BIM-based Automated Design and Drafting for Drainage Systems in Residential Buildings

• Author / Creator

  Zhang, Nan

• The development of building information modelling has facilitated the improvement of cost and time management in panelized construction, one of the most popular and efficient methods for constructing residential buildings. However, in most cases, the drainage system is currently still installed on site in a traditional manner and makes the design stage difficult and time-consuming due to the high level of design detail required. This research proposes an automated method to design and draft drainage systems in the BIM model, adapted for panelized construction of residential buildings. This proposed method can improve design efficiency, eliminate design errors, and reduce material waste. In order to improve production efficiency at the panelized construction plant, the drainage pipe network is separated into smaller components at the geometric boundaries of the plumbing panel which is a floor or wall panel through which pipes pass. Meanwhile, a bill of materials for each plumbing panel is generated for the purpose of further optimization of cutting list. A prototyped BIM extension application, an add-on to Autodesk Revit, is developed as a proof of concept. A case study of residential drainage system design and optimization is presented to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed framework. As the key contribution of this research, the integration of the BIM model with the automated design system, rule-based pipe route planning approach, and optimal cutting stock algorithm achieves the automation in drainage system design in the context of panelized construction to improve design and production efficiency.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Drainage systems
  • BIM
  • Panelized construction

• Graduation date

  Spring 2020

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-2b3b-sg15

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.