BIM Coordination Process

In an existing building design and construction involve different parties ranging from fabricators, contractors to different engineers and architects as well as different drafting, drawing and viewing tools - 2D, 3D or 4D. Effective coordination between all the tasks, application and parties will streamline the delivery process of structural design, detailing, fabrication, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, Electrical systems, construction organization and building life-cycle management solutions for facilities management.

3D Coordination is a geometric term that refers to a planning tool to be utilized for arranging Architectural, Structural, and MEP systems within a designated space. But 3D coordination must be started early prior to installation to facilitate necessary design changes.

As for instance Branch and fixture locations need to be coordinated prior to framing interior walls and ceilings. Thus 3D Coordination will lead to a model-based schedule that supports with fabrication and procurement activities for MEP systems as well as for exterior skin and structural steel.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) facilitates in the coordination of different elements of the building design for example the mechanical, structural, architectural, electrical, plumbing, and other services to make sure that they all fit together and complement one another.

Well-organized BIM coordination identify constructability issues all through the pre-construction stage - fix errors in design, avoid loops of clashes, coordinate perfectly structural, architectural and MEP issues in building design, reorganize the construction process and drastically reduce wastages. It allows system installation with zero conflict minimizing field installation issues. It also saves time and material/labor costs for better trade coordination and work flow.
Coordination software will be utilized to accumulate the various design models to make out electronically, coordinate resolutions collectively and track and publish interference reports between all disciplines. The technical disciplines are liable for updating their models to reproduce the coordinated resolution.

BIM Coordination Schedule
The General Contractor has to arrange and preserve a pre-construction BIM coordination schedule with coordination submittal milestones that can meet up the overall construction schedule. In order to get a realistic and mutually agreed upon pre-construction schedule, the General Contractor will obtain input from all consultants and subcontractors participating in the BIM process. For creating support to the project construction schedule, coordination drawing development, coordination submittal drawing submission, review by LACCD, fabrication duration, and delivery lead times should be included in efficient manner.

BIM Coordination in construction Phase
Before the starting of construction contractor’s fabrication models must be coordinated with the design model. Any clashes to the design model that need to be made prior fabrication and construction shall be reported to Design Team in the form of an RFI. Clash reports may also be issued by General Contractor as background information for RFI’s and submittals.

Posted by Rajib Dey
Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)