Concept and Structure of Parametric Object Breakdown Structure (OBS) for Practical BIM

Abstract

Recent proliferation of building information modeling (BIM) has actively stimulated integrated utilization of geometric (graphic) and non-geometric (non-graphic) data. Nevertheless, physically and logically, linking and maintaining these two different types of data in an integrated manner requires enormous overhead efforts for practical implementation. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a concept and structure of the object breakdown structure (OBS) that facilitates advanced BIM implementations in an automated and effective manner. Proposed OBS numbering system has secure rules for organizing graphic objects in full considerations of effectively integrating with non-geometric data (e.g. cost and schedule). It also removes repetitive linking process caused by design changes or modifications. The result of applying this concept to a housing project revealed that only 120 definitions controled over 6,000 graphic objects for full integration with cost and schedule functions.