Generating construction schedules through automatic data extraction using open BIM (building information modeling) technology

The architecture, engineering, and construction industries have had rapid technological advancements over the last decade, particularly in the area of building information modeling (BIM). BIM stores all the information of a building and can be leveraged for many new and exciting applications including the generation of quantity takeoffs, 4D scheduling, and building simulations. The main objective in this study is to establish a framework for automating the generation of construction schedules by using data (e.g. spatial, geometric, quantity, relationship and material layer set information) stored in BIM. Using the extracted information, the proposed system in this research creates construction tasks, computes activity durations using available activity production rates, applies sequencing rules, and finally outputs a schedule. To demonstrate the functionality of this framework, a prototype system has been developed to import BIM representations with basic building elements such as slabs, walls, doors, windows, roofs, floors, and ceilings in two story buildings. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.