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Jiang, Xinan, "Developments in cost estimating and scheduling in bim technology" (2011). Civil Engineering Master's Theses. Paper 20.
http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20002392
Approved for Thesis Requirement of the Master of Science Degree in Civil &
Environmental Engineering
A Thesis Presented
by
Xinan Jiang
to
Master of Science
in
in the field of
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
August 2011
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Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................... 3
List of Figures ................................................................................................................ 5
List of Tables .................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 7
1.1 What is BIM? ....................................................................................................... 8
1.2 Current and Projected Status of BIM ................................................................... 9
Chapter 2 Background ................................................................................................. 12
2.1 BIM Capabilities ................................................................................................ 12
2.2 BIM Tools ........................................................................................................... 25
2.3 BIM Application Areas ....................................................................................... 30
Chapter 3 BIM and Construction Management ........................................................... 33
3.1 Project Scheduling in BIM ................................................................................. 33
3.2 Cost Estimating in BIM ...................................................................................... 42
3.3 Dealing with Electronic and Paper-based CAD Drawings ................................. 47
Chapter 4: A Case Study using BIM ............................................................................ 50
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 50
4.2 Cost Estimating .................................................................................................. 53
4.3 Construction Scheduling .................................................................................... 58
4.3 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 63
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Future Work .................................................................... 64
5.1 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 64
5.2 Future Work ........................................................................................................ 64
References .................................................................................................................... 70
Appendices ................................................................................................................... 77
Appendix 1 Floor Plans of the Building Model ....................................................... 77
Appendix 2 RS Means .............................................................................................. 79
Appendix 3 Interface of Autodesk Quantity Takeoff™ 2011 ................................... 81
Appendix 4 Quantity Takeoff List ............................................................................ 82
Appendix 5 Interface of Autodesk Revit Architecture™ 2011 ................................ 84
Appendix 6 Interfaces of Autodesk Navisworks™ 2011 ......................................... 85
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Abstract
building and its related information, which provides a virtual view of the objects in
the building with physical geometry (2D or 3D) and other functional parameters.
represent the objects by both physical and functional parameters. Diverse BIM tools
In this thesis, diverse BIM tools and applications have been introduced with an
scheduling in BIM have been presented: i) BIM tools with 4D capacity, and ii) use of
4D BIM tool to link the 3D BIM model with the project schedule. For the cost
estimating capability, three types of available methods have been discussed: i) export
the Quantity Takeoff (QTO) list from the BIM tool to the estimating software such as
MS Excel, ii) link BIM components to estimating software, and iii) use QTO tool to
extract the QTO list from the model. Based on the available methods, a case study is
presented to illustrate the scheduling and cost estimating processes in BIM based on
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The case study shows that BIM does enhance the traditional scheduling and cost
estimating methods with a more reliable and automated technology. Based on the
reviews on BIM and the case study, the thesis finds out that there are three areas of
potential development in the future: i) higher levels of detail (LOD) in BIM model
will be available as BIM technology develops, ii) linking time and cost parameters
financial analysis, and iii) allocation of resources on 4D BIM model to analyze and
plan the resource usage based on the most updated design, and even simulate the
resource allocation.
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List of Figures
Figure 1 Lifecycle of a building ................................................................................................ 8
Figure 4 The elevation view of an office building in Revit Architecture™ 2011 ................... 16
Figure 6 Percentages of market share of BIM tools which are used by construction firms .... 26
Figure 8 The objects are linked with the defined phases in Revit Architecture 2011 ............. 38
......................................................................................................................................... 42
Figure 11 Generation of BIM model from paper drawing using Dprofiler ............................. 49
Figure 13 Export the building model from Revit Architecture into Autodesk™ QTO ........... 54
Figure 14 The QTO list has been generated by Autodesk™ QTO 2011 ................................. 55
Figure 15 The QTO list shown in excel with the cost data added ........................................... 56
Figure 18 Three gantt chart views can be selected based on the user’s preference................. 60
Figure 20 Overall layout for the proposed financial analysis by integrating cost and schedule
......................................................................................................................................... 68
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List of Tables
Table 1 Common exchange formats in AEC applications ....................................................... 22
Table 7 Model cost calculated for a 2-4 story office building ............................................... 57
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Chapter 1 Introduction
technology provides users with accurate and consistent building data and information,
accommodates the functions needed to model the building and provides a virtual view
of the building model. Building Information models are also increasingly used by
Contractors and Engineers (Fig. 1). As a key part in the project lifecycle, contractors
play an important role in making sure the project will be delivered on time and within
the budget. This thesis will show how BIM technology will benefit contractors for
schedule and cost controls. It begins with a general introduction of BIM technology
and the different ways it works compared with traditional CAD (Computer Aided
Design) method, and continues with evaluation of BIM tools. It then explains the uses
of Scheduling and Cost Estimating in BIM respectively and provides a case study to
show how BIM can work for cost estimating and project scheduling with the available
BIM model. In the last part, the thesis will provide areas of potential development
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Figure 1 Lifecycle of a building (Adapted from: Autodesk Revit brochure 2010)
representation of all the physical and functional characteristics of a building and its
information for the building owner/operator to use and maintain throughout the
virtual view of the objects in the building with physical geometry (2D or 3D) and
compose these BIM objects together to define a building model, and this model
incorporates both physical and functional information stored in the BIM objects. Once
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the building model is completed, all the information can be generated by users for
fabricating, analyzing, construction scheduling (4D BIM) and cost estimating (5D
BIM), and eventually, for facility management during operation phase of the building
lifecycle.
adopted broadly across the construction industry by different users. McGraw Hill
Productivity in 2008 (Young et al. 2008). The report is based on the comprehensive
The goal of the report was to determine the perceptions of BIM adoption,
BIM within the interviewers’ firms. Young et al. (2008) distributed a questionnaire
States. The result of the survey was published in the report on BIM use in the AEC
industry in 2008 and projections for 2009. In the report, BIM users are divided into
four groups: very heavy users are using BIM technology in more than 60% of their
projects, heavy users are using BIM technology in more than 31% of their projects
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and so forth as the percentage gets smaller and smaller (See in Fig. 2). The results of
the survey show that in 2008 roughly one-third (35%) of BIM users were very heavy
users, one-third (27%) were medium to heavy users, and one-third (38%) were light
rapid—nearly half of all current adopters (45%) will become heavy users of BIM in
2009, using it on at least 60% of their projects—a 10 point increase over the previous
year (Young et al. 2008). An architect from the American Institute of Architects (AIA),
Markku Allison, has witnessed this rapid adoption of BIM in recent years: "At our
2005 convention, the opening plenary session was about BIM, and of the nearly 4,000
architects in the room we got the impression that 85% had never even heard of BIM.
Now when we go on the road, everyone knows what BIM is and the audience can
Figure 2 Market growth in BIM use on projects (Adapted from Young et al. 2008)
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Sophisticated owners are beginning to demand BIM and to change traditional routines
to enable it. U.S. Army Corps Engineers (USACE), one of the largest landowners and
the largest building owner in the United States, has made a long-term system-wide
responsible for the construction of federal buildings in the United States, demands the
institutions. Economic benefits of BIM attract all the stakeholders including owners to
adopt it for their buildings. As an example of application areas for BIM use, 424
construction firms were ask to choose a specific project in BIM and answer the
questions of a survey conducted by Burcin and Samara in 2010. The results showed
that among the selected projects, 76.6% are commercial building projects, 18.5% are
residential building projects and others are industrial facility, transportation, and
power station projects (Burcin and Samara 2010). Indeed, heavy engineering and
process industries also have relied on 3D BIM Modeling for over a decade (Eastman
et al. 2008).
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Chapter 2 Background
mode and even to 4D model (scheduling) and 5D model (cost estimating) with a
and interoperability facilitate this evolution process, which will be explained in detail
in this section.
width, length and height of an object. In BIM, there are different kinds of 3D
and Plumbing) and site/civil models, 2) Construction model – breaking the design
A 4D BIM model links the 3D elements with the project delivery timeline to
5D model links the cost data with the Quantity Takeoff (QTO) list, which is
generated from the 3D model, to deliver more accurate project cost estimation.
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2.1.1
The 3D modeling capability in Computer Aided Design (CAD) was first developed in
early 1980s, and this 3D modeling capability is also recognized as one of the
object-based parametric modeling. Other than basic physical dimensions of the object,
As the starter in 3D modeling technology, CAD models are recognized as the digital
depict the shapes and dimensions with specifications by assembling lines into solid
models. In other words, CAD objects are models with basic parameters—geometrical
CAD. The objects can be clearly classified by different colors in the design—yellow
lines for exterior walls and blue lines for windows. The windows are defined in the
layer named “Window” and colored “Blue” in order to distinguish the “Window”
1
Computer Aided Design (CAD): also known as computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), is the use of
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from other objects—users may use other colors to make the objects be more easily
identified. However, the color and the name only represent the shape and the category
It is well known that the drawings from the architects are the most basic documents in
the building lifecycle, and changes made in architectural drawings will always come
with the changes in the following activities. MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and
Plumbing) and Structural design, cost estimating and scheduling, and all the other
CAD, every aspect of element’s geometry must be edited manually, and it will take
substantial amount of time to conduct these changes, while some errors and omissions
may occur in this process. For example, a wall in CAD is defined by length, width and
height, and if any of these three parameters is changed, the other two should be
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changed manually. In other words, once the parameter of the object needs to be
changed, all the other related parameters should be manually edited and reassembled
on demand.
BIM Objects
represent the objects by parameters and associated rules that describe the geometry
manufacturer, vendor and any other related parameter associated with how the object
is actually being used. Compared to Figure 3, Figure 4 also shows an elevation view
of a building, but this building design is shown as a BIM model, and the differences
are clearly shown: 1st, the windows in the design are not formed by colored
lines—they are recognized as the objects named “window” in the design; 2nd, the
properties of the window information are also shown in the design such as materials,
easily edited by changing the values in the “Properties” window (Fig. 4). In other
words, BIM objects are geometric models which will also tell how the objects can
work. Instead of assembling lines into a solid model, designer defines a model family
or Uniformat with a set of associated rules and data to control the parameters. The
rules will be defined as attached to, parallel to, and distance from, which allow the
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objects to be automatically updated if design changes are entered into the related
objects models in the building model. BIM technology facilitates the design change
process, since the changes can be updated automatically and shared within the
building lifecycle (shown in Fig. 1). It reduces the errors and omissions which may
Properties
of the
window
Figure 4 The elevation view of an office building in Revit Architecture™ 2011 (Adapted from
Autodesk Revit Architecture)
BIM tools have object-based parametric models under the object families such as
doors, walls, components and others. These predefined models can be modified and
then applied to building designs directly. In addition to that, some websites such as
models which are available for download. Figure 5 shows the interface of the
Revitcity. In the left column, BIM objects are categorized according to CSI
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Masterformat 03. In Figure 5, the “03 50 00 Precast Concrete” is chosen and the
available objects are listed on the right side of the interface. The Precast Column,
Precast Concrete Splash Block, etc. are available for users to download. As BIM
technology develops, more predefined BIM object models will be available for
download in the future, and the website such as Revitcity.com will become a huge
BIM model database. Other than that, this open database encourages product
manufacturers can utilize this public platform to show potential customers their own
products. Thus the designers can use more predefined BIM object models instead of
designing the BIM objects by themselves and this will save more time for designers;
also the website may work as a platform for BIM users to share the models they have.
Figure 5 The interface of Revitcity for downloading object models (Adapted from Revitcity)
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2.1.2 INTEROPERABILITY
functions and no BIM tools can support all the functions needed at all stages of the
since other than architectural design of the building, there are structural and
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) design, energy analysis, fabrication, cost
estimation, scheduling and other related activities. Each activity requires a different
software application to support its function, thus data exchange at the software level is
quite essential. According to Eastman et al. (2008), four ways are defined in which
Direct links between specific BIM tools utilize the middleware interfacing
binary-interface programming languages link BIM tools accessible to each other for
sharing data and information in the building model. The exchanged information from
the building model is accessible for export, modification and deletion. The
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middleware interface often supports the software tool better and can exchange the
information between software tools more directly, thus software vendors prefer to
choose the direct link approach. However, this interface is often designed for two
software tools from different software vendors, and it will be robust for the functions
the interface is designed for; furthermore, the interface requires the agreements
between the software vendors. Once the agreements are broken, the interface will not
Proprietary exchange file format is a file-based data exchange method. The file
software product. For example, Data Exchange Format (DXF) is one of the best
et al. 2008, Eastman et al. 2010, and Arayici et al. 2011). Other proprietary exchange
file formats such as SAT, ACIS, STL and 3DS are also developed by the commercial
organizations to address the functions of their software. The proprietary exchange file
formats are developed by the software company for specific purposes, and the
limitation of this exchange format is that it may only be compatible with its own
software tool. However, the development of this exchange format is more complicated,
Public level exchange formats are using open standard exchanging models which are
fabrication (Eastman et al. 2008, IFCwiki 2009, Edwin 2010, Lee et al. 2011).
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Currently, more than a dozen BIM software tools are supporting IFC models such as
Similar to IFC, CIS/2 is also supporting many BIM software tools such as
2008). The IFC and CIS/2 are developed based on the open formats and international
standards. According to NIBS (NIBS 2007), the IFC data model has become the
international standard for data exchange in the building construction industry. These
formats enhance the interoperability between diverse software tools and integrate the
BIM model standard. The limitation is that the BIM model must follow the same
transport and store data (Refsnes 2009). XML structure which is called schema can
support the data exchange between different applications, and most of them are
desktop applications. The XML Schema was developed as an alternative to full scale
IFC models to simplify data exchanges between various AEC applications and to
mostly used for small amounts of business data exchange between two applications
and is not powerful enough for complex information exchange (Eastman et al. 2008,
Refsnes 2009).
Using these open standards, BIM tools can export the intended file format which can
be imported and read by another software tool. In Table 1, the common exchange
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file formats with their main usage. These include Image formats for pixel data, 2D
Vector formats for line drawings, 3D Surface and Shape formats for 3D drawings, 3D
Object Exchange formats for 3D models, various Game formats for different
animation purposes, GIS formats for geographical information and XML format for
business data. For example, an estimator intends to use Autodesk Quantity Takeoff™
to generate the quantity takeoff list from a building model designed by Revit
Architecture. The default format of the design is RVT which is not one of the file
Architecture™ allows users to export the drawing with different file formats, such as
DWG, DXF, or DWF. Thus, the estimator can export the drawing with the intended
file format and then import the file into Autodesk Quantity Takeoff to generate the
accurate takeoff list. For supported file formats in different BIM software, more
The interoperability of BIM allows users to pass a more complete and accurate
building model from computer applications used by one organization to another with
less errors and omissions. Thus all the involved organizations can share the consistent
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Table 1 Common exchange formats in AEC applications (Adapted from Eastman et al. 2008)
Image (Raster) formats Descriptions
JPG, GIF, TIF, BMP, PIC, PNG, Raster formats vary in terms of compactness, number
RAW, TGA, RLE of possible colors per pixel, some compress with some
data loss
2D Vector formats Descriptions
DXF, DWG, AI, CGM, EMF, Vector formats vary regarding compactness, line
IGS, WMF, DGN widths and pattern control, color, layering and types of
curves supported
3D Surface and Shape formats Descriptions
3DS, WRL, STL, IGS, SAT, 3D surface and shape formats vary according to the
DXF, DWG, OBJ, DGN, types of surfaces and edges represented, whether they
PDF(3D), XGL, EWF, U3D, represent surfaces and/or solids, any material
IPT, PTS properties of the shape (color, image bitmap, texture
map) or viewpoint information
3D Object Exchange formats Descriptions
STP, EXP, CIS/2 Product data model formats represent geometry
according to the 2D or 3D types represents. They also
carry object properties and relations between objects.
Game formats Descriptions
RWQ, X, GOF, FACT Game file formats vary according to the types of
surfaces, whether they carry hierarchical structure,
types of material properties, texture and bump map
parameters, animation and skinning
GIS formats Descriptions
SHP, SHX, DBF, DEM, NED Geographical information system formats
XML formats Descriptions
AexXML, Obix, AEX, bcXML, XML schemas developed for the exchange of building
AGCxml, IFCxml data. They vary according to the information
exchanged and the workflows supported.
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2.1.3 LEVEL OF DETAIL
According to Bedrick (2008), Level of Detail (LOD) of BIM models are defined as
“the steps through which a BIM element can logically progress from the lowest level
levels of detail are determined to describe the BIM models, which are named from
Fabrication and As-built. Table 2 provides LOD definitions in different project phases
(Bedrick 2008, Leite et al. 2010). As the project progresses, the LOD of the models
will be going to a higher level and the richness of the information will also be
improved. It requires the cooperation among all parties involved in the project such as
architects, estimators and schedules. Each party will embed the information in the
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Table 2 LOD definitions (Adapted from Bedrick 2008, Leite et al. 2010)
Project Phase LOD 100 LOD 200 LOD 300 LOD 400 LOD 500
Design Non- Three Specific Shop As built
geometric dimension-generic elements with drawing/fabric
line, areas or elements dimensions, ation with
volume capacities manufacture,
zones and space installation
relationships and other
specified
information
Scheduling Total project Time-scaled, Time-scaled Fabrication
construction ordered ordered and assembly
duration appearance of appearance of detail
major activities detailed including
assemblies construction
means and
methods
Cost Conceptual Estimated cost Estimated Committed As-built cost
Estimation cost based on cost based on purchase price
estimation measurement of measurement of specific
generic element of specific assembly at
assembly buyout
Energy Strategy and Conceptual design Approximate Precise Commissioning
Analysis performance based on geometry simulation simulation and recording
criteria and assumed based on of measured
based on system types specific performance
volumes and information
areas
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2.2 BIM Tools
As BIM evolves into one of the most advanced technologies in construction industry,
more software developers are applying their products into the prospective area in BIM.
A survey conducted by Burcin and Samara (2010) of 424 construction firms in United
States shows that various BIM tools have already been adopted in the construction
industry. Figure 6 shows the market share of various BIM tools which are used by
these 424 construction firms. Autodesk BIM tools are the most widely used BIM
solutions in U.S with 54% of those construction firms using them; Graphisoft
ArchiCAD™ follows with 10.7% and Bentley BIM tools with 8%. Tekla and Vico
BIM tools are utilized by 6.5% and 5.8% of the construction firms based on the survey.
The other software tools such as Innovaya™, Dprofiler™, Vectorworks™, etc. are
also being utilized by a small portion of the construction firms (Burcin et al. 2010).
The software tools have been used in different phases during the project lifecycle such
Estimating, Scheduling, and File Sharing & Collaboration. The purchase of the
software package is different from regular purchases, since the buyers need to
consider the capabilities of each software tool in the package. This section provides
general information about BIM software packages which are widely adopted by users.
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Figure 6 Percentages of market share of BIM tools which are used by construction firms
(Adapted from Burcin and Samara 2010)
Autodesk
According to Young et al. (2008), Autodesk™ BIM software package is the best
known and most popular among BIM users—93% of building stakeholders have
heard about it and 73% are using this package. According to Burcin and Samara
(2010), 54% of the respondents (contractors in the case of this survey) are using
Architecture™ was introduced to the industry in 2002 for the architectural design
purpose and was quickly adopted by most architecture firms who were using BIM
technology. After years of development, the Revit package has evolved into a product
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which can support multiple functions during the construction process—Revit
Architecture™ for architectural design, Revit MEP™ for electrical engineering and
plumbing design and Revit Structure™ for structural design. For the schedule and
cost controls, Autodesk has Navisworks™ which allows users to simulate and manage
the construction process and Autodesk Quantity Takeoff Software that supports cost
estimating function. Other than these, Autodesk™ also developed software tools such
as Autodesk 3ds Max for model visualization and Autodesk™ Inventor for data
exchange to benefit the users from higher control level. Most of the software tools
from Autodesk™ can support multiple file formats which include: DGN, DWG, DWF,
DXF, IFC, SAT, SKP, AVI, ODBC, gbXML, BMP, JPG, TGA, and TIF. The multiple
file formats supporting function allows these software to be compatible with products
from other software developers. Autodesk™ also provides free trial versions of the
Graphisoft
Graphisoft is one of the earliest companies to market BIM capabilities. Its main
architectural CAD system running on the Apple Macintosh (Eastman et al. 2008).
Today, ArchiCAD™ can serve both Apple Platform and Windows. One special feature
enhanced with gravity, layer control, fly-mode, egress recognition and pre-saved
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energy analysis function on its BIM model. ArchiCAD supports a range of direct
interfaces: Maxon for curved surface modeling and animation, ArchiFM™ for facility
management and Sketchup™ for 3D sketching. It also contains object libraries for
another key product from Graphisoft, the extension to ArchiCAD™, which is used for
MEP modeling pipes, fittings, ducts, and others. Graphisoft embeds large object
libraries in its product. However, the software tools have some limitations in
is not supported. The company offers free trials and education opportunities to its
potential users.
Bentley
Bentley is another major software company that offers products for architecture,
Architecture™, introduced in 2004, can be integrated with other software tools such
Project Wise Navigator. Bentley offers a broad range of BIM software tools which are
involved in almost all stages of building lifecycle. Its products can deal with almost
all aspects of AEC industries such as Bridge design and engineering, Building
analysis and design, Plant operations, Rail design and operations, Transportation
operations, Water and Wastewater Network analysis and design and others. Currently,
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Bentley products are in version V8i and according to Bentley, the “i" stands for five
interoperability. Its supported file formats include: DGN, DWG, DXF, PDF, STEP,
IGES, STL, and IFC. The supported file formats are not as diverse as Autodesk™
BIM software tools which limit the interoperability capabilities of Bentley software
tools. Bentley also provides product tours, training and online seminars for users to
Tekla
Tekla is a Finnish company founded in 1966 which has multiple divisions: Building
and Construction, Infrastructure and Energy. The main product of Tekla is Tekla
Structures™ which was formerly named Xsteel in mid 1990s. The basic functionality
of Tekla Structures is for structural design. It allows users to create a complete digital
model that depicts the structure combined with both physical model and analytical
model, and then this structural model can be used for different types of structural
analyses. Tekla Structures is also used by detailers, fabricator and manufacturers for
generating detailed information for steel, precast and rebar detailing. Tekla Structures
supports interfaces with: IFC, DWG, CIS/2, DTSV, SDNF, DGN, and DXF file
formats. It links with various systems through Tekla Open API™ (Application
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Structures™ is capable of supporting large models, even with multiple users operating
However, since the concurrent operation from multiple users is more complicated than
a single user operation, these users need to be highly skilled to fully utilize the
As section 2.1 indicated, BIM model is parametric-object based and all the
information stored in the model can be shared and reused by different stakeholders
involved in the building lifecycle. By storing and exchanging the information of the
building automatically, BIM model can provide more accurate data and information of
the building. BIM technology can be utilized in different application areas such as
scheduling. These multiple application areas in BIM can help users to improve the
communication, reduce errors, and potentially save time and money. This section will
explore important BIM application areas in various phases of the building lifecycle.
Design/Modeling
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same building model for their own use. With accurate building information and object
and information sharing enhancement span all the phases of the design/modeling
process which also benefit the subsequent activities such as accurate quantity takeoffs
that can be used in cost estimating and the construction phase can be automated for
Energy Analysis
The capability to link the building model to energy analysis tool allows users to
conduct the energy analysis in the early design phase. Traditionally, a separate energy
analysis would be conducted at the end of the design process and it is not possible for
users to modify the design to improve the building’s energy performance. By using
BIM technology, the building model can be linked to energy analysis tools for the
energy evaluation during the early design phase. The analysis allows users to make
energy-conscious decisions and to test the energy-saving ideas without postponing the
Clash Detection
The designs from all organizations can be brought together and compared, and the
geometric clashes between architectural, structural and MEP systems will be detected,
errors and omissions are significantly reduced, thus speeding up the construction
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process, reducing costs, minimizing the likelihood of legal disputes, and shortening
Construction Scheduling
The design and the construction schedule can be synchronized by linking the building
model to the project schedule. It allows users to simulate the construction process and
show the virtual view of the building and the site. More details about construction
Cost Estimating
BIM users can generate accurate and reliable cost estimates through automatic
quantity takeoff from the building model and get a faster cost feedback on changes in
design. It is possible to make all the involved organizations aware of the cost
associated with the design before it progresses to a more detailed level. The following
sections will provide more detailed discussions about cost estimating in BIM.
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Chapter 3
It has been widely accepted that construction management skill of the contractor is the
hub of the construction process, and any activities and decisions made by contractors
during the construction phase will influence the productivity and cost of the whole
project. It has been reported that as much as 30% of the cost of construction is wasted
in the field due to coordination errors, wasted material, labor inefficiencies and other
BIM is to limit the above inefficiencies, thus enhancing the productivity and reducing
the project cost. According to Gallaher et al. (2004), the estimated “cost of inadequate
interoperability in the U.S. capital facilities industry is $15.8 billion per year” and the
AEC industry are targeting to reduce this $15.8 billion losses by providing a more
visualize the schedule of the construction. The use of scheduling function in BIM (4D
Model) can help the users establish optimized schedule of the project in a 3D
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environment which also allows the users to have a virtual view of the whole project.
The concept of 4D Model was first mentioned by Egan John (1998) that “certain
commercial construction project. They were able to find the incompleteness of the
original schedule, detected the inconsistencies in the level of detail among the
schedule activities and discover the impossible schedule sequence. They proved that
4D models are able to evaluate the effectiveness of the project schedule and
anticipated the future improvement in 4D tools. The experiment of Songer et al. (2001)
focused on the 3D/4D visualization on project schedule review and the results
schedule review for improving construction projects. Kamat and Martinez (2001)
construction operation; however, the supportive software tools were still not available
that “3D modeling and computer simulations provide new ways for architecture
students to study the relationship between the design and construction of buildings.”
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developed a new concept for “visualizing workspace competition” between the
progressing activities. The 4D simulation tool, which was named PECASO, provided
progressing activities. De Vries and Harink (2007) described a method for automated
sequences from a solid model of the building. Finally, a perspective view was
2
combined use of location-based scheduling and 4D CAD.” They also suggested that
could enhance the value of location-based schedules. Kang et al. (2007) proposed a
time-space analyses of construction operations. The paper also showed how to extract
different types of 4D contents from 4D models for project planning purpose. Young et
Engineers, Construction Managers, etc. in the U.S to evaluate the market value of
BIM technology. The report showed that almost 50% of the industry is now using
2
Location-Based Scheduling: Location-based Scheduling uses production lines in a linear
scheduling method (LSM) to represent work performed by various construction crews that work on
specific locations in a project (Jongeling et al. 2007).
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BIM and some users currently experienced value from 4D scheduling of BIM, which
was also one of the main future development areas in BIM (Park et al. 2011).
In the following section, project scheduling process in BIM will be discussed. Users
can choose from a variety of software tools which can support the 4D model functions
of BIM. They are: i) Manual method using 3D or 2D tools, ii) Built-in 4D features in
a 3D or BIM tool and iii) Export 3D/BIM to 4D tool and import schedule. The main
focus in this section will be on the last two options of the methods.
As stated above, two main 4D scheduling methods will be discussed in this section—
i) Built-in 4D features in a 3D or BIM tool and ii) Export 3D/BIM to 4D tool and
import schedule. The first method is to assign the “phase” of a BIM object to the
object property or parameter—adding the “phase” parameter to the BIM object. In the
building design, architects may need to create multiple design phases—“existing” and
temporary construction, or define the basic timeline of the project during the design
phase. This will require the built-in 4D capability in BIM software tool which will
allow users to assign simple phases to the building model. For example, in Autodesk
Revit Architecture™, users can define the project phases such as Existing, New
Construction and Demolished (Fig.7) or by timeline such as March 1st or by the end
of March under the Project Phases Tab. The BIM objects in Revit Architecture™
could be assigned to these phases, and the phase works as the 4th parameter of the
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model—4D model. As an example, in Figure 8, the Curtain Wall in the building
design is selected and under the Properties dialog, the Phasing Category is shown. The
selected Curtain is assigned to the “New Construction” phase in this project. When
project phases generated by Revit Architecture™. Users can also apply filters to show
the objects in a specific period of time or in a specific phase. Under the Phase Filters
tab, users can manage how to show the related objects. For example, “show
demo+new” filter will show all objects that are demolished and the objects that are in
new construction phase (Fig.7). However, the built-in 4D capability in BIM tools is
for basic project phasing since the phases defined are not based on the “date” and
“time”. For users who need to track a more accurate project schedule such as the
Actual start date, Actual end date, Planned start date, Planned end date, etc., the
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Defined
Phases
Figure 8 The objects are linked with the defined phases in Revit Architecture 2011
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Export 3D BIM to 4D tool and import schedule
find out a way which can fully integrate the scheduling function with the 3D model
(see details of software tools in Table 3). Generally, the steps involves importing the
existing 3D BIM model into the BIM software tool, importing the schedule created by
another scheduling software tool (such as PrimaveraTM and Microsoft Project™) and
then linking the schedule with its relevant objects in the BIM model (Fig.9); some
BIM scheduling software tools may have the in-built function to define the schedule
Synchro Professional™ and Tekla Structures™ are the object-based 4D tools, which
mean the imported schedule will be linked to the objects of the building model. Vico
to calculate the schedule, Vico Control™ links the quantities of the building objects to
a “recipe” that contains the description of materials, labor, resource, cost and even
location information.
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Table 3 BIM software- scheduling Tools
Schedule
3D BIM from
model Primavera or
MS. Project
BIM
scheduling
tool
4D schedule
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Most of the 4D tools such as Autodesk Navisworks™ can provide users a virtual view
of the building and site. The 3D virtual view of an office building in Autodesk
Navisworks™ is shown in Figure 10. The schedule (shown at the bottom of Fig.10),
building components in the 3D building model, and this integration of 3D model and
The 4D model can produce a visual representation of time, show the project status,
provide the virtual simulation of the project and even provide views of physical
expected time and space flow based on the simulated project process. By
providing the simulation in the 4D environment, contractors can ensure that the
Contractors can arrange the site logistics based on the virtual 4D simulation such
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3D Virtual View
Building
Objects
Linked
Schedule
The cost estimating process involves performing quantity takeoff (QTO) 3and adding
cost data to the QTO list. Traditional QTO process with CAD drawings involves
determine the dimensions for the take-off, and inputting the quantities into the QTO
list (Khemlani 2006). This process requires estimators to spend substantial amount of
time on generating the QTO of the entire drawing. Since the selecting and measuring
processes are all based on manual operations, the errors and omissions happen during
the QTO process. The construction industry is a unique industry that contractors need
to guarantee a price to owners before they know the actual completion cost (AGC,
3
Quantity takeoff list (QTO): a list of item and material quantities needed for the project.
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n.d.). The calculations must be conducted before the project actually starts and this
will require a higher level of accuracy during the estimating process for contractors.
Since BIM models are object-based with in-built parametric information, it is easier to
capture the quantities of the objects in BIM and the QTO with BIM drawing will be
more accurate with less errors and omissions. The QTO process is also expedited– it
can require 50% to 80% of a cost estimator’s time on a project (Rundell 2006). QTO
process can be enhanced with higher accuracy and less time using BIM technology.
Mapping the QTO list with cost databases, which can be built-in in BIM models or a
standalone external cost database, estimators can generate a more accurate and
reliable cost estimate of the building with minimal effort. There are three main options
to leverage BIM for quantity takeoff and to support cost estimation. They include:
Most BIM software tools offered by software vendors include features for extracting
the QTO off the BIM Model. These tools also include features to export quantity
takeoff data to a spreadsheet or an external database. In the United States alone, there
are over 100 commercial estimating packages that secure these needs and many are
is the most commonly used estimating tool which is also sufficient for most estimators
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to extract the QTO from the BIM Model (Christofferson 2000, Sawyer and Grogan
2002). For example, designers and architects can utilize Revit Architecture™ to easily
MS Excel Spreadsheet, thus more accurate budget estimates will be available at the
early stages of the project lifecycle. However, this approach requires significant setup
model—in order to generate the intact QTO information from the model.
The second alternative is to use a BIM tool that is capable of linking BIM model
directly to an estimating package in the plug-in or third-party tool. Many of the larger
estimating software packages now offer plug-ins to various BIM tools. See Table 4 for
a few examples which have the plug-in functions for BIM tools. As an example,
Innovaya™ (a BIM cost estimating tool) uses a plug-in tool to link to “Sage
Timberline.” This plug-in function allows the user to associate components in the
building model directly with assemblies, recipes, or items in the estimating package in
Sage Timberline™. The user will be able to use rules to calculate quantities for these
items based on the component properties or manually enter data that was not extracted
components will follow the rules in Sage Timberline, thus all information required to
develop a complete cost estimate can be generated from the BIM Model directly and
the building information will be highly integrated and assembled. In addition to that,
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there is no need for users to manually map the cost data with the building components,
since the cost data will be mapped as soon as the quantities are generated and
A third alternative is to use a specialized quantity takeoff tool that imports data from
various BIM tools. Users can choose a takeoff tool specially designed for their needs
without having to learn all of the features contained within a given BIM tool (see
Table 5 for a few examples). These takeoff tools typically include specific features
that link directly to items and assemblies, annotate the model for specific ‘object
information’, and create visual takeoff diagrams. These tools offer varying levels of
support for automated extraction and manual takeoff features. The user assembles the
objects in the model and dimensional data will be transferred from the model to QTO
list for further pricing. Visualizing all the items being taken off reduces the chance of
the estimator missing items. It also reduces the chance for transposition errors as the
design changes the linked model updates the estimated quantities (Khemlani, 2006).
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Example of this is: Autodesk QTO™ can automatically extract QTO from the
building model according to category information leveled on the object model and it
also allows manual modification of the takeoffs based on the users’ own preference.
After that, the QTO list can be exported to the MS Excel spreadsheet and users can
associate the quantities with any suitable cost database. The QTO process in this
approach can be finished automatically and categorize the objects based on the
“Category” information leveled on the object model. After the automatic takeoff,
users can also make some changes on the QTO list manually. One advantage of this
approach is that users may not have to apply to the assemblies based on the specific
cost estimating package; any suitable cost data can be mapped with the QTO list after
software directly, this method may take more time on mapping the cost database.
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3.3
building drawing formats such as paper drawing and conventional CAD drawing are
still dominating the market of the existing buildings. As stated in previous section,
parametric models which contain not only the parameters but also the associated rules,
special relationship, etc. In order to benefit from BIM technology, users may choose
to convert paper or conventional CAD into BIM drawings. The converting process
may take users substantial amount of time, but BIM technology may benefit users by
shortening project period and reducing project cost. For example, U.S. Department of
documents were 95% completed, DOE chose to convert existing CAD design into
BIM model. It took DOE four months to convert the design, but the project ended up
with $10 million in savings and a shorter expected finishing date after utilizing BIM
(Young et al. 2009) In this section, methods for converting conventional CAD
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Converting Conventional CAD Drawing to BIM
There are software tools (See Table 6) such as Revit Architecture by Autodesk,
converting conventional CAD drawings into BIM files. For example Revit
Architecture 2011 can import or link CAD Files using the ‘Import CAD’ and ‘Link
CAD’ Tools with the geometry information in the CAD Files. By using the geometry
information as a starting point in BIM model, the users can also define the other
properties in this defined model. Once all the data is captured in the BIM model, users
can generate the QTO from the converted BIM model to conduct cost estimating of
the project.
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Converting Paper-drawing to BIM
BIM users can use software tools such as Dprofiler from Beck Technology to generate
the BIM model from paper based drawings. Figure 11 shows a paper-drawing of a
building and its BIM model generated by Dprofiler. The users can first scan the
paper-drawing and then use this scanned sketch to start the building model in
Dprofiler as a starting point. The elevations, floor plans, and site plans in the paper
drawing can also be used to speed up modeling process. Once all the data is captured
in the BIM model, users can generate the QTO from the converted BIM model to
Figure 11 Generation of BIM model from paper drawing using Dprofiler (Adapted from Dprofiler)
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Chapter 4: A Case Study using BIM
4.1 Introduction
In the previous section, the methods of scheduling and cost estimating in BIM were
illustrate the process of scheduling and cost estimating in BIM. The training facility is
Architecture™ 2010 (Fig. 12). The building is 19,673.52 sq ft and is equipped mainly
with curtain walls and masonry insulation with seven main rooms and five stairs on
each floor. The first step is to utilize this building model to generate the QTO list
and then level the cost data on the list to estimate the project cost. The second step is
to link the building model with the defined project schedule to simulate the project
process in the 4D environment. The main purpose of the case study is twofold: 1) The
case study will illustrate how BIM technology can work for cost and schedule controls
2) Based on the existing technology, what kind of improvements can be made in the
future.
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Problem Statement
BIM as an emerging technology has developed very rapidly in the past decade, and
BIM technology has already started to benefit the designers with intelligent and
model-based design and owners with a more feasible and accessible project.
Contractors, as inter-media between designers and owners, also start to deliver the
project with BIM model. As stated in the previous section, the LOD will be increased
as the project progresses, which means each involved party in the project needs to add
information to the model based on its own preference. From a contractor’s perspective,
two dimensions—time and cost will be added by the contractors after the models are
completed. Since cost and schedule are two key parameters for the construction
management process, it is essential to know if the information in BIM model can help
contractors for the cost and schedule controls and the potential developments can be
Research Questions
1. Can BIM model be fully utilized by contractors for cost and schedule controls?
2. What kind of improvements can be made from contractor’s perspective for cost
Delimitations
1. The purpose of the case study is to illustrate the scheduling and cost estimating
processes with the available BIM model and find out the improvements that can
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2. This research is limited to performing a quantity takeoff and schedule simulation
since the building model only contains the Shell, Interiors and Services Parts of
3. The quantity takeoffs were performed on a building model which has lower LOD
and the total project will be adjusted based on RS Means (2009)(See in Appendix
2).
4. The 4D scheduling and simulation were performed on a building model which has
lower LOD and the schedule is created based on the existing building components,
so the project period developed in the case may not be the accurate period of the
project.
5. The BIM model and software tools used were all adapted from the Autodesk since
Autodesk provides full access of its products to students. The selection of the
6. The building shown in the model is a training facility in German and the cost
Assumptions
1. The contractors will have full access to all the selected software tools.
2. The planned and actual dates of schedules are created hypothetically in this case.
3. The building model in the project is drawn correctly with no clashes and errors so
that the measurements and quantities of the objects in the model are reliable.
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Software Tools Selected
The software tools selected in this case study are stated as follows:
and designers; Autodesk Revit Architecture™ can capture the design concept and
2. Autodesk Quantity Takeoff™ 2011: A building cost estimating software for cost
estimators; Autodesk QTO™ can automatically measure areas and count building
In this case, since the BIM model of the building is available for the quantity take-off,
it is easy to generate the QTO list directly from the building model. As mentioned
before, the BIM model of the building is on a lower LOD. In order to generate a more
(1) Export the building model from Revit Architecture™ to Autodesk QTO™:
Transfer the available model to a readable file format for quantity takeoff tool.
(3) Export the QTO list to MS Excel™ and map QTO list with RS Means (2009)
cost database.
(4) Adjust the cost according to RS Means (2009) and get the total project cost.
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Step 1: Export the building model from Revit Architecture to QTO tool
Since the Autodesk QTO™ 2011 can only read BIM model in .DWF file format, the
first step is to export the building model from Autodesk™ Revit Architecture 2011
to .DWF file format and then import it into Autodesk™ QTO 2011.Figure 13 shows
QTO™ 2011 and the building components are categorized and colored automatically
in Autodesk QTO™. For example, the curtains walls are categorized and colored in
Figure 13 Export the building model from Revit Architecture into Autodesk™ QTO
In the .DWF file, multiple interfaces of the building model can be included, such as
the 3D view, the elevation view, the floor plan views, etc. Autodesk QTO™ 2011 can
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take only minutes to generate the QTO of the entire building and each generated
Autodesk QTO™ 2011 and three parts are shown: (1) the list of grouped building
components, (2) the 3D view of the building model and (3) the generated QTO list. In
the list of grouped building components, the building components are categorized into
different groups such as doors & windows, walls, ceilings, curtain panel, etc. In the
QTO list, each building component is designated to the same color as shown in the 3D
view. The curtain wall is categorized in the “Curtain Panel” group and colored in
yellow. The quantity of the curtain wall is 23,768.516 sq ft which can be read directly
from the QTO list. The entire process is only finished within 15 minutes and the QTO
Grouped
Building QTO List
Components
Figure 14 The QTO list has been generated by Autodesk™ QTO 2011
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Step 3: Export the QTO list to Excel and calculate the cost
The third step is to export the QTO list to MS Excel™. Since the categories in QTO
list of BIM model is sufficiently clear, users do not need to categorize them manually;
the following work is only to map the cost data such as material cost, labor cost and
equipment cost with the QTO list. In this case, the source of cost data being used is
RS Means (2009). The QTO list in MS Excel™ with the quantity list circled in blue;
the cost data has been added on the list and circled in red (Fig 15). The total estimated
Total Cost
Figure 15 The QTO list shown in Excel with the cost data added
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Step4: Adjust the cost to get the total project cost
The available building model only contains the Shell and Interiors parts of the
building, so the cost estimated in Step 3 cannot be considered as the total project cost
and the adjustments should be made according to RS Means (Appendix 2). Table 7
shows the building components with its percentage of sub-total cost for a 2-4 story
office building (RS Means, 2009). The two colored categories are the components
contained in the building model and it takes 52.3% (12.2% + 15.8% + 1.6% + 22.7%
= 52.3%) of the sub-total cost, so the total sub-total cost is $3,537,030.36. By adding
Contractor fees and Architect Fees, the total Project Cost is $4,668,880.08 and the
cost per square foot is $237.32:
Table 7 Model cost calculated for a 2-4 story office building (RS Means, 2009)
Building Components % of Sub-Total
A. SUBSTRUCTURE 4.4%
B. SHELL B10 Superstructure 12.2%
B20 Exterior Enclosure 15.8%
B30 Roofing 1.6%
C. INTERIORS 22.7%
D. Services D10 Conveying 8.9%
D20 Plumbing 2.8%
D30 HVAC 11.8%
D40 Fire Protection 2.8%
D50 Electrical 17.0%
E. EQUIPMENT & FURNISHINGS 0.0%
F. SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION 0.0%
G. BUILDING SITEWORK NA
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4.3 Construction Scheduling
By using the same .DWF model, Autodesk Navisworks™2011 can simulate the
schedule of the project by adding the fourth dimension—time into the model. The
time frame we set up for this case is starting at Mar. 21st 2011 and the project would
approximately last 7 months and completing by Oct. 31st. As stated in Chapter 3, there
are two different ways to add/incorporate the schedule into the building model: (1)
Importing Primavera or MS Project schedule or (2) defining the tasks in the Autodesk
Navisworks directly. For this case study, the second approach was used; the tasks
were defined directly in the Autodesk Navisworks™ 2011 and the steps are stated as
follows:
Autodesk Navisworks™ 2011 allows users to define tasks directly in the software tool
itself and then link building components with these defined tasks. In Figure 16, under
the “Tasks” tab, each task is defined with Start date and End date, Planned Start date
and Planned End date. The limitation is that the precedence relationships between
tasks cannot be defined in the Autodesk Navisworks™. The Start date and End date
show the actual project start and end dates and the scheduled dates are shown under
“Planned Start” and “Planned End”. Each task also has its own Status identified by an
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icon, representing planned against actual relationships. Each icon shows two bars: the
top bar represents the Planned dates and the bottom bar represents the Actual dates. If
the Actual start and finish dates are the same as the Planned start and finish dates, the
bars are displayed in green. Any variations between Planned and Actual dates are
displayed in red. Missing Planned or Actual dates are shown in grey. The interface can
clearly show to the Contractor and the Owner the updated status of the project. In this
case study, 25 tasks are defined based on the available building model and as the
Under the Gantt View tab, a Gantt chart view provides a graphical representation of
the project schedule based on the tasks defined in Step 1. In Figure 17, the tasks are
shown in multi-column table on the left and colored Gantt bars are shown on the right.
Each task takes up one row. Planned, Actual, and Planned vs. Actual Gantt charts can
be selected based on the users’ preference. In Figure 18, the bars of Actual and
Planned Gantt charts are shown as blue; in the Planned vs. Actual Gantt chart view,
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the planned dates are shown as grey bars and the actual dates are shown as red bars
(Note: the color of the red and grey bars are not representing the status of the project).
Actual
Planned
Figure 18 Three Gantt Chart views can be selected based on the user’s preference
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Step 3 4D Simulation
The third step is to simulate the project phases in the 4D environment. In step 1, the
tasks defined are linked to the relevant building components in the Autodesk
Navisworks™ 2011. Under the “simulate” tab, the tasks are simulated. In Figure 19,
the simulation of the project progress is shown on 12 weekly based interfaces. On the
upper left side of simulation interfaces, the date, on-going project sequence and its
finished percentage are shown. By showing project phases and site logistics in a
project statuses. It is also convenient for the project contractor to provide the owner
with a virtual and intuitive view of the project progress. The contractor, the owner and
even the designers can be on the same page at any time to share understanding of
defines a date under the simulation tab, the simulation interface can also show the
on-going tasks with the percentage of finished tasks on the defined date. The 4D
simulation in BIM provides the contractor with a virtual view of the project status.
Moreover, it helps the contractor to adjust the project schedule according to any
design change since the simulated tasks are linked to building components of the
building model.
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Week 1 Week 3 Week 4
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4.3 Conclusions
A careful review of the case study shows that BIM technology brings many advanced
In this case study, the QTO process is automatic and reliable, which is finished within
15 minutes, since the quantities of the building components are “read” by Autodesk
QTO™ 2011 from the building model directly. This will save contractors substantial
amount of time on cost estimating. On the other hand, the change of the design in the
building model can be updated and reflected in the QTO list in minutes, which means
that the owner (and in case of contracts where contractors are part of the team during
design phase, contractors) can get a faster cost feedback on changes in design using
BIM technology.
The 4D BIM links the building components with tasks and simulate these tasks in the
case study, the tasks defined with planned and actual dates are represented in Gantt
chart view. By comparing the planned and actual dates, the status bars can tell the
contractor the progress of the project in an intuitive and simple way. The simulation of
the progress can also help contractor to adjust the project schedule according to the
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Chapter 5: Conclusions and Future Work
5.1 Conclusions
provides users with more accurate and consistent project information throughout the
lifecycle. In this thesis, diverse BIM tools and BIM application areas have been
discussed with emphasis on scheduling and cost estimating. Two approaches for 4D
scheduling in BIM have been presented: i) BIM tools with 4D capacity ii) use of 4D
BIM tool to link the 3D BIM model with the project schedule. After that, three types
of cost estimation methods have been discussed: i) export the QTO list from the BIM
tool to the estimating software such as MS Excel ii) link BIM components to
estimating software iii) use QTO tool to extract the QTO list from the model. Based
on the available methods, a case study is presented to illustrate the scheduling and
cost estimating processes in BIM based on the BIM model of a 3-story training
facility. The case study shows the QTO process can be finished in a more automatic
and reliable way and the 4D scheduling function in BIM simulate the project schedule
in the 4D environment. Based on the literature review and the case study, some
Contractors are “responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment,
(engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the
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project” (Wikipedia). In order to ensure the project is completed on time, there are
many functions that the building contractors need to be responsible for: (1) implement
a proper plan to deliver the project on time, (2) review the progress and implement
any changes in project delivery on the way to ensure on time completion, (3) establish
the budget and follow the budget as closely as possible, (4) make sure to have
sufficient financial resources to successfully complete the project (5) and develop a
proper plan for manpower and materials needed for the execution of the project. In the
case study, it was shown that the improved cost estimating approach reduces the
potential errors in quantity takeoff process and expedites the process of cost
estimating. The scheduling in BIM can synchronize the schedule with the construction
5.2.1
Cost is the most essential consideration to the contractors, since every decision that
the contractors make in the project will eventually aim to keep the project cost within
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the budget. As we discussed before, some BIM tools have the functions to generate
the material information such as bill of quantities and material takeoffs, then it will be
easier to control the project cost at the early stages of the project. However, the
limitation of this approach is that BIM model might not have sufficient information
during the design phase. As stated before, the LOD of the BIM model will be
increased as the project progresses. It means that when the building is in the
conceptual design phase, the LOD of the BIM model will be at its lowest point and
other users will need to add more detail to the model as more information becomes
available and project scope is better defined. The building model used in the case
study is on a lower LOD and as the project progresses, more information will be
added, such as material information, HVAC information and MEP information. If the
design has higher LOD, the QTO list the contractor generates from the building model
will include information that is sufficient for cost estimation. Since BIM technology is
information such as material information on the BIM model during the design phase;
thus the generation of bill of quantities will also be insufficient. As the design
technique in BIM becomes mature and more predefined BIM models will become
available, the design in BIM might be able to conclude sufficient information at the
early stages of the building lifecycle. By then, owners and even contractors can track
a more accurate cost of the project at the early stages of the project lifecycle and
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5.2.2
INTEGRATION
It is well known that the financial aspects are very important to contractors since more
often contractors cannot be paid by the end of the payment cycle. Contractors need to
make sure to have sufficient financial resources to complete the project by arranging a
solid financing schedule to meet their cash flow requirements and reduce the cost for
financing. In the case study, we saw that the time and cost parameters were considered
separately—adding the cost to QTO list for cost estimating and linking the schedule to
the 3D model. As shown in Figure 20, the QTO list is generated from the building
components 3D model and the cost data is mapped with the generated quantities;
meanwhile, the tasks in the schedule are also linked to relevant building components
in the 3D model. So, the cost and schedule are indirectly linked by the 3D model.
Thus another potential development in BIM is to integrate these two parameters with
3D building model. As seen in Figure 19, the cost data and 4D schedule can be linked
to get a scheduled financial analysis in BIM. This integration will (1) allow
contractors to see the cost distribution based on project schedule, (2) help contractors
to arrange financing activities in a more effective way, and (3) assist contractors to
make faster adjustments to the financial plan according to the design change. Since
the design changes will occur all the time throughout the project lifecycle, the
contractor’s financial plans will need adjustments accordingly. The integration of cost
and schedule together with the 3D model will allow the user to automatically adjust
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the budget and schedule if the design is changed. Contractor then can make faster
adjustments to the financial plan based on the changes in cost and schedule. This
integration can ensure that the contractor has enough financial resources even when
QTO 3D Schedule
LIST MODEL
Scheduled
Cost Financial 4D BIM
Data Analysis
Figure 20 Overall layout for the proposed financial analysis by integrating cost and schedule
Another important responsibility of the contractor is to make the proper plan for
benefit of using MS Project or Primavera software is that they can level other
resources on the schedule, such as labor and equipment requirements, and then
analyze the resource usage based on the schedule. Contractors can make workload
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plans, procurement plans and even budget plans by using MS Project™ or
functions such as assigning resources to tasks, cost loading and analyzing budget
contractors can allocate the resources on the 4D model, analyze and plan the resource
usage based on the most updated design, and even simulate the resource allocation.
Develop Schedule
Manage Budgets
Analyze Workloads
Gantt Chart
Clash Detection
Simulation
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Appendices
Appendix 1 Floor plans of the Building Model
Page 77 of 88
Second & Third Floor Plans
Page 78 of 88
Appendix 2 RS Means
Page 79 of 88
Page 80 of 88
Appendix 3 Interface of Autodesk Quantity Takeoff™ 2011
Page 81 of 88
Appendix 4 Quantity Takeoff List
Equipment
WBS Description Items Quantity1 Material Cost Labor Cost Total Cost
Cost
Ceilings Compound Ceiling 600 x 600mm Grid 29,420.339 sq. ft $ 0.93 $ 0.53 $ - $ 1.46 $ 42,953.69
Compound Ceiling Furred Ceiling 9,924.188 sq. ft $ 1.97 $ 1.47 $ - $ 3.44 $ 34,139.21
Compound Ceiling Plain 330.144 sq. ft $ 1.37 $ 0.69 $ - $ 2.06 $ 680.10
Curtain Panels System Panel Glazed 23,768.516 sq. ft $ 29.00 $ 7.05 $ - $ 36.05 $ 856,855.01
System Panel Solid 3,759.340 sq. ft $ 20.50 $ 7.80 $ - $ 28.30 $ 106,389.34
Curtain Wall Mullions L Corner Mullion L Mullion 1 79.000 EA $ 20.00 $ 2.10 $ - $ 22.10 $ 1,745.90
Rectangular Mullion 30mm Square 120.000 EA $ 18.00 $ 2.20 $ - $ 20.20 $ 2,424.00
Rectangular Mullion 50 x 150mm 3,029.000 EA $ 19.00 $ 2.00 $ - $ 21.00 $ 63,609.00
M_Curtain Wall Dbl
Doors & Windows M_Curtain Wall Dbl Glass 6.000 EA $ 62.00 $ 8.05 $ - $ 70.05 $ 420.30
Glass
M_Curtain Wall Sgl
M_Curtain Wall Sgl Glass 11.000 EA $ 48.00 $ 7.45 $ - $ 55.45 $ 609.95
Glass
Doors\M_Double-Flush 1730 x 2134mm 1.000 EA $ 95.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 138.00 $ 138.00
1730 x 2134mm 20
Doors\M_Double-Flush 4.000 EA $ 95.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 138.00 $ 552.00
Minute Rated
Doors\M_Double-Flush 1830 x 2134mm 2.000 EA $ 95.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 138.00 $ 276.00
Doors\M_Double-Glass 2 1830 x 2134mm 1.000 EA $ 885.00 $ 172.00 $ - $ 1,057.00 $ 1,057.00
Doors\M_Single-Flush 0915 x 2134mm 63.000 EA $ 65.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 108.00 $ 6,804.00
0915 x 2134mm 20
Doors\M_Single-Flush 6.000 EA $ 65.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 108.00 $ 648.00
Minute Rated
Doors\M_Single-Flush
0915 x 2134mm 4.000 EA $ 65.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 108.00 $ 432.00
Vision
Doors\M_Single-Flush-Dbl
0915 x 2134mm 1.000 EA $ 65.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 108.00 $ 108.00
Acting
Doors\M_Single-Glass 1 0915 x 2134mm 1.000 EA $ 65.00 $ 43.00 $ - $ 108.00 $ 108.00
Windows 0915 x 1220mm 24.000 EA $ 55.00 $ 45.00 $ - $ 100.00 $ 2,400.00
Floors Floor Metal Sunscreen 2,221.222 sq. ft $ 2.39 $ 0.45 $ 0.03 $ 2.87 $ 6,374.91
Standard Timber-Wood
Floor 2,576.873 sq. ft $ 3.74 $ 3.44 $ - $ 7.18 $ 18,501.94
Finish
Floor Concrete- 100mm 18,943.701 sq. ft $ 3.96 $ 4.28 $ - $ 8.24 $ 156,096.09
Hollow Core Plank -
Floor 33,436.501 sq. ft $ 2.95 $ 2.03 $ - $ 4.98 $ 166,513.77
Concrete Topping
Pads Pad Pad 1 1.000 EA $ 50.00 $ - $ - $ 50.00 $ 50.00
Railings Railing 900mm Pipe 207.221 ft $ 39.50 $ 9.80 $ 0.68 $ 49.98 $ 10,356.90
Page 82 of 88
Equipment
WBS Description Items Quantity1 Material Cost Labor Cost Total Cost
Cost
900mm Pipe - Wall
Railing 78.829 ft $ 44.00 $ 9.80 $ 0.68 $ 54.48 $ 4,294.58
Monted
Railing Guardrail - Pipe 406.468 ft $ 175.00 $ 13.10 $ - $ 188.10 $ 76,456.64
Concrete Deck - Tapered 20,158.938 cubic
Roofs Basic Roof $ 1.16 $ 0.02 $ - $ 1.18 $ 23,787.55
Insulation ft
Basic Roof Generic - 400mm 598.449 sq. ft $ 1.16 $ 3.50 $ - $ 4.66 $ 2,788.77
Basic Roof Generic - 75mm 765.249 sq. ft $ 1.16 $ 2.80 $ - $ 3.96 $ 3,030.39
Slab Edges Slab Edge Slab Edge 967.048 ft $ 0.41 $ 0.08 $ - $ 0.49 $ 473.85
150mm max riser 300mm
Stairs Stair 5.000 EA $ 700.00 $ 78.50 $ - $ 778.50 $ 3,892.50
tread
Columns M_Concrete-Round-Column 300mm 1,530.999 cubic ft $ 17.40 $ 33.23 $ - $ 50.63 $ 77,514.49
M_Concrete-Round-Column 450mm 61.628 cubic ft $ 16.11 $ 13.33 $ - $ 29.44 $ 1,814.33
M_W-Wide Flange-Column W250X49.1 4.328 cubic ft $ 15.00 $ 15.00 $ - $ 30.00 $ 129.83
Structural Framing Curved Beam Curved Beam 3.611 cubic ft $ 2.02 $ 7.60 $ - $ 9.62 $ 34.74
M_K-Series Bar Joist-Angle
8K1 308.120 ft $ 3.20 $ 6.70 $ - $ 9.90 $ 3,050.39
Web
M_Precast-Rectangular
300 RB 600 963.111 ft $ 3.20 $ 6.80 $ - $ 10.00 $ 9,631.11
Beam
M_W-Wide Flange W310X28.3 54.056 ft $ 1.50 $ 6.80 $ - $ 8.30 $ 448.66
Exterior - Insulation on
Walls Basic Wall 8,435.732 sq. ft $ 0.82 $ 0.62 $ - $ 1.44 $ 12,147.45
Masonry
Basic Wall Generic - 200mm 4,087.402 sq. ft $ 2.62 $ 3.50 $ - $ 6.12 $ 25,014.90
Generic - 225mm
Basic Wall 687.168 sq. ft $ 5.10 $ 4.68 $ - $ 9.78 $ 6,720.50
Concrete
Interior - 138mm
Basic Wall 31,085.232 sq. ft $ 1.52 $ 1.91 $ - $ 3.43 $ 106,622.35
Partition (1-hr)
Basic Wall Parapet Wall 921.860 ft $ 4.56 $ 8.10 $ - $ 12.66 $ 11,670.75
Total Cost $ 1,849,766.88
Page 83 of 88
Appendix 5 Interface of Autodesk Revit Architecture™ 2011
Page 84 of 88
Appendix 6 Interfaces of Autodesk Navisworks™ 2011
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Gantt Chart View
Page 86 of 88
4D Simulation
Page 87 of 88