BIM …downloads.hindawi.com/journals/ace/2018/5249548.pdfbased user interface and database system to combine AutoCAD and MS Project for the development of a con-solidated database

Research ArticleBIM-Based Construction Information Management Frameworkfor Site Information Management

Dong-Gun Lee , Ji-Young Park, and Sang-Hoon Song

Land & Housing Institute, Korea Land and Housing Corporation, Bundang-gu, Republic of Korea

Correspondence should be addressed to Dong-Gun Lee; [email protected]

Received 9 August 2017; Revised 20 November 2017; Accepted 21 December 2017; Published 19 February 2018

Academic Editor: Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Copyright © 2018Dong-Gun Lee et al.-is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Projects in the construction industry are becoming increasingly large and complex, with construction technologies, methods,and the like developing rapidly. Various different types of information are generated by construction projects. Especially,a construction phase requires the input of many resources and generates a diverse set of information. While a variety of ITtechniques are being deployed for information management during the construction phase, measures to create databases ofsuch information and to link these various different types of information together are still insufficient. As such, this study aimsto suggest a construction information database system based on BIM technology to enable the comprehensive management ofsite information generated during the construction phase. -is study analyzed the information generated from constructionsites and proposed a categorization system for structuring the generated information, along with a database model for storingsuch structured information. -rough such efforts, it was confirmed that such a database system can be used for accumulatingand using construction information; it is believed that, in the future, the continual accumulation and management ofconstruction information will allow for corporate-level accumulation of knowledge as opposed to the individual accumulationof know-how.

1. Introduction

Projects in the construction industry are becoming in-creasingly large and complex, with new constructiontechnologies, methods, and the like developing rapidly.Furthermore, owners of construction projects are makingincreasingly diverse sets of demands while all related lawsand regulations undergo rapid change. As a result of suchadvancements in construction technology and the growingcomplexity of the construction industry, efficient manage-ment of the diverse information generated from constructionprojects is becoming increasingly necessary. In partic-ular, since the construction phase is the phase where thebuilding begins to take shape based on the blueprints, asuccessful project requires comprehensive management oflarge quantities of information to allow the construction phaseto succeed [1].

Due to the importance of information management, theconstruction industry utilizes a diverse array of IT techniques,and various studies and methods such as CIC (Computer

Integrated Construction), CALS (Continuous Acquisitionand Life-cycle Support), and PMIS (Project ManagementInformation System) exist in order to comprehensivelymanage the information that is generated during the course ofconstruction. However, as a result of examining these studies,it is difficult to utilize the information due to the fact that theinformation generated in the construction industry is col-lected as one information such as e-documents. -ey merelyfocus on the visualization of data and are therefore insufficientin terms of establishing connections within the data [2–4].

BIM (building information modeling) exists to resolvethe problems associated with construction informationmanagement techniques. While it can be said that BIM isa technique that uses a three-dimensional parametric mod-eling technique to consolidate the information generatedduring the construction phase into a database so as to fa-cilitate connections between data points, it is currently usedmainly for making various assessments and analyses that use3Dmodels such as interference assessment, sunshine analysis,viewing area analysis, and energy analysis. -at is, while BIM

HindawiAdvances in Civil EngineeringVolume 2018, Article ID 5249548, 14 pageshttps://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5249548

mailto:[email protected]

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3942-6773

https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5249548

is being effectively used for analyses that use 3D models, it isnot being used for construction information managementthrough the consolidation of construction information anddatabase building. -is may be attributed to the insufficiencyof database systems for BIM information management andthe lack of means to effectively link figure information andnonfigure information [5].

As such, this study proposes a means of effectivelylinking figure information, which is planning information,and nonfigure information, which is construction information,as well as a BIM-based database system for construction in-formation, in order to facilitate effective accumulation ofconstruction information and enhanced information man-agement. In order to achieve the purposes of this study, analysisof the information generated during the construction phase isused to propose an information categorization system thatorders uncategorized information along with a database systemthat gathers these structured data.

2. Preliminary Considerations

2.1. Problems of Documented Information from ConstructionSites. Construction sites manage information generatedduring the construction phase by documenting such in-formation [6]. However, these documents are numerous anddiverse and often contain much overlapping information[7]. Some representative examples of documents generatedby construction sites are daily labor reports and safety re-ports. Labor reports contain general information concerningthe project such as the name of the construction project,date, weather, and temperature, in addition to construction-related information such as construction progress details,contractor output details, current state of equipment, andcurrent state of material inputs and special information suchas cautionary notes concerning the work. Safety reportscontain general information such as the name of the con-struction project, date, and weather; work information suchas the details of work to be done on that date; safety in-formation such as safety inspection records, safety trainingdetails, and site manager safety inspection details; andspecial information such as cautionary notes concerningsafety and any special notes.

Daily labor reports and safety reports contain over-lapping general information: the name of the constructionproject, date, weather, and details of the work to be done onthe date, and so on. As such, while the information generatedfrom construction sites is managed in the form of variousdifferent documents, the information contained therein isconnected to each other and often overlaps.

However, since the documents generated from con-struction sites are handled only as individual documents, it isdifficult to use the information contained in these docu-ments in a consolidated manner. Furthermore, since thedocumented information generated by a construction site isarchived onsite at a document archive as physical documentsor as computer files in a format chosen by the person re-sponsible for preparing each document, the reality is that it isdifficult to search through and use the information con-tained in each document.

A review of previous studies on the management ofconstruction documents shows that, from the 1980s to 1990s,the main focus was on foundational research on EDI todigitize the construction industry so as to enhance the ef-ficiency of construction work and the construction industryoverall, in addition to foundational research on EDMS tocomprehensively manage such information [8]. Further-more, from the late 1990s to early 2000s, research effortswere focused on sharing documents and data, as well as web-based information sharing using XML and EDI [9–14], whileresearch from the late 2000s onwards focused on searchingthrough accumulated information and the effective use ofdata [15–17].

Analysis of previous studies has confirmed that, whilecurrent methods of construction information managementpropose measures to enhance the effectiveness of workanalysis and/or document management in order to improvethe efficiency of certain tasks or document exchanges, thereis a lack of research on the management and use of theoverlapping information contained in documents generatedonsite. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that only those incharge of preparing the documents accurately comprehendthe information contained within and that insufficientmanagement of documented information limits the search,use, and consistency of information. As such, it is necessaryto devise a systematic methodology for gathering thedocumented information that contains most of the in-formation concerning construction sites so as to facilitateeffective accumulation of construction information and toimprove its usefulness and consistency, and in order toincrease the usefulness of this accumulated documentedinformation, it can be said that it is necessary to visualizeboth structural information and linked information such asBIM, as it is useful for direct searches on, and the use of,documented information.

2.2. BIM for Construction Information Management. BIM isbased on Eastman’s Building Description System from the1970s and is developing into a technique that incorporatesthe concept of a virtual building that enables the consoli-dation and analysis of information through 3D modeling,from the planning stages all the way to maintenance andrepairs.

Some of the advantages of BIM include its ability to allowfor the accumulation of construction information throughmodel data, which in turn allows for easy standardizationand management of knowledge assets, as well as its ability toallow for data accumulation and management through a 3Dmodel, contributing to communication between the partiesinvolved in the construction, along with sharing and pro-curing materials between them, thus improving cooperationand contributing to effective information management.Furthermore, it establishes an automated environment forinformation management, reducing the resources neededfor the preparation of drawings, quantity calculations, andvarious other aspects of construction management.

Among the studies on BIM, a system with the afore-mentioned advantages, a review of those involving onsite

2 Advances in Civil Engineering

information management through BIM shows the following:the study by Dawood et al. [18] suggested a resource-data-based user interface and database system to combineAutoCAD and MS Project for the development of a con-solidated database to allow for 4D/VR process simulation,while Caldas et al. [19] suggested a data link system forconnecting documented information and model data thatis based on automatically categorizing documents using theIFC �le system and a systematic analysis of MasterFormatto link them to BIM, thereby suggesting a linked frameworkbetween 2D models and documented information. East-man et al. [20] suggested an information conversion systemfor structural information compatibility between the IFC�le system and the standard American BIM system tofacilitate smooth information sharing through the BIMmodel. Liu and Issa [21] considered a measure for smoothdata compatibility between BIM model data and mainte-nance system data in order to apply planning-stage BIMmodel data to the maintenance system in order to enhancethe usefulness of BIM during the maintenance and man-agement phase. In order to apply BIM information toChina’s bidding system, Ma et al. [22] developed a processmap and algorithm for linking BIM model data and theinformation needed for bidding based on an algorithmicanalysis of the bidding system and veri�ed the usefulness ofsaid process map and algorithm, while Lin [23] suggesteda BIM-based system for the management of constructionknowledge during the construction phase that would enable thestorage of information relevant to the construction phase usingthe BIM model.

Previous studies on BIM-based information manage-ment mainly focused on information compatibility betweeneach phase of a construction project. For example, thestudies focused on how information must be exchanged inorder to utilize design phase BIM data for the structural BIMor the facilities and equipment BIM. Also, while previousstudies were focused on the life cycle of buildings andthereby suggested frameworks for data compatibility andexchange throughout all of the phases of construction, theywere rather insu�cient in terms of realizing an actual,detailed system while also lacking research on databaseestablishment and information consolidation for data ac-cumulation andmanagement during the construction phase,which is the phase that generates the most informationamong all of the phases of construction.

3. Measure for the Establishment of a BIM-Based Construction Database

It can be said that e�ective accumulation and managementof documented information at a construction site exerta signi�cant in�uence on e�ciently progressing construc-tion and accumulating construction know-how. As such, thisstudy suggests a database system for construction informationto manage such construction information. A BIM-based con-struction database will rearrange and accumulate documentedinformation generated at construction sites through a catego-rization system and will link these data with the BIM model toenable the utilization of construction information. �e overall

Breakdown structure

Site information database

3D/BIM model

BIM-based site information DB

Classification code

Document title

Date

Manager

Related officials

Detailed description

Other records

Siteinformation

IfcBeam

IfcWall

IfcColumn

IfcSlab

…

Spacebreakdownstructure

(SBS)

Work breakdownstructure (WBS)Cost breakdownstructure (CBS)

Organization breakdownstructure (OBS)

…

Otherbreakdownstructure

Contract/earned value

Schedule information

Design information

Safety information

…

Informationbreakdownstructure

(IBS)

Data link

Utilization of construction information (output)

Project level

Activity level

Object level

Topic level

Knowledge level

Create site documentation

Utilization

Site information document (input)

Daily workreport

Weekly processreport

Daily safetyreport

Inspectionrequest form

…

Entersite

information

ED

B

AC

Figure 1: BIM-based construction database system.

Advances in Civil Engineering 3

structure of such a BIM-based construction database is depictedin Figure 1.

�e BIM-based construction database system as depictedin Figure 1 shows that the documents generated at con-struction sites as shown in Part A are each prepared by thedocument preparer, and such documents can be rearrangedthrough a categorization system designed to categorize suchinformation as shown in Part B, and then the rearrangeddocumented site information is stored in the form of a da-tabase as shown in Part C. Such stored information ismanaged by linking it with the BIM model as shown in PartD, and the construction data that are linked to the BIMmodel and stored can then be used by construction man-agers, and so on, as shown in Part E.

To explain this construction database system in moredetail, if, for example, among the various site documentsshown in Part A of Figure 1, the documents in question are

daily work reports, then data such as the informationstructure (type of information), general information on theproject, general information on the construction, informationrelated to construction work, and space information are in-cluded. Figure 2 depicts the data contained in the documentsgenerated at construction sites.

Such site-generated documents each contain diversearrays of information, and since such information oftenoverlaps with those contained in other documents, it isnecessary to comprehensively manage such constructioninformation in order to enhance consistency.

�e information contained within site-generated doc-uments needs to be categorized and gathered in accordancewith the categorization system shown in Part B of Figure 1 inorder to properly structure the information. For this pur-pose, this study has categorized documented informationusing the space breakdown structure (SBS) and the information

Site projectmanagerField engineer Assistant

engineerConstructionadministrator

Constructionadministration

manager

Projectadministration

manager

Project name: ooo APT Project

1. Proceed construction work

Section Construction information LocationInstall a safety device

Installation of concrete formInstallation of concrete formStripping of concrete form

Finishing work of concrete form

No. 202PIT floorNo. 208No. 205

Rebar assemblyReinforcement work arrangement

Parking lotNo. 205, IF

No. 203Parking lot

No. 209No. 207

No. 204

Parking lotCommon

construction

Earth work

Form

Rebar

Con’c

Masonrywork

Metalswork

Wood,plastic, andcomposite

Con’cwork

Date: 2011 year Weather: Clear Temp. High 6°C Low −5°C

Document information

Daily work report

3 month 3 day

Project information

General information

Work information

Location information

Figure 2: Information within site-generated documents (example: daily work report).


breakdown structure (IBS), which were established throughprior research. Figure 3 depicts the concept of categorizing theinformation contained in daily construction journals throughsaid categorization systems.

�e categorization of the information contained in dailywork report facilitates the categorization of constructionjournals themselves through the IBS into the categories of“Documented Information—Building Plan”; more speci�-cally, project information, general construction information,and space information can be categorized and included asproject elements by the SBS, while general constructioninformation can be linked to the project elements of the SBSand thereby categorized into “Project—General Construc-tion Information (date, weather, temperature, etc.).” Fur-thermore, space information can be categorized and storedusing the Space-Based System.

Documented information that is categorized in thismanner is stored in the database shown in Part C of Figure 1,and the stored information can be stored in either thecategorized documented information format or in anelectronic document format for use. Figure 4 is an abstractdepiction of the process in which construction data cate-gorized through the categorization system are stored in thedatabase.

Categorized data can be reordered into new data com-binations from the database, increasing the usefulness of the

information. Furthermore, electronic document information,which is stored in an electronic document format, is saved asis, allowing for the accumulation of nonstandard documentedinformation in the database as well, o�ering a solution to theproblems arising from document storage and management atconstruction sites (such as destruction or loss of documentedinformation).

Documented information saved in the database ismanaged by connecting it to the BIM model, as shown inPart D of Figure 1. �e construction information database islinked based on the Space-Based System and is matched 1 : 1with the individual Objects of the BIM model, allowing forthe storage of construction information through the BIMmodel.

�ere are various methods for linking the BIM modeland the Space-Based System for construction information,including a method where links are established through theindividual IDs within the IFC �les of the BIM model,a method using the Object IDs provided by the BIM softwarethat is used, a method where the Layer ID of the Object isused, and so on. Figure 5 depicts the concept of linking theBIM model with the construction information.

Once the BIM model and the construction infor-mation database are connected, construction informa-tion can be accumulated through each object of the BIMmodel as shown in Part E of Figure 1, and construction

Site projectmanagerField engineer Assistant

engineerConstructionadministrator


manager


manager

Section

1. Proceed Construction Work

Construction information Location

Commonconstruction

Earth work

Form

RebarCon’cwork

Con’c

Masonrywork

Metalswork

Wood,plastic,andcomposite

Install a safety device Parking lot

Document information

Daily work reportProject name: ooo APT Project

Date: 2011 year 3 month 3 day Weather: Clear Temp. High 6°C Low −5°C

Document info. - construction plan(A800-B600)

Project code / project name(P010 / 00 APT construction project)

Project code / general information(P010 / date, weather, temperature)

SBS code / WBS code − work item(B0202: House #202 /

03:concrete-formwork)(B0208: House #208 /

03:Concrete-demolish formwork)...

WBS code / work item(01:General requirements /

safe railing installation )(03:Concrte / installation and

dismantling of form)...

Classifieddocument informationApplying for breakdown structureConstruction document

Project information

Work information

General information


Parking lot

Parking lot

PIT floorInstallation of concrete form No.202

No.208No.205

No.205, IF

No.209No.207

No.203 No.204Installation of concrete formStripping of concrete form

Finishingwork of concrete form


Informationbreakdownstructure

(IBS)


(SBS)

Workbreakdownstructure(WBS)

Figure 3: Application of categorization systems (example: daily work report).


information can be veri�ed through the BIM model. Forexample, when fractures form on a wall, the constructioninformation, general construction information, and so onof the relevant framework can be checked through the Spaced-Based System and the Information-Based System of the rele-vant construction project. Figure 6 depicts an example of usingthe BIM-based construction information database.

By gathering information on the building process, sucha construction information database can be used to managethe construction information history for the building; inaddition, storing the documents generated during the buildingprocess using this model allows for easy veri�cation of con-struction information during the building process, and inparticular, should claims or other issues arise, it can assistwith the accumulation and management of claim-relateddocuments through the BIM model.

4. Establishment of a BIM-Based ConstructionInformation Database System

4.1. Construction Information Database System. In orderto gather documented information on construction by

connecting structural and nonstructural information, theBIM-based construction information database can be cat-egorized into a space category, site information, work in-formation, and a database for onsite documents, and sucha database gathers information by interlinking the space-categorized database with the site information database andthe work information database through space categorycodes, with the space-categorized database at the core.Figure 7 is a conceptual depiction of the interlinking re-lationship of a BIM-based construction information data-base system.

In the case of documented information generated onsitethat is di�cult to structure into database form, the documentitself can be transformed into an electronic document formanagement. �at is, as shown in Part D of Figure 7, onsitedocuments are stored in the form of electronic documents,and by incorporating space information into such electronicdocuments through the space-based categorization system,the documents themselves can be linked with structuralinformation and managed.

By using this concept to gather both standardized andnonstandardized data from the documents generated at the

IDSBS Lv1SBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6WBS codescheduled workWork start dateWork finish dateWorkerSuperviser

DK-Work

DK-Project_Infor

WBS

Project code / project name(P010 / 00 APT construction project)

Project code / general information(P010 / date, weather, temperature)

WBS code: Name / work item(01:General requirements /

safe railing installation)(03:Concrete / installation and

dismantiling of form)…

Applying forbreakdown structure

Classifieddocument information Save to database

SBS code: Name / WBS code – work item(B0202: House #202 /

03:Concrete-formwork)(B0208: House #208 /

03:Concrete-demolish formwork)…

Project information

General information

Work information


*IDProject codeProject nameRegion/stateCityAddress

WBS02WBS03Desc

Workbreakdownstructure(WBS)


(SBS)

Figure 4: Example of storing categorized construction data in a database.


construction site, it is possible to establish a system wherethe information generated at construction sites is gathered.Furthermore, in the case of nonstandardized information,the very documents containing such information can bestored as electronic documents, thus allowing for connec-tions between all documented information pertinent to theconstruction, which in turn enables the review of alldocumented information involved with a given building’sframework through linkage with the BIM model.

4.2. Designing a Construction Information Database. �econstruction information database consists of a space-categorized DB, site information DB, work informationDB, and a DB for site-generated documents. Figure 8 depictsthe linkage between construction information database andeach data table.

When a construction site generates construction journalinformation, the information that can be stored as data (PartA of Figure 8) is entered into the system, and such entereddata are stored into the site information database (Part E ofFigure 8) and the work information database (Part F ofFigure 8), and information that is di�cult to be stored asdata is transformed into an electronic document and storedon the onsite document database (Part C of Figure 8). Suchentered site information is organized according to the form

and subject by the information categorization system (Part Bof Figure 8).�e data tables of each database are linked basedon the space categorization code, thereby linking the per-tinent Object with the details of the work, site information,and so on. For example, Part D of Figure 8 shows the datatables included in the space-categorized database and in-cludes data from Levels 1 to 6 of the space-based categori-zation system, and the project code information (SBS Lv 1)can be included in the site information database as shown inPart E of Figure 8, thus allowing for management with links tospace information. And Part C of Figure 8 shows a site-document database for the storage of electronic documents bylinking the electronic document form of construction sitedocuments with the site code, the category informationaccording to the information categorization system, and thespace-based categorization system, while Part F of Figure 8depicts a work information database that includes in-formation on work schedules, information on workers, in-formation on the details of the work, and categorizationsystems such as WBS and CBS.

5. Scenario-Based Application of theConstruction Information Database

In this section, an attempt was made to test the e�ectivenessof the developed BIM-based construction information

Object ID

DK-BIM+InforID

Object typeSBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6

Using IFC StandardCase ID

Using Object ID for BIM Software

Using Object Layer Name

<IFcWallStandardCase id="i1673"> <GlobalId>3qi9W2rs5BnOHOWf8kFi8E</Globa <OwnerHistory> <IfcOwnerHistory xsi:nil="true" ref="i1550 </OwnerHistory>

Figure 5: Methods of linking the BIM model with construction information.


Space breakdown DB

Construction siteinformation DB

Space code Lv.2(building)

Space code Lv.1(project)

Space code Lv.3(floor)

Space code Lv.4(unit)

Projectname

Projectcode

A

BC

D

Projectaddress

Link between BIM model informationand project code

Work breakdown DB(classified information)

Spaceinformation

Workinformation

Workstart date

Workfinish date

Space code Lv.2

Space code Lv.3

Space code Lv.4

Space code Lv.5

Connection of informationthrough the space code

Construction sitedocument

Save the document informationby utilizing the breakdown structure

Space breakdowncode

…

…

Construction sitedocument

Construction sitedocument DB

(electric documentinformation)

Form ofinformation

Space code Lv.5(space)

Space code Lv.6(object)

Space code Lv.1

Space code Lv.6

Subjectdisciplines

Electricdocument

Save the site documentin the form of electronic documents

Spaceinformation

Space code Lv.2(building)

Space code Lv.1(project)

Space code Lv.3(floor)

Space code Lv.4(unit)

Space code Lv.5(space)

Space code Lv.6(object)

Figure 7: BIM-based database system for construction information.

Crack initiation

Space information(P010–B0202–F01–U02–BRI–WL01)

Work information(Formwork, con’c pouring)

General information(Weather, high temp., low temp.)

Search for the SBS code of BIM model object(P010−B0202−F01−U02−BRI−WL01)

Search for WBS code(03: Concrete)

Figure 6: Example of using the BIM-based construction information database.


database. Since it is di�cult to actually apply the con-struction information database to an actual constructionsite, an attempt was made to assess the possibility ofimplementing the database system based on a scenario. Forthis, based on the applied scenarios with respect to thestorage and use of documents, an attempt was made toassess the possibility of implementing the constructioninformation database through a process comparison be-tween applying traditional processes and applying theinformation management database, thereby determiningthe e�ectiveness of the construction information database.In addition, the details of applying the construction in-formation database were proposed. �e scenarios in whichthe construction information database was to be appliedwere designed around the accumulation and storage ofdocumented information generated by construction sites andthe claims that arise after the completion of the constructionproject.

�e scenarios for assessing the construction informa-tion database consisted of two phases: �rst, the process ofmanaging the documents generated by construction sitesand second, using stored information to determine therelevant documents in the case of a claim. �e �rst phase,which is the process of managing the documents generatedby construction sites, consisted of the steps in Parts A to D ofFigure 1 and was implemented based on a scenario where thedocuments generated at construction sites were stored in theform of processed information and electronic documentsthat replicate the original documents. �e second phase,which involved determining relevant documents for claims,consisted of the steps in Part E of Figure 1 and was a scenarioinvolving the process of determining relevant documentedinformation.

5.1. Scenario 1 (Management of Site-Generated Documents).Scenario 1 was a scenario concerning the accumulation andmanagement of documents that are generated by con-struction sites, and through this scenario, a comparison wasmade between a process that uses traditional site-documentmanagement and a process that uses databases, and detailson the information stored through the informationmanagementdatabase were created.

At construction sites, the person in charge of preparinga document generated during the course of constructionprepares a document, which is then reviewed by the relevantauthorized persons (those in charge of quality management,those in charge of o�cial a�airs, deputy manager of theconstruction project, general manager, site manager, etc.),after which the construction begins. �e prepared docu-ments are stored in the form of personal �les kept by thedocument preparer and in the form of documents stored inthe document archive of the site; after construction is over,the documented information is turned into electronicdocuments and then uploaded to amanagement system suchas PMIS.

�e basic structure of document management usinginformation management database is the same as that of theexisting document management method. However, docu-ment management using an information management da-tabase will additionally build a database for informationaccumulation. �is information management database storesthe reorganized information that classi�es the site-documentinformation according to the ISB and additionally stores thee-documents of the actual site document. �is process isadvantageous in that it can enter into the database in-formation generated by construction sites without omissions,thanks to the categorization of documented information

WBS DB

SBS DB

Link togeometric

informationSite information DBDaily reportinformation

IBS DB

Construction sitedocument DB

WBS02WBS03Desc

CBS02CBS03DescCLW01

WBS

CBS

IDIBS Lv1 (project)IBS Lv1_description

IDIBS Lv1 (project)IBS Lv2 (form of infIBS Lv2_description

IDIBS Lv2 (form of infIBS Lv3 (subject disIBS Lv3_description

IDIBS Lv1 (project)IBS Lv1_descriptionIBS Lv2 (form of informIBS Lv2_descriptionIBS Lv3 (subject discripIBS Lv3_description

IDSBS Lv1SBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6WBS codeScheduled workWork start dateWork finish dateWorkerSuperviser

IDProject codeRegistration dateSBS codeRelated content

IDProject codeRegistration datePositionNameResponsibility jobMove in dataMove out data

IDProject codeIBS Lv2 codeIBS Lv3 codeSBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6Electronic docum Electonic docu Electonic docu Electonic docu

IDProject codeProject nameDateWeatherHigh temperatureLow temperatureWBS codeScheduled worksSBS Lv2 codeSBS Lv3 codeSBS Lv4 codeSBS Lv5 codeSBS Lv6 codeOutput of workerEquipment statusMaterial loadingSpecial note

IDProject codeSpace informatioWork informmatiWork start dateWork finish dateContractorRelated content

SBS Lv1SBS Lv2SBS Lv2 descriptionSBS Lv3SBS Lv3 descriptionSBS Lv4SBS Lv4 descriptionSBS Lv5SBS Lv5 descriptionSBS Lv6SBS Lv6 description

IDSBS Lv1SBS Lv1 descriptio

IDSBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv4 descriptio





IDProject codeProject nameRegion/stateCityAdress

IDObject IDObject typeSBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6

SBS Lv1 SBS Lv2 SBS Lv3

SBS Lv4 SBS Lv5 SBS Lv6

DK-BIM+Infor

DK-Project_Infor

SBS

DK-Prj_DateDK-Prj_Object

DK-Prj_Orga

DK-Work

DK-Elec_Doc

DK-Doc_Dailywork

IBSIBS Lv1

IBS Lv2

IBS Lv3

B

C

A

E

G

D

F

SBS Lv1

Figure 8: Connection relationships of the construction information database.


generated onsite and the electronic storage of such documents.As such, the possibility of loss of information generated onsiteis lowered, and searching for needed information is moreconvenient, thanks to the information database. Figure 9 depictsa comparison between the current method of management ofdocuments generated at construction sites (As-is) and themethod utilizing the informationmanagement database (To-be).

�e current method of document management is notbased on storage in a consolidated database but rather inindividual storage or in onsite document archives. As such,when personnel that had been working on a particularconstruction site are redeployed to another site after thework is complete, the documents managed by individualpreparers of documents are often dispersed, thus obstructingconsolidated management of documents, while documentsthat are stored at the site are often not categorized, whichreduces their usefulness and obstructs feedback for follow-up projects.

However, the method proposed in the present study notonly provides for document management and storage byindividual preparers and onsite document archives but alsofor information storage in a consolidated database, allowingfor the consolidated management of the information gen-erated by a construction site, as well as for the categoriza-tion of documented information through a categorization

system, allowing for the e�ective use of the information andin turn enabling feedback for follow-up projects. While theprocess of storing prepared documented information intothe database through categorization (the To-be shadowedpart of Figure 9) requires time because the person in chargeat the site must upload the information to a database, theadditional storage of information facilitated by this processprevents problems such as information omissions.

�e process of storing information into the constructioninformation database consists of categorizing the docu-mented information (the information generated part inFigure 10) contained in each site-generated document (thesite-generated document part in Figure 10) using the cat-egorization systems (SBS, IBS, etc.) and then storing thecategorized information into each data table of the constructioninformation database (the construction information databasepart in Figure 10). All documents are also replicated as elec-tronic documents (Part A of Figure 10) and are also storedtogether with the corresponding documented information inthe relevant data table of the database (Part B of Figure 10) andcan be used as evidentiarymaterials in cases of claims and otherproblems in the future.

Furthermore, the data stored in the database have codescorresponding to each level of the SBS to enable linkage withthe space-categorized database, which allows con�rmation

As-is To-be

Begindocument creation

Gather documentinormation

Create documentinormation

Site documentreview

Cons. managerreview

Discard a�erproject completion

Discard a�erproject completion

Save informationmanagement DB

(cataloged doc. info)

Save informationmanagement DB

(electronic documentation)

Use information insubsequent project

Doc. informationstorage

(keep the author)


(keep the author)


(field office storage)


(field office storage)

Classification ofdoc. information

No

No

Yes

Yes

Begindocument creation

Gather documentinormation

Create documentinormation

Site documentreview

Cons. managerreview

No

No

Yes

Yes

• Personal storage of doc. information• Lack of information management in site storage documents• Unable to use storage information for subsequent projects

• Storage of document information to DB• Continuous accumulation of site information• Increased utilization of storage information for subsequent projects

Figure 9: Comparison of document management methods.


as to what stored information is linked to the framework ofa given building. �rough this method, documented in-formation that is generated at construction sites is stored inthe database, and the stored information is processedthrough the IBS and the SBS and managed as such, whichallows for the reprocessing of stored information into in-formation based on space and information based on typeand form. �rough this process, information generatedthrough documents not only is stored as documents but canalso be recategorized and reprocessed into new informationdepending on the needs of the user, which is expected toenable more e�cient use of the stored information.

5.2. Scenario 2 (Derivation of Relevant Documents in Cases ofClaims). Once a construction project is �nished, claims areoften �led against the project due to building defects. Topursue such a claim, one needs to conduct advance as-sessment, track down and secure evidentiary materials,analyze the evidentiary materials, substantiate the basis ofthe claim, calculate the expenses, prepare the necessary

documents, and then submit the claim. �erefore, in orderto successfully raise or defend against a claim, one wouldneed to acquire su�cient evidentiary materials, and “trackingdown evidentiary materials” is therefore considered veryimportant in each phase of a claim. Furthermore, “trackingdown evidentiary materials” requires much e�ort and re-sources; in this process, the documented information re-lated to the claim that was generated during the course ofthe construction is collected.

Despite the fact that managing documented materials isvery important as they can be used as evidentiary materialsfor a claim, current construction site management oftenoverlooks the importance of document management in thecontext of raising or defending against claims, and docu-ment management often faces di�culties due to the urgentsituations that arise at sites and due to overall constructionmanagement [24]. In order to collect the documents thatmay serve as evidentiary materials for a claim, it is necessaryto collect information from the documents archived at thesite or to collect the necessary documents by tracking downthe person who was in charge of the documents. However,

Field engineer Constructionadministrator


manager


managerAssistantengineer

Site projectmanager

A B

Daily work report

Project name: ooo APT project

1. Proceed construction work

Date: 2011 year 3 month 3 day Temp. High 6°C Low −5°CWeather: Clear

Section Construction information LocationInstall a safety device Parking lot

No.202PIT floorNo.208No. 205

No.203Parking lot

No.209No.207

No.204

Parking lotNo.205, IF


Installation of concrete formInstallation of concrete formStripping of concrete form

Finishingwork of concrete form

Earth work

Form

Rebar

Con’c

Masonrywork

Metalswork

Wood,plastic,andcomposite

Con’cwork

Commonconstruction

Document information DK-Doc_Dailywork

-Elec-DocIDProject code

Electronic document Elec. doc. FileData Elec. doc. FileName Elec. doc. FileType

IBS Lv2 codeIBS Lv3 codeSBS Lv2SBS Lv3SBS Lv4SBS Lv5SBS Lv6

ID

Output of workerEquipment statusMaterial loadingSpecial note

Project codeProject name

WBS CodeScheduled worksSBS Lv2 codeSBS Lv3 codeSBS Lv4 codeSBS Lv5 codeSBS Lv6 code

DateWeatherHigh temperatureLow temperature

Project information

General information

Work information


Construction documentSite occurrence

informationConstrution information

database

Output personinformation

Equipment outputinformation

Material importinformation

Special featureinformation

–

Figure 10: Storage of site-generated documents in the construction information database.


collecting claim-related documents from site-archiveddocuments often faces the di�culty of having to investmuch e�ort and resources in verifying and reviewing thenumerous document �les kept at the site. Also, trying tocollect claim-related documented materials by trackingdown the person in charge also often meets with di�cultybecause the personnel deployed to a project are oftendeployed to another project after the project is �nished,which leads to the dispersion of documented informationrelated to the claim.

However, the information management database pro-posed in this study allows for the convenient collection ofclaim-related documents through its system of categori-zation and the storage of electronic replicas of the docu-ments generated by sites, which may precede physicalreview of the actual documents archived at the site, thusdecreasing the possibility of failing at collecting claim-related evidentiary materials. Furthermore, during theprocess of collecting information, the query and searchsystem built into the database enables the expedient col-lection of information, while one may also con�rm andreview related information by selecting an Object in thelinked BIM model. Figure 11 is a diagram depicting the

claim material collection process under the current systemand the collection process using the construction in-formation database system.

According to an interview with an o�cial in charge ofhandling claims at General Construction Company, whiledi�erences do exist across sites, sites with an insu�cientdocument management system required about 3∼4 hoursfor collecting claim-related evidentiary materials, while inabout 5% of cases, the collection of evidentiary materials wasdi�cult due to the loss of materials. As such, if documentmanagement is conducted by continuously inputting in-formation into a construction information database duringthe course of construction, the time and resources needed tocollect documented information regarding claims will bedecreased, while the success rate for collecting suchmaterialswill in turn increase, enabling more expedient and accurateclaim processing.�is process can be implemented as shownin Figure 12.

�e parameters that link the construction informationdatabase with the BIM model are inserted as elementarycharacteristics of the Object, and these inserted Parametersare composed as database access addresses that are linkedto the construction information database (Part A of Figure

As-is

Claim occurrence Claim occurrence

Fact finding Fact finding

Finding relatedon-site document

Finding throughthe constructioninformation DB

Check forrelated document


Identify forthe document dra�er

Finding relatedon-site document

Completed forclaim evdence finding

Failed forclaim evdence finding

Low-probability of failurefor the claim evidence finding

Claim evidence findingby the relevant dra�er Completed for

claim evidence finding



Completed forclaim evidence finding

Failed forclaim evidence finding

Identify forthe document dra�er

No

Yes

Yes

No

Claim evidence findingby the relevant dra�er




No No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

To-be

Individual document check for the on–site doc. storageConsumes a lot of resources in the document finding

Claim related documents finding through the construction information DBReduced resources for the document finding

High-probability of failurefor the claim evidence finding

Figure 11: Comparison of claim materials’ collection processes.


12). As for the construction information database linked tothe BIM model, its user interface was composed with VBA(Visual Basic for Applications), and this user interface wascomposed so that the SBS and the electronic documentslinked to the SBS would show the parts related to the IBS.When one searches the space-based categorization systempertinent to the framework in which the defect arose asin Part B of Figure 12, the information concerning thedocuments related to the relevant space-based categori-zation system is categorized based on the informationcategorization system and become available for veri�cationas shown in Part C of Figure 12. In the case depicted inFigure 12, the electronic documents linked to the relevantframework are such that the speci�cations and con-struction journals were mutually linked, and therefore onlythe electronic documents relevant to said informationappear.

�e related construction documents are stored in thedatabase through these linkages to the space-based cate-gorization system of the pertinent framework using theBIM model; this enables the convenient review andcon�rmation of needed materials in cases of claims andother circumstances where the collection of documents oncompleted construction projects is needed, and it is ex-pected that more systematic management of construction-related information will become possible through gather-ing related construction information into a constructioninformation database using such information categoriza-tion systems.

6. Conclusion and the Limits of the Study

�e construction industry is becoming increasingly com-plex, while the scale and number of participants in a projectcontinue to grow, leading to the generation of large amountsof data as well as the need to manage such information. Inparticular, the construction phase is the phase in which thebuilding itself is formed based on the blueprints and gen-erates various types of data that need management. Sincemuch of information during the construction phase isgenerated as documents, at present it is di�cult to e�ectivelygather the generated information.

In response, this study sought to propose a databasesystem designed for data gathering and connections betweenstructural and nonstructural information for the e�ectiveaccumulation of construction information using BIM. Forthis purpose, a database system for information manage-ment based on a categorization system for documentedinformation was proposed, and a proposal was also made tolink structural and nonstructural information. In addition,the possibility of implementing such a database system wasassessed through scenarios. �e assessment showed thatdocumented information could be extracted from thedocuments that were generated at construction sites andcould form a database, while related documents could beextracted through the use of the gathered data.

It is believed that the results of this study will enable theformation of a system for gathering construction informationby linking structural and nonstructural information, and it is

B

C

A

P010

02_noticeof tender.hwp03-1_Owerview_RC work.hwp03-2_On-site orientation_RC...

Crack initiation

RC work_Standard specificat...Masonry work_Stadard speci...

001. General details(090715...011. Materials management...013. Quality management(0...

101 dong_Shop drawing.dwg

05-2_Contract bond_RC wor...

03-2_Document for on-site ...

05-1_Contract_RC work. pdf

Daily report(20110415).xlsxDaily report(20110416).xlsxDaily report(20110417).xlsx

B0101 F01 U01 BR1 WL01

Figure 12: Database search screen for the collection of claim-related materials.


also believed that the use of accumulated information forfollow-up projects will aid in accumulation of know-how byconstruction companies.

However, while the BIM-based construction in-formation database proposed in this study was formed basedon the information generated by construction sites andthrough categorization systems for site-generated information,its viability was assessed through the use of scenarios ratherthan through direct application at actual construction sites andthe attendant quantitative analysis of such direct application.As such, in order to further verify the anticipated effects of themodel proposed in this study, it will be necessary to conduct ananalysis through direct application at actual construction sites.

Conflicts of Interest

-e authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgments

-e research was supported by a grant (17RERP-B082173-04)from Residential Environment Research Program funded byMinistry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of KoreanGovernment.

References

[1] J. S. Choi, “A study on the development and application ofquality control requirements for improving the quality of ar-chitectural design in open BIM environments [Ph.D. thesis],”Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, 2011.

[2] Y. Jung, Y. Kim, M. Kim, and T. Ju, “Concept and structure ofparametric object breakdown structure for practical BIM,”Korean Journal of Construction Engineering andManagement,vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 88–96, 2013.

[3] Y. S. Jung and M. H. Joo, “Patterns and trends in cost controlpractice of Korean general contractors,” Korean Journal ofConstruction Engineering and Management, vol. 12, no. 4,pp. 79–87, 2011.

[4] Y. Jung and H. A. Kim, “Patterns and trends in schedulecontrol practice of Korean general contractors,” KoreanJournal of Construction Engineering and Management, vol. 12,no. 4, pp. 88–96, 2011.

[5] Y. Jung and S. Woo, “Flexible work breakdown structure forintegrated cost and schedule control,” Journal of ConstructionEngineering and Management, vol. 130, no. 5, pp. 616–625,2004.

[6] Y. Chen and J. M. Kamara, “A framework for using mobilecomputing for information management on constructionsites,”Automation in Construction, vol. 20, no. 7, pp. 776–778,2011.

[7] H. C. Cho, “A study on the relationship of construction infor-mation documents control for automatic generation of con-struction documents,” Ajou University, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of KoreaAjou University, 2002 M.S. thesis, -esis.

[8] S. K. Yang and K. W. Choung, “A study on the design ofmanagement information system for building constructionsites,” Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure& Construction, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 153–160, 1988.

[9] P. G. Ioannou and L. Y. Liu, “Advanced construction technologysystem—ACTS,” Journal of Construction Engineering andManagement, vol. 119, no. 2, pp. 288–306, 1993.

[10] R. Furchter and K. Reiner, “Model-centeredWorldWideWebcoach,” in Proceeding of ASCE 3rd Congress Computing inCivil Engineering, Anaheim, CA, USA, 1996.

[11] S. Simoff and M. L. Maher, “Ontology-based multimedia datamining for design information retrieval,” in Proceeding ofASCE Computing Congress, Cambridge, UK, 1998.

[12] D. Hajjar and S. M. AbouRizk, “Integrating documentmanagement with project and company data,” Journal ofComputing in Civil Engineering, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 70–77, 2000.

[13] B. Kosovac, T. M. Froese, and D. J. Vanier, “Integratingheterogeneous data representations in model-based AEC-FMsystems,” in Proceeding of CIT 2000–5e CIB-W78, IABSE,EG-SEA-AI International Conference on Construction In-formation Technology, Reykjavik, Iceland, June 2000.

[14] C. H. Caldas and L. Soibelman, “Automating hierarchicaldocument classification for construction management in-formation system,” Automation in Construction, vol. 12, no. 4,pp. 395–406, 2003.

[15] M. S. Park, K.W. Lee, and H. S. Lee, “Ontology framework forconstruction knowledge retrieval,” Journal of the ArchitecturalInstitute of Korea Structure & Construction, vol. 25, no. 12,pp. 175–184, 2009.

[16] H. J. Park, “Tag-manager based document management pro-totype system of building material information [M.S. thesis],”University of Seoul, Seoul, Korea, 2009.

[17] S. G. Lee, “Metadata-library based document managementprototype system for urban renewal promotion plan [M.S.thesis],” University of Seoul, Seoul, Korea, 2009.

[18] N. Dawood, E. Sriprasert, Z. Mallasi, and B. Hobbs, “De-velopment of an integrated information resource base for4D/VR construction processes simulation,” Automation inConstruction, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 123–131, 2003.

[19] C. H. Caldas, L. Soibelman, and L. Gasser, “Methodology forthe integration of project documents in model-based in-formation systems,” Journal of Computing in Civil Engi-neering, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 25–33, 2005.

[20] C. M. Eastman, Y. S. Jeong, R. Sacks, and I. Kaner, “Exchangemodel and exchange object concepts for implementation ofnational BIM standards,” Journal of Computing in Civil En-gineering, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 25–34, 2010.

[21] R. Liu and R. R. A. Issa, “Automatically updating maintenanceinformation from a BIM database,” in Proceedings of In-ternational Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering,Clearwater Beach, FL, USA, June 2012.

[22] Z. Ma, Z. Wei, and X. Zhang, “Semi-automatic andspecification-compliant cost estimation for tendering ofbuilding projects based on IFC data of design model,” Au-tomation in Construction, vol. 30, pp. 126–135, 2013.

[23] Y. C. Lin, “Construction 3D BIM-based knowledge man-agement system,” Journal of Civil Engineering and Manage-ment, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 186–200, 2014.

[24] J. H. Seo, “Study for analysis on the level of claimmanagementsystem of construction firm for coping with claim,” M.S.thesis, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea, 2011.


International Journal of

AerospaceEngineeringHindawiwww.hindawi.com Volume 2018

RoboticsJournal of

Hindawiwww.hindawi.com Volume 2018


Active and Passive Electronic Components

VLSI Design



Shock and Vibration


Civil EngineeringAdvances in

Acoustics and VibrationAdvances in



Electrical and Computer Engineering

Journal of

Advances inOptoElectronics

Hindawiwww.hindawi.com

Volume 2018

Hindawi Publishing Corporation http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2013Hindawiwww.hindawi.com

The Scientific World Journal

Volume 2018

Control Scienceand Engineering

Journal of


Hindawiwww.hindawi.com

Journal ofEngineeringVolume 2018

SensorsJournal of



RotatingMachinery


Modelling &Simulationin EngineeringHindawiwww.hindawi.com Volume 2018


Chemical EngineeringInternational Journal of Antennas and

Propagation




Navigation and Observation


Hindawi

www.hindawi.com Volume 2018

Advances in

Multimedia

Submit your manuscripts atwww.hindawi.com

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijae/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jr/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/apec/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/vlsi/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/sv/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ace/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aav/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jece/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aoe/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jcse/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/je/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/js/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijrm/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mse/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijce/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijap/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijno/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/am/

https://www.hindawi.com/

https://www.hindawi.com/