Framework for BIM-Based Simulation of Construction Operations Implemented in a Game Engine

Abstract

Construction simulation has been widely used in academia for research purposes. However, it has been neglected by the industry for various reasons, including the amount of data, skills, effort, and time required to develop complex simulation models, the difficulty of model reuse, and the abstract and confusing way in which simulation results are usually presented. This article demonstrates how BIM can be employed to facilitate the development of a construction simulation model that considers constraints related to resource allocation and task interdependencies. Furthermore, it shows how a game engine can be used as a platform to implement the proposed framework for the integration of BIM and construction simulation and to produce animations from simulation results. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated through a case study on masonry construction. Results of implementing the framework reveal that BIM-based simulations can reduce the skills, effort, and time required to develop simulation models and enable model reuse. The integration of simulation-based animations provides a model verification and validation mechanism and a means to communicate model results to stakeholders unfamiliar with simulation.