A Holistic Approach to Feature-based Structural Mapping in Cross Laminated Timber Buildings

Abstract

Mass Engineered Timber products provide a unique opportunity in configuring panelized building systems that are suitable for both prefabrication and onsite customization. The structural nature of these large section elements also brings about the need for a coordinated design-fabrication-assembly workflow. These products can assume different geometric configurations and their behaviour can be approximated globally by simplifying framing schemas. Current BIM Interoperability standards such as STEP or IFC already acknowledge and support the interconnected nature of component properties, yet these Data Models are component focused. Expanding on the relationships between components and using sets to define part to whole, or exteriority relationships could yield a more flexible and agile querying of building information.This would be a framework fit for automated feature derivation and rule based design applications. To this end Graph structures and Graph Databases, alongside existing ontology authoring tools are studied to probe new cognitive possibilities in collaborative AEC workflows