aid designers in identifying and resolving clashes during the creation of BIM models. The work outlines the proposed framework and presents a prototype constructed to assess the effectiveness of this innovative solution. This study is the first of its kind that seeks the opinions of experienced BIM professionals regarding design rules and best practices to avoid clashes in BIM coordination. The proposed rule-based clash avoidance system contributes tremendously to the existing body of knowledge regarding clash management and sheds light on the relatively less explored proactive clash avoidance approach in BIM-based coordination.

Date	9 Apr 2024
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	Ivanka Iordanova (Supervisor) & Omar Doukari (Co-supervisor)