What are we talking about when we talk about BIM?
Table of contents
- What is BIM?
- What is 4D BIM?
- BIM and Project Management
- BIM-based project management software
We can always hear about BIM and engineering project management, so what is the relationship between BIM and engineering project management? This article is divided into four parts, and gradually analyzes the relationship between BIM and project management in depth.
1. What is BIM?
BIM (Building Information Modeling) building information model
- Bentley defines BIM as: BIM is a model applied to the entire life cycle of a facility under a joint data management system, and the information it contains can be graphical or non-graphical.
- Autodesk defines BIM as: BIM is a method for design, construction, and management. Using this method, high-quality, reliable, integrated, and fully collaborative project information can be obtained in a timely and sustainable manner.
- The American AGC defines BIM as: BIM is the establishment and use of computer software models to simulate the construction and operation process of building facilities. The established model is a data-rich, object-oriented, intelligent and parametric digital representation of building facilities, from which different users can extract the required information for decision-making or improve business processes.
- Internationally renowned architectural associations such as the American Academy of Building Sciences and the Facility Information Committee have woven the National Building Information Modeling Standard NBIMS, which defines BIM as follows: Building Information Modeling is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility . It can be used as a shared source of information to provide information services for the entire life cycle of the project from the initial stage of the project. This information sharing can provide a reliable guarantee for project decision-making.
BIM includes three meanings:
(1) BIM as a product, which refers to the digital representation of facilities;
(2) BIM as a collaborative process;
(3) BIM as a tool for life cycle management of facilities.
2. What is 4D BIM?
BIM is a three-dimensional space display, based on which "time information" is integrated, that is, 4D BIM. Then, the same 3D (entity) + 1D (progress) + 1D (cost) = 5D BIM.
In order to have a clearer understanding of 4D BIM, the following is divided into four stages: design, bidding and procurement, construction, and operation and maintenance.
2.1 Design stage
There are generally three problems in the design stage:
(1) The owner's demand for BIM is not clear;
(2) The BIM standard before the project starts is not clear;
(3) Problem analysis during the project implementation process. (teamwork problem)
2.2 Bidding and procurement stage
In the bidding and procurement stage, the application of BIM can be summarized in the following table.
| time | work content |
|---|---|
| bidding stage | Specify the supplier in the bidding document. In addition to providing equipment or components, relevant models should also be provided, and information such as equipment shape, model, manufacturer, and warranty period should be added. |
| review stage | After the supplier provides the model, it needs to be submitted to the BIM consultant or BIM professional for model review, and on the premise of ensuring the quality, it is handed over to the construction party for integration into the BIM model. |
| construction stage | Build according to the model |
| Operation and maintenance phase | Operation and maintenance management according to the information of the model |
2.3 Construction Phase
The figure below shows the comparison between the 4DBIM model and the traditional CAD information modeling process.
The figure below represents the impact of the 4D BIM model on the construction process.
2.4 Operation and maintenance phase
The integration of 4D BIM and the whole life cycle of the project is not only the integration of the project implementation stage, but more importantly, the combination with the post-operation and maintenance management can truly realize the value of integration.
3. BIM and project management
The connotation of engineering project management: from the beginning of the project to the completion of the project, through project planning and project control, the cost target, schedule target and quality target of the project can be realized.
The scope of project management can be divided into nine parts:
(1) Project scope management: To ensure that the project successfully completes all the required work, and only completes the required work.
(2) Project progress management: to ensure that the project is completed on time;
(3) Project cost management: to ensure that the project is completed within the approved budget;
(4) Project quality management: to ensure that the completion of the project can satisfy the needs;
(5) Project manpower Resource management: use human resources in the project as effectively as possible;
(6) Project communication management: ensure proper and timely generation, collection, release, storage and final processing of project information;
(7) Project risk management: risk to the project Managed with a systematic approach to identification, analysis and response.
(8) Project procurement management: the process of obtaining goods and services from external companies in order to meet the requirements of the project scope.
(9) Project integration management: to ensure that the different factors in the project can be properly coordinated.
The basic idea and connotation of BIM and traditional project management are consistent. First, the application goals of BIM are consistent with the goals of traditional project management, that is, to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve quality . Second, the application value of BIM coincides with the nine management scopes of traditional project management.
| project management objectives | BIM application goals |
|---|---|
| progress target | Through visualization, schedule simulation, improving design quality and reducing changes, etc., it assists the realization of project schedule goals. |
| cost target | Achieve cost goals by assisting project quantity statistics, reducing owner change costs and other application value auxiliary projects. |
| Quality goal | Through the value application points such as design error detection and collision detection, pipeline synthesis, scheme comparison and selection, and auxiliary supervision for quality supervision, the quality of the project is assisted to improve the quality. |
The figure below expresses the relationship between BIM application points and nine areas of project management.
4. BIM-based project management software
At present, BIM-based project management software is mainly divided into two categories: one is the platform/software that focuses on BIM; the other is the platform/software that focuses on management.
4.1 BIM-focused platform/software
BIM-focused collaborative platform/software, in order to highlight the use value of BIM, is guided by the actual use needs of the project, takes the realization of BIM-related software functions as the core, and forms a BIM collaborative platform/software by adding other functional modules to BIM-related software software. It mainly has the following characteristics:
(1) Developed for demand, easy to be used and accepted;
(2) Simple in function and focused, and each module contains the function of interacting with BIM;
(3) Lack of management system concept.
Domestic related companies include Yunjianxin, Blue Planet, Pinming and so on.
4.2 Management-focused platforms/software
The management-focused collaboration platform/software is based on the five processes and ten areas in PMBOOK, adding BIM to form a BIM collaboration platform/software. It mainly has the following characteristics:
(1) Advanced and complete management system;
(2) Comprehensive functions, with linkage between modules;
(3) Different from domestic management methods, functions need to be "localized";
References:
[1] Zhang Pengfei. Life Cycle Management of Large Projects Based on BIM [M]. Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 2016.