• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.77-86
• /
• 2017

Industry Foundation Classes(IFC) is the core product schema for ensuring the interoperability of information in Building Information Modeling(BIM) environment. However, since current IFC is mainly focused on building structure. there are limitations in the generation of functional information of components when applied to civil infrastructures. Previous studies have proposed IFC-based new entities for the civil infrastructures, it takes long time to support them in BIM authoring software packages. In this study, we proposed practical rules to apply IFC-based information modeling using BIM authoring software and additional new entities for the civil infrastructure through attributes and information mapping. The availabilities of proposed method were examined using the rail and sleeper information models based on an extended IFC data schema for the railway infrastructures.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2020.12a
• /
• pp.157-166
• /
• 2020

Automated rebar fabrication, which requires effective information exchange between model designers and fabricators, has brought the integration and interoperability of data from different sources to the notice of both academics and industry practitioners. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) was one of the most commonly used data formats to represent the semantic information of prefabricated components in buildings, whereas the data format utilized by rebar fabrication machine is BundesVereinigung der Bausoftware (BVBS), which is a numerical data structure exchanging reinforcement information through ASCII encoded files. Seamless transformation between IFC and BVBS empowers the automated rebar fabrication and improve the construction productivity. In order to improve data interoperability between IFC and BVBS, this study presents an IFC extension based on the attributes required by automated rebar fabrication machines with the help of Information Delivery Manual (IDM) and Model View Definition (MVD). IDM is applied to describe and display the information needed for the design, construction and operation of projects, whereas MVD is a subset of IFC schema used to describe the automated rebar fabrication workflow. Firstly, with a rich pool of vocabularies practitioners, OmniClass is used in information exchange between IFC and BVBS, providing a hierarchy classification structure for reinforcing elements. Then, using International Framework for Dictionaries (IFD), the usage of each attribute is defined in a more consistent manner to assist the data mapping process. Besides, in order to address missing information within automated fabrication process, a schematic data mapping diagram has been made to deliver IFC information from BIM models to BVBS format for better data interoperability among different software agents. A case study based on the data mapping will be presented to demonstrate the proposed IFC extension and how it could assist/facilitate the information management.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2009.05a
• /
• pp.1346-1351
• /
• 2009

In this paper we propose a framework for an Object Relational IFC Server (OR-IFC Server). Enormous amounts of information are generated in each project. Today, many BIM systems are developed by various CAD software vendors. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) developed by International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) is an open standard data model for exchanging data between the various BIM tools. The IFC provides a foundation for exchanging and sharing of information directly between software applications and define a shared building project model. The IFC model server is a database management system that can keep track of transactions, modifications, and deletions. It plays a role as an information hub for storing and sharing information between various parties involved in construction projects. Users can communicate with each other via the internet and utilize functions implemented in the model server such as partial data import/export, file merge, version control, etc. IFC model servers using relational database systems have been developed. However, they suffered from slow performance and long transaction time due to a complex mapping process between the IFC structure and a relational-database structure because the IFC model schema is defined in the EXPRESS language which is object-favored language. In order to simplify the mapping process, we developed a set of rules to map the IFC model to an object-relational database (ORDB). Once the database has been configured, only those pieces of information that are required for a specific information-exchange scenario are extracted using the pre-defined information delivery manual (IDM). Therefore, file sizes will be reduced when exchanging data, meaning that files can now be effectively exchanged and shared. In this study, the framework of the IFC server using ORDB and IDM and the method to develop it will be examined.

• Spatial Information Research
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.41-52
• /
• 2015

MOLIT (Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) authorized Indoor Spatial Information as Basic spatial information in 2013. It became a legal evidence for constructing and managing Indoor Spatial Information. Although it has a little advantage to utilize as service level that Indoor Spatial Information by laser scan or measurement, it has a lot of problems such as consuming many resources, requiring additional progresses for inputting Object Information. In conclusion, it is inefficient to utilize for the maintenance and domestic AEC/FM field. The purposes of this study is to output Indoor Spatial Information by operating IFC model which based on open BIM and to improve availability of Indoor Spatial Information with data visualization. The open-sources of IFC Exporter, a inner program of Revit (Autodesk Inc), is used to output Indoor Spatial Information. Directs 3D Library is also operated to visualize Indoor Spatial Information. It is possible to inter-operate between XML format and the objects of Indoor Spatial Information. It can be utilized in various field as well. For example COBie linkage in facility management, construction of geo-database using air-photogrammetry of UAV (Unmaned Areal Vehicle), the simulation of large-scale military operations and the simulation of large-scale evacuation. The method that is purposed in this study has outstanding advantages such as conformance with national spatial information policy, high level of interoperability as indoor spatial information objects based on IFC, convenience of editing information, light level of data and simplifying progress of producing information.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.38-46
• /
• 2017

In this study, a query language was developed to supplement the information retrieval and model regeneration in the case of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-based civil infrastructure information models. First, the IFC objects to represent the structural components, entities to manage the related properties, and relationships to connect with the mentioned elements were analyzed in a point of information flow. The results confirmed that the end-users could have problems with access and comprehend the properties and its relationships in the IFC file. Second, the IfcPropertySet-focused query method and applicable stand-alone module were proposed referring to the previous Building Information Model Query Language (BimQL). The availabilities of the proposed method were examined using the rail and sleeper information models through information retrieval and model regeneration. The most important advantage of the proposed approach is the IFC-based information retrievals that can guarantee the interoperability between software packages.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.1195-1203
• /
• 2014

Since IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) 4 is based on the representation of 3D elements for an architecture project, and does not define standardized shapes for civil projects such as roads, bridges, and tunnels etc, it has limitations in securing interoperability for exchanging a shape information model for the civil projects. Besides, since road facilities have a linear reference, which is modeled along the center alignment, it is difficult the designers to create a standardized 3D road model. The aim of this study is to configure structure elements and their attribute for a road in the perspective of 3D design for developing a shape information model for the road. To solve these issues, this study analyzes the design documents, which consist of a road design handbook, guide, specifications and standards, and then extract shape elements and their attributes of road structures. Such shape elements are defined as an entity item and we review a hierarchical structure of a road shape defined by a virtual road model. The detailed elements and their attributes can be utilized as a 3D shape information model for constructing BIM (Building Information Modeling) environment for Infrastructures. Besides, it is expected that the suggested items will be utilized as a base data for extending to IFC for a road subdividing the detailed shapes, types and attributes for road projects.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2022.06a
• /
• pp.1130-1137
• /
• 2022

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) provides standardized product models for the building construction domain. However, the current IFC schema has limited representation for infrastructure. Several studies have examined the data schema for road and highway modeling, but not in a sufficiently comprehensive and robust manner to facilitate the overall integrated project delivery of road projects. Several discussions have focused on slope engineering for road projects, but no solution has been provided regarding the formalized parametric modeling up to now. Iterative design, analysis, and modification are observed during the process of slope design for road projects. The practitioners need to carry out the stability analysis to consider different road design alternatives, including horizontal, vertical, and cross-section designs. The procedure is neither formalized nor automated. Thus, there is a need to develop the formal representation of the product and process of slope analysis for road design. The objective of this research is to develop a formal representation (i.e., an IFC extension data schema) for slope analysis. It consists of comprehensive information required for slope analysis in a structured manner. The deliverable of this study contributes to both the formal representation of infrastructure development and, further, the automated process of slope design for road projects.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.85-94
• /
• 2008

The process of construction industry basically consists of many complicated phase, such as planning, design, construction, MO&R(Maintenance, Operation, and Repair), and deconstruction. And various participants communicate each other during every phase of process. Since construction components have become more complex and diverse recently, many researches on how to exchange and standardization of building. However, in Korea research on IFC(Industry Foundation Classes) which is a standard for international data exchange have been conducted with only study limited Issues, such as studies on the development of 2D extension model for IFC, researches on 3D or 4D based IFC extension, and etc. This stuff covers tests of the compatibility among commercial 3D CAD programs using IFC file format. Several problems of the current IFC model are retrieved as a result.