Week 4 BIM makes the Engineer's Work Easier vs It makes the Engineer's work Harder

BIM is a new approach to building project delivery that uses data to create a full or complete model of a facility to improve the design, construction, and operation of the facility. Throughout the articles I have read, I believe that BIM has several benefits that could make the engineer’s work much easier. BIM tools show significant benefits that will improve the design quality, field productivity, and reduce the construction costs and duration.

Using BIM tools will help the engineer to create a digital representation of a building, which increases the ability to predict the costs of a project.  Predicting the costs avoid the project to go over the budget, which could cause canceling the project or cut in quality.  In addition, using the BIM tools helps the engineers to analyze how are all of the elements (columns, beams, duct works, etc.) on the design will work together under different types of loads. As an example, creating 3D BIM model helps avoiding possible clashes before construction starts and materials have been ordered. Therefore, BIM software allows project to be built inside a computer, analyzing the elements and predicting the costs, and solving any possible errors, before the project is actually built, and then changes are really difficult and costly.

BIM tools could be really helpful for structural engineers as well as MEP engineers. BIM allows structural engineers to model steel columns, beams, and truss; so, it gives a 3D representation of the structural system of the building. Also, beyond the 3D model, BIM add intelligence to the model by providing information about different elements available to the users. For example, using GPS data a building is anchored to a specific location in the world, that will provide the long-term weather, solar data, rainfalls, which helps the engineers to estimate the annul energy use of the building and heating and cooling loads. 

Another benefit of using BIM is increasing the efficiency and productivity. It helps the engineers and makes their work much easier since the design and construction documentation are linked, and gives them more time to evaluate more alternatives or design changes. Also, it allows them track the work process and statues. Before BIM, design drawings and as-built really had slightly importance in the maintenance and renovation phases of a building's life since it is difficult to read and analyze. However, using BIM to create a model of a building allows the engineer to use the model or design in different phase of constructions. 

Therefore, I really believe that BIM makes the engineers’ work much easier due to that it could save cost and time. Also, reducing the amount of error and avoiding any conflict or clashes, which could be costly to change after the project is completed. Last, it increases the efficiency and productivity when designing since it can provide better representation of the building before it constructed.  

Resources: 

• Strafaci, Adam. "CE News." CE News. N.p., Oct. 2008. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://www.cenews.com/magazine-article----what_does_bim_mean_for_civil_engineers_-6098.html>.
• Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide To Building Information Modeling For Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers And Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 28 Jan. 2014
• "Commentary." Why BIM. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://www.acebim.ca/why-bim>.

Comments:

Comments on yoon’s post:

I agree with you if the case is bad economy or changing the purpose of the building. But, one of the BIM tools (GPS) allows the engineers to anchor a building to a specific location in the world that will provide the long-term weather data, which helps providing information about different elements to the engineers so they can select the appropriate materials or elements from what is available to the user.

Comment on Dongyan Qi’s post:

Not using BIM might cause many sources of errors when constructions. These conflicts are really costly to change after the project is completed. So, the training and software costs are nothing comparing to the costs of changing any sort of errors that happened after constructions. 

Comment on signe’s post:

I totally agree with you, I have used CAD and Revit. Using Revit is much easier, and could save time and effort. CAD is time consuming since you need to draw every single line. Also, BIM will give you better representation of the building’s model since it can provide a 3D model with no need for using any other software.