Advances in Civil Engineering

Research Article

Construction Database-Supported and BIM-Based Interface Communication and Management: A Pilot Project

Table 3

Project engineers’ evaluation comments.


No.	Participant comments

1	The proposed DBCMI system integrated with the markup-enabled BIM viewer is very useful in handling identified interface problems with related BIM model elements.
2	The DBCMI system saves considerable time (almost one-third) when handling interface problems and responses (e.g., reentry of information) and helps me to communicate and resolve interface issues at the job site effectively.
3	I can use the DBCMI system to respond to current interface problems (or discussions) and easily access unfinished interface results.
4	The system helps me to understand all interface problems, explanations, and illustrations through the BIM models easily and quickly.
5	The DBCMI system is very effective in the CMI process and allows me to communicate the BIM model elements related to the interface issues with the engineers.
6	The biggest advantage of DBCMI is that it records all communication regarding the BIM model elements. This is helpful when I need to refer back to necessary information about the elements.
7	The DBCMI system is very effective for interface management integrated with BIM. I can access the system via the Internet to read interface information.
8	The case study does not cover all interface issues regarding the BIM models. Therefore, there are likely to be problems in the practical application of BIM technologies for interface management.
9	While the practical application is subject to many limitations, the DBCMI system can enhance the performance of interface communication.
10	I previously used e-mail to check and track the latest inspection results and modification work for the final as-built model. With the proposed markup-enabled BIM viewer under the DBCMI system, I can now do the same more quickly and effectively. The system significantly helps project engineers to communicate and discuss interfaces and improves the decision-making process.