Ten ways 4D BIM can transform projects and construction sites

The value of a 4D model starts in the pre-construction or even the bidding phase, which enables customers to make sense of all the information that they get, which are often in 2D CAD documents or spreadsheets. Customers can then visualise these plans to do analysis or digital rehearsals of the path of construction, which can optimise cost and resources at the end of the day. It’s much better to make mistakes in the virtual 4D environment than actually have them happen in the field. Moreover, through a digital workflow, 4D BIM removes ambiguity from the project through detailed illustrations from a very early stage.

With large-scale projects monitoring on-site developments and individual tasks are tough, especially since different facets must be taken into account before project managers can prepare reports. The construction site can be quickly compared through structures captured by 3D scanning and the existing 4D BIM model to detect any deviations. This reduces risks at the site and becomes easier for the project manager to be in charge of the workforce on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, stakeholders can geo-locate themselves in the 4D model, and quickly find the data based on the information around them, and provides a better context for construction staff to do their work.

According to Rich Humphrey, VP for Construction at Bentley Systems, 4D BIM is at a tipping point. It’s still not an everyday practice, but is becoming so, and most major construction companies have a virtual design and construction department where BIM is often started in offices. He says that organisations are now not just using 4D BIM during the planning stage but taking that multi-dimensional model through to the construction and execution phase.

With the ability that 4D modelling offers to track any alteration/addition in the design or construction phase, changes can now be easily tracked to the responsible person. So, the engineer or architect can be held accountable, and agreements on any project-related information can easily be reached even when multiple stakeholders are involved. Furthermore, when contrasting solutions are suggested for a similar issue, workflow clash related to time and material handling can be recognised and addressed immediately.

4D BIM enables security two-fold. It provides safety against data-breach and also allows the site to be monitored 24/7. With detailed information about the situations that may be prone to accidents, such hazards can be avoided, and artificial intelligence and cloud computing let all this information be tracked through sensors and input into the model. 4D modelling will also ensure that these activities and planned tasks are strategically deployed and will not affect each other.

Managing the supply chain in construction involves tracking material logistics and activities, as well as coordinating mechanisms among involved parties. With assistance from 4D BIM and geographical information system (GIS) for coordination between supply chains, and construction project sites and other project related locations, issues can be easily solved. For instance, determining suppliers, accounting for deliveries considering the transportation distance and material unit price can be easily demonstrated through a 4D BIM-GIS framework.

The majority of the existing buildings are not maintained and refurbished with BIM technologies, yet the benefits of efficient resource management and rapid developments in technology are having an impact on operators. Parts of the project can be remodelled and realty capture can be used to capture the existing conditions and optimise the design and construction process with respect to time. Moreover, 4D BIM can also evaluate how to safely isolate the work-site and allow engineers and contractors to control their projects effectively and ensure that timelines are met.

According to Mark Hattersley, Senior Director for Construction Operations at Bentley Systems, a model-based approach is used where construction objects are created rather than design objects. In this scenario, methods, quantity calculations, and cost codes are linked to model objects where the cost is incorporated into the project plan, and organisations can put forth more accurate tenders. For instance, if it’s a long line in the model that represents a railway track, then it is chopped up into individual pieces for more detailed information.

A 4D model allows planners and construction staff to visualise the construction sequencing, including staging (for example, cranes, material storage, and site access), according to Bentley System. The Coca Cola Arena project and the Mohammed bin Rashid Library project by ASGC utilised 4D Construction planning and scheduling using Bentley System’s Synchro pro. With this, they were able to integrate P6 schedule tasks, logic, durations, and timeframes with the related elements in the 3D model to provide an accurate representation as outlined in the schedule. Additionally, the team was able to monitor critical RFI’s from 4D modelling and report to the relevant sub-contractors, and as-built 4D models were also provided for facility management for the two projects.

4D BIM allows for more precision during the initial planning stages, including the tender stage, presentation to the client and in the contractor’s plan. By adding sequencing information, it allows for the feasibility of schemes to be assessed from the initial stage itself. Moreover, in digital workflow planners can influence and share proposals to significantly add more value from early on in the project development phase.