A Building Information Modelling-based approach towards improving the constructability of suspended floor slabs

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poor coordination between designers and contractors is a regular occurrence within the Architecture, Engineering and Consulting (AEC) industry. The poor coordination often results in unpractical designs which require unnecessary extra cost and time to fix. This study aimed to reduce the occurrence of unpractical designs by investigating how Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be used as a tool to implement a constructability analysis process which analyses the constructability of suspended floor slabs and their supports.Autodesk Revit was chosen as the BIM software used for the development of the constructability analysis process because of Autodesk Revit's increasing popularity within the South African consulting industry. The scope of the research was limited to suspended floor slabs and their supports and the inputs from contractors and consultants within the Cape Town and Stellenbosch areas of the Western Cape of South Africa.The research objectives for this study were as follows: (i) identify all the factors which affect the constructability of suspended floor slabs; (ii) determine possible constructability verifications from interviews and select verifications as examples of how a constructability analysis process could be implemented in BIM (iii) provide visual representations of the potential end-product, and (iv) develop a general guideline for the implementation of a constructability analysis process.Constructability is affected by a range of factors. These factors were analysed in terms of their compatibility within BIM. The implementable factors, along with information found from a case study and from literature, were used to derive questions for structured interviews conducted with experienced contractors. Constructability problems encountered with the construction of suspended floor slabs and their supports were identified through the interviews. The information and tacit knowledge obtained from the interviews were used to identify possible verifications which can form part of the proposed constructability analysis process. The logic behind five chosen verifications were developed and these formed part of the process of developing the constructability analysis process. Proposed representations of the five verifications were also given.A second round of interviews was conducted with experienced consultants to validate the proposed process and obtain their preferences in terms of the implementation thereof. The consultants' inputs were used to further develop representations of how the proposed suspended floor slab constructability analysis process can be implemented. General guidelines for the implementation of a constructability analysis process aimed at any type of structural element was then developed.It was found that BIM can be used as a tool to enhance constructability during the design phase. It was also established that contractors and consultants could benefit from the proposed process and they see the need for further development thereof. This study demonstrated that the development of a process which improves constructability during the design phase can be usefull.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University