BIM IMPLEMENTATION FOR PRECAST CONCRETE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT : CASE STUDY PROJECTS

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been proven beneficial for the AEC/FM industry because it assists in managing construction information efficiently and effectively. Even though all construction stakeholders can gain benefits from BIM, it is challenging for precast concrete contractors to implement and exploit benefits from BIM. Due to the complexity of precast concrete manufacturing and construction processes, the deficiencies of precast concrete information management contribute to construction work errors, delays, and losses. This research proposes a BIM implementation framework designed specifically for precast concrete contractors. It also encompasses a framework for assessing supply chain improvements by BIM. Three precast concrete housing projects are investigated as case studies, the results of which are used to determine BIM implementation processes for precast concrete contractors. BIM models of two projects are developed, and the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) assessment framework is modified to benchmark BIM-based supply chain performances. The outcomes are compared and analyzed. The supply chain performances of conventional and BIM-based processes are collected, benchmarked, analyzed, and concluded. The results shows BIM potentials to improve most supply chain attributes with better outcomes for documentation. For design and planning processes, times are reduced significantly at 36.98% and 41.49%, while costs are reduced slightly at 9.37% and 17.67%. BIM also shows potential to accelerate supply chain processes, increase accuracy and flexibility, eliminate working redundancies, and improve overall collaboration. These findings can be used as a guideline to implement BIM for precast concrete contractors with a proper assessment framework. It also improves overall knowledge of supply chain management for the precast concrete industry.