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The use of building information modeling (BIM) for building sustainability assessment (BSA) is a thriving topic within the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Despite the various research approaches to employing BSA with BIM support, the research is limited to the BIM implications of BSA methods in developing countries. This paper presents how BIM can assist the BSA processes in Kazakhstan, using a previously developed building sustainability assessment framework for Kazakhstan (KBSAF). This framework has 46 assessment indicators grouped into nine assessment categories. The categories and assessment indicators of KBSAF were derived considering the regional variations and country-specific differences in the assessment factors. In this paper, BIM functions for BSA were identified through literature review, their applicability for KBSAF was evaluated by mapping the functions with the assessment indicators of KBSAF and a BIM-based BSA framework (BIM-KBSAF) was proposed. The proposed framework was validated through a three-round Delphi survey. One of the results demonstrates that for KBSAF, BIM can assess 24 out of 46 assessment indicators. The proposed framework could serve as a systematic guide to the application of BIM for BSA. Furthermore, it can facilitate the BSA process and save considerable time and effort.

Kazakhstan's electricity generation depends heavily on fossil fuels. Renewables and other non-fossil resources provide potential alternatives to diversify the electricity generation system. In this paper, various potential local non-fossil fuel resources, hydro, solar, wind, biomass and uranium are reviewed and an assessment framework for prioritizing these resources is established. A multi-criteria decision making approach, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) based on expert opinion, is utilized for developing the assessment model, using four main criteria of technical, economic, social and environmental aspects and thirteen sub-criteria. The review reveal that Kazakhstan has ample potential to develop a non-fossil fuel based electricity system. Furthermore, the model shows hydro to be the most favorable resource followed by solar; wind and nuclear are ranked third and fourth, respectively while biomass is found to be the least attractive option. It is also found that each resource is inclined towards a particular criterion; hydro towards social, solar towards economic, nuclear towards technical, with biomass and wind directed towards environmental. Besides reporting the use of the AHP model for the first time in the Kazakhstan context, the assessment carried out in this paper can assist decision-makers to articulate long-term energy policy for any country.

Both Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Lean principles have significant impact on efficiency and effectiveness during a project development process within the construction industry. It is widely accepted that BIM can be used as a tool to help reduce project cost; shorten project duration by optimizing the construction sequence; improving the coordination of project teams; providing communication platform for different disciplines; etc. A further exploration can be made to find out whether BIM can be used as a tool to help project teams to achieve the Lean principles. In this research, a hypothesis was developed to validate if BIM can be used as a tool to achieve the principles of Lean construction by improving the construction productivity during a project. Several metrics were investigated to measure the contributions of BIM towards project productivity. By analysing a case study, this paper explores the connection between BIM and Lean principles; the contribution of BIM in the improvement...

An approach for enhancing the production efficiency of bill of quantities (BQ) used on construction projects is presented. The approach was developed to integrate the quantities obtained from a building information model of the project into a suitably prepared electronic format of BQ with 3D views. In this format of BQ, the building information modeling (BIM) technology provides enhanced functionality to a contractor’s quantity surveyor whose primary task is to accurately determine the quantities from the project drawings. A review of the traditional BQ preparation methods is presented to highlight their characteristics and to reflect on their benefits and barriers. Questionnaire surveys were conducted with various groups of respondents to obtain their opinions about the proposed BQ format. They included experienced quantity surveyors from the public and the private sectors, postgraduate, and undergraduate students studying in BIM-related courses. The results of the questionnaire survey showed mostly a positive view toward the proposed BQ format. Slight differences in the opinions of these three groups were also present. It is expected that the approach as presented in this paper for the development of BQ with 3D BIM views could usefully be incorporated into the standard quantity surveying practices for quantity takeoffs in various countries.

In order to improve communication on a construction site, this research focuses on the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in site management for material and progress control in Hong Kong. Components of site management as well as the suitable aspects of applying BIM in site management were identified. Case studies of BIM implementation on two construction projects were presented. Interviews were arranged with BIM professionals, including consultants and contractors. The limitations of adopting BIM on site management were also analyzed. The results and analysis showed that the application of BIM in material and progress control was mainly for quantity takeoff, construction sequence optimization and provision of knowledge database. This database encouraged interaction between parties because an informative BIM model could not be produced by just one party. The findings show that the visualization from BIM 3D/4D model helps engineers or planners to become more confident about real happenings on the construction site. It can also help to identify and resolve the material and progress control related problems before construction commences.

Kazakhstan is the largest greenhouse gas emitter in Central Asia. The country has a significant renewable energy potential from solar, wind, hydro and biomass. Despite this, very small amounts of alternative energy sources have been used. Renewable sources such as wind, solar, small hydro and bioenergy currently contribute less than 1% of the country's energy mix. The building sector in Kazakhstan accounts for 30% of final energy consumption. In this regard, the role of the construction industry is extremely important due to its significant share in energy consumption and carbon emissions. This paper presents the results of the development of Kazakhstan's Building Sustainability Assessment framework. Stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) method was employed to calculate and allocate weights of assessment categories and indicators in the assessment framework. The reliability of the developed framework was validated by comparing its performance sensitivity with fours rating systems, namely, BREEAM, LEED, CASBEE, and SBTool for the categories of the proposed framework. The output of the research can produce a useful reference to the green building policymakers in the country. Also, the proposed framework can be adapted for use in Kazakhstan’s neighboring countries which share similar climatic zones and conditions.

PurposeBuilding information modelling (BIM) is a paradigm shift in the architectural, engineering and construction industries which transforms processes to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the implementation of BIM in Hong Kong and the USA and recommend strategies for BIM implementation in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approachA literature review of BIM initiatives taken in Hong Kong and the USA was conducted including the government policy, guidelines, standards and implementation status. Findings from the literature review were complemented with insights obtained through focused interviews of experts in the field for arriving at recommendations based on the research. The principal investigator of this research also participated in the establishment of a BIM professional institute as one of the founding board members.FindingsAs a result of studies performed for this paper, guidelines are proposed for BIM implementation in Hong Kong. The role of government in implementing BIM in different phases of a project lifecycle is also highlighted.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited mainly to the initiatives of BIM taken by the public sector (government). The roles of other stakeholders are not specifically studied. Results from this study should be considered in the context of a qualitative research methodology adopted and the limited number of responses obtained for arriving at the findings of this paper.Practical implicationsResults from this study can be used as guidelines for the implementation of BIM elsewhere and this implementation can be compared with other countries.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the best practices of BIM implementation, which is useful for the effective and efficient implementation of BIM in Hong Kong.

Various initiatives can be taken to implement building information modelling (BIM) systems in a country. The purpose of this article is to highlight critical initiatives derived from the review of BIM implementations in both the public and private sectors in six selected countries. The methodology adopted for structuring the study is to classify BIM initiatives for its implementation in policy, process and technology fields. A literature review of such BIM fields from the USA, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Singapore and Hong Kong is provided. Moreover, the experiences of authors in BIM research projects conducted in the past through questionnaire surveys and interviews are also utilized to synthesize the findings. The review suggests that, in several situations, BIM is implemented in conjunction with industry foundation classes for better integration and interoperability of various components of a BIM system. The types and roles of major stakeholders in promoting and providing support for the impleme...

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a promising tool for facilitating automation in the construction industry. Since its inception in the early 80s, assisted by advancement in computing technologies, BIM is slowly replacing conventional 2-dimensional CAD technologies in a few countries. Also, standards and guidelines are being developed by various organisations for its unified use on architectural, engineering and construction projects. The attributes of BIM derived from its various definitions are discussed in this paper along with its utilisation trend in Hong Kong. A qualitative consideration of BIM is provided by the item analysis of BIM definitions. Evolution of the perceptions of architectural professionals about BIM in Hong Kong has been investigated by reviewing past studies and by use of a questionnaire survey. The major stakeholders driving the implementation of BIM in Hong Kong are identified. Finally, the studies of five selected cases of BIM implementation in Hong Kong are presented and t...

Application of near-surface mounted (NSM) fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) bars is emerging as a promising technology for increasing flexural and shear strength of deficient reinforced concrete (RC) members. In order for this technique to perform effectively, the structural behaviour of RC elements strengthened with NSM FRP bars needs to be fully characterized. This paper focuses on the characterization of flexural behaviour of RC members strengthened with NSM glass-FRP bars. Totally, 10 beams were tested using symmetrical two-point loads test. The parameters examined under the beam tests were type of concretes (lightweight polystyrene aggregate concrete and normal concrete), type of reinforcing bars (GFRP and steel), and type of adhesives. Flexural performance of the tested beams including modes of failure, moment–deflection response and ultimate moment capacity are presented and discussed in this paper. Results of this investigation showed that beams with NSM GFRP bars showed a reduction in ultimate deflection and an improvement in flexural stiffness and bending capacity, depending on the PA content of the beams. In general, beams strengthened with NSM GFRP bars overall showed a significant increase in ultimate moment ranging from 23% to 53% over the corresponding beams without NSM GFRP bars. The influence of epoxy type was found conspicuously dominated the moment–deflection response up to the peak moment. Besides, the ultimate moment of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP bars could be predicted satisfactorily using the equation provided in ACI 318-95 Building Code.

When construction delays occur, it is necessary to ascertain the liabilities of the contracting parties and to direct the appropriate amount of resources to recover the schedule. Unfortunately, delay analysis and schedule compression are normally treated as separate or independent aspects. This paper examines the feasibility of integrating the delay analysis and schedule compression functions into a broad‐scoped two‐stage process. The main issue is shown to be the kind of delay analysis required for each stage of the process and seven existing techniques are illustrated for use in conjunction with schedule compression. Since the current form and assumptions of delay analysis techniques are unlikely to provide the necessary level of feedback reliability for recovering delays, it is necessary to modify these techniques by incorporating some means of delay type scrutiny, excusable delays updating, and treatment of concurrent delays. The modified delay analysis techniques can serve as a basis for negotiation between the client and contractor and hence improve the interdisciplinary relations.

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials are currently used for concrete structures in areas where corrosion problems are serious. Recent applications of FRP rebars in normal reinforced concrete structures in fact cannot fully utilise the strength of FRP. A more rational use of FRP would be in the area of prestressed concrete (PC) structures. In spite of the superb strength provision of FRP tendons over steel tendons, use of FRP PC members is often questioned by practising design engineers. This is largely due to the brittleness of FRP tendons and lack of ductility in FRP RC structures. Recent research has demonstrated some important findings in promoting the confidence of adopting FRP RC beams. This paper reviews some recent work on the use of FRP in PC structures. Future possible research areas are also highlighted.

This paper investigates the effect of elevated temperature on the flexural strength (FS) and split cylinder strength (SCS) of high strength concrete (HSC). Four concrete mixes of 50, 90, 110, and 130 MPa grade were prepared and subjected to elevated temperature exposure of 200°C and 400°C, and cooled under slow and quick cooling conditions. In addition, 130 MPa grade concrete specimens were also subjected to 100°C and 600°C exposure temperatures to compare FS and SCS under elevated temperatures. It was observed that with the increase in the elevated temperature, the FS and SCS experienced significant losses. The loss was found to be higher for richer concretes. FS was observed to experience a sharp loss at low temperatures that became gradual later at high temperatures. SCS, however, experienced a gradual loss, though sharper than FS, with the increase in temperature. The results indicated that cooling had a significant effect on the residual values and quick cooling caused greater loss in FS and SCS, than slow cooling at elevated temperatures. The quick cooling was noted to produce maximum loss over slow cooling at temperatures around 400°C.

This paper presents the results of a series of experiments conducted to investigate the effectiveness of fibre inclusion in the improvement of mechanical performance of concrete with regard to concrete type and specimen size. Lightweight aggregate concrete and limestone aggregate concrete with and without steel fibres were used in the study. The compressive strength of the concrete mixes varied between 90 and 115 MPa and the fibre content was 1% by volume. Splitting tests on prisms and three-point bending test on notched beams were carried out on specimens of varying sizes to examine the size effect on splitting strength, flexural strength and toughness. The experimental findings indicate that the low volume of fibre has little effect on compressive strength but improve remarkably splitting tensile strength, flexural strength and toughness. The increase in splitting tensile strength, flexural strength and toughness index for lightweight concrete seems much higher than that of normal aggregate concrete. The size effect on prism splitting tensile strength is not significant beyond a critical (transition) size. There are apparent size effects on flexural strength and toughness index. As the specimen size increases, splitting and flexural strengths appear to decrease, and fracture behaviour tends to be more brittle.

Presents an overview and discusses the applications of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets and plates in the strengthening of concrete structures. An insight may be obtained from the discussions made to enhance the use of these techniques for productive use. In addition, selected case studies have been furnished where FRP materials have been used for repairing/retrofitting, emphasizing the application of different types of FRP materials in strengthening concrete structures. Concludes that the use of FRP material is rapidly gaining pace and replacing the traditional steel or metal based materials due to its enhanced properties and cost effectiveness.

Having a significant economic impact in country's GDP and being a major workforce, construction industry is yet characterized by low production rate, low technological advancement, minimum automation and robotic usage, and so on. With the visionary idea of Industry 4.0 that focuses on digitization of the value chain of a product and improving productivity through a variety of technologies and automated manufacturing environment, this research aims to develop a framework to adopt Construction 4.0 within a construction company. Current state of the art of the technologies in construction associated with the notion of Industry 4.0 (e.g., Building Information Modelling, virtual reality, augmented reality, Drone, etc.) is explored through extensive literature studies. The proposed framework incorporates current technological advancement related to construction industry, legislative requirements, barriers, enterprise transformation requirements and so on. Construction 4.0 would make a great impact in construction industry through improved value chain of construction projects, productivity improvement, and safe and sustainable construction. Indeed, the proposed framework would contribute to the advancement of new knowledge in the worlds' construction companies and provide potentials of new research focuses.