A BIM-based automated site layout planning framework for congested construction sites

a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: Actual travel paths Building information modelling (BIM) Construction site layout planning (CSLP) Congested sites Facility dimensions optimization Interior storage Site layout planning is often performed on construction sites to find the best arrangement of temporary facilities so that transportation distances of on-site personnel and equipment are minimized. It could be achieved by creating dynamic layout models, which capture the changing requirements of construction sites. However, formulating such models is extremely tedious because it requires much manual data input and changes to design and construction plans are manually updated by layout planners. This study presents an automated framework of creating dynamic site layout models by utilizing information from BIM. The A* algorithm is used in conjunction with genetic algorithms to develop an optimization framework that considers the actual travel paths of on-site personnel and equipment. To address the space limitation on site, our model optimizes the dimensions of facilities and also considers interior storage within buildings under construction. A case example is demonstrated to validate this framework and shows a 13.5% reduction in total travel distance compared with conventional methods. Construction site layout planning (CSLP) is a crucial step in construction planning that has been proven to reduce material handling costs while improving safety and productivity of a project [1–3]. Construction projects require a large number of temporary facilities such as material storage areas, fabrication shops, etc. in order to support various construction activities. Traditionally these facilities are set up on unoccupied areas, within the boundaries of the construction site. In such situations the goal of CSLP is to determine the best arrangement of temporary facilities such that the travel distances of construction personnel is minimized [4,5]. An obvious solution could be to set up temporary facilities on the free areas surrounding the building under construction. However, this is possible only on construction sites which have adequate amounts of free area to facilitate such an arrangement. In most urban construction projects, site space is limited and must be used judiciously in order to avoid problems with accessibility, safety and congestion. Comprehensive site layout planning can ensure a smooth flow of materials, equipment, and labour, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of on-site operations. Site layout models fall into two categories – (1) static layout models, which assume that all of the facilities are assembled at the start and exist …