Tao, X (2023) Distributed common data environment for secure BIM-based collaborative design using blockchain technology. PhD thesis, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong.
Abstract
Building information model (BIM) technology is a digital foundation for collaborative design in AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) projects as it enables interdisciplinary team members to collaborate through sharing design attributes, changes, and issues. Academia and the AEC industry have increasingly developed methods and platforms supporting collaborative BIM design. One of the significant milestones is developing a common data environment (CDE). The latest ISO 19650 standards [2] recommends a CDE as “the single source of information to collect, manage and disseminate documentation, the graphical model and non-graphical data for the whole project team”. CDE promotes design collaboration efficiency by (1) specifying standard workflows to separate the life cycle of project data into different stages, (2) offering practical conventions for liability control during data production and delivery, and (3) providing explicit data status definition and a greater version management to improve data reusability. However, existing design collaboration platforms and design CDEs have a centralized system architecture, which suffers cybersecurity risks of design data manipulation, single-point failure, and denial of access, leading to a loss of data traceability, a decline in design productivity, project delays, and even legal disputes. Blockchain is a promising technology to solve such risks by providing decentralized and immutable data storage. Unlike conventional centralized systems, blockchain employs a decentralized peer-to-peer system architecture, allowing every peer to own a complete, traceable, and irreversibly blockchain ledger. Applications of blockchain have been initially investigated for securing digital collaborations in construction, such as construction quality information management, supply chain management, and interim payments management. However, the implementation of blockchain in CDE and BIM collaborative design is still in its infancy for four research gaps: (1) difficulty in storing or decentralizing large-sized BIM models when using blockchain, (2) lacking access control methods to protect sensitive/confidential BIM data in a transparent blockchain, (3) lacking automated and efficient BIM versioning approach when collaborating in a blockchain, and (4) difficulty in quickly deploying and using blockchain in BIM collaboration scenarios.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Cheng, J C P |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | blockchain; building information model; collaboration; collaborative design; common data environment; disputes; documentation; failure; information management; interim payments; liability; life cycle; productivity; project team; standards; supply chain management; system architecture |
| Index terms: | academia, interim payment, dispute, ISO, common data environment, implementation, project data, access control, blockchain, data storage, design collaboration, system architecture, life cycle, workflow, collaborative design, liability, platform, productivity, efficiency, collaboration, construction quality, documentation, project team, project delay, traceability |
| Subjects: | digital design, educational institutions, quality assurance, design methods, computing systems, performance management, design theory, project controls, dispute resolution, operations management, contractual arrangements, management, professional development, project delivery, value management, data management, economic analysis, liability law, data collection methods, standards development, supplier oversight |
| Topics: | Project Management, Site Management, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Strategy, Time Control, Information Management, Education, Design Practice, Organizational Design, Digital Applications, Research Practice, Quality Management, Engineering Principles, Legal Issues |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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