Construction Management Documentation using BIM

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1 Construction Management Documentation using BIM Daphene Koch, Purdue University Hazar Dib, Purdue University Abstract With Building Information Modeling / Management (BIM) being required by owners, how does everyone learn to use the information? The construction industry is now challenged to efficiently utilizing BIM and introducing construction professionals to new ways of thinking. We are not only talking about where the information is used, but in what format it is most efficiently documented and exchanged. In this paper, the authors present their experience at weaving BIM concepts throughout a construction management (CM) curriculum. The students are exposed to BIM at the graphics level in an introductory course where they learn to build the 3-D parametric model using Autodesk software. As an upper classmen, they apply technical knowledge to the model as away to manage construction documentation. Through exercises students understand their role as construction managers and establish procedures to document the construction processes within BIM. This paper includes examples of where information is documented in a BIM model and will highlight the details and courses involved in the process. Keywords: BIM, Interdisciplinary approaches, construction management, construction visualization, computer graphics 516

2 1. Introduction Students are constantly challenging instructors as to why they need to learn a topic and how the information is related to their career as a construction manager. At one Midwestern University, 4 year undergraduate program in Construction Management (CM) has begun to integrate Building Information Modeling / Management (BIM) across the curriculum. This integrates the 3D model with where the information is used, and in what format it is most efficiently documented and exchanged. In this paper, the authors present their experience at weaving the BIM concepts related to documentation of a project throughout a CM curriculum. Many CM programs have documented their integration of BIM (Hyatt, 2011; Sabongi, 2009 & Taylor, Liu, & Hein, 2008). The construction industries, much driven by owners such as the US General Services Administration (GSA), are requiring BIM for project drawings, installation and facility services (General, 2006). The most current development in construction design is the ability to apply not only a three-dimensional representation of a building, but also attaching a database to the structure that would allow the tracking of schedule, cost, or specifications (Koo & Fischer 2000; Chau, Anson, & Zhang, 2004). BIM has the ability to detect clashes during the design process allowing better decision making to occur rather than costly rework during construction (Tanyer & Aoudad 2005). The challenges in academia in weaving BIM into a curriculum are the balance of integrating technology while maintaining a high level of technical knowledge. Adding new courses is not feasible with restrictions on adding new resources. There are also discussions on how much a CM student needs to know about producing, manipulating, and interpreting a BIM model. One department has taken an integrated approach by introducing modules in courses across the curriculum to develop a layering of understanding how to develop and utilize a BIM model as a documentation tool for a construction manager. 2. Introductory Courses and BIM Modules 1.1. Introductory Courses Students are introduced to BIM and the related software in a first year level computer graphics course. The course is taught with an emphasis on construction and civil engineering concepts. The final project for the course includes an interdisciplinary activity where students from computer graphics are paired with civil engineering and CM students. The CG students might be hired as the next BIM managers, building the expertise in BIM modeling, clash detection, and construction documentation. The construction students were observing the challenges of BIM modeling, getting involved in the process and working closely with the graphics students as the CM students have technical knowledge about the structure. The course was divided in 8 modules where the students were introduced to various concepts to better understand the goals, objectives, and benefits from having a BIM model. The concepts include: 517

3 1. Understand the settings and boundaries of the project 2. Apply BIM in the settings of an integrated practices project such as Design Build project 3. Understand the nuance between 3D modeling and Parametric modeling 4. Understand the various standards that control the software interoperability 5. Understand the concepts of object oriented programming and how it relates to lifecycle project information management 6. Understand the various roles of the participants 7. Understand the required documentation of work in progress 8. Leverage the BIM expertise towards the success of the construction project The course uses Autodesk Revit Architectural 2010 for the Architectural model, Autodesk Revit structural 2010 for the Structural model and Autodesk Revit MEP Suite for the HVAC model. The class is required for all CM students and is usually taken during the first or second semester. It also serves to develop visualization skills that will be applied to plan reading and estimating courses. Different project are utilized each semester to keep the material in the class fresh and hinder the reuse of models developed in past semesters Introduction to Construction Management Module Many students are taking an introductory course in construction management while they are learning the integration of software and tools to build the 3D parametric BIM model. The challenge is to assist the students in understanding the importance of the documentation of information related to the graphical representation of a project. The first assignment that the students are given is to tie the information about materials in the model to specifications. This is practiced by producing a spreadsheet in excel listing the materials which might be used on a commercial project. Using the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Masterformat divisions, student research one product for each division and prepare an excel spreadsheet to document that information. The information which is recorded in Microsoft Excel with columns: 1. CSI Masterformat division 2. Type of Material 3. Website of Product 518

4 4. Company name 5. Contact Information 6. Picture of product 7. Explanation of why it is Green, Sustainable or LEED points applicable The assignment is given with the students gathering information which could be applied to a small commercial project. The individual assignment is graded and returned to be used for a group project to develop a 3D model of a small office area renovation. The students are applying knowledge, developing visuals, and documenting materials. The excel spreadsheet could then be linked to the 3D model and used to verify materials. This demonstrates the connection of the model to a specification. This is the students first experience with connecting the model and technical information. 3. Upper level courses and BIM models 3.1 Concrete Module Introducing BIM concepts and principles to the concrete class, is another aspect of the integration of BIM throughout the construction curriculum. Unlike engineering students who focus on the design and calculations aspects of concrete in the building, the construction management students focus on construction management practices related to documentation of construction activities in relation to cost, schedule and quality of work. Construction field personnel are required to track and document daily activities related to (1) submission and distribution requirements, (2) conformity with design documents, codes and standards, (3) quantity and dimension (4) scope and coordination. Students in a concrete construction course are introduced to these concepts and expectations, and are required to review specifications and drawings and extract the contractual information related to concrete. They must record all details related to the concrete on the project including, but not limited to, the submittal process, testing procedures, mix requirements, finishing methods. With that information, students develop excel spreadsheets listing these items and then having a detail log for each item. The series of excel spreadsheets are hyperlinked together, allowing easy access and upload of the information. Starting with the parametric 3D CAD software such as Autodesk Revit, the student creates a schedule of values for the concrete work on the project. This is tabular summary lists parametric information about the concrete system, as labeled above (3) quantity and dimension, showing information such as the room number, the area of the room, the perimeter, the thickness of the concrete, and all other information entered by the design professionals. The students are directed to develop a series of spreadsheets that would tie to this initial spreadsheet and would capture information related to (1) submission and distribution requirements, (2) conformity with codes and standards, and (4) scope and coordination. This exercise leads the students to develop a framework and methodology to approach daily construction tasks that are project independent. The content of the table is however a project 519

5 dependent. The students are encouraged to think along the lines, of how can use technology and computer to make my work easier and more efficient. This effort can be, upon graduation, the starting point for the students to pursue and further develop these tables to capture the essence of their work and daily tasks and activities in the construction industry. This information entered into the excel sheets capture lifecycle information and can be complemented by a series of logical analysis of data given, can have excel suggest placement methods, trigger thoughts about concrete finishing based on the size of the area and the type of the finish and the setting time due to different mix. Excel, based on previous historical data or simply data based on equipment and resources productivity can suggest machine finishers or the size of the crew to manually finish the concrete. Students are thinking like a construction manager and not just calculating the mix design, or reciting information about concrete slump and design mix requirements, but applying the knowledge to a project and understanding the importance of that information for a plan of action. Applying knowledge to a real project, extracting information and coming up with strategies on materials to use, crews to be, and building decision making tools are all outcomes of this module. Figure 1: Sample table for recording concrete specifications in BIM model Once these tables are organized and linked together, we can then apply to the BIM model. In the Revit model, a hyperlink to the tables can be made so that anyone can click on the location and see the status of submittals, mix requirements, etc. The tables can also be updated in this area. This becomes an integral part of the project documentation. Although this is not a fully automated process, it is one way for students as future construction managers to leverage technology and become more efficient at doing their job. It helps the students stay focus on the big picture and not get lost in the technical details of concrete. They see that the size of aggregate, the density of the concrete and the amount of water in the concrete and how it effects the overall productivity of the project. By organizing the 520

6 information in tabular data and they and they can formulate the rationale and their decision making is becoming automated. Figure 1 above represents a sample of the tables and the hyperlinks to capture the life cycle information related to the concrete system, as described above. Concrete type shown in the extract form the first table is hyperlinked to the second table extract shown just below. By clicking on the content of the cell in concrete type, once is linked to the second sheet showing more relevant details about that particular concrete used. The content of the responsibility field is linked to the extract from the table personnel log and more information is accessed. The content of the notes fields are linked to the submittal log, and allow access to the various information related to the submittal process. 3.2 Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) Module The most common use of building information modeling / management (BIM) in the current construction industry practices is in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems of a building. These systems make up as much as 50% of the project value and represent the major challenges when it comes to project coordination, overhead coordination, and clash resolutions. Construction managers (CM) face various challenges throughout the stages of the project. The assignment was given as a group project. A lecture was given to the students with an example of how a MEP component can be integrated into a BIM model. The lecture explained how the students can connect equipment over the Preconstruction, Construction, and Post construction phase by storing information in the model. Table 1 is an example of the lecture information which was provided to the students. Table 1 Matrix for Boiler in MEP model At the preconstruction stage, the CM major challenge is the visualization of the MEP components in order to schedule workflow and develop accurate quantity take-off. At the construction phase, the CM major task is jobsite coordination and quality control. During the post-construction stage, CM is responsible for commissioning, maintenance, and warranty work related to the MEP systems. The 521

7 students approached BIM from both the modeling and management perspectives. The 3D BIM model helped the students visualize the MEP systems and their components as they relate and fit into the building, as well as the relationship to the other building systems. On another level, the students took a CM approach to collect the information needed to carry on the work throughout the various phases of the project. Findings from this exercise proved very helpful to engrave the student s learning and understanding of the MEP systems, therefore serving as a great methodology to complete the objectives of this class. In addition, the students developed a plan to manage and share MEP information from a life cycle point of view. During the lecture, the students were assigned to groups by the instructor. The groups were made up of a cross experience with each group including students with a high level of MEP experience partnered with students will less experience. The teaching style used is a natural peer teaching as the students research an equipment example. The objectives for the assignment include: 1. Identify a construction component of your choice in the MEP area 2. Analyze what kind of information is needed to successfully complete the construction of this component (information pertinent to code, site supervision, site coordination, long lead item, description, delivery logistics, etc.) 3. Categorize this information by pre-construction phase, construction phase, and postconstruction (maintenance and de-commissioning). 4. Develop a schematic approach demonstrating how to link and manage this information from a life cycle approach point of view. Utilizing Learning Systems Blackboard Course Management software, an assignment drop box was set up for the students to post their work. They were given one week, including a 2 hour lab period, to research and develop the assignment. The deliverables which were required included: 1. A presentation including visual aids (Power Point or other presenting aid), that will be a minimum of 5 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes. 2. All group members must be a part of the presentation 3. It should include a graphical representation of the component 4. All information from listed in the objectives should be included 5. The visual should show the schematic approach. How would you track this information and document using BIM? Samples of the student schematic layouts are shown in Figures 2 and

Preconstruction Maintenance Construction Figure 2: Schematic layout and visual of Boiler Figure 2 is very basic approach to visually showing that a manufactures 3 D model of equipment can be used to

8 Preconstruction Maintenance Construction Figure 2: Schematic layout and visual of Boiler Figure 2 is very basic approach to visually showing that a manufactures 3 D model of equipment can be used to connect the database of information for each phase of a project. Figure 3, demonstrates a broader understanding of the capacity of information that BIM can manage during the life cycle of MEP equipment. Figure 2: Schematic model of dry type transformer 523

9 4. Conclusions The presentations of the students MEP and concrete BIM assignments demonstrated that the students could connect data (information) to BIM 3D model. This generation of student has been exposed to new technology every year. They are very accepting of technology and value the power of computer graphics. The first year of integration of the upper level course assignments, the students did not have the software knowledge to produce the BIM module. The exercise was a demonstration of the power of the technical information and documentation that could be utilized on a construction project. Over the next 3 years, this assignment will grow from not only theorizing about the data, but a project will be developed to expose the students to the collection of data and manipulate a BIM model. The introductory assignment was first delivered in Fall 2011 and 3D models were produced. The challenges of implementing BIM into a curriculum is the level at which students should be proficient in the manipulation of the BIM model. What is the expertise of the MEP project managers of the future? How much time should be spent in this curriculum on software training versus model manipulation? These are all questions and concerns which will be answered as trial and error of assignments and the input from industry towards the implementation of BIM. The three main goals of the mission statement for this department are: Provide the educational opportunities that prepare students to become professional constructors/managers of the construction process Engage in scholarly activities that keep the Department at the State of the Art of Application Provide service and outreach activities to the construction profession ( Weaving the BIM model and documentation management exercises within the curricula exposes the students to multiple levels of applying technical knowledge and building tools. It aligns with the mission for the department and the needs of the industry partners. As students increase their level of experience, they can fine tune the tools developed and take them to jobsites to use as they work. The final step for this process would be to develop a capstone course which integrates the building, facilitating, and managing of the construction documentation through the building of a BIM model. The next steps are to integrate schedule and cost modules into the curriculum. 5. References Chau, K.W., Anson, M. & Zhang, J.P. (2004). Four-dimensional visualization of construction scheduling and site utilization. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 130(4), General Services Administration. (GSA), (2006) GSA BIM guide for spatial program validation version Washington, DC: General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service Office of the Chief 524

10 Hyatt, B. (2011, April). A Case Study in Integrating Lean, Green, BIM into an Undergraduate Construction Management Scheduling Course. Associated Schools of Construction International Proceedings of the 47 th Annual Conference, Omaha, NE. Koo, B. & Fisher, M. (2000). Feasibility study of 4D CAD in commercial construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 126(4), Sabongi, F. (2009, April) The Integration of BIM in the Undergraduate Curriculum: an analysis of undergraduate courses. Associated Schools of Construction International Proceedings of the 44 th Annual Conference, Gainsville, FL. Tanyer, A.M. & Aouad, G. (2005). Moving beyond the fourth dimension with an IFC-based single project database. Automation in Construction, 14(1), Taylor, J., Liu, J, and Hein, M. (2008, April) Integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) inot an ACCE Accredited Construction management Curriculum. Associated Schools of Construction International Proceedings of the 44 th Annual Conference, (2011). XXXX University XXXX Department homepage. 525

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