Ashit Harode, and Thomas Mills
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
Lean Construction and Build information modelling (BIM) are two of the major advancements in construction industry that focus on increasing the productivity and adding value to the building process. Although previous work has been done in this area the industry is evolving and This research focuses on the synergy between Lean Practices and BIM Tools by assessing the value within the Mid Atlantic USA construction industry of BIM Tools integrated with Lean Construction practices and what areas this integration is the most effective
The research focuses on:
- Effectiveness and value of Lean Construction integrated into Building Information Modelling among Mid Atlantic USA construction industry,
- Perceived challenges faced during this collaboration and,
- Strategies towards better integration.
A survey conducted among a sample of small, medium, and large Mid Atlantic USA construction companies to gauge the perceived effectiveness and value of specific lean principles and practices integrated with BIM Tools. The survey collected via combination online and paper submission. Descriptive statistics citing frequency and percentages among BIM tools, Lean Practice, and company size were used for the analysis. The survey is divided into four (4) parts.
- Respondent demographics, frequency of project usage of Lean Practices and BIM tools,
- The pervasiveness of the Lean Practices within the Mid Atlantic USA construction industry.
- The pervasiveness of BIM tool usage within Mid Atlantic USA construction industry.
- Respondent’s opinion on the effectiveness and value of Lean Practices with BIM tools.
The results indicate that Lean Construction principles and practices are used by Mid-Atlantic USA construction managers and general contractor (GC/CM). Furthermore, their frequency and values are based on company size and company classification with large to mid-size GC/CM using it at a higher frequency. The use of BIM Tools depends on the availability of resources, infrastructure, and trained professionals to support it. BIM Tools effectiveness towards lean construction also depends on the implementation cost and on the compatibility of the BIM Tools with Lean Practices and Principles.
This research helps in identifying the challenges faced during the implementation of BIM – Lean collaboration. Once identified, further work is to be done towards cost-effective and easy-to-learn strategies to overcome these challenges. As seen from the survey results, implementation of BIM and Lean Practices is dependent on size and classification of the construction company. The results obtained from this research will facilitate in tailoring adoption strategies towards the companies that are lagging behind in BIM – Lean adoption and collaboration.
Keywords: Build Information Modeling, Lean construction, Synergy, Effectiveness, Value, Mid Atlantic USA