Use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Infrastructure Delivery

• Purpose of the Research

There are major concerns found in the performance of the global construction industry related to lack of productivity and inefficiency apart from the project deliveries in fragments (Abubakar et al. 2014; Ameh and Osegbo, 2011).  Therefore, the industry needs a mindset in setting the standards of performance and efficiency in delivering sustainable projects (Succar et al., 2013). The important factors of consideration are infrastructure, quality, value, design attributes, cost-effectiveness, and effective collaboration of all stakeholders of particular construction projects (Nederveen et al. 2011). Building Information Modelling (BIM) is one of the several initiatives adopted by the global construction sector in recent decades to address these significant factors. The rapid popularity of this collaboration framework that has evolutionarily transformed the technology of construction infrastructure, quality, and designs has encouraged developed economies to utilise BIM on a mass scale.

Find out the Importance of BIM in the Construction Industry Here

However, Barati et al. (2013) asserted that BIM has the potential not only for developed economies, but its awareness is important in the construction industry of developing countries also. There is very little research found on the application of BIM in Middle Eastern countries. Infrastructure and designing of sustainable buildings is also an important concern of Middle Eastern countries. Hence, this research is proposed to study the level of awareness and the factors affecting the development of the sustainable construction sector in Saudi Arabia. The sustainable construction industry is also important for Saudi Arabia due to the emerging threats of global warming (Li et al. 2012) and its consequences in the region. Krygiel et al. (2008) emphasised the concept of green construction facilities provided by the implementation of BIM, also termed “Green IT” by Tomlinson (2010). Hence the research is important to evaluate the implications of BIM in selecting materials and aspects of carbon emission in the infrastructure requirements and the design aspects of construction sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

• Research Aim and Objectives

The aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the readiness, awareness, benefits and implications of the construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to adopt the organisational framework of BIM implementation to deliver sustainable infrastructure projects in KSA.

The proposed objectives of this research are as follows:

1. To investigate the factors necessary for BIM implementation in the delivery of sustainable infrastructure.
2. To examine the contributions of BIM in the production of sustainable building designs in KSA.
3. To explore the challenges and benefits of adopting Building information modelling (BIM) in the KSA construction industry.
4. To identify the level of awareness and adoption of the BIM framework for infrastructure delivery in KSA.
5. To recommend the strategies for effective implementation of BIM from the perspective of the KSA construction industry adoption level of new technologies.

• Research Question

The following research question addresses the issues to explore in this research:

What is the level of readiness and awareness of the construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and how the construction industry can adopt the organisational framework of BIM in order to deliver sustainable infrastructure projects in KSA?

Chapter II- Literature Review

This chapter is based on the theoretical framework presented in previous research on BIM and its implementation in the construction industry. The evaluation of factors affecting the awareness adoption and efficiency of BIM will be critically reviewed in the context of the construction industry of KSA. This chapter will provide the basis for the conceptual framework of the study.

Chapter III- Research Methodology

The research methodology for the proposed research will be based on the descriptive design and will include both quantitative as well as qualitative data collection approaches.  In the deductive approach of conducting the research, both secondary and primary data sources will be used.

In secondary data, a critical review of the literature will be performed about BIM and its implementation in the construction industry. Credible literature sources such as journal articles, online databases, and company reports will be used to collect this data. According to Saunders et al (2012), secondary data sources should be credible, relevant, and current.

The phase of primary data collection will be comprised of a survey of various construction firms of KSA to evaluate the level of awareness and the potential barriers to effective implementation of BIM in this region.  This self-administered survey will be conducted by the local and foreign construction companies operating in major cities of KSA, and data will be collected from at least 50 numbers of practitioners.  The selection of a survey strategy is suitable for the collection of large amounts of numerical data in a short time. Also, it is an easy and cost-effective method of data collection to produce unbiased results (Saunders et al 2012). The main aspects of the question will address the questions related to the readiness and awareness of these construction companies about the benefits and challenges of BIM. The concern for sustainable construction projects will be evaluated through this questionnaire.

The data analysis stage will be comprised of the classification, coding, and analysis of collected quantitative data. The statistical tools of regression analysis and correlation are suggested to be used due to their suitability to find the dependence of variables on each other. Therefore, the regression coefficients will assist two evaluating the most important factors that impact on Implementation of BIM in KSA.