Digital Thread and Building Lifecycle Management for Industrialisation of Construction Operations: A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

The construction industry is changing its practices to adapt to its contemporary context. The rise of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is disrupting the way a construction project is thought and managed. To support this evolution, inspiration is taken from manufacturing industries practices which have faced similar challenges. The goal is to develop a more industrialized way to build in order to better manage quality, costs, delays, and to improve working conditions. This article develops the main challenges to face so to achieve this transformation through a literature review. BIM can be compared to the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system in manufacturing fields. BIM could be further developed by changing its unique data structuring into a PLM-inspired organization to adapt representation to the project’s stages and stakeholders needs. Data management also allows more detailed simulations of site operations, highlighting the current planning practices limits. Finally, developing a data-centered approach to manage and produce facilitates early and cross-disciplinary cooperation. This reorganization supports the application of heterodox production methods like off-site construction. As a whole, industrializing construction demands to develop a holistic vision of a facility lifecycle, which can only be developed through better communication and more collaborative practices, bolstered by a more developed digital model.