Suermann, P C (2009) Evaluating the impact of building information modeling (BIM) on construction. PhD thesis, University of Florida, USA.
Abstract
This research assessed the impact of Building Information Modeling (BIM) implementation on construction projects according to six primary key performance indicators (KPIs) commonly used in the construction industry as accepted metrics for assessing project performance. These include: quality control (rework), on-time completion, cost, safety (lost man-hours), dollars/unit (square feet) performed, and units (square feet) per man hour. In the first research phase, data was collected through a survey instrument intended to assess practitioners’ perceptions about the impact of BIM on the six KPIs. Three iterations of the survey were conducted and it was determined that the highest ranking KPIs in order of most favorable responses were quality control, on time completion, and units per man hour. The second tier of favorable responses included overall cost and cost per unit. In this second phase of research, projects were evaluated through interviews and case studies on-site at two U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) Districts in Seattle, WA and Louisville, KY to determine their KPIs through embedded research. In the third phase of research, quantitative results were gathered from the USACE construction productivity database interface: the Resident Management System (RMS). Subsequently the pilot projects were compared to a control dataset consisting of similar facilities across the USACE using traditional approaches through benchmarks aligned with metrics similar to the KPIs used in the surveys. Both BIM-based projects demonstrated statistically significant (favorable and unfavorable) performance differences when compared to the control dataset. Finally, an evaluation tool was developed and validated for implementing a construction productivity measurement system to supplement existing procedures suitable for evaluating construction productivity differences on BIM-based projects.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Issa, R R A |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | measurement; construction project; building information model; building information modeling; key performance indicators; productivity; quality control; safety; project performance; case studies; interview |
| Index terms: | construction industry, construction productivity, quality control, implementation, evaluation tool, project performance, productivity, engineer, database, Seattle, building information modelling, key performance indicator, case study, dataset, construction project, practitioner, embedded research, rework, survey, interview, management system |
| Subjects: | contractual arrangements, project delivery, operations management, practitioner, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, profession, industry analysis, information systems, data management, production management, Geography, project management theory and practice, management, research methods |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Quality Management, Project Management, Geographical Context, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here