Is BIM More Useful for Design than Construction?
BIM or Building Information Modeling is rapidly becoming the “must-adopt” standard in building and construction projects. BIM, as a practice, spans the management of the physical structure as well as the other useful information of a construction project. The output of the process is what we refer to as BIM models. BIM is far more than mapping physical space. It incorporates embedded functionality and cost measurements within the plan. These models are the digital files that portray every part of the project and support decision-making throughout the cycle.
Some well-known advantages of adopting BIM are:
· Capture the most accurate representations of the location
· Capture reality
· Maintain control
· Organize steps and processes
· Better collaboration and communication
· Improved coordination and clash detection
· Reduced cost and mitigated risk
· Stronger facility management
· Improved construction sequencing
BIM has multiple advantages that are beneficial for the structure and planning of a construction project. There are a few principle areas where BIM can have an impact:
· BIM enables visual representation at an early stage.
· It enhances site planning and coordination
· BIM helps for visual scheduling
· It provides accurate estimation and operational cost savings
· BIM helps to reduce costly errors
· It helps to improve construction predictability
· It permits visualizing the impact of changes in the design before construction
· It allows efficient energy analysis
But that said, the traditional sense has been that BIM’s, model-based approach is utilized for both planning and collaboration. But is that, strictly speaking, true?
Engineering and design are iterative procedures that have usually been manual. Architects, structural engineers and builders all need to view various snippets of information and utilize different layouts. BIM provides practical solutions to make easy changes whenever required. As the use of BIM is growing, the quality and nature of the information collected is increasing, as well. This collected data is precious for planning.
BIM is useful not only for assessing a structure for the achievability of the project but also to provide an insight into the building’s performances in terms of constructability and functionality. BIM helps to integrate knowledge, framework, and business structures in a collaborative process. The possibility of having a digital portrayal of the physical structure in the design and planning stage enables the prior detection of blunders and more transparent evaluation of the design. The control during the preconstruction phase will guarantee constructability by detection of errors, alterations, and irregularities in the project. Building Information Modeling helps reduce frequent changes and cost issues; thus, it can economically achieve space planning and coordination. 3D visualizations enable effective communication in the planning and design phase.
Some of the significant advantages of BIM utilization in the planning and design stage are the following.
1. Project visualization during the planning stage: Building Information Modeling tools empower proper project visualization and planning at the preconstruction stage. 3D simulation and visualization of the structure enable the clients to have a post-development visualization that facilitates simple modification before the beginning of the project. The overview of the project thus lowers the danger of time-consuming, unwanted and costly changes.
2. Assessment of cost based upon the project model: The incorporation of material specification facilitates effective construction cost assessment of the model-based project. The time-consuming challenges associated with cost assessment are effectively automated with the use of BIM. This enables estimators to focus on the most extreme element of significant worth that includes recognizing construction risk evaluation.
But what about during the actual construction?
As it happens, there are significant benefits from BIM at that stage too.
3. Lower expenses and risk: BIM helps to save a lot of money and make construction smoother and more efficient. The data storage libraries in BIM provide better coordination and a single source of truth that lowers the possibilities of using obsolete data by any team. This ensures early clash detection and prevention. Better coordination and collaboration between teams allows more efficient utilization of on-site resources. It also leads to a reduction in the labour expenses put into documentation and miscommunication.
4. More efficient construction: BIM helps to improve team collaboration and workflow productivity. BIM permits the specialists to access all the available data in a format they need. The frequent use of a single dataset implies that edits made in one configuration are automatically generated throughout the framework, removing the need to update various drafts as the project progresses. It further eliminates the necessity to manually produce other final-product documents such as schedules, colour-filled drawings and diagrams, and 3D models. These can be rendered quickly from the BIM database.
5. Less “trial and error”: Another benefit of BIM is the increasing number of simulation instruments that permit the designers to envision things such as the sunlight during various seasons or to measure the energy consumption of a building. BIM can do all the investigation, analysis, and modeling beforehand. The model also guarantees an ideal fit of components that are produced off-site )precast and prefabrication), permitting these components to be effortlessly bolted into place instead of creating them on site.
BIM is one of the most reliable tools to share information in construction projects. It serves various purposes depending on the phase of a project, be it design or delivery. BIM is becoming ever more crucial to the digitization of the construction and development industry. It’s fair to say that projects using BIM have a greater chance of success today.