Entrant details
Role or Job Title on the Project
Digital Construction Manager
Employer
Employer Role
Construction, Fabrication or Supply Chain Company
Are you or your employer a member of buildingSMART?
No
Submission details
Submitting Party Company Name
BAM Nuttall Limited
Submitting Party Company Location
Camberley, UK
Submitting Party Role on Project
Digital Construction Manager
Submitting Party Company Website
Full Project Name
Information Management for Construction Logistics: A Framework for Ready Mixed Concrete
Project Location (Country)
United Kingdom
Project Objectives
Information which is increasingly available on digital platforms thanks in large part to BIM initiatives, represents untapped potential to improve inter-organisational communications and procurement. Alignment with industry standards can help unlock this potential, particularly in the area of construction logistics and concrete supply, yet there is a lack of recognition of the role IFC and IDM has to play.
This research aimed to:
1) Define a common process and information exchanges that could be adopted by the industry.
2) Propose a roadmap for industry that could see the adoption of this common approach to information exchange.
openBIM Achievements
The more accurate that information about demand requirements are, the greater the improvement in this key area. The use of OpenBIM to improve concrete procurement can reduce the administrative burden for both stakeholders. Exchanging information between contractor and supplier is labour intensive and both parties/industries are not generally aware of how aligning to a common information standard could allow improvements to their business processes. This research demonstrated how these benefits can be realised using OpenBIM and is transferable to other supply situations. IFC schema modifications and information exchange standards are proposed that could support these improvements.
openBIM used
IFC4, bSDD, IDM, MVD
openBIM or open standards used other than those listed above
Although not an Open standard BS8500 was used which is a subsidiary/complementary to BS EN 206.
Software used
Strategic Alignment
The information transferred in relation to the supply of concrete is more complex than most in construction due to the rapid curing of concrete once batched. This information transfer is a manual process. Although infrequent, the cost of placing the wrong concrete can amount to significant re-work and delay. Use of OpenBIM demonstrated the potential for both parties to standardise information flows from design, to contractor and on to supplier. Use of OpenBIM and international standards to define and agree common data exchange means that they can do so in a way that is repeatable, across industry.
Highlights
Roadmap defined to promote adoption of common information exchange.
Scaleable to other supply scenarios.
Potential to support increase in truck utilisation.
Potential to provide improved waste data.
Project Address
Middlesex University, UK.
Project Type
(Other)
Size of Project
6 month research project.
Detailed description of the project
The research project was undertaken as part of a BIM Management Masters degree course with Middlesex University.
The thesis achieved a top mark of 1 on a scale of 1 to 20.
Detailed description of openBIM on the project
This research project utilised the Information Delivery Manual to develop/propose a standard method of information exchange between a concrete supplier and contractor in relation to ready mixed concrete supply.
The details of what information was exchanged was correlated with standards for specifying concrete (BS8500 which is complimentary to BS EN 206). This was then cross checked against the IFC schema where additional fields were identified for the schema that could enable the use of IFC to convery information.
Each of the key information exchanges between designer, contractor and supplier was mapped with core proeprties identified at each stage. These exchange requirements are proposed as standard exchange requirements to that may be adopted across the industry. They can aid with reduction in the manual processing of information, aid with providing the most accruate information possible to concrete suppliers enabling increase truck utilisation and finally help to reduce errors associated with ordering and placing the wrong concrete mix.
openBIM Supporting Evidence
Benefits from using openBIM
The benefits from using OpenBIM were not proven or measured as part of this research. The potential explored is detailed below.
The potential is to reduce risk of placing the incorrect concrete mix to the a project which is difficult to demonstrate. When incorrect concrete is placed however is can have a significant impact on programme and project cost.
This research helps to demonstrate the potential for using OpenBIM for procurement/logistics activities with resource suppliers in the construction industry. Further work would be required to take the idea forward as demonstrated in the recommendations.
Were the concrete industry to adopt an agreed standard for exchanaging information regarding supply requirements i.e. concrete types, volumes, rates of pour etc. it could reduce the administration time normally taken to manage that information.
The concrete industries biggest potential area to increase efficiencies relates to truck utilisation. They are considering with having different rates dependant on the time of day that concrete is required. Ease of information exchange, greater transparency of demand and the potential for contractors to determine optimum pour times based on a combination of site constraints and fluctuating prices of the potential for marginal gains to the existing system.
"We were able to identify where we need openBIM to develop further."
Improvements to the IFC Schema relating to concrete materials were identified. Proposed standard information exchange requirements were proposed. Refer to the documentation provided.
I agree to be contacted about the project BIM uses outside of this awards program.
Stakeholders
BAM Nuttall Limited, Camberley, Surrey, UK, Digital Construction Manager, David Milnes
