TY - JOUR
T1 - Construction planning through 4D BIM-based virtual reality for light steel framing building projects
AU - Rashidi, Ali
AU - Yong, Wei Yin
AU - Maxwell, Duncan
AU - Fang, Yihai
N1 - Funding Information:
This research work was supported by Monash University Malaysia under the Final Year Project funding at the School of Engineering. The authors extended their most generous gratitude to Ducero Sdn. Bhd. for providing experimental LSF building materials as well as relevant documents to be tested at the design office of Ducero factory site. Last but not least, the authors would like to acknowledge the support and contribution of NS BlueScope Company for supporting this research study by facilitating its downstream building products and LSF design technology.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Purpose: The construction industry has actively attempted to tackle the low-productivity issues arising from inefficient construction planning. It is imperative to understand how construction practitioners perceive technology integration in construction planning in light of emerging technologies. This study intended to uncover unique experimental findings by integrating 4D-building information modelling (BIM) to virtual reality (VR) technology during construction planning among construction professionals at light steel framing (LSF) projects. Design/methodology/approach: The building industry participants were invited to provide inputs on two different construction planning methods: conventional and innovative methods. The conventional method involved the participants using traditional platforms such as 2D computer-aided design (CAD) and physical visualisation of paper-based construction drawings for the LSF assembly process with a Gantt Chart tool to complete construction planning-related tasks for the targeted project. Comparatively, participants are required to perform the same tasks using more innovative platforms like 4D-BIM in a VR environment. Findings: A Charrette Test Method was used to validate the findings, highlighting an improvement in usability (+10.3%), accuracy (+89.1%) and speed (+30%) using 4D BIM with VR compared to the conventional paper-based method. The findings are also validated by a paired t-test, which is supported by the rationality of the same findings. This study posits positive results for construction planning through the utilisation of modern practices and technologies. These findings are significant for the global construction industry facing low productivity issues, delays and certainty in terms of building delivery timelines due to poor construction planning. Originality/value: This new blend of technologies—combining 4D BIM and VR in industrialised construction projects—potentially directs future initiatives to drive the efficiency of construction planning in the building lifecycle. The interactive BIM-based virtual environment would purposefully transform construction planning practices in order to deliver modern and more certain building construction methods with a focus on prefabrication processes.
AB - Purpose: The construction industry has actively attempted to tackle the low-productivity issues arising from inefficient construction planning. It is imperative to understand how construction practitioners perceive technology integration in construction planning in light of emerging technologies. This study intended to uncover unique experimental findings by integrating 4D-building information modelling (BIM) to virtual reality (VR) technology during construction planning among construction professionals at light steel framing (LSF) projects. Design/methodology/approach: The building industry participants were invited to provide inputs on two different construction planning methods: conventional and innovative methods. The conventional method involved the participants using traditional platforms such as 2D computer-aided design (CAD) and physical visualisation of paper-based construction drawings for the LSF assembly process with a Gantt Chart tool to complete construction planning-related tasks for the targeted project. Comparatively, participants are required to perform the same tasks using more innovative platforms like 4D-BIM in a VR environment. Findings: A Charrette Test Method was used to validate the findings, highlighting an improvement in usability (+10.3%), accuracy (+89.1%) and speed (+30%) using 4D BIM with VR compared to the conventional paper-based method. The findings are also validated by a paired t-test, which is supported by the rationality of the same findings. This study posits positive results for construction planning through the utilisation of modern practices and technologies. These findings are significant for the global construction industry facing low productivity issues, delays and certainty in terms of building delivery timelines due to poor construction planning. Originality/value: This new blend of technologies—combining 4D BIM and VR in industrialised construction projects—potentially directs future initiatives to drive the efficiency of construction planning in the building lifecycle. The interactive BIM-based virtual environment would purposefully transform construction planning practices in order to deliver modern and more certain building construction methods with a focus on prefabrication processes.
KW - Building information modelling
KW - Construction education
KW - Construction planning
KW - Digital construction
KW - Industrialised construction
KW - Light steel framing
KW - Virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139224084&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/SASBE-06-2022-0127
DO - 10.1108/SASBE-06-2022-0127
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85139224084
SN - 2046-6099
VL - 12
SP - 1153
EP - 1173
JO - Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
JF - Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
IS - 5
ER -
