Shoieb, K; Serror, M H and Marzouk, M (2020) Web-based tool for interoperability among structural analysis applications. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 146(6): 04020058, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Over the last decade, building information modeling (BIM) has been the main player in the architectural, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industry. The BIM workflow is becoming more powerful by progressively integrating more applications of the AECO industry. It is worth noting that further elaborations are still to take place to address the in-practice interoperability issues in which import and export information among applications need to be automated. This paper provides a comprehensive interoperability assessment in the structural analysis domain, where the available information exchange methods have been evaluated based on Likert scale criteria. Three scores are considered to evaluate the accuracy of information exchange, including complete transfer, partial transfer, and no transfer. The transfer is considered complete when geometry, static loads, boundary conditions, and material properties are successfully transferred. These four parameters represent the practical need for information exchange in terms of structural analysis in which each application is capable of running its solver to obtain the analysis results. Five commercial structural analysis applications are considered in the assessment, representing the most common in the field: SAP2000, ETABS, ROBOT, STAAD Pro, and RFEM. Based on the assessment results, a web-based structural analysis model converter (SAMC) is developed to enable ISO-based interoperability among structural analysis applications, building on the industry foundation classes (IFC) data model. SAMC has been validated for two applications, namely, SAP2000 and STAAD Pro, while the concept is proven to link any structural application that is willing to join the BIM workflow.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building information modeling; industry foundation classes; interoperability; structural analysis domain |
| Index terms: | boundary condition, building information modelling, becoming, geometry, import, export, industry foundation classes, interoperability, ISO, structural analysis, material property, accuracy, static load, information exchange, data model, Likert scale, workflow |
| Subjects: | mathematical modelling, data collection methods, computational design, economic analysis, data science, standards development, professional development, material properties and characteristics, management, structural engineering, information systems, systems and processes, philosophical process |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Construction Materials, Research Practice, Digital Applications, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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