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Integrated 3D modeling adaptation to infrastructure has been slow due to technical challenges, such as the lack of interoperability between software. To fill this gap, a versatile model with 3D modeling capabilities was developed to assist in designing sustainable bridges at the conceptual design stage. The model incorporates a rule-based expert system and four modules, namely, 3D CAD modeling, bridge sustainability rating system (BrSRS), bridge environmental performance strategy mapping (BrEPSM), and conceptual cost estimation. The 3D CAD module was developed using the Graphics.DrawLine method. The BrSRS and BrEPSM modules were developed by amalgamation of the identified pertinent sustainable and footprint indicators. The model aims to provide bridge type recommendations, allow customization of a sustainable bridge, illustrate forecasted footprint levels, present the conceptual design in AutoCAD’s 3-dimensional (3D) mode, facilitate a recalculation process when the bridge’s dimensions are altered, and generate a conceptual cost estimate.

Site layout planning (SLP) is an essential process that has a considerable influence on the safety, cost and duration of a construction project. Due to the complexity and the factors and variables ...

Highway networks are a major infrastructure system, most crucially major bridges and motorways. Proper handling of highway networks plays a significant role in enhancing the functionality of a brid...

Many construction projects suffer from poor design and from inconsistent time and cost management. This situation has led to rethinking of the industry’s performance and how it could be improved. Technology is breaking through design and management practices. Earned value management (EVM) enables better management of time and cost constraints. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is recognized to improve the planning and realization of a construction project. The present paper proposes an integrated time and cost management system (ITCMS), where an EVM platform is used in a virtual environment during the planning and construction phases of a project. The ITCMS enables early involvement and project integration plus thorough time and cost management. The system consists of four modules and 13 different processes. The ITCMS is beneficial at the design stage; construction professionals are able to synchronize the building model with time and cost parameters as well as optimize it through a clash detection process that results in budget and schedule compressions early on. The ITCMS is a useful tool for construction and engineering managers that strive to increase projects’ performance. The authors demonstrate in this paper the validity of using the ITCMS through an actual project.

Existing homes for senior population may not be safe because many injuries occur due to poor accessibility and design compatibility. Thus, Universal Design (UD) becomes more relevant, especially if it incorporates the principles of sustainability. Yet, adopting houses of this type requires detailed evaluation of their costs and benefits in a simple and efficient manner. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) concept enables engineers to design and create virtual models permitting the visualization and evaluation of design alternatives before physical construction. The tools used to create BIM models lack detail information about UD principles. This paper presents a methodology that integrates BIM, UD and sustainability to attain sustainable universal houses for Canadians. The goal of this model is to simplify the process of creating sustainable universal houses in 3D and to evaluate the costs and benefits to stakeholders at the conceptual stage of the life of the houses.

Integrating 3D bridge information modelling (BrIM) with construction technologies had inspired many researchers for the past decade. In this study, research objectives are intended to demonstrate the viability of integrating a 3D computer-aided design (3D-CAD) model with a structural analysis application and bridge cost estimation framework without compromising interoperability matters. An integrated model that relates a fuzzy logic decision support system with cost estimation for concrete box-girder bridges is presented. Model development methodology comprises an integrated preliminary cost estimation system (IPCES), and complex quality functions and deployment of a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach. An actual case project is used to validate and illustrate model corresponding estimating capabilities. The proposed model is engineered to enhance existing techniques implemented by bridge stakeholders and designers to prepare cost estimates at the conceptual design stage by taking into consideration box-girder bridge project site preparations, substructure, and superstructure. The proposed model is anticipated to be of major significance to designers and its contribution resides into the integration of BrIM technologies with cost estimation approaches.

Lately the construction industry has become more interested in designing and constructing environmentally friendly buildings (e.g. sustainable buildings) that can provide both high performance and monetary savings. In general, sustainability integrates the following three related components: (1) environmental, (2) economic, (3) social well-being. Incorporating these components at the conceptual stage is achieved by using sustainable design, through which designers must identify associated materials and systems based on any selected certification (rating) system. The use of building information modelling (BIM) concepts helps engineers design digital models that allow owners to visualize the building before the physical implementation takes place. To apply BIM concepts, designers use tools to create 3D models of buildings where the design materials and systems are selected from the built-in database of these tools. Designers will not be able to quantify the environmental impacts of these materials to support the decisions needed to design sustainable buildings due to the following reasons: (1) a lack of information about the sustainable materials that are stored in the database, (2) a lack of interoperability between the design and analysis tools that enable full life cycle assessments (LCAs) of buildings. This paper presents a methodology that integrates BIM and LCA tools with a database for designing sustainable building projects. The methodology describes the development and implementation of a model that incorporates a database in which information about sustainable materials is stored and linked to a BIM (3D) module along with an LCA module and a certification and cost module. The goal of this model is to simplify the process of creating sustainable designs and to evaluate the environmental impacts (EI) of newly designed buildings at the conceptual stage of their life. An actual building project is presented in order to illustrate the usefulness and capabilities of the developed model.

Heavy earthmoving operations are repetitive in nature and vulnerable to time-related restraints and uncertainties. Therefore, at the conceptual stage, scheduling these operations can take a linear form, known as linear schedule or line of balance (LOB). In such type of work, generating a preliminary line of balance for variable sequencing of activities is crucial. In this paper, an integrated expert system for determining preliminary linear schedules for heavy earthmoving operations at the conceptual stage is presented. The proposed system incorporates numerous factors that influence the analysis of earthmoving operations, which include geological and topographical parameters used to determine productivity rates at the conceptual stage. Also, the proposed system is capable of automatically generating a line of balance based on a stochastic scheduling technique via the metaheuristic simulated annealing intelligent approach to incorporate randomness and uncertainties in performing the associated activities. A parametric analysis is conducted in order to quantify the system’s degree of accuracy. An actual case project is then utilized to illustrate its numerical capabilities. Generating accurate linear schedules for heavy earthmoving operations at the conceptual design stage is anticipated to be of major significance to infrastructure project stakeholders, engineers, and construction managers by detecting schedule’s conflicts early in order to enhance overall operational logistics.

The cost estimate is considered one of the most important and critical phases of a construction project. Preparing reliable and accurate estimates to help decision makers is the most challenging assignment that cost engineers and estimators face. For decades, practitioners in the construction industry focused only on estimating the initial cost of a facility, neglecting costs associated with operating and maintaining it. Today, more interest lies in investigating the economics of facility management, which include the cost of owning and operating a building over its useful life. This paper presents a methodology that can be used for an integrated conceptual cost estimating and life-cycle cost analysis for construction projects during their initial phase. The methodology describes the development and implementation of a system that automates the preparation of parametric cost estimates and forecasts future running costs of building projects. The system integrates relational databases, a parametric cost estimate module, an AutoCAD module, a global module, a cost estimate forecasting and decision support system module, and a life cycle costing and sensitivity analysis module. The system will automatically generate a new parametric estimate upon any modification in building design. Once the capital costs are identified, the system forecasts the cost of running and maintaining the new building throughout its expected service life. After assigning the range of deviation, a sensitivity analysis is conducted, which identifies the most sensitive parameters for further consideration and analysis. Designing the system in a user-friendly environment allows owners and decision makers to envision the feasibility of new building projects within their anticipated life cycles. Moreover, it assists architects and cost engineers in generating parametric cost estimates in a dynamic environment. A numerical case example is presented to illustrate the usefulness and capabilities of the developed system.

Owners, architects and engineers are more concerned about the sustainability and energy performance of proposed buildings. Evaluating and analyzing the potential energy consumption of buildings at the conceptual design stage is very helpful for designers when selecting the design alternative that leads to a more energy efficient facility. Building Information Modeling (BIM) assists designers assess different design alternatives at the conceptual stage of a building life so that effective energy strategies are attained within the green building constraints. As well, at that stage, designers can select the right type of building materials that have great impact on the building’s life cycle energy consumption and operating costs. The aim of this paper is to propose an integrated method that links BIM, energy analysis and cost estimating tools with green building certification system. The successful development of the proposed method helps owners and designers evaluate different design alternatives taking into consideration the sustainability constraints in an efficient and timely manner. BIM’s tool is customized to allow its integration with the energy analysis application in order to identify the potential gain or loss of energy for the building, to detect and to evaluate its sustainability based on the US and/or Canadian Green Building Council (USGBC and/or CaGBC) rating systems and to approximately estimate the costs of construction early at the conceptual design stage. An actual building project will be used to illustrate the workability and capability of the proposed method. INRODUCTION Important decisions related to the design of sustainable buildings are made at the conceptual stage of their lives. This practice does not consider the integration between the design and energy analysis processes during early stages and leads to an inefficient way of backtracking to modify the design in order to achieve a set of performance criteria (Schueter and Thessling, 2008). Energy efficiency is an important feature in naming building materials as being environmentally friendly. The ultimate goal in using energy efficient materials is to reduce the amount of artificially generated power that must be brought to a building site (Jong-Jin Kim, 2010). Building Information Modeling tools help users do complete energy analysis and explore different energy saving alternatives during the design stage. This would help owners and designers make energy related decisions that have high impact on the proposed building life cycle cost. Kriegel and Nies (2008) indicate that BIM can aid in the aspects of sustainable design which include: building orientation, building

To explore the differences in carbon emissions over the whole life-cycle of different building structures, the published calculated carbon emissions from residential buildings in China and abroad were normalized. Embodied carbon emission flows, operations stage carbon emission flows, demolition and reclamation stage carbon emission flows and total life-cycle carbon emission flows from concrete, steel, and wood structures were obtained. This study is based on the theory of the social cost of carbon, with an adequately demonstrated social cost of carbon and social discount rate. Taking into consideration both static and dynamic situations and using a social discount rate of 3.5%, the total life-cycle carbon emission flows, absolute carbon emission and building carbon costs were calculated and assessed. The results indicated that concrete structures had the highest embodied carbon emission flows and negative carbon emission flows in the waste and reclamation stage. Wood structures that started the life-cycle with stored carbon had the lowest carbon emission flows in the operations stage and relatively high negative carbon emission flows in the reclamation stage. Wood structures present the smallest carbon footprints for residential buildings.

In heavy earthwork operations, optimizing equipment selection based on economical operational analyses has a primary role in the success of major construction projects. The main objective of this study is geared towards developing an automated optimization model in order to assist contractors in this multifaceted task. Economical operation analysis is conducted for an equipment fleet while taking into consideration the owning and operating comprehensive costs involved in most of earthwork operations. The proposed model is developed in a Microsoft environment using Visual Basic for Applications ® (VBA) and is capable of being integrated with other estimating and optimization or simulation models. The implementation of the model provides optimum equipment fleet to perform earthwork operations based on their economical operation analysis by providing the user with a final optimized report that includes ownership and rental options. The model is validated through an actual case project to illustrate its numerical capabilities and to quantify its degree of accuracy. The results of this study are anticipated to be of major significance to contractors and would contribute to the database of fleet management systems by including a computer model that integrates heavy equipment operational analysis with its corresponding comprehensive economical analysis.

With North American population increasingly aging, it is to expect that new strategies to improve the built environment in order to accommodate the new needs of the population proliferate everywhere, such as installing receptors in the houses, decreasing maintenance or increasing adaptability. Universal design (UD) is the design that is oriented to meet the requirements of the largest number of users, people of all sizes and abilities, including seniors, people with physical or sensorial disabilities, children, and pregnant women. This paper presents a methodology that integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) with database management system for designing universal buildings and homes. The methodology describes the development and implementation of a model that incorporates comprehensive databases storing architectural components and systems in an attempt to simplify the process of creating universal designs based on the National Building Codes of Canada (NBCC). Designing the model in a user-friendly environment allows owners and engineers to design and animate sustainable buildings that are universal in 3D mode easily and efficiently at the conceptual stage. A case example is presented to illustrate the usefulness and capabilities of the developed model.