(BIM) aided waste minimisation framework

310 Pages·2017·8.9 MB·English

Loughborough University
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Building Information
Modelling (BIM) aided
waste minimisation
framework
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• A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
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BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (BIM) AIDED
WASTE MINIMISATION FRAMEWORK

by

ZHEN LIU
MSc (Eng), BEng

A Doctoral Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University

March, 2014

© by Zhen Liu, 2014.
Dedication
DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to my family: my wife (Eva Y. F. Wang), my parents in law
(Ms. Sun, Y. J. & Mr Wang, Y. F.) who both passed away during my 2nd year (2011)
of the research, my mother (Ms. Bao, Y. H.) and my father (Mr. Liu, H. S.), and my
posterity.

Loughborough University III
Acknowledgements
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I am greatful to Professor Baldwin, Andrew N., former dean of School of Civil and
Building Engineering, Loughborough University, who was my inintial supervior, travelled
to Hong Kong in year 2009 to conduct the 2nd interviews of Ph.D studentship selection
with and put his faith in me. Without him, this thesis could be written by somebody else.
Secondly, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my superviors: Dr. Mohamed
Osmani and Dr. Peter Demian, who provided guidance, encouragement and support during
the research and preparation of the thesis. The constructional advices, critical debates, and
provocative comments from Dr. Mohamed Osmani in particular provided valuabe views
that were invaluable to the both of research and the thesis.
Thridly, my appreciation is send to Professor Price, A. D. F. and Dr. Tuuli, M. M., who
conducted my 1st year, 2nd year and 3rd year viva providing helpful feedbacks. A number of
researchers in the School of Civil and Building Engineering gave their time and effort for
the research discussion that were appreciated.
Fourthly, the research involved questionnaire survey and interviews for data collection
with participating companies which act leading role in UK’s building design industry. A
number of senior architects (e.g. partners and associates) of those companies are
acknowledged for generously giving their time and providing the most valuable
information that was vast benefit to the data collection.
Fifthly, the research and thesis would not be made possible without the full studentship of
Ph.D study over three years, which was awarded by School of Civil and Building
Engineering, Loughborough University.
Finally, I would like to thank my wonderful wife Eva, my parents and parents in law, for
their love, sacrifice, understanding and support, without which the research and thesis
would have been virtually and really unachievable by me in the first place.

Loughborough University IV
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Building design can have a major impact on sustainability through material efficiency and
construction waste minimisation (CWM). The construction industry consumes over 420
million tonnes of material resources every year and generates 120 million tonnes of waste
containing approximately 13 million tonnes of unused materials. The current and on-going
field of CWM research is focused on separate project stages with an overwhelming
endeavour to manage on-site waste. Although design stages are vital to achieve progress
towards CWM, currently, there are insufficient tools for CWM. In recent years, Building
Information Modelling (BIM) has been adopted to improve sustainable building design,
such as energy efficiency and carbon reduction. Very little has been achieved in this field
of research to evaluate the use of BIM to aid CWM during design. However, recent
literature emphasises a need to carry out further research in this context.
This research aims to investigate the use of BIM as a platform to help with CWM during
design stages by developing and validating a BIM-aided CWM (BaW) Framework. A
mixed research method, known as triangulation, was adopted as the research design
method. Research data was collected through a set of data collection methods, i.e. self-
administered postal questionnaire (N=100 distributed, n=50 completed), and semi-
structured follow-up interviews (n=11) with architects from the top 100 UK architectural
companies. Descriptive statistics and constant comparative methods were used for data
analysis. The BaW Framework was developed based on the findings of literature review,
questionnaire survey and interviews. The BaW Framework validation process included a
validation questionnaire (N=6) and validation interviews (N=6) with architects.
Key research findings revealed that: BIM has the potential to aid CWM during design;
Concept and Design Development stages have major potential in helping waste reduction
through BIM; BIM-enhanced practices (i.e. clash detection, detailing, visualisation and
simulation, and improved communication and collaboration) have impacts on waste
reduction; BIM has the most potential to address waste causes (e.g. ineffective
coordination and communication, and design changes); and the BaW Framework has the
potential to enable improvements towards waste minimisation throughout all design stages.
Participating architects recommended that the adoption of the BaW Framework could
enrich both CWM and BIM practices, and most importantly, would enhance waste
reduction performance in design. The content should be suitable for project stakeholders,
architects in particular, when dealing with construction waste and BIM during design.
Loughborough University V
Abstract
Key words: Construction waste minimisation, Construction waste causes during design,
Building Information Modelling (BIM), Building design, Sustainable building design,
Sustainability.

.

Loughborough University VI
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................................... I
DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................ III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. IV
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................V
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... VII
LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................XV
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ XVIII
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... XXI
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Research background ..................................................................................................... 2
1.2 Research justification..................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Research aim and objectives ......................................................................................... 6
1.4 Research methodology overview .................................................................................. 6
1.4.1 Literature review ....................................................................................................... 6
1.4.2 Questionnaire ............................................................................................................ 7
1.4.3 Interviews .................................................................................................................. 7
1.4.4 BIM-aided waste minimisation (BaW) Framework design and development .... 10
1.4.5 BaW Framework validation ................................................................................... 10
1.5 Research contribution to knowledge........................................................................... 10
1.6 Scope of research ......................................................................................................... 11
1.7 Thesis structure ............................................................................................................ 12
2 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 14
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 15
2.2 Construction waste minimisation ................................................................................ 15
2.2.1 Definitions ............................................................................................................... 15
2.2.1.1 Construction waste ............................................................................................. 15
Loughborough University VII
Table of Contents
2.2.1.2 Construction waste management....................................................................... 16
2.2.1.3 Construction waste minimisation ..................................................................... 16
2.2.2 Construction waste minimisation drivers .............................................................. 17
2.2.2.1 Environmental drivers........................................................................................ 17
2.2.2.2 Business drivers.................................................................................................. 17
2.2.2.3 Economical drivers ............................................................................................ 18
2.2.2.4 Legislative and policy drivers ........................................................................... 19
2.2.3 Construction waste causes ...................................................................................... 21
2.2.3.1 Construction waste causes during design stages .............................................. 24
2.2.3.2 Construction waste causes during procurement stage ..................................... 27
2.2.3.3 Construction waste causes during construction stage ...................................... 28
2.2.4 Current construction waste minimisation practices .............................................. 31
2.2.4.1 Construction waste minimisation approaches .................................................. 31
2.2.4.2 Construction waste minimisation techniques ................................................... 33
2.2.4.3 Construction waste minimisation tools ............................................................. 36
2.3 Building information modelling (BIM) ...................................................................... 39
2.3.1 Definitions ............................................................................................................... 39
2.3.2 BIM development ................................................................................................... 39
2.3.2.1 History of BIM development ............................................................................ 39
2.3.2.2 BIM standards and guidelines ........................................................................... 41
2.3.3 Current BIM practices ............................................................................................ 46
2.3.3.1 BIM approaches ................................................................................................. 46
2.3.3.2 BIM techniques and tools .................................................................................. 48
2.3.3.3 Functional level of BIM practices ..................................................................... 72
2.3.4 BIM adoption barriers and incentives.................................................................... 73
2.4 The potential use of BIM for construction waste minimisation................................ 75
2.4.1 BIM related construction waste researches ........................................................... 75
Loughborough University VIII
Table of Contents
2.4.2 BIM potentials for construction waste minimisation............................................ 78
2.5 Summary....................................................................................................................... 80
3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 82
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 83
3.2 Research philosophy .................................................................................................... 83
3.2.1 Ontology .................................................................................................................. 83
3.2.2 Epistemology ........................................................................................................... 84
3.2.3 Philosophical position of this research .................................................................. 86
3.3 Research strategies/approaches ................................................................................... 87
3.3.1 Qualitative research ................................................................................................ 87
3.3.2 Quantitative research .............................................................................................. 89
3.3.3 Mixed methods/triangulation research .................................................................. 90
3.4 Research design and methods ..................................................................................... 93
3.4.1 Research design ....................................................................................................... 93
3.4.1.1 Action research ................................................................................................... 94
3.4.1.2 Ethnographic research........................................................................................ 94
3.4.1.3 Experiments ........................................................................................................ 94
3.4.1.4 Case studies ........................................................................................................ 95
3.4.1.5 Surveys................................................................................................................ 97
3.4.2 Research methods ................................................................................................... 97
3.5 Adopted research methodology................................................................................... 98
3.5.1 Literature review ..................................................................................................... 98
3.5.2 Data collection ........................................................................................................ 99
3.5.2.1 Questionnaire survey ......................................................................................... 99
3.5.2.2 Interviews ......................................................................................................... 106
3.5.3 Data analysis ......................................................................................................... 110
3.5.3.1 Questionnaire survey data analysis ................................................................. 110
Loughborough University IX