Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Mode of access: Internet. Title from PDF title page, viewed on March 10, 2009. Major professor: Arthur J. Chapman, M.S. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Architecture." "January 2009." Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-76). Will also available on microfiche.

Designers usually start their design process by exploring and evolving their ideas rapidly through sketching since this helps them to make numerous attempts at creating, practicing, simulating, and representing ideas. Creativity inherent in solving the ill-defined problems (Eastman, 1969) often emerges when designers explore potential solutions while sketching in the design process (Schön, 1992). When using computer programs such as CAD or Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, designers often preplan the tasks prior to executing commands instead of engaging in the process of designing. Researchers argue that these programs force designers to focus on how to use a tool (i.e. how to execute series of commands) rather than how to explore a design, and thus hinder creativity in the early stages of the design process (Goel, 1995; Dorta, 2007). Since recent design and documentation works have been computer-generated using BIM software, transitions between ideas in sketches and those in digital CAD systems have become necessary. By employing sketch interactions, we argue that a computer system can provide a rapid, flexible, and iterative method to create 3D models with sufficient data for facilitating smooth transitions between designers’ early sketches and BIM programs. This dissertation begins by describing the modern design workflows and discussing the necessary data to be exchanged in the early stage of design. It then briefly introduces the modern cognitive theories, including embodiment (Varela, Rosch, & Thompson, 1992), situated action (Suchman, 1986), and distributed cognition (Hutchins, 1995). It continues by identifying problems in current CAD programs used in the early stage of the design process, using these theories as lenses. After reviewing modern attempts, including sketch tools and design automation tools, we describe the design and implementation of a sketch and multi-touch program, SolidSketch, to facilitate and augment our abilities to work on ill-defined problems in the early stage of design. SolidSketch is a parametric modeling program that enables users to construct 3D parametric models rapidly through sketch and multi-touch interactions. It combines the benefits of traditional design tools, such as physical models and pencil sketches (i.e. rapid, low-cost, and flexible methods), with the computational power offered by digital modeling tools, such as CAD. To close the gap between modern BIM and traditional sketch tools, the models created with SolidSketch can be read by other BIM programs. We then evaluate the programs with comparisons to the commercial CAD programs and other sketch programs. We also report a case study in which participants used the system for their design explorations. Finally, we conclude with the potential impacts of this new technology and the next steps for ultimately bringing greater computational power to the early stages of design.

Construction projects struggle to meet their budgeted cost, time, and quality requirements due to problems with cross-functional communication, which are made worse due to usage of mediums that are unable to handle the increasingly complex information required in the projects. Visualizing Building Information Models (BIM) through Augmented Reality (AR) on construction sites is believed to have the potential to solve many of the construction industry’s current communication problems. However, although academic efforts have been made regarding BIM through AR, contemporary research is limited to clinical trials and concludes that there is a need for studies conducted in real construction environments; even though practical testing has been conducted within the industry. To address this, the purpose of this report was to compile the academic knowledge and retrieve the experience available in the industry, and provide a situation assessment that updates the field of AR and BIM. Two research questions were formed: ‘What are the opportunities of using BIM through AR at construction sites?’ and ‘Which barriers are affecting the adoption of BIM and AR at construction sites, and what concrete measures can be taken?’. To answer the research questions, an exploratory study with abductive approach was used. The knowledge of industry practitioners with experience of BIM through AR testing, the usability of BIM, or the functionality of AR, was collected through 20 semi-structured interviews. These were analyzed using thematic methodology and the findings tested through a workshop at a major Swedish construction firm. The result confirmed that BIM through AR can solve some of the current communication problems within construction, and several barriers affecting the adoption of AR and BIM were found. These could be categorized into the dimensions: Process, User, or Technology. To each barrier a corresponding measure was identified, for instance; anchor the use of AR and BIM strategically, have an active role in AR development, and create organic dispersion of the technology. The results are also visualized in a roadmap depicting the different steps towards fully implemented AR and BIM. The findings contribute to the academia by extending the field of AR and BIM to include the perspectives of industry actors, and moving the focus of AR and BIM research past initial testing to actual implementation and usage of the technology. The main contribution towards managers is a roadmap which provides a sense of direction by being both a tool for assessing their company’s position along the path of AR and BIM implementation, but also provides insight regarding how to progress to the next step towards achieving fully implemented AR and BIM.

abstract: As a term and method that is rapidly gaining popularity, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is under the scrutiny of many building professionals questioning its potential benefits on their projects. A relevant and accepted calculation methodology and baseline to properly evaluate BIM's benefits have not been established, thus there are mixed perspectives and opinions of the benefits of BIM, creating a general misunderstanding of the expected outcomes. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a more complete methodology to analyze the benefits of BIM, apply recent projects to this methodology to quantify outcomes, resulting in a more a holistic framework of BIM and its impacts on project efficiency. From the literature, a framework calculation model to determine the value of BIM is developed and presented. The developed model is applied via case studies within a large industrial setting where similar projects are evaluated, some implementing BIM and some with traditional non-BIM approaches. Cost or investment metrics were considered along with benefit or return metrics. The return metrics were: requests for information, change orders, and duration improvements. The investment metrics were: design and construction costs. The methodology was tested against three separate cases and results on the returns and investments are presented. The findings indicate that in the tool installation department of semiconductor manufacturing, there is a high potential for BIM benefits to be realized. The evidence also suggests that actual returns and investments will vary with each project. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Construction 2011

BIM (Building Information Modeling, por sus siglas en inglés) es una metodología de trabajo multidisciplinario basado en modelos interoperables que mejora la comunicación y el flujo de la información de los stakeholders durante todo el ciclo de vida del proyecto. Esta metodología busca reemplazar a las herramientas tradicionales en el proceso de desarrollo de un proyecto y fomentar la industrialización dentro del sector de la construcción en cada una de sus fases. En este artículo, se brindará un resumen de los beneficios de emplear BIM en cada una de sus dimensiones (BIM-3D, BIM-4D, BIM-5D, BIM-6D y BIM-7D).

abstract: Economic and environmental concerns necessitate the preference for retrofits over new construction in manufacturing facilities for incorporating modern technology, expanding production, becoming more energy-efficient and improving operational efficiency. Despite the technical and functional challenges in retrofits, the expectation from the project team is to; reduce costs, ensure the time to market and maintain a high standard for quality and safety. Thus, the construction supply chain faces increasing pressure to improve performance by ensuring better labor productivity, among other factors, for efficiency gain. Building Information Modeling (BIM) & off-site prefabrication are determined as effective management & production methods to meet these goals. However, there are limited studies assessing their impact on labor productivity within the constraints of a retrofit environment. This study fills the gap by exploring the impact of BIM on labor productivity (metric) in retrofits (context). BIM use for process tool installation at a semiconductor manufacturing facility serves as an ideal environment for practical observations. Direct site observations indicate a positive correlation between disruptions in the workflow attributed to an immature use of BIM, waste due to rework and high non-value added time at the labor work face. Root-cause analysis traces the origins of the said disruptions to decision-factors that are critical for the planning, management and implementation of BIM. Analysis shows that stakeholders involved in decision-making during BIM planning, management and implementation identify BIM-value based on their immediate utility for BIM-use instead of the utility for the customers of the process. This differing value-system manifests in the form of unreliable and inaccurate information at the labor work face. Grounding the analysis in theory and observations, the author hypothesizes that stakeholders of a construction project value BIM and BIM-aspects (i.e. geometrical information, descriptive information and workflows) differently and the accuracy of geometrical information is critical for improving labor productivity when using prefabrication in retrofit construction. In conclusion, this research presents a BIM-value framework, associating stakeholders with their relative value for BIM, the decision-factors for the planning, management and implementation of BIM and the potential impact of those decisions on labor productivity. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Construction 2015

abstract: The semiconductor manufacturing business model provides unique challenges for the design and construction of supporting fabrication facilities. To accommodate the latest semiconductor processes and technologies, manufacturing facilities are constantly re-tooled and upgraded. Common to this sector of construction is the retrofit project environment. This type of construction project introduces a multitude of existing conditions constraints and functions entirely differently than traditional new-build projects. This facility conversion process is further constrained by owner needs for continuous manufacturing operations and a compressed design/construction schedule to meet first-to-market milestones. To better control the variables within this project environment, Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows are being explored and introduced into this project typology. The construction supply-chain has also increased their focus on offsite construction techniques to prefabricate components in a controlled environment. The goal is to overlap construction timelines and improve the productivity of workers to meet the increasingly demanding schedules and to reduce on-site congestion. Limited studies exist with regards to the manufacturing retrofit construction environment, particularly when focusing on the effectiveness of BIM and prefabrication workflows. This study fills the gap by studying labor time utilization rates for Building Information Modeling workflows for prefabrication of MEP (mechanical/electrical/plumbing) and process piping equipment in a retrofit construction environment. A semiconductor manufacturing facility serves as a case-study for this research in which the current state process for utilizing BIM for prefabrication is mapped and analyzed. Labor time utilization is studied through direct observation in relation to the current state modeling process. Qualitative analysis of workflows and quantitative analysis of labor time utilization rates provide workflow interventions which are implemented and compared against the current state modeling process. This research utilizes a mixed-method approach to explore the hypothesis that reliable/trusted geometry is the most important component for successful implementation of a BIM for prefabrication workflow in a retrofit environment. The end product of this research is the development of a prefaBIM framework for the introduction of a dynamic modeling process for retrofit prefabrication which forms the basis for a model-based delivery system for retrofit prefabrication. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Construction 2016

Ingeniero Civil / Las estrategias de ejecución de proyectos corresponden a la forma en el cual el mandante materializa las fases de Ingeniería y Construcción de su proyecto, estableciendo a las diferentes empresas participantes, en qué momento se incorporan éstas al proyecto, cómo se distribuyen las responsabilidades, entre otros aspectos. Todo lo definido en este proceso se establece en los contratos entre el dueño de proyecto y las diferentes empresas de Ingeniería y Construcción. Uno de los principales problemas que evidencian las estrategias tradicionales de ejecución de proyectos, es que en general se desarrollan bajo un ambiente donde cada empresa participante busca obtener los mayores beneficios con el menor esfuerzo posible, en una estructura jerárquica vertical (mandante-diseñadores-constructores) donde cada actor se aboca al desarrollo del trabajo propio involucrándose escasamente con otras especialidades. La estrategia de ejecución de proyectos conocida como Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), presentada en el año 2007, por The American Institute of Architects (AIA) busca dar solución a los principales problemas que generan las estrategias de ejecución comúnmente utilizadas (DB, DBB, EPC, EPCM y CMc). La estrategia IPD se caracteriza por involucrar tempranamente a los principales actores en fases de diseño del proyecto en un ambiente de cooperación, innovación y coordinación enfocándose en optimizar los recursos, procesos y actividades para finalizar en forma eficaz el proyecto. El objetivo principal de esta memoria es analizar la situación actual y tendencias de la estrategia IPD en proyectos. Para contextualizar al lector, se realiza un estudio sobre las estrategias tradicionales de ejecución de proyectos, y en particular sobre la estrategia IPD, para entender su aplicación en cada una de las fases del ciclo de vida del proyecto. Se entrevistan a profesionales expertos en la materia para obtener información acerca de los procesos de definición de las estrategias de ejecución y para saber si la estrategia IPD podría ser aplicable en proyectos que se desarrollan en Chile, en particular, si la cultura de las empresas favorece la implementación de los principios y aspectos contractuales que establece la estrategia IPD. Una de las principales conclusiones obtenidas en esta memoria, es que no existiría una mejor estrategia de ejecución, todas muestran ventajas y desventajas ante ciertos escenarios. La estrategia IPD posee características y principios que aumentan las probabilidades de éxito y de obtención de mejores soluciones tanto de diseño como constructivas. Sin embargo, en relación a su implementación, se debe reconocer que se requiere un importante cambio cultural en las organizaciones para poder establecer contratos acordes con estas características, algo que en el corto plazo parece difícil y que en la actualidad solo algunas empresas y dueños podrían llevar a cabo con éxito.

Submitted by Bruna Rodrigues (bruna92rodrigues@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-09-14T13:50:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissJMCC.pdf: 7653909 bytes, checksum: 16867609454d01488a53ab8fb6c5f11a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-15T13:53:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissJMCC.pdf: 7653909 bytes, checksum: 16867609454d01488a53ab8fb6c5f11a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-15T13:53:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissJMCC.pdf: 7653909 bytes, checksum: 16867609454d01488a53ab8fb6c5f11a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-15T13:53:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissJMCC.pdf: 7653909 bytes, checksum: 16867609454d01488a53ab8fb6c5f11a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / The budget, proper planning and control play a vital role in getting profit in the current scenario in the construction sector, and the Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be a key factor in the success of businesses. This work aims to analyze the main impact of technology BIM about the planning, budgeting and control, as well as present a schematic representation of the impact of BIM on the flow of the processes studied. The methodology used in the research was the field of study, basically divided into three stages: preliminary exploration, data collection and impact on flows. Through a proposal schematisation of the flow of the processes studied, it was possible to propose details of the information exchange requirements, as well as the intensity of the impact of BIM use in each activity. In this context, it was found that the BIM platform has moderate impact in the budget, planning and control. / O orçamento, planejamento e controle adequados assumem um papel imprescindível na obtenção de lucro no cenário atual do setor da construção civil, e o Building Information Modeling (BIM) pode ser um fator fundamental para o sucesso das empresas. Este trabalho tem como propósito analisar os principais impactos da tecnologia BIM sobre os processos de planejamento, orçamento e controle, bem como apresentar uma representação esquemática do impacto do BIM sobre o fluxo dos processos estudados. A metodologia utilizada no desenvolvimento da pesquisa foi o estudo de campo, dividido basicamente em três etapas: exploração preliminar, coleta de dados e impacto sobre os fluxos. Por meio de uma proposta de esquematização do fluxo dos processos estudados, foi possível propor um detalhamento dos requisitos de troca, bem como a intensidade do impacto do uso do BIM em cada atividade. Neste contexto, constatou-se que a plataforma BIM impacta os processos de orçamento, planejamento e controle de forma moderada.

abstract: Implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects has many potential benefits, but issues of projects can hinder its realization in practice. Although BIM involves using the technology, more than four-fifths of the recurring issues in current BIM-based construction projects are related to the people and processes (i.e., the non-technological elements of BIM). Therefore, in addition to the technological skills required for using BIM, educators should also prepare university graduates with the non-technological skills required for managing the people and processes of BIM. This research’s objective is to develop a learning module that teaches the non-technological skills for addressing common, people- and process-related, issues in BIM-based construction projects. To achieve this objective, this research outlines the steps taken to create the learning module and identify its impact on a BIM course. The contribution of this research is in the understanding of the pedagogical value of the developed problem-based learning module and documenting the learning module’s development process. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2018