BIM research vs BIM practice: a bibliometric-qualitative analysis from China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhikun Ding ◽  
Kairui Zheng ◽  
Yi Tan

PurposeUnderstanding the frontier difference between building information modeling (BIM) research and practice is a top priority to guarantee the engineering significance and feasibility of academic achievements, yet such research gap has not been well-explored. The purpose of this paper is to provide an objective and accurate analysis of BIM knowledge using 551 published BIM-related papers and 68 documents of frontier BIM projects in China.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts the mixed method, combining the bibliometrics method with the qualitative method. Bibliometrics was used to analyze 551 BIM-related literatures from China with Citespace 5.0. Qualitative research was used to analyze 68 project documents from China with Nvivo. Finally, the analysis results are compared to obtain the final conclusion.FindingsThe analysis results of the collected BIM-related papers, given by bibliometrics analysis, show that the subject categories of engineering, civil engineering, and construction and building technology, and 8 key research clusters are extremely important for development of BIM knowledge. The analysis results of the collected project documents, given by qualitative analysis, indicate that visualization, aided management, intelligent construction, simulation and analysis are the hot applications of BIM practice.Originality/valueThrough comparison, certain research gaps between the research and practice community in China was identified, which are useful for identification of research trends and practice frontier in BIM community. This study offers useful and new insights to summarize the status quo of BIM and can be used as a reference to integrate future BIM developments.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Gong ◽  
Hongyu Xu ◽  
Feng Xiong ◽  
Jian Zuo ◽  
Na Dong

Purpose Some papers have investigated the complex factors impacting building information modeling (BIM) application in prefabricated buildings (PBs), but few paid attention to their interaction relationships. Ignoring the fact that different factors are not isolated may lead to some key factors being overlooked without appropriate improvement strategies being proposed. This paper aims to analyze those factors and their inter-relationships, with the view to identify the critical factors and their interaction relationships so as to derive constructive strategies that would effectively facilitate BIM adoption in Chinese prefabrication. Design/methodology/approach First, factors influencing BIM application in prefabrication are extracted and collated by literature review, expert interview and analysis of PBs characteristics. Thereafter, an evaluation laboratory (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory) and interpretive structural modeling are used to explore the relationships and hierarchy among the factors. Based on the degree of cause and centrality, critical factors are extracted and the interaction relationship are investigated. Findings The results show that BIM policies and standards for PBs are the main causal factors. The maturity of BIM software and BIM data interface for PBs, willingness to share data, the strategic goals of the enterprise, BIM law and BIM input and benefit are the main transitional factors while BIM staff and workflow, enterprise attitude, distribution of BIM liability and cooperation of participants are the main direct factors. Originality/value Based on the above findings, corresponding improvement strategies are proposed so as to promote BIM application in prefabrication and the rapid development of China’s PBs efficiently.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 750-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Olusola Babatunde ◽  
Damilola Ekundayo ◽  
Olubola Babalola ◽  
Jumoke Aduramigba Jimoh

Purpose Building information modeling (BIM) inclusion in education pedagogy is crucial in preparing skilled graduates for employment in the construction industry. Against this backdrop, studies on BIM education abound in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) programmes in higher education institutions (HEIs). However, there are limited empirical studies on BIM potentials in the quantity surveying (QS) profession in HEIs, particularly in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the BIM drivers and benefits as important to the QS profession using an empirical approach. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the BIM drivers and benefits in relation to the QS profession, which was used to design a questionnaire. To capture a broad perception, a questionnaire survey was carried out which targeted the academia and final year undergraduate students from two selected universities offering QS honour degree programmes in Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using mean score, standard deviation and Mann–Whitney test. Findings The study identified 12 BIM drivers in relation to the QS profession and the analysis of the ranking revealed that almost all the identified BIM drivers are considered by respondents as important. The study further identified 14 BIM benefits and the analysis of the ranking indicated that all the identified BIM benefits are considered as important. The results of the Mann–Whitney test indicated a slight statistically significant difference, particularly in one of the selected universities on the ranking of the BIM drivers and benefits as important to the QS profession. Practical implication The findings of the study provide empirical evidence on the current perceptions of the drivers and benefits of BIM to QS academia and students as they explore the concept for the advancement of QS profession. Originality/value This study would provide practical insights to use BIM for QS practice. Also, this study would contribute to improving the QS graduates and professional quantity surveyors understanding of the BIM knowledge applicable to QS profession.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Marzouk ◽  
Heba Elsaay ◽  
Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman

PurposeThis research is built up upon exploring the concepts of building information modeling (BIM) adoption and strategy formulation with the aim to develop a strategy for implementing BIM in the Egyptian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe development of the BIM implementation strategy was based on two pillars, namely the literature review and results of the survey questionnaire and interviews. First, the review of literature helped investigating the BIM challenges and international strategies developed to implement BIM worldwide.FindingsThe research presented recommendations to assist policymakers in Egypt to facilitate BIM implementation.Originality/valueAlthough multiple frameworks have been proposed to aid in BIM implementation, a practical strategy to implement BIM in Egypt is still lacking. Moreover, current market scale studies neglect nonsoftware aspects of BIM adoption, do not identify market gaps or reflect market-specific criteria. As such, it cannot be used by policymakers to facilitate BIM diffusion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Oluwatosin Olawumi ◽  
Daniel W.M. Chan

Purpose The increasing urbanization of the built environment has bolstered the need to promote green Building Information Modeling (BIM) initiative in new construction projects and the rehabilitation of old premises. This study aims to explore and examine the key benefits of the implementation of BIM and sustainability practices in the built environment. Design/methodology/approach The study gathered the worldwide perceptions of 220 survey participants from 21 countries which were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analytical methods. The identified individual benefits of green BIM were further categorized into their underlying clusters using factor analysis. Findings The key benefits are related to enhancing project efficiency and productivity, ensuring real-time sustainable design and multi-design alternatives, facilitating the selection of sustainable materials and components, together with reducing material wastage and project’s environmental impact, among others. The study analyzed and compared the perceptions of the diverse groups of the respondents as well. Practical implications Effective blueprints and insightful recommendations for enhancing the various stakeholders’ capacities to implement green BIM in their construction projects were put forward to achieve the aim of sustainable smart urbanization. Originality/value The study identified salient benefits of the adoption of BIM and sustainability practices. The proper integration of these concepts and the execution of the recommended useful strategies by construction stakeholders, policymakers and local authorities will enable the built environment to reap the gains of its implementation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullahi Babatunde Saka ◽  
Daniel W.M. Chan

Purpose This paper aims to review the status of development of building information modelling (BIM), its trends and themes across the six continents of the world. Design/methodology/approach A total of 914 journal articles sought from the search engine of Web of Science (WOS) based on the country/region option of the WOS to group them into continents. A best-fit approach was then applied in selecting the suitable software programmes for the scientometric analysis and comparisons and deductions were made. Findings The findings revealed that there are differences in the development of BIM across the six continents of the world. South America and Africa are lagging in the BIM research and Australia and Asia are growing, whilst Europe and North America are ahead. In addition, there exist differences in the research themes and trends in these continents as against the single view presented in extant studies. Originality/value This study introduced a new approach to carry out a comparative and taxonomic review and has provided both academic researchers and industrial practitioners with a clear status of development of BIM research and the trend across the six continents of the world.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øystein Mejlænder-Larsen

Purpose Traditionally, progress in detail engineering in construction projects is reported based on estimates and manual input from the disciplines in the engineering team. Reporting progress on activities in an engineering schedule manually, based on subjective evaluations, is time consuming and can reduce accuracy, especially in larger and multi-disciplinary projects. How can progress in detail engineering be reported using BIM and connected to activities in an engineering schedule? The purpose of this paper is to introduce a three-step process for reporting progress in detail engineering using building information modeling (BIM) to minimize manual reporting and increase quality and accuracy. Design/methodology/approach The findings of this paper are based on the studies of experiences from the execution of projects in the oil and gas industry. Data are collected from an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor and two engineering contractors using case study research. Findings In the first step, control objects in building information models are introduced. Statuses are added to control objects to fulfill defined quality levels related to milestones. In the second step, the control objects with statuses are used to report visual progress and aggregated in an overall progress report. In the third step, overall progress from building information models are connected to activities in an engineering schedule. Originality/value Existing research works related to monitoring and reporting progress using a BIM focus on construction and not on detail engineering. The research demonstrates that actual progress in detail engineering can be visualized and reported through the use of BIM and extracted to activities in an engineering schedule through a three-step process.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuangliang Tai ◽  
Yao Zhang ◽  
Ting Li

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to promote the application of building information modeling (BIM) in China’s construction industry, key factors and their relationships are explored. Design/methodology/approach Based on a literature review, 28 factors were extracted and their relationships (239 in total) obtained using the Delphi method. A social network model of the factors was constructed and factors were analyzed using social network analysis (SNA). Findings The top 10 key factors and their relationships were obtained using SNA. Among the top 10 critical factors, six were source factors. They were: training for the application of BIM, guidance from experts, proper management modes, efficient BIM teams, specifications and demonstrations and standards for building information communication. The other four factors included as follows: a willingness to accept BIM, knowledge of its value and benefits, the definition of its benefits and the availability of IT software and hardware. These were mediating factors that could further the influence of the source factors. Originality/value The results provide useful information for public agencies and professionals to understand the immediate and mediating influences of the factors on the application of BIM. Solutions and future efforts for different participants are presented to promote the application of BIM-based on the key factors and their relationships.


Author(s):  
Zezhou Wu ◽  
Changhong Chen ◽  
Yuzhu Cai ◽  
Chen Lu ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
...  

Visualization is one of the main features of Building Information Modeling (BIM). It has many advantages throughout the lifecycle of a construction project, and it has become a timely research topic in recent years. However, no attempt has been made to give a holistic understanding of the existing BIM-based visualization research status. Thus, this study aims to conduct a scientometric analysis of the existing BIM-based visualization literature and to gain a snapshot of the research status during the period 2010–2019. A total of 255 articles were abstracted from the Scopus database. Then, the VOSviewer program was employed to visualize the research status from the perspectives of scholars, countries/regions, journals, articles, and co-occurring keywords. Results revealed that Wang X. published the greatest number of articles, while Cheng J.C.P. received the greatest average normalized citations. Furthermore, Automation in Construction was identified as the most influential journal and the article “Building information modeling (BIM): trends, benefits, risks, and challenges for the AEC industry” was the most cited paper. Through the keywords co-occurrence analysis, “virtual reality” and “visual programming language” were identified as the emerging themes in this field. The research findings can provide both researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of the status quo and trends of the BIM-based visualization research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Moshtaghian ◽  
Mahmood Golabchi ◽  
Esmatullah Noorzai

PurposeMerging and updating project information and recording changes can give dynamic risk identification at all stages of the project. The main purpose of this research is to create an integration in construction information.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the 5D model was prepared and then all model information was entered into the database designed in SQL Server, the project report tables were coded, and finally, a database with four groups of information was ready for risk identification.FindingsCreating an integrated risk identification platform reduced rework and time and cost control and change management, which were positive effects of risk identification at the right time.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to identify risks, creating multilateral databases whose information integration enables timely completion of the project and compliance with the planning.Practical implicationsThis research is the basis for identifying project risks within the framework of building information modeling and can be an effective contribution to increasing the risk-taking efficiency of the project.Originality/valueAs a matter of fact, marked time and cost are terrific motivating forces for the building industry, materializing with identify risk well-time. In any case, identifying risk engaged with all of the dimensions depend on this industry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 2409-2427
Author(s):  
Honglei Liu ◽  
Jiule Song ◽  
Guangbin Wang

PurposeWith the increasing attention acquired from researchers and practitioners in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, building information modeling (BIM) has fundamentally changed the approach we design, construct and delivery, as well as operate and maintenance of buildings and civil infrastructures. This study tries to provide an innovative perspective on BIM research. This study aims to analyze the necessity and feasibility of BIM user satisfaction research and define what BIM user satisfaction is, and then to develop a quantitative method for the measurement of BIM user satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachAs it is indicated in the content, BIM user satisfaction is measured by the sum of the user's weighted reactions to a set of factors. To be specific, the entropy method was adopted to calculate the “weighting” of the factors, and the triangular fuzzy number (TFN) method was selected to compute the “scoring” of the factors. Through the literature review, methodology and tool development, as well as case study and discussions, this paper was generated sequentially.FindingsThis study found that the proposed tool for the measurement of BIM success is valid and reliable; it formerly translated the conceptual definition of BIM user satisfaction into an accurate measurement instrument. It also indicated that many factors are affecting the BIM users' satisfaction, and each of the factors inherited various importance and score, and the findings are expected to improve the performance and effectiveness of BIM management.Originality/valueThrough the translation of the conceptual BIM user satisfaction into a valid quantitative measurement instrument, this research provides an excellent framework for the management of BIM from the user's perspective, and it could help to stimulate user's acceptance of BIM in the AEC industry in future.


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