Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The popularity of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has grown rapidly within the construction industry, motivated by its potential advantages for improving construction processes. A majority of the world’s leading firms have adopted BIM solutions by moving from 2D or even 3D CAD to BIM techniques. However, for companies in South Africa this transition has not been the same as for firms in Europe and the USA. Besides the improvements which can be achieved by viewing a computer model of the designed facility, BIM provides a multi-disciplinary tool, to be used for collaboration of all project parties in a real-time simulated model of construction process. Due to this remarkable feature, the way of constructing a designed facility can be viewed and analysed from the conceptual stages and can improve design and construction processes. As this object-oriented approach has been developed in the industry, handbooks and standards have been released to support BIM utilization. A considerable amount of research has been conducted to establish the advantages and barriers in applying BIM. A large number of investigations have also been performed for reporting quantified achievement of construction projects executed in BIM environment. As such, a new knowledge field has been added to the industry requirements. BIM knowledge has become more demanding and BIM-specialist requirements have been enhanced. As a result, academia have been stimulated to raise BIM awareness among engineers, architects and construction managers to train sufficiently qualified professionals for applying BIM tools. Universities started offering different courses and programmes to fulfil this need while a variety of strategies have been developed for introducing BIM to the students at different levels. This research studied the current industry situation in South Africa regarding application of BIM and the role of universities to achieve a suitable level of BIM capability. The industrial and educational situations from some pioneering countries are reviewed as lessons for the South African adoption of BIM. Comparing these facts, proposals for introducing BIM through university courses are provided to satisfy industry requirements for the application of BIM in projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gewildheid van Bou Inligtingsmodelle (Building Information Modelling (BIM)) het vinnig gegroei in die konstruksie bedryf as gevolg van die voordele wat dit vir die verbetering van konstruksieprosesse inhou. ʼn Groot aantal van die wêreld se voorste konstruksie maatskappye het al die oorgang vanaf 2D en selfs 3D RGT (Rekenaar Gesteunde Tekenstelsels) na BIM gemaak. Ongelukkig is hierdie oorgang na BIM metodes nog nie so doeltreffend vir maatskappye in Suid- Afrika soos in die geval van Europese en Amerikaanse maatskappye nie. Daar is al bewys dat die vermoë om na ʼn rekenaarmodel van ʼn ontwerpte fasiliteit te kan kyk baie voordelig is. Daarbenewens bied BIM ʼn multidissiplinêre grondslag wat vir die samewerking van alle betrokke partye van die projek gebruik kan word en die projek kan simuleer as ʼn funksie van tyd. Hierdie tyd-afhanklike simulasie stel die bestuur in staat om die manier waarop ʼn ontwerpte fasiliteit gebou word, reeds vanaf die konsepsuele fase, te beskou en te ontleed. Hierdie vermoë kan die ontwerp en konstruksieproses asook die fasiliteitsbestuur proses merkwaardig verbeter. As gevolg van die ontwikkeling van hierdie objek georiënteerde benadering deur die bedryf, is handboeke en standaarde vrygestel om die gebruik van BIM te ondersteun. ‘n Merkwaardige hoeveelheid navorsing is al gedoen om die voordele en struikelblokke in die toepassing van BIM te identifiseer. ‘n Groot aantal ondersoeke is ook al geloots om verslag te doen op die prestasie van konstruksie projekte wat deur middel van BIM uitgevoer was. Vanuit die bogenoemde ondersoeke en navorsing is 'n nuwe kennisveld gevoeg by die vereistes van die bedryf. Die kennis van BIM het al hoe meer veeleisend geword en die vereistes vir ʼn BIMspesialis het verhoog. As gevolg hiervan is akademici aangemoedig om ingenieurs, argitekte en konstruksie bestuurders meer bewus te maak van BIM sodat daar genoeg professionele werkers opgelei kan word wat BIM kan implementeer. Universiteite het begin om kursusse en programme aan te bied om hierdie behoefte te bevredig, terwyl 'n verskeidenheid metodes om studente bloot te stel aan BIM op verskillende vlakke ontwikkel is. In hierdie navorsingsprojek is die huidige stand van Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksiemaatskappye ten opsigte van die toepassing van BIM ondersoek. Daarbenewens is die rol wat universiteite speel om 'n voldoende vlak van BIM vaardigheid te bereik ook ondersoek. Die industriële en opvoedkundige omgewings van 'n paar vooraanstaande lande word gebruik as lesse vir die Suid-Afrikaanse aanvaarding van BIM. Deur hierdie feite te vergelyk, is voorstelle gemaak vir die bekendstelling van BIM in universiteitskursusse om aan industrievereistes te voldoen vir die toepassing van BIM op projekte.

The construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is faced with challenges of incessant delays, cost overruns and poor quality. The premise of the research reported here is that effective adoption and implementation of Building Information modelling (BIM) can contribute to the achievement of the necessary improvement. Against this backdrop, the aim of the research was to produce a strategic framework to underpin such adoption and implementation. It entailed investigation of the awareness of BIM, the extent of its use in KSA and the barriers to its more effective adoption and implementation. A mixed research approach was adopted, using a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews for collecting data. The questionnaire survey was used to obtain information on the awareness, barriers, drivers and status of BIM usage in the KSA construction industry, while the semi-structured interviews were designed to elicit the opinions of professionals and elucidate their own experiences in relation to the variables in this study. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and thematic content analysis. The study found that the awareness of BIM in the Saudi construction industry is low and faced with inherent barriers that impede its successful application. These barriers were found to be a lack of knowledge of BIM, initial and running costs of implementation, a lack of training of personnel, and a fear of changing from the traditional methods of construction. The study identified strategies that could be used to address these challenges. These include enlightenment on the benefits of BIM application; creating awareness of BIM through workshops, seminars and conferences; training of workers; and the introduction of government intervention to enforce the application of BIM. In addition, this study identified the relevant factors that would enable the application of BIM in the Saudi construction industry to be meeting client's expectations and the requirement to use BIM technology, and using BIM because of the benefits it offers such as cost savings, efficiency, quality and increase in productivity. Regardless of these BIM drivers, however, the most important aim is to bring the stakeholders to commit themselves and invest in the necessary technology, tools and resources in order to improve construction processes. A strategic framework was developed to serve as a roadmap for BIM implementation. The framework also encompassed the key parties in the process and the specific roles to be played by them. The study concludes that the implementation of BIM could improve project performance in Saudi Arabia in terms of time, cost and quality.

Following several years of research and development around the subject of BIM, its impact on the design and handover of buildings is now becoming visible across the construction industry. Changes in design procedures and information management methods indicate the potential for greater utilisation of a Common Data Environment in areas other than design. To identify how these changes are influencing the engineering design process, and adapt this process to the needs and requirements of building performance management requires consideration of multiple factors, relating mainly to the stakeholders and processes employed in these procedures. This thesis is the culmination of a four year Engineering Doctorate exploring how BIM could be used to support non-domestic building energy performance management. It begins with an introduction to the research aim and objectives, then presents a thorough review of the subject area and the methodologies employed for the research. Research is split between eight sequential tasks using literature review, interviews, data analysis and case-study application from which findings, conclusions and key recommendations are made. Findings demonstrate disparity between different information environments and provide insight into the necessary steps to enable connection between BIM and monitored building energy performance information. They highlight the following factors essential to providing an information environment suitable for BIM applied performance management: Skills in handling information and the interface between various environments; Technology capable of producing structured and accurate information, supporting efficient access for interconnection with other environments; and Processes that define the standards to which information is classified, stored and modified, with responsibility for its creation and modification made clear throughout the building life-cycle. A prototype method for the linking of BIM and monitored building energy performance data is demonstrated for a case-study building, encountering many of the technical barriers preventing replication on other projects. Methodological challenges are identified using review of existing building design and operation procedures. In conclusion the research found that BIM is still in its infancy, and while efforts are being made to apply it in novel ways to support efficient operation, several challenges remain. Opportunities for building energy performance improvement may be visualised using the modelling environment BIM provides, and the ability to interface with descriptive performance data suggests the future potential for BIM utilisation post-handover.

Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms are in need to modify their business models to exploit available opportunities by the increasing role of knowledge management and information technology in the global economy. This thesis will propose business models for AEC firms to sell consulting knowledge on-line. The three proposed business models are: business and management intelligence, design optimization and innovation and; software customization and real time data analytics. The business models are based on selling online consulting knowledge services customized to the customers' business needs through enabling emerging information technologies like cloud computing. The models were developed through benchmarking cases in other industries, previous classifications in the area of business models and, experts insights. The suitability of these models to different clients will be assessed in addition to the most suitable revenue streams. Finally, the validated final business models will be presented in the framework by Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010).

Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms are in need to modify their business models to exploit available opportunities by the increasing role of knowledge management and information technology in the global economy. This thesis will propose business models for AEC firms to sell consulting knowledge on-line. The three proposed business models are: business and management intelligence, design optimization and innovation and; software customization and real time data analytics. The business models are based on selling online consulting knowledge services customized to the customers' business needs through enabling emerging information technologies like cloud computing. The models were developed through benchmarking cases in other industries, previous classifications in the area of business models and, experts insights. The suitability of these models to different clients will be assessed in addition to the most suitable revenue streams. Finally, the validated final business models will be presented in the framework by Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010).

The world of automation has grown rapidly for the last four decades and it is driven by higher demands from users, technology development and maturity of technologies of industrial processes. Companies all over the world have automated their manufacturing processes which have led to billions of dollars in productivity and quality improvements. In the construction industry innovation transpires extremely slowly and a reluctance to implement new strategies and a low research and development budget also contribute to the slow innovation rate. Because of this, technical innovations such as automation solutions are uncommon in the construction industry. Methods and concepts from the manufacturing industry, such as lean principles and mass customization, have for some time tried to be implemented the construction industry to reach higher productivity. However, despite those efforts, automation solutions are not yet commonplace on the average construction site. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate existing and emerging automation solutions that could be used to automate on-site construction operations with the use of digital technologies. Empirical and theoretical studies were conducted. A literature study was conducted to gain knowledge regarding the construction industry and its digitalization and general level of automation. This was then complemented with an interview study, where Skanska AB’s Technical Specialist was one of the interviewees, in addition to being the company’s mentor for this thesis. Skanska served as an example of a representative construction company since it is one of the largest construction companies in the world. To widen the data collection, the interview study included several relevant companies where their representatives were interviewed regarding their own state of digitalization and automation. For guiding the purpose of the thesis, three research questions were formulated. The research for answering these questions led to the resulting findings regarding what is possible to automate on the construction site, what the benefits could be from implementing such solutions and what the challenges are which needs to be overcome. The results of these studies show that the construction industry is facing challenges regarding the implementation of automation solutions. Examples of this are the lack of data in general, safety concerns and project planning operations. The currently existing industrial robots, for example, are generally heavy with low lifting capacity to weight ratio which is not much of a problem in a manufacturing setting, but it makes for an imperfect fit in the construction industry, since movability and high lifting capacity is of interest for such implementations. This thesis provides knowledge of available technologies that can be used for implementing automation at the construction site as well as what benefits can be expected from successful implementations of such solutions, such as higher productivity, increased profitability and increased safety for both equipment and personnel.

The expectations on digitalization and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) are high. The high expectations are reflected in an increasing interest for the term business value of BIM. However, the practical and theoretical understanding of its content and perspective is characterized by rationalism and positivism commercially promoted by industry. This thesis aims to reflect on, problematize and extend the theoretical understanding of the content and perspective of the business value of BIM. Perceptions about business value of BIM, the associated challenges and costs and the role of the business of BIM in a wider socio-technical context are examined among Swedish and international AEC industry actors and a large Swedish public infrastructure client. To extend the understanding of the content and perspective of the business value of BIM, the rational and process-oriented theories on the business value of IT are combined with the more interpretive and hermeneutic socio-technical systems theory. A social and cognitive dimension is thus added to the understanding of the business value of BIM and business value of IT.  By combining the two research fields and contributing with the socio-technical perspective to the theoretical understanding of business value, this thesis contributes with theory development of the understanding of business value BIM and business value of IT.  For practitioners, the thesis shows the complex, multi-dimensional and challenging aspects of implementing BIM for business value. The journey of perspectives in this thesis from positivism towards increased interpretivism also sheds light on the implications of when different perspectives exert influence on a research field (hegemony) and wishes to provide a contrast and balance to the rational and positivistic perspectives in BIM research. It also wishes to inspire future BIM research to broaden the theoretical perspectives. / Förväntningarna på digitalisering och Byggnadsinformationsmodellering (BIM) i samhällsbyggnadssektorn är höga och reflekteras i ett ökande intresse för affärsnyttan av BIM. Den praktiska och teoretiska förståelsen av innehåll och perspektivet i affärsnyttan av BIM har karaktäriserats av rationalism och positivism som upprätthållits i kommersiella syften. Denna avhandling syftar till att reflektera över, problematisera och utöka förståelsen av innehållet och perspektivet av affärsnyttan av BIM. Den upplevda affärsnyttan av BIM, de associerade utmaningarna och kostnaderna och rollen av affärsnyttan av BIM i ett bredare sociotekniskt perspektiv undersöks bland aktörer i den svenska och internationella samhällsbyggnadssektorn samt hos en stor svenskt offentlig beställare av infrastruktur. För att problematisera över och utöka förståelsen av affärsnyttan av BIM kombinerar denna avhandlingen de rationella och process orienterade teorierna inom business value of IT med den mer hermeneutiska socio-technical systems teorin. Genom att kombinera dessa två fält bidrar avhandlingen med ett socialt och kognitivt perspektiv till den teoretiska förståelsen av affärsnytta. Det teoretiska bidraget består således av teoriutveckling. För praktiker belyser avhandlingen de komplexa, multi-dimensionella och utmananande aspekterna med att implementera BIM för affärsnytta. Resan i perspektiv från positivism och rationalism mot ökad interpretivism i avhandlingen belyser också implikationerna av hur olika perspektiv får inflytande över ett forskningsfält (hegemoni) och önskar bidra med en kontrast och balans till det rationella och positivistiska perspektivet i BIM forskning. Det är också förhoppningen att avhandlingens resa i perspektiv kan inspirera framtida forskning på BIM att vidga de teoretiska vyerna. / <p>QC 20170920</p>

The management of data, information and knowledge through the project life cycle of buildings and civil infrastructure projects is becoming increasingly complex. In an attempt to drive efficiencies and address this complexity, the United Kingdom (UK) Government has mandated that Building Information Modelling (BIM) methods must be adopted in all public sector construction projects from 2016. Emerging from the US Department of Defence, BIM is an approach to the co-ordination of design and production data using object-oriented principles as described in ISO 29481-1:2010. The underlying philosophy of BIM is to ensure the “provision of a single environment to store shared asset data and information, accessible to all individuals who are required to produce, use and maintain it” (PAS 1192-2:2013). A key aspect of BIM lies in the notion of ‘interoperability’ between various software applications used in the design and construction process and a common data format for the efficient exchange of design information and knowledge. Protagonists of BIM argue that this interoperability provides an effective environment for collaboration between actors in the construction process and creates accurate, reliable, repeatable and high-quality information exchange. This UK Government mandate presents numerous challenges to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professions; in particular, the characteristics of BIM Level 2 remain explicitly undefined and this has created a degree of uncertainty amongst the promoters and those professionals charged with delivering projects. This uncertainty is further reflected in UK higher education; contemporary undergraduate programmes in civil engineering across the UK are, on the whole, at the bottom of the BIM ‘maturity curve’. UK higher education institutions are increasingly being challenged to embrace BIM through appropriate pedagogies and teaching practices but the supporting guidance is emergent and variable. In the case of civil engineering programmes in the UK, the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) has issued a ‘good practice guide’ as have the Higher Education Academy (HEA) under the auspices of the ‘BIM Academic Forum’. Nevertheless, a clear demand for further research to explore the technical and pedagogical issues associated with BIM integration into degree programmes remains. The research described in this thesis casts a critical lens on the current literature in the domains of object-oriented modelling of infrastructure and the associated implications for procurement and project management. A mixed-methods approach using questionnaire analysis, focus groups and secondary case study analysis was used to enact an inductive research approach that captures a range of data on pedagogic issues and considerations associated with the integration of BIM into the design of a new civil engineering curricular. The findings include recommendations for the ‘up-skilling’ of university teachers and academics, enhancing student employability and the development of suitable learning and learning techniques. A framework for the incorporation of BIM principles, concepts and technologies into civil engineering programmes is proposed. The findings of the research suggest that the first two years of study in a typical, accredited civil engineering degree programme should focus on the technical concepts relating to design from a modelling and analysis perspective. The latter years of the degree should focus on the development of ‘soft-skills’ required to enable effective teamwork and collaboration within a multidisciplinary project environment. Further studies should seek to test the proposed framework in a ‘live’ environment, particularly in the context of the necessity to balance the demands of summative and formative assessment regimes.

The effectiveness of Building Information Modelling, or BIM, in the construction industry has become a hot topic of debate. Used in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry for over a decade now, its effectiveness to certain aspects and sectors of the industry is under constant review. Its implementation into the Swedish bridge construction sector is relatively new, especially when used during the production phase of a projects delivery. This paper aims to investigate how using a 3D BIM during the production phase can improve the performance of production, whilst exploring ways in which to improve the handling of 3D BIM for future projects. This is achieved by following the production phase of the Roforsbron project in Arboga, Sweden. The first of its kind to utilise 3D BIM tools throughout its entire production phase. The theoretical framework focuses on the concepts of constructability, lean construction and productivity as well as reviewing a variety of literature on the benefits and drawbacks of BIM. The empirical data has been gathered through personal involvement of the Röforsbron project, where structured and semi-structured interviews with the workforce make up the bulk of the findings. Empirical observation and practical participation of activities on-site complement the opinions of the personnel. The interviews focus on individuals’ experiences using 3D BIM and their opinions on its effect of the production of the Röforsbron. The problems affecting current production performance often stem from a lack of detailed design and planning that affect constructability. Designing with a larger consideration on how to build and addressing constructability issues early is the means in which production can improve. The Röforsbron project was successful where no rework was performed and attributed many of its savings to the use of 3D BIM. Extra resources and experienced personnel were also a factor in the success of the project. 3D BIM is shown to have the most beneficial effect on the reinforcement works, but also offers a broad range of tangible and intangible benefits to widespread aspects of a bridge project. It is concluded that 3D BIM provides an effective tool in which to improve constructability through facilitating a more detailed design and effective means of understanding through visualisation and communication.

The AEC-industry has been lagging behind other types of production industries in terms of productivity development for the last 40 years. The reason for this has been described as to be a combination of the collaborative needs in performing construction projects combined with the fragmented nature of the AEC-industry. Building information modelling (BIM) has been presented as a way of addressing these issues and thereby improving productivity in construction projects. The adoption of BIM has been slow and many barriers hindering widespread adoption of this technology have been revealed. There are however no single barrier that could be solved individually in order to enable more extensive BIM adoption. These barriers are hindering many different aspects of effective adoption of BIM. When compared to traditional 2D CAD systems, BIM is a more efficient way of handling information connected to the project or the building. Adoption of BIM enables changes in work processes that can streamline the performance in construction projects. Adoption of BIM is not only a change in technology; there is a need for substantial changes in work processes in order to make improvements to productivity. BIM is a tool to improve processes in order to reach certain goals, not a goal in own right. In this thesis I examine how BIM has been adopted in two different construction projects. The research aims to develop the understanding of the barriers hindering BIM adoption in order to make it more accessible for the AEC-industry.