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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 However, information contained within BIM models is usually outdated, inaccurate, and incomplete as a result of unclear geometric and semantic data modelling procedures during the building life cycle.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.

Today, numerous studies explore the concepts of Smart City and City Information Modeling (CIM), highlighting the need to develop methods for systematizing, analyzing, and representing data typically managed by different information systems. The shared vision is to integrate BIM outputs with those from GIS, as well as with data from various other sources (historical documents, technical reports, IoT sensors, etc.), within a single working environment, thus building a true digital twin of extensive territorial areas. The goal is to optimize decision-making processes at both building and urban scales, and a potential solution lies in the combined use of Business Intelligence (BI) tools, which allow for the reading, integration, and querying of data stored across the different information systems mentioned. In this context, the present contribution aims to frame the issue of data integration and to test a digital solution integrating BIM, GIS, and BI, developed through a collaboration between the research group at the University of Naples Federico II and the company ACCA Software, and applied to publicly owned building assets.

Effective civil infrastructure management necessitates the utilization of timely data across the entire asset lifecycle for condition assessment and predictive maintenance. A notable gap in current predictive maintenance practices is the reliance on single-source data instead of heterogeneous data, decreasing data accuracy, reliability, adaptability, and further effectiveness of engineering decision-making. Data fusion is thus demanded to transform low-dimensional decisions from individual sensors into high-dimensional ones for decision optimization. In this context, digital twin (DT) technology is set to revolutionize the civil infrastructure industry by facilitating real-time data processing and informed decision-making. However, data-driven smart civil infrastructure management using DT is not yet achieved, especially in terms of data fusion. This paper aims to establish a conceptual framework for harnessing DT technology with data fusion to ensure the efficiency of civil infrastructures throughout their lifecycle. To achieve this objective, a systematic review of 105 papers was conducted to thematically analyze data fusion approaches and DT frameworks for civil infrastructure management, including their applications, core DT technologies, and challenges. Several gaps are identified, such as the difficulty in data integration due to data heterogeneity, seamless interoperability, difficulties associated with data quality, maintaining the semantic features of big data, technological limitations, and complexities with algorithm selection. Given these challenges, this research proposed a framework emphasizing multilayer data fusion, the integration of open building information modeling (openBIM) and geographic information system (GIS) for immersive visualization and stakeholder engagement, and the adoption of extended industry foundation classes (IFC) for data integration throughout the asset lifecycle.

Open Building Information Modelling (OpenBIM) is a collaborative project management process. Its application to road infrastructures is currently limited. OpenBIM standards for infrastructure are still under development. One of these standards is the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), which is a data architecture for modelling infrastructure projects. The current and upcoming releases of IFCRoad focus on structuring data for the design and construction phases of an infrastructure’s lifecycle. Semantics of the O&M process phase are not fully integrated within these standards. This paper proposes an extension of the IFC schema to enrich this standard with semantics inherent in the O&M phase of road infrastructures. This extension, based on IFCInfra4OM ontology, allows the OpenBIM process to be fully applied to road infrastructures. Its implementation on a case study relative to the A7 Agadir–Marrakech Highway in Morocco enables, on the one hand, analysis and compliance with O&M management requirements on the basis of a single container: the IFC-BIM-based model. On the other hand, it allows comparison of the OpenBIM process with that of ClosedBIM for the integration of O&M data into BIM for a road infrastructure.

The expansion of scale and the increase of complexity of construction projects puts higher requirements on the level of collaboration among different stakeholders. How to realize better information interoperability among multiple disciplines and different software platforms becomes a key problem in the collaborative process. openBIM (building information model), as a common approach of information exchange, can meet the needs of information interaction among different software well and improve the efficiency and accuracy of collaboration. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no comprehensive survey of openBIM approach in the context of the AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) industry, this paper fills the gap and presents a literature review of openBIM. In this paper, the openBIM related standards, software platforms, and tools enabling information interoperability are introduced and analyzed comprehensively based on related websites and literature. Furthermore, engineering information interoperability research supported by openBIM is analyzed from the perspectives of information representation, information query, information exchange, information extension, and information integration. Finally, research gaps and future directions are presented based on the analysis of existing research. The systematic analysis of the theory and practice of openBIM in this paper can provide support for its further research and application.

In the field of infrastructure, the development and application of the openBIM (open Building Information Modeling) approach and related standards (principally Industry Foundation Classes) remain limited with regard to processes in O&M (Operation and Maintenance) phases, as well as the broader context of AM (Asset Management). This article deals with the activities carried out as part of a pilot project based on the need to manage the operation and assess the condition and value of existing infrastructure along the Cancello–Benevento railway line. The principal goal was to systematize information by digitalizing the infrastructure, in order to enable the assessment of possible performance gaps (compared to national railway standards) in the event of integration within the national infrastructure. In compliance with the project requirements, a digitalization strategy was designed for the definition of surveying activities and the implementation of openBIM systems for the development of an object library and a federated digital model, structured within the collaborative platform that was used, and allowing management, maintenance, and subsequent financial evaluation in the broader context of asset management. The project involved the collaboration of railway operators, a university, and a software company that implemented innovative concepts concerning IFC (specifically, IFC4x2 was used) through the development of dedicated software solutions. The digital solution we proposed enabled the use of digital models as access keys to survey and maintenance information (ERP platforms used by the railway operators) that was available in real time. This project was nominated at the buildingSMART awards 2021 and was one of three finalists in the “Asset Management Using openBIM” category.

The assessment of the structural safety of buildings, with the related outcomes and other structural information, is typically reported in un-structured sets of documents (tables, drawings, reports, etc.). This happens even if Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows, platforms, and standards are adopted. Generally, the BIM database provides input data for the structural design, but most of the data produced by structural designers, according to the structural codes, do not fully integrate into the BIM database along with other context-related information. These data are not easily recorded, especially in openBIM standard file formats such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). In the context of digital procedures for permit applications pertaining to seismic structural engineering, the authors propose an openBIM approach for the integration of structural information to support the activities of building authorities’ bodies (BABs). The proposed framework has led to the development of an Information Delivery Manual (IDM) and a Model View Definition (MVD), considering the IFC schema, for the integration and exchange of information within a BIM-based environment. Successively, the authors implemented the proposed IDM/MVD solution in a case study that provided an effective workflow for innovative future delivery of necessary information to building authorities to obtain seismic authorization permits.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an established approach in the construction industry that enables efficient collaboration between stakeholders and facilitates project management. However, when it comes to historical buildings, the application of BIM can be demanding due to the complex nature of these projects. Although BIM Uses in the construction sector are well-documented (Penn State University, 2013) and we are surrounded by amazing technologies, we do not yet have standardized international workflows on how to use those state-of-the-art techniques with Cultural Heritage Assets (Bruno and Roncella, 2019). Standardizing Cultural Heritage (CH) metric documentation and Heritage/Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) is challenging since each CH asset needs different information throughout the whole life cycle of the monument - both their physical and non-physical attributes, such as historical and cultural characteristics. Additionally, every work carried out on CH, such as knowledge acquisition, restoration, adaptation, etc., requires specific data inputs. Although there are guidelines books that offer some general proposals, they represent the maximum effort towards standardization. As a result, the field of HBIM has emerged as a relatively new area of scientific research that focuses on the digital representation of CH assets.This research aims to develop a working method and templates for procurement workflow standardization that will facilitate the documentation of historic buildings and heritage assets in coordination with relevant historic preservation authorities for the BIM use case - asset register. The use of various measurement methods, the registration of captured point clouds, and the transfer of geometry to a BIM-compliant 3D information model and sustainable data storage are important aspects of this project.

BIM (building information modeling) is widely recognized for enhancing the efficiency and precision of building energy modeling (BEM), primarily by reducing model development time and improving model accuracy. This paper presents a novel framework leveraging “openBIM” to standardize and harmonize BIM-driven solutions for energy simulations, facilitating comprehensive operational carbon impact assessments. Unlike existing approaches, our framework uniquely integrates information delivery specifications (IDS) with openBIM standards to define the minimum data requirements within the IFC schema, tailored to various levels of development (LOD). This innovation ensures consistent data exchange and interoperability across diverse energy modeling and simulation tools, addressing common challenges of data fragmentation and inaccuracy in operational carbon assessments. By advancing the current state of the art, the proposed framework empowers energy modelers, LCA analysts, and asset managers to streamline IDS implementation, fostering more efficient and reliable construction industry practices. This research thus marks a significant step towards achieving more sustainable building projects through enhanced data-driven insights.