Automated route planning for construction site utilizing Building Information Modeling

Abstract

Construction Vehicle route planning forms a significant component of Construction Site Layout Planning (SLP). At present, the construction industry has no standard method of planning vehicle routes resulting in chaotic situations on sites. The study proposes an integration of optimization techniques with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to generate feasible routes taking into account the dynamic nature of construction projects. A systematic workflow is developed for the integration of these platforms. The steps involved in the process are presented through a case study highlighting a decision support system for project planners. The advantages of sensitivity analysis alongside a visual interpretation of the construction routing schedule are achieved through the integrated workflow. Thus, the developed workflow provides an approach to enhance the efficiency of daily equipment movements at the site by reducing the possible conflicts and enhancing accessibility. Though the study limits itself in handling the internal vehicular movements, the developed workflow could be extended to manage the project supply chain; moreover, the site personnel movements could be integrated to provide a safer work environment at the construction site.