Abstract of Msc. in Architecture for the sustainable design thesis on BIM for project management

Honors Thesis MASTER COURSE OF ARCHITECTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Abstract

BIM for project management in federated models: The Trompone’s facility case study

Tutors Prof. Anna Osello Eng. Matteo Del Giudice

Author Arch. Francesco Montaldo

THE STUDY CASE: The Trompone complex is located in the city of Moncrivello, in Vercelli province in Piedmont, 45 km away from Turin. The history of this place has deep roots, it has been founded in the second half of XVI century.

In the multi-centenary history of the facility it has been subject of many transformations through addition and stratification, clearly recognizable in the macro-areas which compose the whole facility, which are The Sanctuary which is the original core of the complex finished in the 1595. Following the convent which shape a cloister composed on the est wing by the Sanctuary and on the other sides by three two floors tall wings aimed to be the accommodation for the clerical body, meanwhile the convent was assigned to the Franciscan Friars and has been completed in 1627.

The last wing built in the XIX century, aimed to host the new seminary function , this place become one of the most important school for preachers in the north of Italy, this last part of the complex is composed by an new building 80 meters long developed on three levels and composed by two monumental facades exposed on the north and south sides.

Only in the 1970 thanks to mons. Luigi Novarese who is the founder of the congregation Silenziosi Operai della Croce, the new residential function for people affected by physical disease was moved in this complex.

Today the Trompone complex hosts at the second floor of the facility an health care residence for old people not self-sufficient, while at the first floor is operating a unit which aim is to take care of people affected by neurological disease highly invalidant.

Pic 1: Trompone’s complex, photo made by drone

METHODOLOGY: The methodological approach is primarily based on the use of BIM technology, firstly for the shaping of the state of affairs of the entire facility, the first step done in order to accomplish the task was make a photogrammetric survey by drone, integrated with an laser scanner survey made using LIDAR technology.

The complex was split in parts and shaped in Revit software divided by phases of construction (1595,1627 ecc.), This approach needed an organization in order to coordinate the different models composing the whole one.

To accomplish this main task was adopted a sharing methodology by links between the different models, then a complex sharing system was created in order to organize the models and the point-clouds files containing the survey previously made, through subsequent links degree allowed to elaborate two different strategies of sharing : the first one aimed to have the control and to manage the state of affairs of the facility, the second: by ambit in order to gain control on the single projects designed within the facility.

Every federated model (in green) represent a single project which includes the three models coming from the typical templates of the software in turns architectural, structural and MEP. It allows to have in every federated model the whole project allowing a direct control of possible interferences (clash detection).

Pic 2: First sharing methodology adopted.

Pic 3: Second sharing methodology adopted.

The whole models organization has been made following the guide lines provided by the British Standard BS 1197:2007, which rules the sharing data environment (Common Data Environment), dividing the process in four phases represented by four folders respectively: Work in progress (WIP), Shared, Published and Archived, where the BIM models are organized based on the completion level, and the subsequent steps of control, review and authorization, released respectively by coordinators, owners and contractors.

The same models organization within the CDE, provide a codify of all elements, in order to rule and organize the files stored inside the CDE. This step results fundamental in a sharing strategy which organized by federated models then using link sharing method, which to be loaded inside the central model follows the file storing path inside the CDE.

Pic 3: BIM model of the whole facility.

THE PROJECT: In this context some projects were developed within the facility, especially the winter garden inside the courtyard located between the north wing and the convent, because a real need of a external covered space was find, because of the difficulties of reaching outside spaces by patients with reduced mobility, and to provide them an external space which can be lived also during the cold months.

Being the courtyard the external space closer to the north wing where the patients are hosted. The project was basically a glass roof which enclose the courtyard which can be totally closed and warmed during the cold season, and open for the 70% of its surface during the hot seasons, thanks to a special system of motorized windows.

The project in BIM environment was thought in order to obtain a higher control on the execution and on the estimation of the resources needed.

Exploiting the peculiarity of BIM methodology, then implementing the simply three dimensional model through the use of new parameters aimed to reach the fourth and the fifth dimension, thus reaching a higher control of the timing and the costs related to the project.

The first step done in order to reach these targets was to create a code through a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) which decompose the project in single components and assign to all types of elements an univocal code.

Later the low specificity of that code made necessary the creation of an Activity Code more complex, which include the WBS Code, a Position Code of the single elements based on the structural grid used in Revit, and a Work Code useful to define the costs related to all elements. After the code was applied to all elements present in the project as a parameter.

Pic 4: Activity code.

In parallel a work schedule was created in Microsoft Project, for any task recognized to accomplish the project were applied an initial and finish date, the duration, the activity code and the resources needed (humans and materials).

The resources value were calculated in the Revit abacuses, making operations between parameters present in the model, costs coming from Piedmont price list, timing from an external consulting and written references, and some internal parameters from Revit such as density, volume, area ecc.

Pic 5: Parameters use scheme.

As said, at the Gantt chart were applied timing and cost parameters previously calculated in order to obtain timing costs and resources needed to accomplish the project. Furthermore the assignment of the activity code at all activities in the timing schedule corresponding to the activity code assigned to all elements present in the BIM model permits to have a direct correspondence between the BIM model and the time schedule in MS Project.

RESULTS: The correspondence between BIM model and the time schedule allowed a 4D simulation using the software Autodesk Navisworks, which thanks to an association rule make a direct correspondence between BIM model and Gantt diagram, this output is considered useful to better understand the construction process, to find possibly clash between items and to have a deeper knowledge of the building site phase.

Pic 6: Navisworks 4D simulation.

Furthermore the costs and timing monitoring produced some further outputs useful to control the building process, such as the S Curve which put in relation the components time and costs.

Pic 7: S Curve Costs/Time.

Last the time schedule properly organized in MS Project provides an output useful to organize the working teams by the assignment to all workers at their tasks, the daily and total working hours and the correspondent percentage of work to be done daily. This is a result useful to have a better organization during the building site phase, despite because of the unpredictable amount of issues that may arise in that phase it can not be assumed as a totally reliable output.

Pic 8: Working tables.

CONCLUSIONS: The job done has managed to shed light to the potentialities if BIM methodology, within a building process, and how a parametric software appropriately used and interrogated allows an advanced control on the project. Beginning from the right LOD and LOI choice, to be adopted on the restitution of the existing facility, and the one to be used in the new projects which will define the costs of the designing phase in according with the requirements.

The knowledge of the sharing methodologies organized as federated models, and their organization within a Common Data Environment (CDE), results fundamental, in an integrated design process, characterized by a multitude of professional stakeholders, sometimes coming from different working fields.

Lastly, the parameter use within the BIM model and their handling, leads to obtaining useful data for the management and monitoring of building works. In particular the achievement of the fourth and fifth dimensions, and the clash detection of both the items composing the project and the activities scheduled, if appropriately managed allows a significant saving in terms of money and time.

Arch. Francesco Montaldo francesco.montaldo@gmail.com