scholarly journals Achieving Complete and Near-Lossless Conversion from IFC to CityGML

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudi Stouffs ◽  
Helga Tauscher ◽  
Filip Biljecki
Keyword(s):  
Standard Form ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Graph Grammar ◽  
Building Information Model ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Building Models ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
City Model ◽  
Object Graph

The Singapore Government has embarked on a project to establish a three-dimensional city model and collaborative data platform for Singapore. The research herein contributes to this endeavour by developing a methodology and algorithms to automate the conversion of Building Information Models (BIM), in the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data format, into CityGML building models, capturing both geometric and semantic information as available in the BIM models, and including exterior as well as interior structures. We adopt a Triple Graph Grammar (TGG) to formally relate IFC and CityGML, both semantically and geometrically, and to transform a building information model, expressed as an IFC object graph, into a city model expressed as a CityGML object graph. The work pipeline includes extending the CityGML data model with an Application Domain Extension (ADE), which allows capturing information from IFC that is relevant in the geospatial context but at the same time not supported by CityGML in its standard form. In this paper, we elaborate on the triple graph grammar approach and the motivation and roadmap for the development of the ADE. While a fully complete and lossless conversion may never be achieved, this paper suggests that both a TGG and an ADE are natural choices for supporting the conversion between IFC and CityGML.

scholarly journals Data transfer between digital models of built assets and their operation & maintenance systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 469-481
Author(s):  
Kay Rogage ◽  
David Greenwood
Keyword(s):  
Data Transfer ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Building Model ◽  
Building Models ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
The Many ◽  
Transfer Of Information

The operation and maintenance of built assets is crucial for optimising their whole life cost and efficiency. Historically, however, there has been a general failure in the transfer information between the design-and-construct (D&C) and operate-and-maintain (O&M) phases of the asset lifecycle. The recent steady uptake of digital technologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the D&C phase has been accompanied by an expectation that this would enable better transfer of information to those responsible for O&M. Progress has been slow, with practitioners being unsure as to how to incorporate BIM into their working practices. Three types of challenge are identified, related to communication, experience and technology. In examining the last aspect, it appears that a major problem has been that of interoperability between building information models and the many computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) systems in use. The successful and automatic transfer of information from a building model to an FM tool is, in theory, achievable through the medium of the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) schema. However, this relies upon the authoring of the model in terms of how well its structure permits the identification of relevant objects, their relationships and attributes. The testing of over 100 anonymised building models revealed that very few did; prohibiting their straightforward mapping to the maintenance database we had selected for the test. An alternative, hybrid approach was developed using an open-source software toolkit to identify objects by their geometry as well as their classification, thus enabling their automatic transfer. In some cases, manual transfer proved necessary. The implications are that while these problems can be overcome on a case-by-case basis, interoperability between D&C and O&M systems will not become standard until it is accommodated by appropriate and informed authoring of building models.

scholarly journals A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR IFC-BASED DELINEATION OF CONDOMINIUM RIGHTS IN TURKEY: INITIAL EXPERIMENTS

2021 ◽  
Vol VIII-4/W2-2021 ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
D. Guler ◽  
T. Yomralioglu
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
The Public ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Land Administration ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Land Administration Systems

Abstract. Owing to the increasing existence of multistorey buildings and infrastructures in the built environment, there is a need for three-dimensional (3D) land administration systems (LAS). Regarding this, condominium rights in real-estate properties are needed to be represented as 3D for preventing misinterpretations with regards to who is responsible for or has ownership in which parts of the buildings. Digitalizing the public services appears in current strategies of governments and administrations since it contributes to transparency, speed, and accurateness in the processes. Building permitting that contains obtaining the occupancy permit is a vital one of these public services. With the even-increasing adaptation of Building Information Modelling (BIM), a whole raft of Building Information Models (BIMs) are created to use in digital building permitting. Thus, a significant opportunity for 3D delineation of condominium rights comes out of the reuse of these BIMs, especially their Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data. In this sense, this paper puts forward an approach that includes developing the conceptual model to depict condominium rights and linking that model with the IFC schema. The applicability of the approach is demonstrated by using a floor of a simple building. The study shows that IFC-based representation of condominium rights can be beneficial for the transition to 3D LAS in Turkey.

scholarly journals WHAT IS THE NEED FOR BUILDING PARTS? – A COMPARISON OF CITYGML, INSPIRE BUILDING AND A SWEDISH BUILDING STANDARD

2018 ◽  
Vol XLII-4/W10 ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Eriksson ◽  
L. Harrie ◽  
J. M. Paasch
Keyword(s):  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
3D City Models ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
3D City Model ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
City Model ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
City Models

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The need for digital building information is increasing, both in the form of 3D city models (as geodata) and of more detailed building information models (BIM). BIM models are mainly used in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, but have recently become interesting also for municipalities. The overall aim of this paper is to study one way of dividing a building, namely the division of a building into building parts in both 3D city models and in BIM models. The study starts by an inventory of how building parts are defined in 3D city model standards (CityGML, the INSPIRE building specification and a Swedish national specification for buildings) and in BIM models (Industry Foundation Classes, IFC). The definition of building parts in these specifications are compared and evaluated. The paper also describes potential applications for the use of building parts, on what grounds a building could be divided into building parts, advantages and disadvantages of having building parts and what consequences it can have on the usage of the building information. One finding is that building parts is defined similar, but not identical in the studied geodata specifications and there are no requirements, only recommendations on how buildings should be divided into building parts. This can complicate the modelling, exchange and reuse of building information, and in a longer perspective, it would be desirable to have recommendations of how to define and use building parts in for example a national context.</p>

Ontology Engineering Method for Integrating Building Models

2014 ◽  
pp. 151-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed El-Mekawy ◽  
Anders Östman
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Information ◽  
Unified Model ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Geography Markup Language ◽  
Building Model ◽  
Building Models ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Semantic Models ◽  
Great Heterogeneity ◽  
Building Information

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and City Geography Markup Language (CityGML) are the two most prominent semantic models for the representation of Building Information Models (BIM) and geospatial objects. IFC and CityGML use different terminologies to describe the same domain, and there is a great heterogeneity in their semantics. For bidirectional conversions between these models, an intermediate Unified Building Model (UBM) is proposed that facilitates the transfer of spatial information from IFC to CityGML and vice versa. A unified model in the current study is defined as a superset model that is extended to contain all the features and objects from both IFC and CityGML building models. The conversion is a two-steps process in which a model is first converted to the unified model and then to the target model.

scholarly journals Design of Railway Track Model with Three-Dimensional Alignment Based on Extended Industry Foundation Classes

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3649
Author(s):  
Tae Ho Kwon ◽  
Sang I. Park ◽  
Young-Hoon Jang ◽  
Sang-Ho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Building Information Modeling ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Software Tools ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Railway Track ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Track Test

Building information modeling (BIM) has been widely applied in conjunction with the industry foundation class (IFC) for buildings and infrastructure such as railways. However, a limitation of the BIM technology presents limitations that make designing the three-dimensional (3D) alignment-based information models difficult. Thus, the time and effort required to create a railway track model are increased, while the reliability of the model is reduced. In this study, we propose a methodology for developing an alignment-based independent railway track model and extended IFC models containing railway alignment information. The developed algorithm using BIM software tools allows for a discontinuous structure to be designed. The 3D alignment information connects different BIM software tools, and the classification system and IFC schema for expressing railway tracks are extended. Moreover, the classification system is fundamental for assigning IFC entities to railway components. Spatial and hierarchical entities were created through a developed user interface. The proposed methodology was implemented in an actual railway track test. The possibility of managing IFC-based railway track information, including its 3D alignment information, was confirmed. The proposed methodology can reduce the modeling time and can be extended to other alignment-based structures, such as roads.

scholarly journals From IFC to 3D Tiles: An Integrated Open-Source Solution for Visualising BIMs on Cesium

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiqun Chen ◽  
Erfan Shooraj ◽  
Abbas Rajabifard ◽  
Soheil Sabri
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Geospatial Data ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Data Format ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
3D Objects ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information

The 3D Tiles specification, created by Cesium, is designed for streaming massive heterogeneous three-dimensional (3D) geospatial datasets online using WebGL technology. The program has prevailed in the WebGIS community due to its ability to visualise, interact, and style 3D objects for various scenarios, such as 3D cities, indoor environments, and point clouds. It offers a new opportunity to integrate Building Information Models (BIM) in the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data format with existing geospatial data in a 3D WebGIS platform with open-source implementation. As no open-source solution for converting IFC models into 3D Tiles for online visualization had yet been found, this paper explores feasible approaches and integrates a range of tools and libraries as an open-source solution for the community.

scholarly journals A Common Approach to Geo-Referencing Building Models in Industry Foundation Classes for BIM/GIS Integration

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 362
Author(s):  
Junxiang Zhu ◽  
Peng Wu
Keyword(s):  
Building Information Modeling ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Spatial Reference ◽  
Reference Information ◽  
Building Models ◽  
Digital Twins ◽  
Gis Data ◽  
Gis Integration ◽  
Building Information

Previous geo-referencing approaches for building information modeling (BIM) models can be problematic due to: (a) the different interpretations of the term ‘geo-referencing’, (b) the insufficient consideration of the placement hierarchy of the industry foundation classes (IFCs), and (c) the misunderstanding that a common way to embed spatial reference information for IFC is absent. Therefore, the objective of this study is to (1) clarify the meaning of geo-referencing in the context of BIM/GIS data integration, and (2) develop a common geo-referencing approach for IFC. To achieve the goal, a systematic and thorough investigation into the IFC standard was conducted to assess the geo-referencing capability of IFC. Based on the investigation, a geo-referencing approach was established using IFC entities that are common in different IFC versions, which makes the proposed approach common to IFC. Such a geo-referencing approach supports automatic geo-referencing that would facilitate the use of BIM models in GIS, e.g., for the construction of digital twins.

Managing Real-Time Information Within BIM-Based Processes for Assessing Building Behaviours in Operation

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-38
Author(s):  
Daniela Pasini ◽  
Angelo Luigi Camillo Ciribini ◽  
Bruno Daniotti
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Process ◽  
Building Management ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Physical Assets ◽  
Real Time Information

Considering the remarkable shift that the digitalisation is nowadays bringing about in the building sector, the paper focuses on how the great amount of data collected around assets is changing the way buildings are operated, particularly for what concerns innovation on products, processes and technologies. By establishing a connection between as-designed virtual models and as-delivered physical assets, the paper presents methods and tools based on information management and developed for assessing building behaviours in operation and for defining control strategies for satisfying user needs. The research aims to investigate how the building process could benefit from the availability of multi-faceted information collected in real time (e.g. through sensors) during the operational stages of buildings. Digitally-enabled practices and technologies have been developed and tested for improving a data-driven asset management, by enriching Building Information Models through data gathered through Building Management Systems, according to the Industry Foundation Classes schema.

scholarly journals An openBIM Approach to IoT Integration with Incomplete As-Built Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 8287
Author(s):  
Nicola Moretti ◽  
Xiang Xie ◽  
Jorge Merino ◽  
Justas Brazauskas ◽  
Ajith Kumar Parlikad
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Industry Foundation Classes ◽  
Semantic Data ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Digital Twins ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Good Potential ◽  
Building Life Cycle ◽  
Asset Data

Digital Twins (DT) are powerful tools to support asset managers in the operation and maintenance of cognitive buildings. Building Information Models (BIM) are critical for Asset Management (AM), especially when used in conjunction with Internet of Things (IoT) and other asset data collected throughout a building’s lifecycle. However, information contained within BIM models is usually outdated, inaccurate, and incomplete as a result of unclear geometric and semantic data modelling procedures during the building life cycle. The aim of this paper is to develop an openBIM methodology to support dynamic AM applications with limited as-built information availability. The workflow is based on the use of the IfcSharedFacilitiesElements schema for processing the geometric and semantic information of both existing and newly created Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) objects, supporting real-time data integration. The methodology is validated using the West Cambridge DT Research Facility data, demonstrating good potential in supporting an asset anomaly detection application. The proposed workflow increases the automation of the digital AM processes, thanks to the adoption of BIM-IoT integration tools and methods within the context of the development of a building DT.

scholarly journals A BIM-IFC Technical Solution for 3D Crowdsourced Cadastral Surveys Based on LADM

Earth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-621
Author(s):  
Maria Gkeli ◽  
Chryssy Potsiou ◽  
Sofia Soile ◽  
Giorgos Vathiotis ◽  
Maria-Eleni Cravariti
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Domain Model ◽  
Technical Solution ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Textual Description ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Cadastral Surveying ◽  
Reliable Solution

In most countries, three-dimensional (3D) property units are registered utilizing two-dimensional (2D) documentation and textual description. This approach has several limitations as it is unable to represent the actual extent of complicated 3D property units in space. As traditional procedures often lead to increased costs and long delays in 2D cadastral surveying, a fast, cost-effective, and reliable solution is needed to cope with the remaining global cadastral surveying needs. Crowdsourcing has claimed a critical role as a reliable methodology with huge potential regarding the realization of 2D and 3D cadastral registration in both an affordable and a timely manner. Many large modern constructions are now planned and constructed based on BIM technology all over the world. The utilization of 3D digital models, such as building information models (BIMs), and the establishment of a connection with the international standard of the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) could be a solution for the rapid integration of these units into a 3D crowdsourced cadaster with a better representation of the cadastral boundaries of these units, a detailed visualization of complex infrastructures, and an enhancement in the interoperability between different parties and organizations. In this paper, the potential linkage between the BIM, the LADM, and crowdsourcing techniques is investigated in order to provide an effective technical solution for the integration of large new constructions into 3D crowdsourced cadastral surveys. The proposed framework is tested on a building block in Athens, Greece. The potential, perspectives, and reliability of such an implementation are assessed and discussed.

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