Significance of 14 February


" On 14th February 1931 morning at Lahore, the Legendary BHAGAT SINGH, SUKHDEV & RAJGURU were hanged to death. Let's not be oblivious to thou martyrs while celebrating just Valentine's Day."

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What is BIM?


BIM is a virtual simulation consisting of 3D models of components with linkages to project design, planning and construction information of a construction project. It provides an opportunity to experiment, adjust and take corrective actions (without serious consequences) in a simulation.

Simulation - Intelligent virtual models

BIM development works on an iterative feedback loop that facilitates a cyclic evolution of intelligent virtual model and project information. A coordinated contribution from each project member increments the scope, depth and degree of relationships step by step.

Surface models are ideal for generating visual images of the project for aesthetic design, planning and marketing purposes.

Smart/solid models goes further into to details inside the surface, they have and added advantage to generate 2D drawings for generation construction drawings.

Intelligent models embed various layers of physical information like dimensions, location, quantifiable information and other parameters about each object in model and links between objects. Objects are reusable and making change to one model template will change all the child objects that use the template across the model.

Intelligent composite models add extra intelligence by creating a complete picture using by overlaying various sub-models (e.g. Architectural, Structural and MEP, etc.). Composite models help in coordination and choreography of the whole project execution.

Links

Linking is a key concept in BIM. Linking refers to relationships of different source information within a model between various objects or external sources like schedules, spreadsheets, databases, etc.
Links can be classified into two types:

1.  Model to Information Link – links that define parametric information to the objects in the model.
2.  Model-to-Model Link – links that define interoperability between sub-models (that may be created using different software)

Process

BIM is a model as well as a process. The process is use at various stages of the project – preconstruction planning, course if construction and post construction. The process enables following in an iterative manner:

1.  Develop an accurate understanding of the project
2.  Planning and estimation
3.  Design, development and analysis of project
4.  Construction management
5.  Construction execution

My final thoughts being a technologist are that there are endless benefits and possibilities to migrate to BIM from traditional construction project process, specially the whole linked information within the model can be leveraged by using software techniques to create a new breed of applications that will make the construction process more predictable and facilitate the management of built space after construction.

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BIM-Simplified

Years ago Architects and Engineers used pencils and papers in order to construct and convert their imagination into reality. Construction required fewer drawings than what would be required these days. Why? I will come on that later.

Eventually it all came down to the combinations of easy lines. The visualization was transformed into a code made of lines, with the help of computer software. These drawings were later deciphered by the professionals. They remind me of 0s and 1s of the binary system which are weaved together to make something useful. Like binary numbers these lines sure are the basic building blocks. But still, we do not use 0s and 1s any more to use a computer these days, do we?

So what is the premise of this story?

Client-orientation, transparency, communication, velocity , ease of use and smart working. Sounds familiar? That is what Building Information Modeling (BIM) helps us do. In the most simplified words it is construction of an interactive building model on your computer screen, and visualize the resulting built environment even before the ground is dug. This model has something (lets say everything they need) for everyone be it the owner, architects, consultants or contractors.

BIM is a holistic approach, interconnecting each and every aspect of building design and construction by setting up a relationship between all the parameters. In other words BIM helps controlling the tedious process of designing, drawing and documentation and handling too much information which most of the time gets out of control causing confusions, delays and errors.

What makes BIM even more essential is, as I said before , earlier construction of a building required lesser drawings in order to visualize the building on-site. But now as the Industry is evolving, the building envelope has various aspects like - environmental friendliness, lighting, landscape, internal security, HVAC, circulation, furniture systems, electrical data , communication networks and many more. These extra dimensions add to more documentation, more complexity, more designing/detailing and more coordination. The way this complexity is easily handled by BIM makes it a magical tool which is getting attention by more and more professionals in building and construction industry with a fast adoption rate.

BIM makes the work systematic.

1.  The Integrated Design Model - Focus on the designing stage
2.  The Construction Planning Model – Focus on construction stage.

During both these stages revisions and alterations are natural and as opposed to traditional method the BIM method is much lean and easy. As the information of building is all linked in a model and changes would cascade in the background without manual intervention.

I will emphasize on this point with an example: On a construction site, at three locations the door openings are altered. which means 3 changes in the sizes of the doors. on every floor. Subsequently it will require changes in all the plans elevations sections,3ds,doors schedule,bill of quantities etc. In BIM all it will require is one click to change the door in plan and boom! Its done! This one click make all the necessary changes in the documents and the drawings Neat. Isn’t it?!

As I was reading it in a forward of book on Ruby language written by a Japanese programmer who invented the language, it emphasized on the concept which has a parallel to the concepts of BIM. It talked about the programming languages that were more oriented towards the convenience of computer than the human programmers and now the innovation in hardware and software keeps on improving the infrastructure the human programmers are no more the slaves of computers – the languages these days are created with human convenience in mind. Similarly BIM has created a foundation of design/drawing which is more convenient for human designers and it abstracts all the number crunching in the background. The tables are turning.

Finally I will conclude with a quote : “Space is a breath of Art” said by some anonymous person holds true,specially for Architects its significantly about the art. Lets us focus on that and leave the rest to BIM.

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