Building Information Modeling

The rapid growth of technology has brought many cases of practicality in issuing a wide spectrum of human needs. One to be named is the technology development believed to become the revolution turning point for engineers, that is the Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM can be defined as the process to collect construction data, by using computer software technology that utilizes database system (data-oriented software).

The name goes by Douglas Carl Englebart, who founded and develop the basic concept of BIM on 1962. The basic concept that is triggered to simplify the works between architects, engineers, contractors, and other departments that are involved in a project.

Efficiency is one word that could sum up the main purpose of having this BIM technology. Efficiency in this context covers all phases of a construction from design, building, operation, as well as maintenance.

Despite the fact that BIM technology involves a 3D modeling software, the current development of BIM is able to cover 5 additional data, making BIM an 8-dimensional software. Each dimension is not tangled to physical laws, rather stating an information/data that is provided by the BIM software.

As BIM adapts a data-oriented software, BIM is also designed in such a way so that it allows every information/data changed or added by one department, would be directly updated to the database. This grants other departments that is connected to the BIM database to observe the change and modify their data, adapting to the most updated version.

Written by: Abimanyu Satrio Ambiarto

Resources:

“Kamardeen, I (2010) 8D BIM modelling tool for accident prevention through design. In: Egbu, C. (Ed) Procs 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 281-289.”

“Bui, N., Merschbrock, C., & Munkvold, B. E. (2016). A Review of Building Information Modelling for Construction in Developing Countries. Procedia Engineering, 164, 487-494. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.649”