1 s2.0 S2352710224001748 Main

Journal of Building Engineering 84 (2024) 108606
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Building Engineering

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jobe
The convergence of BIM, AI and IoT: Reshaping the future of

prefabricated construction
Veerakumar Rangasamy, Jyh-Bin Yang *
Graduate Institute Program of Construction Engineering and Management, Department of Civil Engineering, National Central University, Zhongli
District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Keywords: Prefabricated Construction (PC) is one of the modern construction techniques where some com-
Prefabricated construction ponents of a structure or an entire structure are manufactured in a controlled environment and
Systematic review then installed on the construction site. The Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) in-
Building Information Modeling (BIM) dustry is gradually implementing PC by integrating with Building Information Modeling (BIM),
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. A three-step procedure
Internet of Things (IoT)
adopted in this study comprises a bibliometric search, followed by quantitative analysis and qual-
itative analysis, to figure out the recent research trends in PC aided with BIM, AI and IoT applica-
tions and to draw the research trends and knowledge gap. The quantitative analysis pinpoints key
research patterns, influential authors, and notable articles; the qualitative assessment spotlights
five central themes, including the integration of BIM, AI, and IoT with PC design, quality im-
provement, performance and productivity enhancement, information and knowledge manage-
ment, and the barriers to PC adoption. Crucially, future research directions such as automated de-
sign developments, robotic fabrication, applications' compatibility, strategic decision-making,
and PC operation and maintenance are highlighted, underscoring the potential for refining PC
adoption in the industry. This review provides a roadmap for future research to aid researchers
and practitioners in optimizing PC's potential in the AEC sector.
1. Introduction
Construction has a background as old as human existence and its evolution reflects mankind's ever-growing mastery of raw mate-
rials and technology, from stone buildings and wood structures to high-rise structures and artificial islands. The traditional construc-
tion process needs to be transformed to meet the prevailing demands of the construction industry [1]. While the modern construction
industry, so-called Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries worldwide, is working to raise building standards at
all levels using advanced techniques and computing technologies [2], it faces serious challenges such as poor productivity and project
delivery, unskilled labors, fragile performance, ineffective resources management. To surmount these challenges, the AEC industry
promotes a modern method called Prefabricated Construction (PC) [3]. PC refers to the process of fabricating different building com-
ponents in a manufacturing unit with a controlled atmosphere and are transported to construction sites for erection [4,5]. Although
PC has been implemented steadily in recent decades, it has its roots in the mid-1950s and 1960s as the demand for new towns, subur-
ban areas, as well as massive public residential buildings in the east and west sides of Europe peaked due to the effect of World War II
[6]. PC is gaining increased attention due to its potential for significantly improved productivity, time efficiency, safer construction
* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: sakthirgmv3@gmail.com (V. Rangasamy), jyhbin@ncu.edu.tw (J.‑B. Yang).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2024.108606
Received 20 August 2023; Received in revised form 26 October 2023; Accepted 20 January 2024
Available online 23 January 2024
2352-7102/© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
V. Rangasamy and J.‑B. Yang Journal of Building Engineering 84 (2024) 108606
practices, exceptional quality, less on-site labor requirements, enhanced aesthetics, environmental friendliness, and satisfactory
waste reduction [5]. This interest has been made possible thanks to advancements in production techniques, intelligent transporta-
tion, and erection facilities [7]. When the UK housing division declared in 2004 that it would use PC for 25 % of its new public hous-
ing construction, interest in this construction method surged [8]. However, despite being an innovative technique, PC's adoption rate
in the AEC industry remains low due to challenges in design and modeling, supply chain management, transportation, and erection
processes [9].
Nevertheless, the introduction of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in recent decades has been advocated as a solution to these
obstacles impeding PC adoption [10]. Defined by the National Building Information Model Standard Project Committee as "a digital
representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility," BIM is a sharable knowledge resource for information about a
project throughout its life cycle, from early conception to demolition [11]. Moreover, when paired with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
and the Internet of Things (IoT), the advantages of BIM in the prefabrication industry are amplified [4,12]. Numerous research arti-
cles have demonstrated an impressive rate of PC adoption when integrated with BIM, AI and IoT technologies [4,13–15]. Although
the term “PC” is generally used to denote industrialized construction, it is referred to differently in various regions. For instance, in
Hong Kong, it's known as modular integrated construction (MiC) with minor alterations in the construction processes [16], as modu-
lar construction (MC) in Australia [17,18], as permanent modular construction (PMC) in the US, and as prefabricated prefinished vol-
umetric construction (PPVC) in Singapore [19]. This study employs the term Prefabricated Construction (PC) to encompass similar
terminologies used in previous research.
Fig. 1 demonstrates the yearly publication and citation trends related to the PC domain on the Web of Science (WoS) platform.
An initial slow progression from 2006 to 2014 is evident, with a significant rise from 2015 onwards, peaking in 2022 because this
study completed searching in the first quarter of 2023. This surge can be attributed to the adoption of various modern technologies
like BIM, AI, and IoT in the PC domain, coupled with a global emphasis on sustainable construction and modular building practices.
The high citation counts post-2017 indicate growing collaborative research. Although 2023 shows a modest decline in publications,
likely due to data collation in the year's first quarter, there's an impressive estimated 50 % growth rate, paralleled by a doubling in
citations. This underscores that recent years have witnessed a pinnacle in research activities, with a significant influx of researchers
focusing on the convergence of PC, BIM, AI, and IoT technologies. Despite the extensive research in various facets, numerous pivotal
queries remain unexplored. These encompass but are not limited to: (1) identifying the prevailing research concepts and strategies
concerning the deployment of BIM, AI and IoT in PC; (2) understanding the level of integration and implementation of these tech-
nologies in PC; (3) ascertain the research gaps in the existing literature; and (4) evaluating potential future trajectories for PC with
the application of BIM, AI and IoT.
Considering these unresolved inquiries, this study embarks on unveiling contemporary trends regarding the integration of PC with
BIM, AI and IoT technologies, providing insights into the key questions previously stated. This exploration is carried out through a
bibliometric analysis of keyword co-occurrences, author co-authorships, and article citations, enabling an understanding of the pre-
dominant research trends, significant contributors, and impactful articles in this field. Further, an exhaustive article review focuses on
five areas, including BIM, AI and IoT integration with PC's design, quality enhancement throughout PC's lifecycle, productivity aug-
mentation of PC, PC performance improvement through simulation and optimization techniques, and information and knowledge
Fig. 1. Year-wise publications and citations in web of science.
2
management with BIM. Finally, the paper offers an overview of the implementation challenges for PCs and suggests future directions
for further research.
Following this overview, the rest of the paper is organized into subsequent sections: section 2 features a review of literature re-
lated to PC with applications of BIM, AI and IoT, section 3 elaborates on the research methodology, section 4 presents a quantitative
analysis of existing research articles facilitated by VOSviewer, section 5 outlines the qualitative assessment of the research articles,
while section 6 discusses the potential directions for future research and section 7 concludes the study with the highlights.
2. Related review works

This section addresses the relevant review articles on the topic, underscoring the need for the present research. The completed lit-
erature search and systematic review will be presented in the next section. Numerous review articles have examined the benefits and
implications of BIM or AI or IoT techniques in traditional and modern construction. However, only a few review articles are dedicated
to PC integrating BIM, AI, and IoT technologies. For instance, Kamali and Hewage [20] carried out a comprehensive review of the
modular construction literature and noted a paucity of studies on environmental life cycle assessment. Similarly, Hosseini et al. [21]
performed a scientometric study but did not delve into an in-depth analysis of publications; their research was limited to a bibliomet-
ric investigation focusing on off-site construction, excluding BIM or IoT. Noteworthy authors like Jin et al. [22], Ferdous et al. [5],
and Yin et al. [23], among others, carried out systematic literature reviews on this subject. Still, their focus was primarily on PCs, not
BIM or IoT applications. In contrast, the construction industry is abundant with publications related to BIM, AI, or IoT applications,
but there's a dearth of articles associated explicitly with the PC domain. A few authors have attempted similar literature reviews, like
Pan et al. [24] reviewed PC articles focusing only on AI; Martinez et al. [25] and Jin et al. [26] reviewed the articles focusing only on
AI, IoT applications in the construction industry, and BIM in the construction field respectively. Meanwhile Wang et al. [27] have con-
ducted a systematic review on PC aided with these three technologies, their focus was only on its supply chain management. All these
previous reviews do not provide a comprehensive picture on PC integrated with BIM, AI, and IoT technology altogether. This notable
gap in the literature strongly emphasizes the motivation of this study.
In summary, Table 1 outlines frequently cited reviews in the PC domain pertinent to this study's scope but only comprises some of
these technologies together and fuzzy in specific future research directions for the field. Notably, various researchers have employed
different methodologies in their reviews, ranging from critical, scientometric, systematic to holistic, each serving a unique purpose in
knowledge synthesis. The necessity of conducting a systematic literature review on PC aided with BIM, AI and IoT applications lies in
the growing significance and complexity of these intertwined domains. There is an increasing reliance on these technologies in the
modern AEC industry. However, there is a visible gap in comprehensive, cross-disciplinary reviews that examine the integration of PC
with BIM, AI and IoT. Given the potential of these technologies to revolutionize construction processes, it's critical to understand their
current usage, challenges, benefits, and prospects in PC. This systematic literature review can provide an in-depth, organized, and
critical examination of the extant research, presenting a consolidated view of the field. Such synthesis is essential for academics and
practitioners, fostering informed decision-making, highlighting research gaps, and directing future research toward impactful and
necessary inquiries.
Table 1
Summary of related reviews conducted.
Article Methodology Research Concerned
PC BIM AI or IoT
Kamali and Hewage [20] Critical review ✓ – –

Hosseini et al. [21] Scientometric analysis ✓ – –
Jin et al. [22] Systematic review ✓ ✓ –
Ferdous et al. [5] Critical review ✓ – –
Yin et al. [23] Systematic review ✓ ✓ –
Martinez et al. [25] Systematic review – ✓ ✓
Wang et al. [28] Critical review ✓ – –
Jin et al. [26] Scientometric analysis – ✓ –
Wuni and Shen [29] Holistic review ✓ – –
Jin et al. [30] Critical review ✓ – –
Wang et al. [27] Systematic review ✓ ✓ ✓
Wuni and Shen [31] Systematic review ✓ – –
Liu et al. [32] Systematic review ✓ – –
Abdelmageed and Zayed [16] Critical review ✓ – –
Thai et al. [17] Critical review ✓ – –
Li et al. [33] Systematic review ✓ – ✓
Zhang et al. [10] Holistic review ✓ ✓ –
Hussein et al. [34] Systematic review ✓ – –
Khan et al. [35] Systematic review – ✓ ✓
Liu et al. [36] Systematic review ✓ – –
Hu and Chong [37] Critical review ✓ – –
Pan et al. [24] Systematic review ✓ – ✓
3
3. Research methodology
This section elaborates on the research methods applied in this study, which began with the data collection from the WoS and Sco-
pus databases. Among these two databases, WoS by Clarivate Analytics is the only available scientific database until the establish-
ment of Scopus database by Science Direct in 2004 [38,39]. Both databases cover a wide range of scientific contributions, and due to
their significance, various authors preferred these two databases over the other (e.g., Google Scholar, Dimensions) [16,21,40]. De-
spite the huge coverage of articles, proceedings, book chapters, etc., in Scopus, the following are the justifications for choosing the
WoS: (1) harsher in the peer-to-peer review process because they aspire to publish high-level research papers [38,40]; (2) WoS core
collection provides the in-depth citation by source and a substantial volume of previously published scientific literature [41]; (3) Ide-
ally, the journal should be sourced from either the Engineering Index or the Science Citation Index Expanded, given their significant
influence and reach in the relevant field [40]. Thus, this study chooses WoS for accurate and meaningful analysis of current research
trends and seminal works in a given field.
The study employs a mixed review approach, combining bibliometric (quantitative) and systematic (qualitative) analyses, to mini-
mize bias and subjectivity while offering an exhaustive exploration of the topic, highlighting research gaps, and answering various
questions [42]. The quantitative aspect presents evidence of recent developments in the field, while the qualitative aspect provides a
detailed understanding of the research theme and future needs. The methodology comprises three steps: data acquisition, quantitative
review, and qualitative review, as shown in Fig. 2. Data collection is critical, as it significantly influences the study's conclusions. Post-
data collection, bibliometric analysis software is used for bibliometric analysis of the related articles. Lastly, a comprehensive exami-
nation of the articles is conducted, based on which conclusions are drawn, and future recommendations for the field are proposed.
3.1. Mixed review method

Educational research typically seeks to answer significant questions using objective scientific methods. However, with a modern
emphasis on quantitative evidence, a mixed review approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods is frequently em-
ployed. This mixed method, believed to be superior to individual methods, minimizes their limitations while leveraging their
strengths [43,44]. When analyzing multiple quantitative studies targeting the same problem, some researchers perform a meta-
analysis, in conjunction with a systematic literature review, using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and
Meta-Analyses) guidelines [45]. Given that this study involves both quantitative and qualitative research, a mixed review method was
utilized. This method, developed by Greene et al. [46] aims for triangulation, complementarity, development, initiation, and expan-
sion. This approach mitigates the subjectivity of manual review outcomes and enhances the comprehensive nature of quantitative
analysis.
3.2. Data acquisition

Data gathering and quality assessment constitute the most critical stage in any research endeavor, particularly for review articles
where data choice profoundly influences analysis, conclusions, and recommendations. As previously detailed in this section, the se-
lection of the database and the search methodology were meticulously executed in this study to ensure this rationale. The initial
Fig. 2. Overview of the methodology adopted.
4
search in the WoS database using basic search with keywords related to PC, BIM, AI and IoT, generated a broad spectrum of articles,
many of which fell outside the scope of this study. Hence, by employing the advanced search functionality, articles specifically rele-
vant to the theme of this study were isolated, thereby streamlining the focus of our research. In this advanced search, the special char-
acters such as field tags “”, wild card * and boolean operators such “AND”, “OR” and “NOT” to widen or narrow down the search re-
sults as suggested by various authors including Abdelmageed and Zayed [16], Hosseini et al. [21], and Abioye et al. [47],
The initial keywords used are "prefabrication" or "prefabricated buildings" or "prefabricated structures*" or "prefabricated construction"
or "modular construction" or "modular integrated construction" or "off-site construction" or "offsite construction" or "ppvc" or "precast construc-
tion*" or "precast concrete construction" or "industrialized construction" (Topic) OR "bim" or "building information model" or "building infor-
mation modeling*" or "AI" or "artificial intelligence" or "IoT" or "internet of things" (Topic) AND 2011–2022 (Year Published) and filtered to
Engineering Civil (Web of Science Categories) and Article (Document Types) generated 5749 articles between the years 2011–2022. How-
ever, numerous articles, including but not limited to Tang and Veelenturf [48], Wang et al. [49] discussing AI and IoT in smart logis-
tics, Shiri and Kisi [50], and Abyaneh et al. [51] focusing on AI for water resource management, might have low relevance to PC ac-
cording to their descriptions. To narrow down the results, the search strategy is adjusted with the Boolean operator “AND” rather than
“OR”, i.e., "prefabrication" or "prefabricated buildings" or "prefabricated structures*" or "prefabricated construction" or "modular construction"
or "modular integrated construction" or "off-site construction" or "offsite construction" or "ppvc" or "precast construction*" or "precast concrete
construction" or "industrialized construction" (Topic) AND "bim" or "building information model" or "building information modeling*" or "AI"
or "artificial intelligence" or "IoT" or "internet of things" (Topic) AND 2011–2022 (Year Published) and filtered to Engineering Civil (Web of
Science Categories) and Article (Document Types) which resulted 121 articles, all of which are carefully studied and found to be within
the scope of this study. Table 2 summarizes the keyword search strategy and their results in detail. Referring to Fig. 2, this final data-
base of 121 articles was subsequently processed through the bibliometric software for a quantitative evaluation. Then, we conducted
an in-depth analysis of this dataset with the aid of clusters developed in the co-occurrence of keyword analysis.
3.3. Quantitative analysis

Several researchers perform bibliometric analysis to acquire a deeper understanding of chosen subject by quantitatively examin-
ing published works in terms of citations, countries, journals, etc [52]. Although different scholars use bibliometric analysis tools like
VOSviewer, BibExcel, CiteSpace, Gephi, CoPalRed, etc., to construct and visualize the bibliometric networks depending on their com-
prehension and convenience, Hosseini et al. [21], examined these tools and suggested VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Gephi applications.
In this study, we employ "VOSviewer," a distance-based visualization tool that provides essential network display functions, in lieu of
the three other mentioned tools. The selection of bibliometric networks hinges on the user's requirements or the statistical analysis
and visualizations that best illuminate the study's crucial findings. Detailed explanations on the chosen methods and ensuing discus-
sions are further articulated in the quantitative analysis section.
3.4. Qualitative analysis

Despite certain unsolved issues with its assessment criteria, the third section of our study uses qualitative analysis, a frequently
used technique for comprehending research topics [53]. We meticulously focus on a selection of immediately pertinent articles while
utilizing intuitive insights from the qualitative analysis. This analysis is based on the clusters obtained from the study of keyword co-
occurrence in the previous stage, allowing for a more in-depth discussion that is then combined to provide our results. This investiga-
tion sheds light on understudied BIM, AI and IoT application fields in the context of PC, enabling the identification of research gaps
and prospective future research paths.
4. Quantitative analysis
The second phase of this review study involves the construction, visualization, and analysis of the bibliometric network, often re-
ferred to as bibliometric analysis or scientific mapping. This approach, compared to the traditional article review method, offers a
Table 2
Article search strategies & results.
Topic Keywords used Count
PC "prefabrication" or "prefabricated buildings" or "prefabricated structures*" or "prefabricated construction" or "modular construction" or 1070
"modular integrated construction" or "off-site construction" or "offsite construction" or "ppvc" or "precast construction*" or "precast
concrete construction" or "industrialized construction" or "industrialized building" (Topic) AND 2011–2022 (Year Published) and
Engineering Civil (Web of Science Categories) and Article (Document Types)
PC “OR” BIM "prefabrication" or "prefabricated buildings" or "prefabricated structures*" or "prefabricated construction" or "modular construction" or 5749
or AI or "modular integrated construction" or "off-site construction" or "offsite construction" or "ppvc" or "precast construction*" or "precast
IoT concrete construction" or "industrialized construction" or "industrialized building" (Topic) OR "bim" or "building information model" or
"building information modeling*" or "AI" or "artificial intelligence" or "IoT" or "internet of things" (Topic) AND 2011–2022 (Year
Published) and Engineering Civil (Web of Science Categories) and Article (Document Types)
PC “AND” "prefabrication" or "prefabricated buildings" or "prefabricated structures*" or "prefabricated construction" or "modular construction" or 121
BIM or AI "modular integrated construction" or "off-site construction" or "offsite construction" or "ppvc" or "precast construction*" or "precast
or IoT concrete construction" or "industrialized construction" or "industrialized building" (Topic) AND "bim" or "building information model" or
"building information modeling*" or "AI" or "artificial intelligence" or "IoT" or "internet of things" (Topic) AND 2011–2022 (Year
Published) and Engineering Civil (Web of Science Categories) and Article (Document Types)
5
holistic understanding of a research field in a statistical approach [54]. Numerous methodologies utilizing various algorithms have
been developed for mapping, visualizing, and analyzing bibliographic data. In this study, we employed VOSviewer (VOS alludes to vi-
sualization of similarities), a tool that facilitates various network visualizations [55]. As per Van Eck and Waltman's advice [55], we
employed the fractional counting approach and adjusted thresholds for constructing and understanding bibliometric networks. The
co-occurrence of keywords, co-authorship of authors, and citation of articles analysis are to be studied to understand the research
themes, significant contributors, and widely cited articles. Also, the review articles are excluded to provide a robust and multifaceted
understanding of the research landscape in a specific field.
4.1. Mainstream Research Area (Analysis of Co-occurrence of Keywords)
One of the exhaustively studied scientific mapping techniques that accurately depicts the mainstream research in any field of
study is the examination of the co-occurrence of keywords among the articles. To map and illustrate the co-occurrence of keywords,
the bibliographic database is meticulously loaded into the VOSviewer. Among the options of all keywords, author keywords, and key-
word plus, we choose to examine all keywords because the field is still emerging, and it would help us understand it better. The biblio-
metric network mapping of the co-occurrence of keywords is shown in Fig. 3, which contains 5 clusters with 310 linkages and a link
strength of 227, and 31 out of the 634 keywords found met the minimal number of occurrences when the threshold is set at 5. The top
15 keywords are listed in Table 3 with the number of occurrences and other parameters. The map's circle and line reflect the nodes
and their links, the higher the dimension, the more related the items are, and the nodes' colors indicate the cluster to which they be-
long.
The analysis from Fig. 3 and Table 3 substantiates that the terms "bim," "prefabrication," and "construction" are pivotal to this do-
main, appearing 83, 51, and 33 times respectively. Their augmented frequency, especially in "bim" and "prefabrication," emphasizes
their foundational significance within BIM and PC research contexts. The term "construction," with its multifaceted linkages, exempli-
fies its foundational relevance within the domain. Regarding other terms like "systems," "model," "internet of things," and "optimiza-
tion" highlight the integration of state-of-the-art technologies and innovative approaches. The appearance of "internet of things" with
an impressive average citation and normalized citation score indicates its emerging significance and the academic community's pro-
nounced interest. On the other hand, the heightened frequency of "modular construction" and "offsite construction" in the refined data
underscores evolving construction methodologies. A noteworthy observation is the presence of terms associated with advanced com-
putational methods and AI, such as "optimization" and "simulation”. Though not as dominant as primary terms, their occurrence indi-
cates a budding integration of AI-driven methodologies within PC. The average publication year centered around 2020, emphasizes
that the explorations in this domain are of recent origin and ongoing. The high average citations for terms such as "internet of things,"
"performance," and "bim" further emphasize their consequential role and the broader academic intrigue they command. Analyzing the
clusters provides a rich tapestry of research trajectories. For example, red cluster might focus on the computational aspects of PC,
Fig. 3. Bibliometric mapping of Co-occurrence of keywords.
6
Table 3
Top keywords in the Co-occurrence of keywords analysis.
Keywords Occurrences Total link strength Avg. Pub. Year Avg. Citations Avg. Norm. Citations
bim 83 76 2020.07 30.52 1.17

prefabrication 51 48 2019.86 30.10 1.04
construction 33 32 2020.24 25.97 0.93
systems 28 27 2019.96 43.96 1.34
model 27 27 2019.93 26.30 0.89
management 20 20 2019.75 41.15 1.04
design 19 19 2019.63 40.58 1.29
internet of things 17 17 2019.65 57.82 1.83
performance 16 16 2019.56 45.44 1.38
modular construction 15 15 2021.67 12.33 1.60
offsite construction 14 14 2021.14 16.64 1.15
optimization 14 13 2019.86 29.71 1.09
simulation 14 12 2020.36 24.14 1.04
implementation 11 11 2019.45 37.82 0.80
framework 10 9 2020.10 51.90 1.72
epitomized by keywords like 'internet of things'. Other clusters might delve into nuanced design considerations, performance evalua-
tion metrics, management paradigms, and potential barriers to implementation. This offers a more synthesized and refined insight
into prevailing research themes and their interwoven dynamics. This facilitates a deeper qualitative understanding and positions re-
searchers to navigate the landscape more proficiently.
4.1. Top contributing authors (analysis of Co-authorship of authors)

Analyzing the main research contributors in a field helps to identify the influential scholars and their pivotal works, offering in-
sights into the field's evolution and current trends. This exploration illuminates collaboration networks, highlighting interconnected
research groups. Understanding these researchers' focus, one can pinpoint potential directions and establish research quality and
rigor benchmarks. Essentially, studying these primary contributors provides a comprehensive overview of the field's intellectual tra-
jectory and methodologies [56]. The same bibliographic database is used for this analysis by the VOSviewer program, and the resolu-
tions are adjusted to the value of 0.5 to reduce the number of clusters and to highlight the top authors in the map, as shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 4. Bibliometric network of Co-authorship of authors.
7
Table 4 compiles data on the most prolific contributors to the field, providing information on their number of documents, total
citations, link strength, clusters, links, average publication year, average citations, and average normalized citations. From this
table and Fig. 4, it is clear that “Li, Hong Xian”, a predominant author, has 6 documents in cluster 2, an impressively high link
strength, and a high number of links with other authors, indicative of his collaborative approach. However, it's interesting to note
that his average normalized citations are comparatively lower than those of Li, Xiao, Lu, Weishang and Shen, Geoffrey Qiping,
who belong to other clusters and have authored only 4 documents each. This suggests that while Li, Hong Xian's contributions are
frequent, the relative novelty or impact of his work, as measured by normalized citations, might be less substantial than that of Li,
Xiao, Lu, Weishang and Shen, Geoffrey Qiping. On the other hand, authors like "Li, Xiao" and "Shen, Geoffrey Qiping", despite hav-
ing fewer publications, exhibit an exceptionally high number of average normalized citations. This suggests that their research,
while less frequent, tends to introduce novel concepts or impactful findings that gain more attention per publication in the re-
search community.
Also, Fig. 4 showcases multiple clusters which is a cohesive group of authors who have collaborated or shared specific research in-
terests. It should be noted that while authors within a specific cluster have apparent connections or collaborations, there are no direct
linkages or collaborations between different clusters, highlighting that these distinct groups have not collaborated directly or share
similar research interests. It may be benefit the field's growth by encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations, bridging these isolated
research clusters and fostering a more diverse research activity.
4.2. Widely cited articles (analysis of Citation of articles)

The most widely referenced publication on this topic is interpreted using citation analysis of the papers, which also aids in spotting
new areas of research. In a comparison of citation networks, such as direct citation, bibliographic coupling and co-citation networks,
Shibata et al. [57], Van Eck & Waltman [58] and Klavens & Boyack [59] discovered that direct citation performs better. It can help re-
searchers to identify influential works, understand research trends, evaluate research impact, and discover potential gaps in the exist-
ing literature. The citation analysis is chosen as the type of analysis, with documents as the unit of analysis and a minimum citation
limit of 25. This produced a bibliometric network map of 38 documents, with 26 documents having the links and the remaining with-
out having any link and fewer citations as shown in Fig. 5. Table 5 lists the top 10 most influential articles in this field, measured by
the number of citations. The citation count of an article is a strong indicator of its influence, as it quantifies the number of times other
researchers have referred to that work in their own papers. These articles have made significant contributions to the research area of
PC and its integration with technologies such as BIM, IoT, and lean construction.
It is inferred from Fig. 5 and Table 5 that Zhong et al. (2017) [4] have received the highest number of citations (205) and demon-
strate the significance of the Internet of Things (IoT) in enabling real-time visibility and traceability in PC. Similarly, Li et al. (2018b)
[12] explore the application of IoT and BIM in on-site assembly services for PC using RFID technology. Another influential article by
Yuan et al. (2018) [60] focuses on the design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA)-oriented parametric design of prefabricated
buildings, highlighting the importance of parametric design and DFMA principles in PC aided by BIM. The inclusion of Li (2019a) et
al. [61] reflects the integration of BIM and prefabrication in the housing sector, underscoring the role of BIM in streamlining the pro-
duction of prefabricated housing. The figure also addresses the specific aspects of PC, for instance, Bosche et al. (2014) [62] investi-
gated the value of a scan-vs-BIM system using 3D laser scanning for tracking the built status of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing) works and similarly the other articles mentioned in the rest of the table are more specific to the problems.
The normalized citation count, which provides a measure of the average impact of an article, suggests that Li et al. (2019a) [61]
work on integrating BIM and prefabrication housing production, and Razkenari et al. (2020) [63]investigation into the perceptions of
offsite construction in the United States, have had the most considerable influence in the field, even when the total citation count is
relatively lower. This indicates that these papers have had a significant impact on the field within a shorter time frame or in a more fo-
cused research area, underscoring their importance in driving advancements in PC. In summary, the top-cited papers predominantly
center on digital technology integration, such as IoT and BIM, in PC, indicating increasing research and practical interest in using
technology to improve construction efficiency and effectiveness.
With a clear display of bibliometric networks, subsections 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3describe the top keywords, top contributing authors,
and most influential articles. In addition to these analyses, the major journals regularly publishing publications related to the area are
also examined, with results indicating that "automation in construction" ranks first with 44 documents out of 121 retrieved, i.e.,
Table 4
Top contributing authors.
Author Documents Citations Total link strength Cluster Links Avg. Pub. Year Avg. Citations Avg. Norm. Citations
Li, hong xian 6 90 6 2 9 2020.33 15.00 0.75

Xu, zhao 6 54 2 9 1 2020.83 9.00 0.50
Ji, yingbo 4 76 4 2 9 2020.00 19.00 0.87
Li, xiao 4 418 4 1 7 2019.25 104.50 3.65
Lu, weisheng 4 340 3 1 8 2019.25 85.00 3.32
Pan, wei 4 30 3 1 4 2021.75 7.50 0.84
Shen, geoffrey qiping 4 399 3 1 3 2019.00 99.75 2.20
Al-hussein, mohamed 3 76 2 6 1 2019.67 25.33 0.94
Gan, vincent j. l. 3 41 1 7 1 2021.67 13.67 1.84
Hermann, ulrich 3 34 2 8 1 2020.67 11.33 0.74
8
Fig. 5. Bibliographic mapping of articles.
Table 5
Top 10 articles with more impact in the field of study.
Document Citations Links Norm. Title Focus

citations
Zhong et al. (2017) 205 9 2.38 Prefabricated construction enabled by the Internet-of-Things Real-time visibility &
[4] traceability
Li et al. (2018b) 190 8 2.60 An Internet of Things-enabled BIM platform for on-site assembly services in On-site assembly using RFID
[12] prefabricated construction
Yuan et al. (2018) 122 1 1.67 Design for Manufacture and Assembly-oriented parametric design of DFMA and Parametric design
[60] prefabricated buildings in PC using BIM
Li et al. (2019a) 105 9 3.15 Integrating Building Information Modeling and Prefabrication Housing BIM for PC Housing Sector
[61] Production
Bosche et al. (2014) 101 3 1.22 Tracking the Built Status of MEP Works: Assessing the Value of a Scan-vs- 3D laser scanning for PC using
[62] BIM System BIM
Xu et al. (2018) 90 2 1.23 Cloud asset-enabled integrated IoT platform for lean prefabricated Cloud-based IOT platform for
[64] construction lean PC
Won & Cheng 84 1 0.97 Identifying potential opportunities of building information modeling for BIM for Demolition and Waste
(2017) [65] construction and demolition waste management and minimization Management
Niu et al. (2016) 80 3 1.58 Smart Construction Objects SCOs for Decision Making
[66]
Li et al. (2018a) 77 3 1.05 RBL-PHP: Simulation of Lean Construction and Information Technologies for BIM, IoT and Lean
[67] Prefabrication Housing Production Construction in PC
Razkenari et al. 71 1 3.10 Perceptions of Offsite Construction in the United States: An Investigation of Industry perspective regarding
(2020) [63] Current Practices PC adoption in US
36.36 % of all articles. Other leading journals, such as "buildings," "journal of construction engineering and management," "engineer-
ing, construction and architectural management," and "journal of building engineering," have 22, 12, 11, and 10 articles, respectively.
This implies that these journals are more interested in publishing articles in this study area, and researchers in the advanced studies
related to the PC domain recognize these journals are top journals. These analyses provided a holistic view of the research field. This
help to uncover the dominant themes, the main contributors, the structure of the research community, and the most impactful re-
search. These comprehensive insights could allow fellow researchers to strategically align their studies with existing research trends,
identify potential collaboration opportunities, and contribute to addressing the most pressing research gaps.
5. Qualitative approach
In a literature review, qualitative analysis describes the process of analyzing and interpreting non-numerical data, including writ-
ten texts, pictures, and observations, to find trends, themes, and connections. Although there are still debates over the validity of
qualitative analysis due to its subjectivity, much research indicates that this method reveals the primary research trends in the field
9
[44,53,68]. Additionally, it is possible to integrate and interpret the results from several sources, which can offer deep and nuanced
insights into a given subject or research question. The five distinct clusters identified in the co-occurrence analysis of keywords, as de-
lineated in Section 4.1, underscore the central themes underpinning this section. These logical clusters give a clearer picture of the
study's main emphasis areas by reflecting the convergence of our research's principal subjects [69]. However, a complete investiga-
tion is made on the literature contents, which are discussed in the following five subsections. Based on the thorough analysis, the arti-
cles that are beyond the scope of this study are excluded from this analysis for profound understanding and to provide a detailed vi-
sion of the mainstream topics.
5.1. BIM, AI and IoT being integrated with PC's design

Numerous review publications noted that the integration of BIM in PC increases coordination, decreases construction waste and
carbon emissions, and enhances reliability, but there is no convincing evidence to back up these claims [70]. Prior evaluations have
already stressed the significance of automated design explorations and planning improvements using BIM and IoT applications
[27,71]. Very few researchers have concentrated on the IoT and BIM integration in PC's planning, design, and fabrication stages. For
instance, Yuan et al. [60] conceived the concept and procedure of DFMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly)-oriented parametric
design by integrating with BIM, yet for the complex PC designs, the approach has to be improved. By utilizing the BIM software tools
in Revit, Wang et al. [72] created a useful BIM framework to coordinate the design of MEP layouts and the installation of equipment.
For a renovation of a shopping center in Hainan, China, Ding et al. [73] incorporated reverse engineering (RE) and BIM using a 3D
laser scanning approach, which helped to minimize 30 % of design revisions. Liu [74] proposed a BIM-based generative framework
for autonomous panel design exploration utilizing a generative design algorithm, that could also optimize the designs, to increase PC
productivity. Additionally, Lobo et al. [75]presented a similar approach at the design stage to enhance PC performance for drywall in-
stallation taking into account environmental, economic, and aesthetic concerns, which led to improvements of 37.5 %, 7 %, and
54 %. For autonomous generative design explorations, Gan [76] devised a BIM-based graph data model that imposes industry founda-
tion classes model view definition (IFC MVD) that can hold all of the model's derived information. He also worked in geometric mod-
eling, which led to the design optimization of 1000–1500 choices with a 30 % lower carbon footprint [77]. Baghdadi et al. [78] dis-
cussed MATLAB, the Finite Element program, and the AI-Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm for design, analysis, and opti-
mization for a PC wall-floor building. Similarly, a new coupled generative adversarial network (CoGAN)-based system for automated
modular home design generation was developed by Ghannad and Lee [79]. Wu et al. [80] presented a data-driven method to classify
construction modules at a micro-level based on significant design components derived from low level-of-detail 3D models. In accor-
dance with the survey, several researchers are attempting to integrate well-known BIM technology with AI techniques at PC-design
stage, indicating that the field of study is still in its development.
5.2. Quality improvement during PC's lifecycle by BIM, AI and IoT

Multiple studies have shown the advantages of PC in terms of construction quality, efficiency, and cost, and the contemporary in-
corporation of BIM and other AI techniques has significantly increased the advantages of PC during its lifecycle. For instance, by com-
bining scan-vs-BIM and scan-to-BIM techniques, Bosche [62] developed a new data processing system to achieve high quality and de-
liver accurate as-built BIM models to the owners. Wang et al. [72] developed a BIM framework for MEP layout from design to fabrica-
tion with the recommendation of augmented reality (AR) technology to merge 3D virtual elements into the actual world, which auto-
matically detected 83 % of design collisions. A python-based framework was implemented by Matinez et al. [81] to compare the man-
ufacturing data of a steel framing to that of a BIM model. Malik et al. [82] created collision-free tool trajectories for secure tool move-
ment when producing light gauge steel panels using a Python-based framework. Yao et al. [83] devised a micro damping vibration de-
tecting technology for PC sleeve grouting quality assurance and early warning systems, increasing the grouting compactness quality
by 31.63 %. For comprehensive PC supply chain management, Li et al. [84] introduced an IoT-based BIM platform employing
blockchain technology. Yang et al. [85] designed a scheduling framework utilizing IFC, WBS, and CBS integrated into a unified BIM
model for improved PC and cast-in-situ construction collaboration. Interestingly, Ali & Soto [86] designed a digital platform for sev-
eral PC team collaborations using the "Unity" game engine technology. Zhang & Pan [87] presented a fuzzy logic-based multi-criteria
decision-making framework for optimal tower crane layout to aseemble PC components. Tian et al. [88], and Huang et al. [89] ex-
plored assembly optimization using unmanned aerial vehicles and a BIM4D-based intelligent assembly scheduler (BIAS), with the for-
mer eliminating three potential collisions by extending the jib length and the latter reducing the penalty value by 9.8 times. Notably,
Tran et al. [90] developed a novel paradigm for geometric quality assessment employing the digital twin (DT) technique for PC fa-
cades which enhanced the completeness, correctness and accuracy by 20.73 %, 9.5 %, and 24.3 %, respectively. Few studies have
tried to increase PC overall performance [91] and quality assurance while reducing carbon emissions. These studies demonstrate the
interest of researchers in enhancing PC's quality during the lifecycle.
5.3. Productivity improvement of PC by using BIM, AI and IoT

In the modern world, sustainable innovations are becoming essential. More emphasis is being placed on PCs on integrating BIM
with other breakthroughs like RFID, digital twins, and sensors. For example, Zhong et al. [4] unveiled a multi-dimensional IoT-
enabled BIM platform employing radiofrequency identification (RFID) for real-time monitoring and tracking in PC. For real-time cost-
ing and PC supervision, Li et al. [12] integrated BIM with virtual reality (VR) and RFID. Xu et al. [64] introduced a cloud asset-
enabled IoT platform for PC information management system in an effort to lessen the financial burden of IoT applications. Ding et al.
[73] integrated 3D laser scanning, 3D printing, and RE with BIM for better information management. Using DT technology and BIM,
Zhou et al. [92] enhanced the possible safety hazards of PC components. Shen et al. [93] conducted the first study on ontology-based
10
safety risk management in computers coupled with BIM. For component hoisting, few scholars completed integrated DT and long-
range radio (LoRa) technology with BIM [94] and a custom application programming interface (API) with AutoCAD libraries [95].
Using "Fuzzy Delphi Method" and "Parsimonious-fuzzy ANP for a BIM capable PC," Tabatabaee et al. [96] created a prototype for risk
assessment. By combining the global positioning system (GNSS), RFID, and BIM, Liu et al. [97] suggested a cyclic operation network
simulation model for actual scheduling, tracking, and storage of PC components. These studies clearly show the tendency toward
combining other innovations with BIM and IoT for PC to maximize its many advantages, in which construction productivity is the ma-
jor consideration that PC is better than conventional construction methods.
5.4. Improving PC's performance by simulation & optimization techniques

Numerous optimization and simulation techniques have been widely used in various PC applications [71] and “simulation” found
to be one of the major keywords [98]. For illustration, Chalhoub & Ayer [99] used mixed reality (MR) technology to assist onsite staff
understand BIM content, which led to increased productivity and better design understandings. For onsite planning and assembly
with decreased waste, time, and cost, BIM and Monte Carlo tolerance simulations were integrated [100,101]. Similarly, Wang et al.
[102] integrated BIM with an improved genetic algorithm (BIM-IGA) for visual simulations for assembly sequence planning and opti-
mization in PC. Few researchers worked on various simulation techniques for optimizing the tower crane/lift issues in PC installation
phase including Shahnavaz et al. [103] combined 4D animation with BIM, Huang et al. [89] used Multi-level Elitist Genetic Algo-
rithm (MEGA) based 4D simulation, Zhu et al. [104] used metaheuristic algorithms such as particle swarm optimization and simu-
lated annealing with BIM modelling software. For dimensional control in PCs, Sharif et al. used 3D laser vision and a termination-
point-based scan-vs-BIM fitting optimization approach [105]. As part of PC management, Zhu et al. [106] used multi-robot task allo-
cation along with BIM-IFC files in Python as a smart construction object (SCO). These articles, demonstrate the widespread use of sim-
ulation and optimization techniques for enhancing PC performance.
5.5. Information & knowledge management of PC with BIM

Improved communication between the many stakeholders is one of the benefits of BIM that has been widely used in the PC indus-
try and various authors have attempted to examine the information exchange and interoperability difficulties [10]. To solve the diffi-
culties of information sharing from one end to another, various "information delivery model (IDM) " frameworks have been devel-
oped. Ramaji et al. [107] suggested a methodology by bringing the product architecture model (PAM) introduced by Ramaji &
Memari [108] using unified modeling language into the BSI's (BuildingSMART International) BIM-based information exchange para-
digm. To manage, exchange, and utilize the information at various PC phases, Ding et al. employed RE with BIM for refurbishment
projects [73]. Through an information management system, Larsen et al. [109] assimilated 3D laser scanning and BIM for energy effi-
ciency in a facade retrofitting project. Zhao et al. [110] developed a method for optimizing supplier selection and information sharing
in PCs by combining BIM and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). For the ease of PC stakeholders, Xu et al. [111] adopted the EX-
PRESS-G language as a graphical modeling notation for the IFC definition to extend the IDM framework. To provide design alterna-
tives, by combining BIM, DFMA, and big data, Gbadamosi et al. [112] constructed the Big Data Design Options Repository (BIG-DOR)
architecture for design options. Similarly, Bai et al. [113] coupled BIM software with a digital graphics media mapping methodology
to improve the design efficiency of PC. In addition to the findings mentioned above, a few other studies have also covered information
interchange and management; however, they exclusively address BIM and do not incorporate any IoT solutions.
5.6. Barriers and Challenges for PC adoption

Apart from the clusters discussed in the above five sections, a few keywords that are also notably linked with these clusters includ-
ing but not limited to “barriers”, “challenges”, and “circular economy.” Razkenari et al. [63] investigated the perception of PC in the
United States, one of the largest AEC markets, and concluded that the internal weaknesses are design limitations, lack of expertise,
complex logistics, huge capitals and the external weaknesses are uncertain market demand, weak codes and regulations and negative
perceptions. Likewise, Iacovidou et al. [3] presented an overview of technology-driven modular building and suggested that integrat-
ing cutting-edge technologies like RFID-BIM, generative designs, etc., can remove the current challenges.
Although many authors have emphasized the advantages of PCs, very few studies have focused on the difficulties and barriers as-
sociated with PC adoption. For example, Navaratnam et al. [114] reveal that logistics, inflexible design, and unskilled labor are the
major challenges faced by the growth of PC in Australia. Similarly, Mahmoud et al. [115] highlight that the technological barriers,
such as knowledge of new tools and their interoperability, their regular updates, etc., and human barriers, such as resistance to
change/update, communication and collaboration shortage etc., together leads to 60 % of the barriers found in Quebec. In another
study conducted by Li et al. [116] on the barriers of the development of the PC industry in China revealed that the reduced transporta-
tion flexibilities and expensive sometimes, less regulations on PC design code, less specialized workforce, poor knowledge about PC
benefits, interoperability issues between various software, as major setbacks. Worldwide, the adoption rate of PC is still low. While
some researchers like Marinelli et al. [117] and Zolghadr et al. [118] have explored the obstacles and challenges to PC adoption, their
analyses don't encompass a global perspective.
Based on above discussions, we summarize many barriers in PC implementation, highlighting the need for advanced research in
design enhancement to address design rigidity, refining logistics and supply chain processes, upskilling the workforce, and standard-
izing codes and regulations. The current study provides merely a preliminary overview of these obstacles, underscoring the need for
more in-depth global studies to holistically understand barriers and devise solutions for PC implementation.
11
6. Future directions
The research directions in this section addressed below is typically a multi-faceted process involving several components: biblio-
metric analysis helped identify gaps in existing research based on the frequency and co-occurrence of specific keywords and the scope
of topics that have been addressed to date. Emerging trends are inferred from this analysis, which can hint at potential future direc-
tions; a qualitative review of the articles helped us further flesh out these identified gaps and discern areas that may be underdevel-
oped or require further investigation. This deep-dive into the literature often reveals subtleties and complexities that may not be im-
mediately apparent in the bibliometric analysis. Based on these analyses and discussions, the author's judgment and expertise un-
doubtedly play a crucial role in identifying future research needs.
1. Automated Design Developments: PC design has been more complicated than previous stages due to its rigid nature. A few
studies have attempted to develop a generative design using the generative adversarial networks (GAN) framework [77,79], but
they are limited to a specific project, and there is no real-time framework that can be applied to all PC projects. Furthermore,
just a few parameters, such as carbon emission and tolerance, were considered in the previous studies. It is strongly
recommended to use AI-driven simulation and optimization approaches to create a common framework that includes other
aspects such as architectural, structural, and sustainable ideas that can enhance the benefits of PC.
2. Computerized/Robotic Fabrication: Although robotic technology is widely used in other industries, minimal research has
been conducted on computerized or robotic-aided production and assembly of prefabricated components [106]. Solid research
on deploying robotic manufacturing, and 3D printing techniques coupled with BIM-digital fabrication in PC can fulfill global
labor shortfalls and achieve higher quality.
3. Applications' Compatibility: BuildingSMART International (bSI) and other researchers explored interoperability challenges,
which led to the development of "IFC," "IDM," and "DFMA" frameworks in recent years [60,112], which helped to handle the
sharing of information between various applications employed at different stages of PC development. However, the study
participants do not cover various circumstances like project, location, and codal provisions. An information-sharing platform
considering the whole life cycle participants and the corresponding applications can be generated in the future.
4. Strategic Decision Making: Multiple studies combined various algorithms such as genetic algorithms, cellular automata,
agent-based models, and so on to find the best alternative or solution to PC problems [19,77,87], but there are no systemic
studies that statistically establish the best AI approach. A thorough study should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of
various algorithms in a PC project while considering crucial common elements.
5. PC Operation and Maintenance: Although logistic planning, tracking, and assembling of PC components have been
investigated by merging RFID technologies with BIM models [62,97], there has been no distinct study devoted to the PC
operation and maintenance phase. The traditional building has been extensively researched for its operation and maintenance
stages, which employ sensors and DBMS (Database Management System). A similar approach can be included into PC-BIM
models, which can aid sustainability.
7. Conclusions
Numerous research on PC combined with BIM and other computing technologies have been investigated in recent years due to the
multiple benefits that have been demonstrated. This analysis offers a state-of-the-art review to capture better knowledge and deeper
insights about the status of research studies on PC reinforced with BIM, AI and IoT applications. The WoS platform is utilized to re-
trieve relevant publications in the field using carefully picked keywords based on previous studies and recommendations. Subse-
quently, a mixed review technique incorporating quantitative and qualitative analysis is used to provide valuable information. Key
findings from this review study are as follows.
• This study identified that, over the past five years, BIM, AI and IoT blended PC research has grown significantly, and it is
anticipated to continue to grow with increased emphasis on different technologies.
• In the quantitative analysis, we systematically investigated keyword co-occurrence, author collaboration patterns, and article
citation counts. This comprehensive approach enabled us to identify prevailing research trends, significant contributors, and
influential articles within the field. Further, we highlighted the leading journals with an interest in this research area. Together,
these findings significantly enrich the understanding of the research landscape, serving as a guide for fellow researchers in this
field. This forms a critical part of our concluding discussion, as it lays the groundwork for future research, fostering continuous
innovation in this dynamic field.
• In the qualitative analysis, we carefully examined five central themes. These include the integration of BIM, AI and IoT
technologies with PC design, quality enhancement during the PC lifecycle, productivity augmentation in PC, performance
improvement of PC via simulation & optimization techniques, and the management of PC information & knowledge using
BIM. Moreover, we considered studies focusing on the difficulties and obstacles to adopting PC, which are discussed in the
section titled "Barriers and Challenges for PC Adoption". This comprehensive and meticulous analysis forms the essence of
our concluding remarks, presenting a well-rounded understanding of the prevailing research themes and identifying areas for
potential advancements in PC. It provides a roadmap for future research, thereby contributing to the continuous evolution of
this rapidly advancing field.
• Our 'Future Directions' section underscores critical research gaps and potential paths forward. These include automated design
developments, computerized or robotic fabrication, applications' compatibility, strategic decision making, as well as the
operation and maintenance of PC. These insights stem from a comprehensive scrutiny of the papers obtained during our study.
12
This section's central aim is to facilitate more concentrated efforts on addressing these gaps, thereby enabling an enhancement in
PC efficacy and an uptick in its adoption. It serves as a guidepost for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students, drawing
their attention towards unexplored or underexplored avenues in the PC domain, and calling for further studies to fulfill these
research needs. This ultimately leads us one step closer to a future where the PC industry reaps the full benefits of these advanced
technologies.
While this study provides valuable insights, it's crucial to acknowledge certain limitations. The use of Web of Science (WoS) as the
exclusive platform for retrieving research articles, while advantageous due to its rigorous peer-review process, might have limited the
study's scope compared to using additional databases like Scopus or Google Scholar. Given the relevance of bibliometric analyses in
shaping our understanding of research trends, we carried out three crucial quantitative studies in this research. These studies were de-
signed to systematically expose the statistical trends in the field. Additionally, qualitative studies were performed, offering insights
based on the authors' interpretations. It is worth noting that while these qualitative assessments aim for objectivity, they may still
carry elements of subjectivity due to their inherent nature. More advanced AI-based approaches might help researchers find unknown
but exciting research fields in the future.
Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing in-
terests:
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their thanks to the Ministry of Education and the National Science and Technology Council
(Contract No. MOST 111-2221-E-008-025-MY3) Taiwan, ROC for providing funding to this study.
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Journal of Building Engineering 84 (2024) 108606

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Building Engineering

The convergence of BIM, AI and IoT: Reshaping the future of

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Fig. 1. Year-wise publications and citations in web of science.

2. Related review works

Article Methodology Research Concerned

Kamali and Hewage [20] Critical review ✓ – –

3.1. Mixed review method

3.2. Data acquisition

Fig. 2. Overview of the methodology adopted.

3.3. Quantitative analysis

3.4. Qualitative analysis

Topic Keywords used Count

Fig. 3. Bibliometric mapping of Co-occurrence of keywords.

bim 83 76 2020.07 30.52 1.17

4.1. Top contributing authors (analysis of Co-authorship of authors)

Fig. 4. Bibliometric network of Co-authorship of authors.

4.2. Widely cited articles (analysis of Citation of articles)

Li, hong xian 6 90 6 2 9 2020.33 15.00 0.75

Fig. 5. Bibliographic mapping of articles.

Document Citations Links Norm. Title Focus

5.1. BIM, AI and IoT being integrated with PC's design

5.2. Quality improvement during PC's lifecycle by BIM, AI and IoT

5.3. Productivity improvement of PC by using BIM, AI and IoT

5.4. Improving PC's performance by simulation & optimization techniques

5.5. Information & knowledge management of PC with BIM

5.6. Barriers and Challenges for PC adoption

Declaration of competing interest

prototyping, Autom. ConStruct. 141 (2022) 104434, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104434.

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