Virtual reality-based cloud BIM platform for integrated AEC projects

TLDR

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and its cloud‑based Level 3 implementation are increasingly adopted to integrate design, engineering, construction, and maintenance data, with web‑based platforms offering continuous visual sharing for geographically dispersed teams. This study presents a game environment supported by a web‑based Virtual Reality cloud platform for integrated AEC projects, aiming to uncover causal drivers for successful decision‑making in non‑collocated design teams. The platform was developed using an adapted Unified‑Software‑Development‑Process with iterative Elaboration, Construction, and Transition phases. The research identifies causal drivers and influences that inform new relationship models in collaborative environments, especially gaming interfaces, forming a stepping‑stone for future development.

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has demonstrated the need for integrating collaborative design teams’ “project data”, to not only help coordinate the design, engineering, fabrication, construction, and maintenance of various trades, but also facilitate project integration and interchange. Numerous potential benefits have inspired several countries to consider the implications of implementing BIM Level 3 (Cloud) as an innovative way of further enhancing the design, management and delivery process, ergo - a paradigm shift towards Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). Amongst the myriad of the available innovative approaches, web-based platforms are particularly beneficial for integrating visualisation components to give continuous sharing of relevant information for geographically dispersed end users. This study presents a game environment supported by a web-based Virtual Reality cloud platform for integrated AEC projects. This paper further explains the adapted Unified-Software-Development-Process of specifying this cloud computing platform, which employed iterative phases of Elaboration, Construction and Transition. This study presents new understanding and insight into the causal drivers and influences associated with successful decision-making design in non-collocated design teams. Research findings form a stepping-stone for developing new relationship models in collaborative environments, particularly gaming interfaces.