Challenges and Benefits of Using BIM Technologies to Improve Construction Safety: An Exploratory Case Study

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) continues to experience rapid growth in the construction industry. BIM changes how design and construction can be approached by using algorithms that automatically assess various elements of project designs and construction, including potential safety risk. Compared with other approaches which evaluate safety risk during the design and execution phases, BIM models can help reduce the number of workers and resources used to ensure proper safety management. This paper presents a research study to investigate BIM technologies (e.g., Robotic Total Station and Navisworks) commonly implemented and any challenges and needed improvements to benefit construction safety. The research consisted of an explanatory investigation of a case study to gather comprehensive data on BIM implementation. The case study project was a life sciences building project in Portland, Oregon, USA, where the project personnel used BIM technologies to visualize the project and simulate environmental conditions for coordination to ensure efficient installation, stay on schedule, and identify potential hazards. The study revealed major challenges, including: (1) familiarity with BIM expectations, (2) financial challenges, and (3) turnover to the owner. The research contributions and outcomes benefit construction practitioners when training engineers to use BIM to predict potential hazards. The research also provides future recommendations on the use of BIM for construction safety management and practices.