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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 141 (2014) 763 – 767

WCLTA 2013

BIM – The Process Of Modern Civil Engineering

In Higher Education
Ing.arch., Ing. Jan FRIDRICH a *, doc. Ing. Karel KUBEČKA, Ph.D.b,
a
VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Department of Structure, Faculty of Civil Engineering, L.Podéště 1875, Ostrava 708 00, Czech Republic
b
VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Forensic Institute, Faculty of Civil Engineering, L.Podéště 1875, Ostrava 708 00, Czech Republic

Abstract

BIM (Building Information Model) as a process is known from the seventies, but with increasing pressure from investors to
reduce construction costs we can assume its massive use. On large construction sites, it could not be managed without it in the
future. This contribution analyses the current situation of the use of BIM in teaching resources, streamlining its use in modern
architecture with sufficient education of all participants and also indicates which methods streamlines the current design activity.

©
© 2014
2014 The
The Authors.
Authors. Published
Publishedby
byElsevier
ElsevierLtd.
Ltd.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCLTA 2013.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCLTA 2013.
Keywords: BIM, Building information modelling, CAD, 3D model, Process;

1. Introduction

Technological advance in the field of technical coordination and simulation provides new methods in construction
(BIM, Building Information Modelling), which will improve the process of safety, quality and last but not least
efficiency.
The lack of people able to work with a comprehensive BIM is now a major barrier for use of these technologies in
architecture and civil engineering. The essence of improving this situation is not to implement the subject called
BIM but to teach students to “think BIM” across all related disciplines. In the Czech Republic, the students are
already working with BIM technology but only marginally, especially with 3D models. However, they do not realize
all connections through the whole BIM process.

* Corresponding author: Jan Fridrich Tel.: + 420 597 321 925

E-mail address: jan.fridrich@vsb.cz

1877-0428 © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of WCLTA 2013.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.05.134
764 Jan Fridrich and Karel Kubečka / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 141 (2014) 763 – 767

Fig.1 BIM is built on the solid foundations

that have been built by previous building technologies [1]

2. BIM – Process

Today, BIM is perceived only as software (mainly due to advertising campaigns software companies). However,
BIM should be seen not only as software but as an integrated process (Fig.3). On the other side, the use of the ideas
of building information modelling principle in construction practice would not achieve such progress without
innovations in information technology, software and hardware included.
3D model of the building is often wrongly considered to be the Building Information Modelling (BIM). It should
be noticed that BIM is essentially a package of data, which may involve all relevant information throughout the
building life cycle, from design, construction, management of buildings, renovations to its demolition. 3D model is
only one of many possible ways of interpretation of this information. For the designer, 3D model is undoubtedly
useful function but other participants in the construction process may be interested in differently interpreted
information. For example, besides the appearance of the building, an investor could be interested in the overall
construction costs, construction schedule, drawing resources during construction. And structural engineer needs data
necessary for static calculation.
It is also important to mention the fact that each participant in the construction process must contribute by the
information into this database. BIM is based on the cooperation of each construction processes. If the one of the
elements of these processes refused to share the information generated by him, this method will not work. The
transition to BIM (building information modelling) will place new demands on the knowledge of all participants of
the construction process throughout the life cycle of buildings. This transition is often compared to the transition
from the drawing board to design by computer (CAD). Long-term stagnant work productivity in construction forces
different actors to changes even in such conservative field as construction (in other fields of human activities,
automation technologies were used more effectively than in the fields related to the construction).

Fig. 2 The process of implementation of a new way of working in the UK / USA. BIM has been implemented here
twice faster than CAD in its time [1].
 Jan Fridrich and Karel Kubečka / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 141 (2014) 763 – 767 765

Fig.3 Process of changes Cad vs. Bim [1], [3]

3. BIM as a team-tool
During works associated with the transfer of documents from one phase to another, large demands are laid on the
manpower namely because the necessity of data transformations.
BIM is precisely the tool that tries to unite all unnecessary data transfers (printing, translation of documents,
etc.), to facilitate and implement them in one place (Fig.5). Between participants, only BIM model is exchanged.
Another characteristic of BIM is an extension of the model into the production phase, including setting, visualization
of production, transportation and storage, all descriptive data including history materials, their physical, technical
and economic characteristics, elements, work, renovation, their cost and time and technological requirements. Thus
we obtain the sources for their analysis from different perspectives (e. g. cost, time, abilities recycling or health).
All of these possibilities will greatly facilitate and streamline the work which results into the subsequent price
reduction of production ( Fig.6).

Fig.4 Efficiency of understanding the BIM project [4]

766 Jan Fridrich and Karel Kubečka / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 141 (2014) 763 – 767

Fig.5 Optimal way to work in BIM model –

all participants work with the same model in real time [1].

Conclusion
As described above, the standard BIM is not so unknown for today's student; nearly everyone has already met a
virtual 3D model. Creation and work with the 3D model is very simple and intuitive, students have mastered these
practices in a few hours. BIM is not only the 3D model itself as described above (Fig. 5). In the model, there are
inserted data from different disciplines of civil engineering. These data are also interrelated as well as it is in real
structures. It is therefore important for all users to know how to treat these data and how to use them. It could be
said that the best start would be teaching from the end, it means from the building itself where the user would meet
all the processes that he or she would afterwards use in BIM.
These days in the marketplace there are already enough effective tools for meeting the principle of work using
BIM method. However, as it was pointed out in the introduction, BIM is all about the goodwill for working together,
about the cooperation of all participants in the construction process, sharing of data and information within a
specific project. Neither setting of this cooperation nor the implementation of the new BIM method into the system
of existing design offices would be easy. However, as the examples from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the
Netherlands and the UK (Fig. 2) show it is not such a problem.
In these countries, BIM is enforced at the same time at the legislative level and often its use is already part of the
law on public procurement which undoubtedly leads to greater transparency, which is more often required also in
our country (Fig.4).
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Fig.6 Comparison of time requirements of work in CAD vs. BIM [5]

Acknowledgement:

This paper has been achieved with the financial support by the conceptual development of science, research and
innovation for 2013, awarded VSB-TU Ostrava Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, and
financial support of SGS grant, internal no. SP2013/183.

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