BIM model-based design delivery: Tideway East, England, UK

Abstract

The UK Government Construction Strategy 2016-2020 aims to drive 'increased construction productivity to facilitate forecast efficiency savings of 1-7 billion over the course of this Parliament'. This strategy defines objectives which 'build on the success of the Government Construction Strategy 2011-2015' and the requirement for 'fully collaborative 3D BIM as a minimum by 2016'. PAS 1192-2:2013 supports this strategic objective and highlights the need for 'efficient and accurate information exchange' and along with BS 1192:2015 promotes the 'avoidance of wasteful activities'. The lean production of information is key to achieving this objective, ensuring that 'information can be used and re-used throughout the project' and reducing the 'over-production of information with no defined use'. Model-based delivery, in the context of this paper, describes a lean design delivery process which removes abortive drawing production. This process enables a reduction in programme and cost but requires all parties involved to develop improved model review skills to adopt this new method of working. This paper describes the implementation, benefits and challenges of model-based delivery on the eastern section of the Thames Tideway Tunnel.