Prospects for the life cycle modeling of a capital construction facility using information flows

Abstract

Introduction. The analysis of development and application of BIM technologies in the Russian construction industry has proven the absence of the system approach and uniform concepts of industry-specific information modelling technologies. Against this background, relevant issues include the strategic objective, or the digital transformation of the industry with the help of a uniform federal information platform, as well as development of long-term models designated for the organization and management of the whole life cycle of capital construction facilities. Materials and methods. The article covers features and opportunities provided by digital technologies, including cloud computing and big data, the industrial Internet of things and the blockсhain, in terms of practical prospects and information characteristics of the tasks that include organization of subsystems, participants and construction project stages. Results. The structure of an information model designated for the organization and management of a capital construction facility’s life cycle is presented as a set of interrelated information flows for consecutive stages, subsystems and project participants. It’s been proven that traditional principles of organization and management restrain the accumulated powerful potential of digital transformation; therefore, the development of the architecture of a unified BIM platform requires new production concepts for the organization and management of project information flows. The co-authors propose an implementation pattern for the management concept and model: it represents a virtual design company, which organizes interaction between participants of a capital construction project and manages its life cycle according to new information and communication principles. Conclusions. A virtual project company integrates the functions of digital integrated production concepts, including the BIM platform, the platform-based production chain and the virtual production corporation, which correspond to the features of transformations of successive stages and the composition of participants contributing to the facility’s life cycle. Any further development and introduction of the concept of a virtual design company can serve as the organizational, technological and structural management base for the whole life cycle of a project and a new pattern of the work process organization and interaction between project developers.