Descriptive analysis of construction scheduling data towards automation of 4D building information modeling

The integration of construction planning and scheduling into Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows is still evolving. The common workflow to integrate the fourth dimensional (4D) of BIM still relies on the ability of manually linking construction activity tasks with 3D BIM-based objects. This process is arduous and requires high levels of accuracy and strong communication between design and construction trades. Identifying the corresponding objects and its tasks could even be a more complex process in large projects. Although this 4D BIM procedure tends to be troublesome, the benefits of completing it are various: project visualization, project monitoring and controls, construction safety, etc. Different efforts for leveraging its uses and application have been released, nonetheless there are a lack of studies focused on the analysis of the two main variables entailed within 4D BIM towards its automation: construction schedules and 3D BIM-based objects. This study is intended to cover this gap. Analyzing the relation between construction scheduling data and BIM-based objects provides an opportunity to identify ways to fully-automate 4D BIM under a systematic approach. Therefore, this research includes a comprehensive diagnosis of the current construction planning and scheduling, and 4D BIM practices in the industry. This diagnosis has been elaborated based on a survey of professional testimonies and reflections offered by members of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) community. The status quo shows that at least 60% of the participants do not count with standards to create Work Breakdown Structures and majority of them perform their schedules based on in-house conventions. Moreover, the diagnosis indicates that 53% update their construction master schedule on a monthly basis and up to 85% use multiple approaches to track project progress. Similarly, the study reveals that 87% of the recipients are familiar with 4D BIM to some extent and 94% leverage multiple uses from it. Construction visualization and project monitoring account as the main 4D BIM uses within the industry. Finally, this study includes a descriptive analysis and interpretation of construction scheduling data retrieved from real estate projects. This data has been related to object-driven standards such as Uniformat. The results show that 77% of construction activities are BIM-based and only 19% present a high level of detail regarding the type of object. Categories such as services present the largest amount of BIM-based data, and elements such as HVAC, walls and framing account for the highest level of detail incorporated within construction schedules. Discussion regarding the status quo of construction scheduling data analysis results, professional practices, and methods towards 4D BIM automation has been discussed and suggested