Application of Parametric Modeling Techniques for Automated Detailing of Exterior Finishes in Architectural BIM Models: A South Korean Case Study

Abstract

The South Korean government has mandated the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) as the main medium for design deliverables in public projects. Such stipulations require detailed BIM models to be submitted in the detailed design phases, which places a burden especially on small- to medium-sized design firms. The requirement means that both the interior and exterior finishes of a building need to be explicitly modeled, which when performed manually is labor intensive and error prone. The goal of this study was to apply parametric modeling techniques to automatically model such details, focusing on the exterior finishes. Through interviews with design experts, four elements were selected: parapets, external wall finishes, downspouts, and inspection ladders. Parametric processes and rules for each finish were developed and subsequently programmed as add-ins in Autodesk Revit. Validation through case studies conducted using three different BIM models resulted in the average scores of 92.28% and 92.44% in terms of accuracy and efficiency, respectively. In particular, downspouts achieved a perfect accuracy score, while external wall finishes achieved a 94.42% reduction in modeling time. Modeling errors, which occurred due to inconsistencies in the test models, also demonstrate the need for specifying uniform modeling conventions of BIM model submissions in the detailed design phases.