Panagiotis Patlakas

The Potential, Requirements, and Limitations of BIM for Offsite Timber Construction

Offsite Timber Construction has the potential to deliver important benefits for the housing sector, but there are obstacles that prevent a more widespread adoption. The advent of Building Information Modelling BIM has the potential to address many of these, improving the process and enhancing the end product. The paper identifies the key aspects of offsite timber construction in which BIM can play a significant role, and describes the immediate benefits that can be derived from applying BIM to those, with an emphasis on the UK market. The respective limitations are identified and discussed. The issue of financial viability is addressed and suggestions are made about how research and government initiatives can provide support for those. Finally, the need for a mid-term paradigm shift in BIM is identified, moving towards a more open and extensible strategy for construction that can respond to the expanded needs of Offsite Timber Construction.

Automatic code compliance with multi-dimensional data fitting in a BIM context

BIM-based tools can contribute to addressing some of the challenges faced by structural engineering practitioners. A BIM-based framework for the development of components that deliver Automatic Code Compliance (ACC) is presented. The structural design problems that such components solve are categorised as simple, where ACC can be implemented directly, or complex, where more advanced approaches are needed. The mathematical process of Multi-Dimensional Data Fitting (MDDF) is introduced in order for the latter, enabling the compression of complex engineering calculations to a single equation that can be easily implemented into a BIM software engineering package. Proof-of-concept examples are given for both cases: offsite-manufactured structural joists are utilised as a non-recursive example, implementing the results obtained in the manufacturer’s literature; the axial capacity of metal fasteners in axially loaded timber-to-timber connections are utilised as an example of recursive problems. The MDDF analysis and its implementation in a BIM package of those problems are presented. Finally, the concept is generalised for non-structural aspects at a framework level, and the challenges, implications, and prospects of ACC in a BIM context are discussed.