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Appliationof BIMin Construction Safety
Appliationof BIMin Construction Safety
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codes and to test submitted construction documents. The meet customer, design, construction, and program
key elements are a model checking application and requirements.
SMART codes. In this regard, an online version of the
Solibri software applied or the AEC3 XABIO web-based The BIM concept determines virtual construction of
test-bed could be adopted in the model checking a facility prior to its actual physical construction, in order
application. to reduce uncertainty, improve safety, work out
problems, and simulate and analyze potential impacts.
Nowadays, several BIM-based software packages Also, BIM prevents errors by enabling conflict or 'clash
have well established positions and are used by design detection' whereby the computer model visually
and construction professionals. Such tools form natural highlights to the team where parts of the building may
starting points also for BIM-based site layout and safety wrongly contact and intersect like: structural frame and
planning. As a part of early stages of research the current building services pipes or ducts. Therefore 3D objects are
BIM-based software tools available for site safety machine readable, spatial conflicts in a building model
planning were identified, and 6 soft-wares of those were which can be checked automatically. Because of this
analyzed to find out the various suitable tools for capability, at both the design and shop drawing levels,
construction safety planning, based on the identified main errors and change orders due to internal errors are greatly
strengths and weaknesses. reduced. Pieces can carry attributes for selecting and
ordering them automatically, providing cost estimates
The most important BIM software features for BIM- and well as material tracking and ordering. Thus as a
based 3D/4D safety planning, management and building representation, BIM technology is far superior to
communication include: drawings.
1- 3D modeling and viewing capabilities The larger implications of BIM are not just
2- Tools for modeling landscape consistent drawings, cost estimation and bills of material
3- Extended 3D object library and clash detection. Because building models are
4- 4D tools and features machine readable, it becomes practical to use the data
5- Tools for analyzing risks or safety of the designs they carry in many other ways: for energy, lighting,
and plans, and acoustic or other analyses - not as post facto checking if
6- Data exchange capabilities an almost finished design is "OK", but rather to provide
feedback while designing, informing the designer of the
effects of changes or to explore the relative effect on
2. Building Information Modeling (BIM): alternatives.
This Building information modeling is the
development and use of computer software model to Thus building models allow better integration of
simulate the construction and operation of a facility. The design processes, allowing the kind of exploration that is
resulting model is a data-rich, object-oriented, intelligent equivalent to having a team of analyst consultants
and parametric digital representation of the facility from assessing your design as you make explorations. The
which views and data appropriate to various users’ need result is that designers taking advantage of BIM can
can be extracted and analyzed to generate information develop and demonstrate design trade-offs in ways that
that can be used to make decisions and improve the have been impossible in practice until now, and providing
process of delivering the facility (Rajendran and Clark, better services. These capabilities also facilitate much
2011). improved coordination and collaboration. For example,
Design-build and other forms of architect-contractor
According to the USA General Services teaming have been recognized as more efficient - in terms
Administration the process of BIM is revolutionary of cost, time, and for reducing the potential for litigation.
because it provides the opportunity to migrate from Building models tremendously facilitate this process and
practices that are centered on human craftsmanship to a a 3D model is easier for all parties to interpret and
more augmented and modern machine craftsmanship - visualize.
and all that this might imply.
In 2003 the General Services Administration (GSA) 2.1 BIM AND THE ISSUE OF SAFETY:
established the National 3D-4D-BIM Program what has Today, Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the
led over 30 projects in its capital program, and is construction industry is considered as a possible tool
assessing and supporting three dimensional (3D), four- which may help to improve worker safety and health.
dimensional (4D), and Building Information Modeling BIM can be used in worker safety training and education,
(BIM) applications in over 100 projects to date across the design for safety, safety planning (job hazard analysis
nation. The power of visualization, coordination, and pre-task planning), accident investigation, and
simulation, and optimization from 3D, 4D, and BIM facility and maintenance phase safety.
computer technologies allow GSA to more effectively
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ISBN 978-983-44732-0-4
Management in Construction Research Association (MiCRA)
Postgraduate Conference
According to AGC (2010), BIM uses include organizing the required construction operations. In that
visualization; scope clarification; partial trade connection the project supervisor shall, systematically
coordination; collision detection/avoidance; design and adequately enough analyse and identify the hazards
validation; construction sequencing planning/phasing; and risk factors relating to the organisation, practical
plans/logistics; marketing presentations; options analysis; arrangements and use of the specific construction site,
walk-throughs and fly-throughs; virtual mock-ups; and and eliminate them with appropriate measures.
sight-line studies. Major benefits of BIM include:
According to the Act 205/2009, at a minimum the
• assisting with scoping during bidding and following matters shall be taken into account when
purchasing; planning the use of the construction site area:
• reviewing portions of the scope for analyses such 1- Number and location of office facilities,
as value engineering; personnel rooms and storages
• coordinating construction sequencing (even if only 2- Placement of cranes, machinery and equipment
for two trades); 3- Placement of excavated earth and filling earth
• demonstrating project approaches during marketing 4- Placement of areas for loading, unloading and
presentations; storing construction materials, substances and
• ability to identify collisions (e.g., identifying prefabricated elements
ductwork running into structural members); 5- Traffic in the construction site area, and
• ability to visualize what is to be built in a simulated connecting points between internal and public
environment; traffic
• fewer errors and corrections in the field; 6- Means of access, ramps and transport routes,
• higher reliability of expected field conditions, and their maintenance
allowing for opportunity to do more prefabrication of 7- Order and cleanliness on the construction site
materials off site, which is usually a higher quality at a both placement of structures and equipment used
lower cost; to defence and manage dust
• ability to consider more “what if” scenarios, such 8- Collecting, storing, removing and disposal of
as looking at various sequencing options, site logistics, waste and material which cause hazards for
hoisting alternatives and costs; health and safety
• ability for nontechnical people (e.g., clients, users) 9- Fire fighting
to visualize the end product; 10- Confining and arranging storage areas specially
• fewer callbacks and, thus, lower warranty costs. while handling materials and substitutes which
cause hazards and harms for health and safety.
2.1.1 BIM and Safety issue in Design Stage: Al above mentioned matters shall be taken into
The one important objective in design process can be account in such a way that any risks of accident, health
the safety issue that designer with collaborating team can hazards and risks of fire are minimised on the
be attention to that. In other words, constructors can take construction site. Central parts of the plans for the
protective procedures to exclude the construction site construction site use shall be presented as a construction
hazards from the beginning of the project. For improve site layout plan, by construction stages when necessary.
this problem in this stage, technologies such as Building The site layout plans shall be checked if conditions
Information Modeling (BIM) can help designers change and they shall in any case be kept up to date.
implement the design for construction safety knowledge.
In this regard, BIM provide three-dimensional building In the traditional project supervisor, a 2D site layout
models for an efficient collaborating team works and plan is prepared and the aim is to plan the site operations
make the designing for construction worker safety and the required arrangements for enabling the planned
suggestions available to the designers and constructors. work to proceed as efficiently as possible during all
stages in construction. The site layout plan is used to
2.1.2 BIM and Improving Site Safety: inform all parties of construction project about internal
The characteristics of modern construction business, and external logistic arrangements and the work and
its projects and site operations are very challenging that safety arrangements that are included: site exclusion and
means complicated interplay of numerous partners and separation, logistic arrangements, site limitations,
companies. This complicated set up is also a challenge dangers and protection, the number and location of office
for site safety management. BIM technology enabled new facilities and personnel rooms, working places and areas,
tools, communication chances and procedures addressing site electrification and lightning, lifting arrangements and
site safety aspects can in an effective manner help us to transportation, intermediate storage arrangements and
promote top quality site safety planning. logistics solutions for materials, fire fighting and
prevention of other special risks on site.
Before initiating the construction work, the project
supervisor shall prepare construction site layout plan The same standards and good design principles apply
showing how the site area is going to be used for to BIM-based site layout planning as they do with the
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Postgraduate Conference
traditional two-dimensional planning. However, the BIM- 3. Modeling of safety BIM-based detailed models
based practice offers also completely new opportunities railings with 3D guardrail
for site planning and presentation when passing that components
information on. 4. 4D-visualization of BIM-based 4D model of
floor form work with form work for one concrete
At present, a static three-dimensional site layout plan needed falling casting area/segment
can be considered as a basic approach for preparing a
prevention solution
BIM-based site layout plan. Such a model is like a
snapshot of construction site at a certain point of time. 5. Expert analyses with Experiment of visualizing
Therefore additional site layout models are needed while the aid of virtualized the falling prevention plan
construction site in multi-wall virtual reality
the site arrangements change throughout different
room (CAVE)
construction phases. The ultimate target is to tackle these
dynamic changes with 4D site models in the future 6. Automatic safety Knowledge about
(Sulankivi et al. 2009b). The site layout planning and analysis using BIM automated safety checking
management systems based on 2D drawings can no technologies of buildings to be built
longer meet the planning needs, especially when some using model checker
resources operate or facilities are put inside the building software (SMC)
under construction. Site layout model should neither be a 7. Site safety Pilot use of LCD
static one nor a two-dimensional, instead, it should be a communication and information displays on a
dynamic encapsulating the whole 3D site (Zhaoyang et BIM construction site for
al. 2005). conveying safety relating
information
For example with BIM can layout tower crane for lift Table: Field trials for studying and demonstrating BIM
planning and safety reviews during the construction technologies for construction safety planning,
site.3D visualization can be used to check crane reach management and communication
and capability in construction work, as well as to
examine the risks in case of load fall, or to evaluate what 2.1.2.1 Principles for applying BIM technology for site
the crane jib could hit. The significance of this kind of safety
examination increases if there is limited space around the 1) Main approaches for improving site safety with
construction site and clashes become possible. digital models are:
A) To plan and model proactively the sequences of
tasks together with the needed safety arrangements and
utilities
B) To ensure that all constructions can be built
without any safety threat and necessary joints exists for
fixing the safety utilities, and
C) To document planned safety solutions in detail
Figure 1. Visualization of crane reach and self-explaining way, and, this information to be
conveyed throughout all key players until the last worker
in chain.
Another application of BIM for safety in site 2) The BIM based site layout plan proved to be a
planning can be modeling of formwork equipment and useful tool and versatile visualization solution for
procedures during construction process. Examples of communication in real projects. The preparation of such
those are viewing the BIM-based plans to gain a common site layout model requires useful reasoning and thinking
understanding or to see the details, or product and that produces high quality site production plan compared
quantity information. All together seven different field with traditional approaches which do not force one to
trials were carried out during the one project. study carefully all needed arrangements.
3) Safety planning can be a part of 4D production
Field trial Results planning. This can create a safety planning practice that
1. Site layout plans and BIM-based site layout is undertaken earlier than traditionally in construction
models (spatial projects, and furthermore it can capture a more detailed
crane reach
arrangements, temporary planning level.
visualization related to
a crane collapse facilities and structures),
and visualizations of risk
areas related to any Therefore, the main ideas for using BIM for improving
possible crane collapse at site safety would classified as followings:
site
BIM-based model for 1. BIM-based safety planning:
2. Visualization of wall
visualizing wall demolition This covers site layout planning and falling
demolition procedures prevention planning, which are required by authorities at
work
some level.BIM can be used also to support planning of
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Postgraduate Conference
The specific strengths of this are named Visual, easy 2.2.6 Solibri Model Checker (by Solibri Inc.):
to use, low cost, and achieved considerable popularity in This software is used for combining, viewing and
professional use (especially among architects) and examining the content of various BIM-models that
Supports the use and distribution of pre-modeled 3D includes: special tools for rule-based automated checking
components that placing models of buildings into the and analyzing, as well as for quantity and other
Google Earth. One special feature is also dynamic information take-off (a new Information take-off – tool)
components. Also, considering software features from the and does not include any modeling tools. Models created
viewpoint of safety, weaknesses include limited tools for with help of other software can be used in IFC-file format
modeling landscape, temporary excavations at site etc., as in Solibri. The specific strengths are: Rather easy to use
well as lack of 4D-tools and IFC data exchange and yet versatile software for reviewing and examining
capabilities.
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models. The user can also edit and create new rule sets more practical experience of safety planning using BIM
for rule based checking and information take-off. and more competence in construction projects to use BIM
methods and programs.
2.3 Some advantages and disadvantages related to the use
of an architectural model and the use of a structural REFERENCES
model:
Suitability of architectural BIM for site safety [1] CEC. 1992. CORINE soil erosion risk and important land
planning: resources in the southern regions of the European Community.
1- Visual outlook is good Commission of the European Communities. Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities. Luxembourg.
2- Geometry is correct but the division into the [2] Gambatese, J., Behm, M., Hinze., J. (2005) Viability of
sound structures is only suggestive or lacking Designing for Construction Worker Safety, Journal of
3- Lacks some structural parts or details. Construction Engineering and Management, 131 (9), 1029-1036.
Suitability of structural BIM for site safety planning: [3] International Labour OYce (ILO), 1985. Safety and health in
building and civil engineering work. International Labour OYce,
1- Includes (most) structural details Geneva.
2- Allows detailed planning (e.g. fixing of [4] Manuele, F. A. (1997). On the practice of safety, Wiley, New
temporary installations) lacks nonstructural parts York. www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/statnote
(e.g. doors, windows, non-load-bearing partition [5] NSC, National Safety Council, 2006:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_tab
walls). le=SPEECHES&p_id=982
[6] United state department of Labour, http://www.bls.gov/.
3. Discussions and Recommendations