BIM for Facilities Management (BIM for FM) is a relatively new and growing topic of inquiry aiming to fulfil the informational needs of the operational phase of assets within increasingly digitalised ...project workflows. Research into the management of structured (i.e. graphical and non-graphical) and unstructured data (i.e. documents) has largely focused on design and construction phases. Information management in facilities management and maintenance is still challenged by the lack of a structured framework that can simultaneously fulfil these three capabilities: (1) the delivery of information models (i.e. Asset Information Models) from distributed data sources; (2) the validation of these information models against the requirements; and (3) the use of their information in facilities management (e.g. operation and maintenance). This research aims to develop and test a framework and a prototype Common Data Environment (CDE) to achieve these three capabilities.
The framework and the developed CDE are entirely based on use open standards and integration of existing technologies. A requirements model, underpinning the framework and the CDE was developed during three iterative stages of interviews –in line with the adopted Grounded Theory and Design Science Research methodologies– with industry experts and through a three-stage coding process at each iteration. The framework and the CDE were tested in pilot demonstrations with a use case focused on preventive and reactive maintenance. The testing demonstrated that the implementation of ‘BIM for FM’ processes is feasible with the proposed framework and CDE relying entirely on open standards and existing technologies. Some additional requirements for BIM for FM processes were also identified during the verification sessions with industry and are proposed for future research.
•We established a requirements model for implementing BIM for Facilities Management•We developed a framework for specification, production and validation of information•We developed a Common Data Environment using open standards and existing technologies•We succesfully tested the framework and the CDE with industry experts•We identified gaps in the requirement models and future areas of development
•Propose a blockchain-enabled CDE (BECDE) framework allowing BIM metadata compliance checking.•Establish an ISO 19650 knowledge graph to represent knowledge concerning metadata regulation in BIM ...collaboration.•Develop SWRL reasoning algorithms to generate compliance checking rules (CCRs) based on the knowledge graph.•Develop three smarter smart contract (SSC) algorithms integrating the CCRs in BECDE framework.•Results show that the correctness of BIM metadata stored on blockchain has been improved.
Blockchain technology is gaining increasing attention in BIM-based collaboration to enhance BIM security (e.g., traceability, integrity, and immutability). Due to the block size limitation, most existing BIM-blockchain interactions focus on recording BIM metadata (or attributes) on the blockchain. However, verifying the correctness or compliance of the input metadata is often overlooked, resulting in the sharing of incorrect versions, disputes over data ownership, and corrupted documents. Two research gaps have been identified: (1) a lack of domain knowledge for metadata compliance checking in BIM collaborative design and (2) an absence of methods to perform compliance checking when interacting with blockchain. Therefore, this paper proposes a blockchain-enabled common data environment (BECDE) framework that leverages a knowledge graph (KG) and smart contract technology. This framework makes three contributions to the body of knowledge: (1) It explores the mechanism of integrating KG with smart contracts and the CDE workflow to enable compliance checking in a distributed blockchain environment. Within this framework, two essential technical elements—compliance checking rules (CCRs) and “smarter” smart contracts (SSCs)—are identified. (2) It establishes the KG of the ISO 19650 standards to generate CCRs and develops Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) algorithms to convert the natural-language-based CCRs into blockchain-readable rules. (3) It develops SSC algorithms by incorporating CCRs to automate checking BIM metadata compliance before appending them to the blockchain. The BECDE framework is validated in three actual project BIM design scenarios, with results showing that (1) the SSCs outperform existing BIM smart contracts by improving the quality of input data within the blockchain and (2) the computing performances of the SSCs—with latency at the millisecond level and throughput around 250 transactions per second—meet the requirements of BIM-based collaboration. By integrating domain knowledge into a blockchain, the BECDE framework facilitates a trustworthy BIM environment where project members can rely on both data security and quality.
USE OF THE CDE ENVIRONMENT IN TEAM COLLABORATION IN BIM Borkowski, Andrzej Szymon; Brożyna, Jakub; Litwin, Joanna ...
Informatyka, automatyka, pomiary w gospodarce i ochronie środowiska,
12/2023, Volume:
13, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
In project processes, group collaboration and project documentation management are important aspects. In order for the cooperation of all project participants to be effective, it should be based ...first and foremost on adequate and effective communication. All project participants should use such solutions so that they can exchange, manage and combine information quickly and efficiently throughout the entire investment process, thus providing a complete picture of the situation. To this end, it is necessary to develop a catalogue of good practices supported by a variety of examples, as well as rules for group cooperation when using a CDE-type solution. The aim of this article was to show the advantages and benefits as well as the disadvantages and limitations in group collaboration when working on a single BIM model.
Existing platforms for collaborative BIM design have a centralized system architecture, which suffers cybersecurity risks of design data manipulation and denial of access, leading to a loss of data ...traceability, a decline in design productivity, and project delays. Blockchain is a promising technology to solve such risks by providing decentralized and immutable data storage. However, integrating blockchain with BIM faces a problem that blockchain is inherently unsuitable for storing large-sized design files like BIM models, hindering blockchain from protecting BIM data integrity. Therefore, this paper proposes a distributed common data environment (DCDE) framework for BIM-based design leveraging two distributed technologies: blockchain and Interplanetary File System (IPFS). The DCDE framework guarantees irreversible design changes storage using blockchain while secures design file storage using IPFS. A blockchain transaction data model and a smart contract are also developed within the framework to support DCDE functionalities. Lastly, framework applicability and performance are tested in an illustrative design example. Results show that: (1) DCDE is a feasible solution for secure design collaboration, and (2) DCDE latency (in millisecond-level), TPS (60 transactions per second), and storage cost (12.5 KB per day) are within an acceptable range.
•A distributed common data environment (DCDE) framework is proposed using blockchain and IPFS technologies.•An original transaction data model compliant with ISO 19650 standards is developed for recording design changes.•A smart contract algorithm is developed for design transactions sharing and querying.•The proposed DCDE framework is deployed in a design example to illustrate its feasibility and performance.•Results show that the proposed DCDE is a promising solution for secure decentralized design collaboration.
Managing versions of data for building information modeling (BIM) data is critical for design collaboration, especially with multiple disciplines involved where each team has specific data ...requirements and design procedures. However, existing version control approaches are still inefficient for two limitations: (1) lacking an efficient data structure for managing version dependencies among multi-disciplinary BIM models and (2) risking data manipulation due to a centralized versioning architecture that may lead to reworking, losing design traceability and raising disputes. Blockchain technology is an emerging and promising solution for version management as it provides a decentralized, immutable, and traceable database paradigm. Hence, this paper proposes a blockchain-aided solution for secure and efficient BIM versioning with three major innovations. Firstly, a two-layer container common data environment (TLCCDE) model integrating blockchain and Interplanetary File System (IPFS) is developed to illustrate an overall logic for BIM versioning in a distributed environment. Secondly, a smart contract swarm (SCS) is developed to automate versioning actions in the TLCCDE. Thirdly, a novel multi-branch structure (MBS) with efficient algorithms is designed to simultaneously manage version change continuity, issue attachment, and dependency compliance. The proposed TLCCDE model is evaluated and validated in design scenarios based on a real-world project. Results show that: (1) the TLCCDE model is workable in BIM versioning; (2) TLCCDE computing performance metrics, including SCS latency and throughput, as well as MBS latency and scalability, are all validated to be practical; and (3) the TLCCDE outperforms existing versioning approaches by augmenting dependency automation and versioning cybersecurity.
•Proposes a two-layer container common data environment (TLCCDE) model for secure BIM versioning.•Develops a smart contract swarm (SCS) to automate version change activities in a blockchain.•Develops a multi-branch structure (MBS) for efficient management of BIM version branches.•Validates security performance of SCS and computational efficiency of MBS algorithm.•Results show the TLCCDE enables efficient and secure versioning and outperforms existing solutions.
The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is transitioning toward using cloud-based Common Data Environments (CDEs) with interlinked BIM models. A CDE that engages all ...stakeholders of the building's design, construction, and operation phases represents the outset of BIM maturity level 3. This article introduces a CDE called Virtual Commissioning (VC), capable of commissioning an HVAC system before the physical commissioning of the HVAC system. The FSC diagram is introduced, to represent an HVAC BIM model within the VC CDE, and the Revit to FSC exporter, to serialize an HVAC object model from Revit to the FSC diagram. Three microservices were developed to exemplify the ease of developing independently scalable solutions for the VC CDE. Furthermore, the article proves that Modelica simulations can be run, using the microservice architecture of the CDE. To test the robustness of the system architecture for the CDE, two example models were introduced, one simple and one with a high level of complexity. Transferring the example models from Revit to the VC CDE was successful. Finally, in the roadmap for future development, it is proposed that future work should focus on using the CDE for advanced hydraulic simulations, using Modelica and Spawn-of-EnergyPlus.
•The AEC industry needs to use common data environments (CDE) to raise the BIM level to 3•We introduce a common data environment called Virtual Commissioning (VC) which includes a centralized BIM database•There is a need to describe a flow system through an object model•Microservice architecture is used to make scalable web-based applications•A research roadmap points out paths for future developments building on the VC CDE
Collaboration and communication are two essential aspects of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Current practice and international standards implement BIM collaboration on the basis of domain model ...federation where loosely coupled models are managed as separated files and coordinated in a mostly manual fashion. The concept has severe limitations regarding concurrency and version control, as the granularity of change tracking remains on the level of complete files and does not reach individual model objects. Due to this lack of change traceability, high manual effort for the subsequent coordination across the domains is generated. These limitations can be overcome by implementing modern approaches of digital collaboration based on object-level synchronization, widely denoted as BIM level 3. This paper presents a sound methodological basis for object-based version control by (1) representing the object networks of BIM models as formal property graph structures and (2) describing changes of the model by graph transformations. Consequently, modifications can be transmitted as graph transformation rules which are subsequently integrated on the receiving side, thus achieving object-level synchronization. The paper provides the underlying theory of describing model changes by means of graph transformations and demonstrates its benefits using the example of domain models implementing the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) as their underlying data model.
The design process in construction projects is iterative and multi-disciplinary in nature. In today’s industry practice, several discipline experts concurrently author multiple versions and design ...variants of BIM models and share them at frequent intervals. Applying a sound version control methodology can significantly enhance automation, enabling the coordination and combination of these model versions into consistent overall models with less extensive manual effort. This paper introduces a diff-and-patch mechanism for transferring changes between model versions, facilitating object-level change tracking using graph representations of BIM model data, and specifically focuses on merging diverging versions through the application of graph transformations. The mechanisms for executing branching and merging of model versions are thoroughly explained and showcased through various illustrative scenarios. The presented method adheres to the established principles of federated BIM collaboration but equips the participating parties with additional means to automate the combination of various model versions, allowing them to focus on the relevant conflicts. The proposed methodology of graph-based version control unlocks the potential of analyzing interdisciplinary dependencies across partial models and enables the more efficient resolution of conflicting model versions.
•A proposal for an optimistic concurrency framework including branching and merging.•An overview of a graph-based version control system for BIM models.•A diff-and-patch approach that exchanges only the incremental modifications applied to BIM models.•The conditions under which diverging model stages can merge without any conflicts.•An outline of how the presented approach can be facilitated in future BIM workflows.
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