Virtual design and construction

Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is the management of integrated multi-disciplinary performance models of design-construction projects, including the product (i.e., facilities), work processes and organization of the design - construction - operation team in order to support explicit and public business objectives.^[1]

The theoretical basis of VDC includes:^[2]

• Engineering modeling methods: product, organization, process
• Analysis methods - Model-based design: including quantities, schedule, cost, 4D interactions and process risks, these are termed Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools
• Visualization methods
• Business metrics - within Business analytics - and a focus on strategic management
• Economic impact analysis, i.e., models of both the cost and value of capital investments

VDC Managed Project

"Virtual Design and Construction BIMs are virtual because they show computer-based descriptions of the project. The BIM project model emphasizes those aspects of the project that can be designed and managed, i.e., the product (typically a building or plant [and infrastructure]), the organization that will define, design, construct and operate it, and the process that the organization teams will follow, or POP. These models are logically integrated in the sense that they all can access shared data, and if a user highlights or changes an aspect of one, the integrated models can highlight or change the dependent aspects of related models. The models are multi-disciplinary in the sense that they represent the Architect, Engineering, Contractor (AEC) and Owner of the project, as well as relevant sub disciplines. The models are performance models in the sense that they predict some aspects of project performance, track many that are relevant, and can show predicted and measured performance in relationship to stated project performance objectives. Some companies now practice the first steps of BIM modeling, and they consistently find that they improve business performance by doing so."^[3] Companies are also now considering developing BIMs is various levels of detail, since depending on the application of BIM, more or less detail is needed, and there is varying modeling effort associated with generating building information models at different levels of detail.^[4]

Construction Industry BIM Tools and Methodologies Utilized by VDC

BIM Software Tools Allplan from Nemetschek ArchiCAD from Graphisoft ArchiCAD from Graphisoft Building Explorer Autodesk Navisworks JetStream 4D Autodesk Revit Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D Bentley AECOsim from Bentley Tekla Structures from Tekla Corporation Advance Concrete Advance Steel SiteWareMOM from ndiinc.com CATIA from Dassault Systemes Sigma from Sigma Estimates Synchro PRO from Synchro Software Ltd Trimble PipeDesigner 3D Trimble Plancal Nova Trimble Connect Trimble DuctDesigner 3D MicroStation DBD-KostenKalkül from DBD-Center Vectorworks PlusSpec from RubySketch

VDC Related Methodologies Semantic integration Vocational education Deductive-nomological model Scientific evidence Hypothesis Qualitative research Quantitative research Case-based reasoning

Case study Action research Power of a method Upper ontology within the Ontology domain Schema representation Work breakdown structure Object-oriented programming

See also

Industry Foundation Classes Interoperability List of computer vision topics Building Information Modeling Information model Spacetime Metadata CIFE scope, time, cost software page

Linear scheduling method Critical path method Vitruvius construction management construction engineering List of project management topics Applied ontology

Research Centers

• Stanford University Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) research
• Carnegie Mellon University mosaic
• BIM at UTexas
• UTexas Field Systems and Construction Automation Laboratory (FSCAL)
• Construction Information Technology Laboratory (CITL) at the Georgia Institute of Technology
• RAPIDS Laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology

References

1. "CIFE Mission Statement" CIFE website, retrieved December 2007;
2. "CIFE Mission Statement" CIFE website, retrieved December 2007;
3. John Kunz & Martin Fischer "Virtual Design and Construction: Themes, Case Studies and Implementation Suggestions" Stanford University CIFE Working Paper # 97, October 2009.
4. Leite, F; Akcamete, A; Akinci, B; Atasoy, G; Kiziltas, S (2011). "Analysis of modeling effort and impact of different levels of detail in building information models". Automation in Construction 20 (5): 601–609. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2010.11.027.