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Cons of BIM in Civil Engineering

While Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers many benefits in civil engineering, there are potential drawbacks and negative elements that could arise if BIM is not implemented or managed properly. Here are some of the cons and potential negative impacts of BIM in civil engineering:

1. High Initial Costs and Resource Requirements

Implementation Costs: The initial investment required for BIM software, hardware, and training can be substantial. Small firms and projects with limited budgets may find these costs prohibitive.
Ongoing Costs: Maintenance, software updates, and continuous training add to the long-term expenses associated with BIM.

2. Complexity and Steep Learning Curve

Training Requirements: BIM software is complex and requires extensive training. The learning curve can be steep, particularly for those accustomed to traditional design methods.
Specialized Skills: The need for specialized skills can create dependency on specific individuals or roles within a team, making staffing more challenging.

3. Data Management and Overload

Data Overload: BIM generates large amounts of data, which can be difficult to manage and maintain. Ensuring data accuracy and integrity over the lifecycle of a project is a continuous challenge.
Interoperability Issues: Different BIM tools and platforms may not always integrate seamlessly, leading to potential data compatibility and exchange issues.

4. Collaboration and Coordination Challenges

Coordination Problems: Effective collaboration requires all stakeholders to be on the same platform and follow standardized processes. Miscommunication or lack of synchronization can lead to errors and rework.
Resistance to Change: There can be resistance from team members or stakeholders who are more comfortable with traditional methods, leading to slower adoption and potential conflicts.

5. Legal and Contractual Issues

Intellectual Property Concerns: Determining ownership of BIM data can be complex, especially in collaborative environments involving multiple parties.
Contractual Challenges: Existing contracts may not adequately cover the nuances of BIM, potentially leading to disputes. Clear contractual frameworks tailored to BIM are essential but often lacking.

6. Security and Privacy Concerns

Data Security: The digital nature of BIM data poses risks related to data breaches and cyber-attacks. Ensuring robust security measures are in place is critical.
Privacy Issues: Managing and protecting sensitive information within BIM models can be challenging, particularly in projects involving public infrastructure.

7. Technological Dependence and Limitations

Software Limitations: Despite advancements, BIM software may have limitations in handling very large or complex projects. Not all BIM tools offer the same level of functionality or flexibility.
Dependence on Technology: Heavy reliance on BIM technology can lead to vulnerabilities if there are software failures, compatibility issues, or a lack of technical support.

8. Inadequate Standardization and Regulation

Lack of Standardization: The absence of universal BIM standards can lead to inconsistencies in implementation and usage across different projects and regions.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring that BIM models comply with local building codes and regulations can be complex, especially when working in multiple jurisdictions.

9. Impact on Smaller Firms and Projects

Accessibility Issues: Smaller firms may struggle to access the necessary resources to implement BIM effectively, leading to a competitive disadvantage.
Project Suitability: BIM may not be cost-effective for smaller projects, where the benefits do not justify the initial setup and ongoing maintenance costs.

10. Over-Reliance and Potential Skill Degradation

Reduced Hands-On Experience: Over-reliance on BIM technology might lead to a decline in traditional engineering skills and hands-on experience.
Complacency Risk: Engineers and designers might become overly dependent on BIM software, potentially overlooking critical aspects that require human judgment and expertise.

Conclusion

While BIM offers transformative potential for civil engineering, it is not without its challenges and potential downsides. High initial costs, complexity, data management issues, and coordination challenges are some of the critical factors that can negatively impact projects if not addressed properly. Furthermore, legal, security, and regulatory concerns must be carefully managed to ensure the successful implementation of BIM.

By understanding these limitations and proactively addressing them, civil engineering professionals can better leverage BIM’s capabilities while mitigating its potential negative impacts. This balanced approach will help in harnessing the full potential of BIM to enhance project efficiency, collaboration, and sustainability.

Autodesk Revit 2021 For Architecture Expore The World Of BIM Free PDF

This book is all original and specifically designed to get you working with Revit Architecture or its other applications as knowledgeably as possible. It is comprehensive and aims to give you a deeper understanding and a better learning experience.

This book is specially design for Architecture and Civil students according to their need.This content helps students to understand BIM and its workflow, to design buildings in better way.

It is useful for students who want to learn Revit Architecture on any version of Revit like 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. This book is created on Revit 2021 with its all new features.

No previous knowledge of software required to learn Revit by this book.After completing this book, you will be able to create your own projects on Revit with all detailings.

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Introduction to BIM (Building Information Modeling)

BIM is not a new concept

BIM is not a new idea or a new concept, it has been with us for many years now.

The developments in technology have enabled the construction industry to plan design construct and manage more complex and larger scale projects every year more and more.

Professionals in architecture, architectural technology, building surveying, quantity surveying, construction management and property development and planning are planning BIM increasing the efficiency of projects, improving collaboration between different stakholders and creating a central model that contains all the project information or only some of the added values of implementing BIM.

So what is BIM ?

What is BIM?

« BIM is evolution not revolution », it was developed over many years by various scholars from all over the globe who worked hand-in-hand with software developers.

The first BIM concept that appeared on PCs was in 1984. Two years later in 1986 Robert Ash introduced the term Building Modelling for the first time. Building performance data on early BIM applications in 1993. The golden years of BIM development were from late 1990’s to early 2000’s.

In 2004 collaboration on central models appeared on BIM applications the advancements of being accelerated considerably from that point and in 2008 more cutting-edge technologies such as parametric modelling and laser scanning were incorporated into BIM applications.

After 2015, different goverments made amendments to the existing construction regulations to imporve the incorporation of BIM process. For example in 2016, the use of BIM process in funded projects became mandatory in the UK. In 2020, Germany made it compulsory for transportation projects to use the BIM process.

While there are different definitions of BIM, it is a process that improves collaboration between different stakeholders throughout building’s lifecycle.

BIM is a process of working together to advance th efficiency of construction projects.

The most important element of a BIM process is a BIM model that contains all building information.

So here are two important questions :

What can we do with a building model ?
What building information can be integrated into a digital model ?

The answer to both questions is everything.

A BIM model includes a detailed 3D Model with all architectural and structural elements, mechanical and electrical systems, spaces details schedules and all sort of documentations.

It can easily calculate cost estimation, material quantities, energy performance, etc…

Is BIM only useful for large and complex projects ?

Absolutly not, implementing BIM is highly beneficial for fifferent types of projects with various functions and scales.

Scan to BIM for real-time surveying and incorporation of site features create a huge potential to design and construct spaces that are perfectly integrated with various site-specific conditions.

Implementing BIM will also increase project precision and accuracy less errors and mistakes. It will also improve the coordination between different disciplines involved in a project which would eventually result in minimizing time and cost of the projects.

Using BIM, we can have planned overlaps within different stages of the project which results in reducing the project time and cost.

Effects of BIM on Project Lifecycle

Issues before implementation of BIM

Incompatible ID systems,
lots of problems around file sharing and different file formats,
extensive use of paper email overload as more conversations were required among different stakeholders.
Low data scurity and unclear modern date ownship
low transparency of information flow and of reversion documents
limited project records
No central model containing all project information

Using one system of digital models increases the synchronization between various documents produced by different professionals involved in a project. BIM is the process of designing constructing and manaing a building or infrastructure collaboratively using advanced length digital models.

Basic IFC Concepts for Revit users

What is IFC and why it is often misunderstood ?

IFC is developed by the buildingSMART association and it is an open standard for the BIM Data exchane.

IFC stands for the Industry foundation classes and it’s not a file format, but actually a semantic schema which defines the way the building related data is described and inherited.

This also means that you can open an IFC file in a simple Texteditor and view its content.

The foundation of IFC are as its name already says the classes, which can describe anything, from a physical object like a wall to abstract concept like a task.

Unfortunately the buildingSMART documentation is very complicated and even scary, because it is actually meant for software developers and not for us mortal Revit users. But the good thing is that you don’t need to get that deep into the theory in order to be able to uses IFC correctly.

Using the IFC documentation

Now let’s have a look you can find and navigate the IFC documentation. You can always access the latest version through the buildingSMART wbsite at https://technical.buildingsmart.org/

As you can see here, IFC4 is the latest development and it is also still being updated.

IFC2x3 is also still often used, but we will stick with IFC4 in this video series, because it is the latest development and 2×3 will become more and more obsolete in the next years.

The best way to find the IFC classes is to select alphabetical listing from the main page sinc IFC4 we can also browse the list in other languages like German, or also in plain English.

Keep in mind that there are a lot more IFC classes that Revit categories for two reasons : the first one is that IFC classs are often more granular and the second one there are many classes which don’t describe physical elements or don’t have a representation in a BIM modeling software like Revit.

Another important point are the predefined property sets – all of the common property sets are mapped automatically when exporting from Revit.

These are very important because they provide the most important element information in a standardized way, and are always structured and named in the same way, no matter from which software the model has been exported.

Same goes for the Quatity sets, which are a special kind of the property sets are used for QTO workflows.

IFC Mapping table in Revit

You can find the mapping table if you go to Revit -> Export Settings -> IFC. This table displays the Revit Categories matched to IFC classes and types.

Note that this table is already filled out by default and it should cover the most common usecases but of course you can always change it if needed.

For this, you will need to copy and paste the exact name from the IFC documentation. Certain Revit categories can also be excluded from the export by simply inserting Not Exported.

This is just the starting point, as in most BIM Projects you will need a more granualar mapping on the object level. The mapping table is saved as a simple textfile and can be easily shared.

If you ever want to revert the default settings or of the mapping table gets messed up by switching between different Revit languages, you can reset it very easily select Load, delete the default file and then hit « Standard ». This will regenerate the file you just deleted with the default, hardcoded settings.

Once we have set up the mapping table, you can launch the Export dialog. Here y ou can select between several already pre-defined setups or also modify these.

Model View Definitions (MDV)

Note that the IFC schema is always combined with a Model View Definition or MVD, which defines a subset of the IFC schema. You can compare an MVD with a 3D view in Revit, where all elements from all phases, all analytical models and calculations are all displayed at the same time.

Model View Definitions help to extract the data in a meaningful way, like a dedicated view of the model.

This is very simplified explanation, but you get the point !

If you use IFC2x3, your choice will usually be the Coordination View 2.0, and for IFC4 the Reference View. These are the default MVDs defined by the buildingSMART for BIM coordination.

Open source Revit IFC

The client of the BIM Manager should always define which IFC version and which MVD is to be used in a project in order to keep this consistent.

Otherwise, just use IFC4 Reference View for your specific discipline. It is important to keep in mind that Autodesk offers an open source Revit Toolset and regularly updates IFC for Revit independantly from Revit Updates.

This way the developers can react much faster and publish updates whenever needed. Therefore you should keep an eye on the version number and check back on apps.autodesk.com for updates.

The easiest way is to just search for revit IFC and you will be presented with the apps for the four most current Revit versions.

Often you will find these updates a week or two earlier on github, where the developers are also publishing the sourcecode, but you can also download the most current installers here.

Current download links for Revit IFC (sidebar): https://bim-me-up.com/

Autodesk App Store: https://apps.autodesk.com

Revit IFC on Github: https://github.com/Autodesk/revit-ifc

Wiki OS with useful tips around openBIM, not only for Revit: https://wiki.osarch.org/index.php?title=Category%3AAutodesk_Revit

Recommended freeware IFC Viewers:

Open IFC Viewer, very fast and supports latest IFC Versions: https://openifcviewer.com/

BIM Vision, powerful viewer, offers additional features for measurement or easy display of classifications: https://bimvision.eu/download/

BIMcollab IFC Viewer, popular viewer, offers direct connection to the BIMcollab platform: https://support.bimcollab.com/en/zoom…%E2%80%8B

FZK Viewer, a bit oldschool, not good with big models, but very accurate display of properties: https://www.iai.kit.edu/1302.php

How to Improve Collaboration and Communication Between Construction Teams

Effective collaboration and communication between different teams are key when it comes to construction projects. As a project manager, it is your task to ensure that all your teams work like a well-oiled machine. Problems with communication and collaboration can lead to a lot of issues for your project, including scheduling issues, poor work performance, sunk costs, and wasted time. Your management style must go beyond delegating tasks and organizing processes. You need to build relationships between your workers and give them the means to collaborate in an optimal way.

However, achieving the aforementioned goals is not as easy as it might look. In order to be successful, you need to combine smart coaching skills, strategic thinking, and technology. In this article, we will provide you with some practical advice on how to improve the collaboration and communication between different construction teams that work on the same project.

Ensure Open Communication

One of the fundamentals of enabling good internal communication, no matter the number and size of your teams, is to form open communication lines. All team members need to feel that their opinion is respected, valued, and sought-after. Each individual needs to feel like an important part of the team — as a result, information will go up and down the chain without any interruptions.

Project managers need to stay on top of all details surrounding a project, which means that you must have up-to-date information at all times. Keeping communication open will ensure no information is kept from you, which will prevent issues during all phases of your construction project.

Think Strategically

When organizing the communication and relationships between your teams, keep in mind that construction projects tend to take several years to complete. The people you work with need to be willing and able to work together efficiently for a prolonged period of time. On top of that, construction teams that really stick tend to go on working together for their entire careers.

Make sure your team is composed of professionals who are not in this particular field of work only temporarily. Find people who want to keep working in the field, as they will be more motivated to form strong work bonds, communicate efficiently, and keep on improving themselves.

Build Relationships

The work surrounding construction projects usually does not encourage lots of interaction between people. In fact, many workers are solely focused on their own tasks and only communicate with others when it is necessary. In order to build a strong team that collaborates and communicates efficiently, you need to take your people out of their comfort zone and make them interact with one another.

A great way to achieve that is to organize team-building events. It is not necessary to spend money on dinners, hotels, and such — a simple game of soccer outside of working hours can achieve the same thing. Socializing outside of the usual work environment works wonders in building relationships between co-workers. Going out to a bar or organizing a party will strengthen the bonds between your people and ensure your project goes smoothly.

Enable Your Leaders

Team managers ought to be your right-hand people when it comes to implementing your communication and collaboration strategies. They need to be aware of the goals you are trying to reach and actively help you to achieve them. Meanwhile, you should motivate them to practice what they preach and keep them included in the decision-making processes.

If you and your managerial staff are on the same page, executing the plans on this list will be quicker. Leaders must set an example and be the driving force behind any change in work culture and organization. Of course, you need to be aware of the so-called “informal leaders” among your teams. Sometimes, such individuals perform even better as agents of change.

Make Effective Use of Data

Modern technologies have allowed managers to access all types of different project data and use it to improve their work. When it comes to communication and collaboration, you need to properly use the available data in order to improve both. Task management systems can be especially helpful for keeping different teams up to speed on specific aspects of the project.

Use data to track progress and manage any inefficiencies in your teams’ work. Having all teams collaborate using the same datasets will help you with scheduling, optimizing resources, and avoiding any duplicate work.

Use BIM Software Solutions

Perhaps the most effective way to improve collaboration and communication between different construction teams is to utilize BIM tools. Building information modeling (BIM) software started out as a means to generate accurate 3D modeling. However, it has evolved into a full-service suite that can help you with all aspects of managing a construction project.

BIM software allows large teams to seamlessly collaborate on a project in real-time since it uses cloud technology. This way all your workers have access to the same plans, data, and schedule at the same time. Modern BIM solutions have a lot of useful collaboration and communication tools, as well as complex 3D visualizations that can be especially effective when it comes to clash detection, on-site safety measures, and overall risk mitigation.

Conclusion

Even the best construction project manager cannot take on a project entirely by themselves. You need your teams to be motivated, energized, and collaborating in the most optimal way. Communication and teamwork are key to the successful completion of a project, no matter its size and scope. Do not limit yourself to just a person who hands out the tasks. Be a leader and build a team that can go through even the toughest challenges together.

About the Author:

Sofia Jaramillo is an Account Executive for the Pacific Northwest area at Microsol Resources. She was born and raised in Colombia, where she got her Business Administration degree. She moved to New York in 2016 and joined Microsol in 2018 where she has found a new passion within the field of design and construction. In her free time, she likes to practice yoga and run in Central Park.

A Brief History Of IFC Format

IFC or Industry Foundation Classes is a global standard for describing, sharing and exchanging information on building and facility management.

To encourage interoperability between BIM applications from several companies it was created the IFC format, specified and developed by buildingSMART.

The IFC format is a repository of data for open building semantic information object, including geometry, properties and relationships to facilitate :

the interdisciplinary coordination during the construction of the information models, including design disciplines as architecture, structural or services, as well as during the construction phase;
the data sharing and exchange between IFC applications;
the transference and reuse of data for analysis and other further tasks.

The IFC initiative began in 1994 when Autodesk started to develop a set of C ++ classes that could support the development of integrated applications. Twelve other American companies have joined the initiative, initially defined as the Alliance for Interoperability.

In 1997, the name was changed to International Alliance for Interoperability due to the integration of more international companies. This new alliance was reconstituted as a non-profit organization with the goal of developing the IFC as a neutral product for the architectural, engineering and construction industry.

The designation of this initiative was again changed to buildingSMART in 2005.

In 1997 it was launched the first version of the IFC format. Over the years, the IFC format has been improved and new versions have been released.

The improvements are based not only on the optimization of the various features previously supported by the format, but also in increasing the variety of information supported.

As an example, just after the IFC 2×2 version it was possible to transfer structural designs, once BIM modules applications dedicated to the structure design have arisen later. However, only in the latest release, IFC 2×4, it became possible, for example, transfer via IFC modeled reinforcement on construction elements, such as walls or slabs.

The IFC schema is constantly evolving. The current version, released in 2013, is IFC 4 (the prior releases were labelled as 1.0, 1.5, 1.51 and then 2x, 2×2, 2×3).

From sketch BIM to design BIM

As a promising technology for building lifecycle management, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been extensively studied in the last decade.

A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition. BIM enables collaboration among varieties of stakeholders through data interoperability among different BIM applications.

Currently, BIM applications

involve every stage of a construction project, including conception, design, construction, and operation management.

BIM has been extensively applied in the design in construction sector. The design phase usually has two sub-stages: sketch design (short for sketch) and detailed design (short for design). Both sketch and design stages generate three-dimensional (3D) BIM models.

Due to different purposes, the sketch and design stages use different BIM tools. The most widely-used sketch BIM tools include SketchUp, Rhino, and Form-Z. The design BIM models are usually designed using software tools like Revit, ArchiCAD, Bentley Architecture, to name a few.

The different purposes and different tools result in the different organizations of sketch BIM models and design BIM models. Sketch BIM models can be considered as a project-level organization of BIM data, because all the data are aggregated into one or a few human/computer-unknown building elements.

Additionally, sketch BIM models usually have little property data. That is, a sketch BIM model usually focuses on 3D design from an overall view and ignores the definition of elements and their semantic data.

Contrarily, design BIM models are organized in the element-level, where each element has well-defined semantic and geometric data. Subsequently, a BIM application can obtain both semantic and geometric

data of a building element directly from a design BIM model.

As a downstream stage of the sketch, the design stage expects to reuse the data in sketch BIM models to improve the design efficiency. However, the different data organizations hinder the reusability of sketch BIM models in the design stage.

Because the design BIM tools can not directly obtain data of building elements from sketch BIM models. This triggers new demands to abstract reusable building elements from sketch BIM models to facilitate the BIM design.

Industrial Foundation Classes (IFC) is an open, vendor-neutral, international standard (ISO 16739–1:2018) of BIM. The mainstream BIM tools in both sketch and design stages support the IFC specification. Without loss of generality, a BIM model means an IFC file in this study. Although some studies investigated the geometric description of an IFC file and its applications, the recognition of reusable building elements from sketch BIM models remains unexplored.

The exploration of building element identification from a sketch BIM model will bridge the gap between sketch BIM models and design BIM models, smooth the reusability of data from the sketch stage to design stage and improve the design efficiency by avoiding the redesigning of building elements.

BIM-Based Collaborative Building Process Management

The book reports on the great improvements in the information and knowledge management due to the digitalization of the building sector.

By summarizing several research projects addressing the implementation of BIM in different stages of the building process, and the definition of standards at Italian, European and international levels for managing information relying on the implementation of BIM-based processes, it showcases the efforts, especially within the Italian building sector, to build a standardized structure of information and develop tools for collecting, sharing and exchanging information between stakeholders involved in different stages of the building process, so as to enhance the storage, traceability, usability and re-usability of information management.

Further, it presents an enhanced use of information that relies on the adoption of the standardized structure of information, and proposes dedicated applications for automating the process of information fruition. Lastly, it features a digital platform for different stakeholders in the building sector, such as manufacturers, producers and construction companies.

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The Most Significant Benefits of Using BIM

Effective use of BIM can have a dramatic impact on a project through improved design, enhanced constructability, and quicker project completion, saving timeand money both for the owner and for the project team.

BIM is also emerging as the solution to reduce waste and inefficiency in building design and construction, although some organizations are taking a wait-and-see approach, seeking clear evidence for a return on the investment BIM would entail.

The most significant benefits of BIM are these:

Lower net costs and risks for owners, designers, and engineers.
Development of a schematic model prior to the generation of a detailed building model, allowing the designer to make a more accurate assessment of the proposed scheme and evaluate whether it meets the functional and sustainable requirements set out by the owner; this helps increase project performance and overall quality.
Improved productivity due to easy retrieval of information.
Improved coordination of construction documents.
Coordination of construction, which reduces construction time and eliminates Change Orders.
Reduced contractor and subcontractors’ costs and risks.
Accurate and consistent 2D drawings generated at any stage of the design, which reduces the amount of time needed to produce construction drawings for the different design disciplines while minimizing the number of potential errors in the construction drawings process.
Increased speed of project delivery.
Embedding and linking of vital information such as vendors for specific materials, location of details, and quantities required for estimation and tendering.
Visualization by the project team and owner of the design at any stage of the process with the understanding that it will be dimensionally consistent inevery view, thereby improving monitoring efficiency and reducing operating costs.
Savings for realtors, appraisers, and bankers.
Coordination and collaboration by multiple design disciplines, shortening the design period while helping to reduce potential design errors and omissions; also greater insight and early detection of possible design problems, allowing for better performance prediction.
Safer buildings for first responders.

The Benefits Of Incorporating BIM For The Construction Process

Building information modeling, popularly known as “BIM”, is the present star player in the construction industry. Though it has been almost a decade since the technology has been around, but in last two years it has created a lot of buzz in the industry. So what really is BIM? Here is the US National Building Information Model Standard Project Committee’s definition for better understanding:

“Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition (NBIMS-US, 2016).”

Use of BIM services in construction will help in generating visual files with all variables that are required in the construction of the actual project. All you need to do is provide the correct input and the output will be a model that will have all the information which is needed by anyone working on the project to make it a success.

The benefits of incorporating BIM in the construction process are many, but can be summarized in following five individual points:

Extended Scope

Conventionally, building model of a construction project is focused on the visualization of the building or infrastructure to be built. Though this type of CAD model could be used as a guideline for proceeding further, but not for exact calculation of variables involved. However, BIM not only includes these variables, but highlights them too. For example, thermal modeling is also as much a part of BIM as natural light and HVAC system. A shift from traditional architectural drawing to BIM will is like expanding the scope of the model, which, in turn, will increase the reliability of the model.

Projecting Constructability and Price

The enhanced scope of BIM will further help the construction managers and stakeholders in better understanding what exactly is involved in building the final project. Further, the traditional CAD models usually do not provide accurate pricing projections, but BIM includes all the variables to predict both individual and overall construction prices.

Enhanced Stakeholder Coordination

The most difficult part of completing a construction project is to maintain coordination of all the stakeholders. BIM services can lead to a better coordinated collaboration of all the stakeholders, as it includes a wide range of variables related to construction.

Accounting of Complex Construction Processes

The modern construction process is very complex, resulting in lack of a coordinated extended timeline and money loss. BIM provides a more cost and time-sensitive solution: In BIM data is directly connected with design, therefore, any design updates will update the model, thus accounting for each variable in the construction process.

Building workflow reliability

Planning a construction project can be a daunting task because of a large number of overlapping timelines. One major benefit of using BIM service is that it helps in avoiding clashes in areas where one model overlaps or makes the other impossible. BIM makes finding these clashes easier. In fact, it allows managers to spot problems before they become they go out of hand, thus building a more reliable workflow.

These benefits of incorporating BIM in the construction process has made it an invaluable tool for the construction industry. Any project starting with BIM will definitely have a greater chance of success.