BSc Thesis

GUIDELINES
STRUCTURAL
ANALYSIS IN BIM

Author: R. Kemerink
Mail: r.kemerink@student.utwente.nl
Company: Schreuders Bouwtechniek
Period: 23/04/18 - 29/06/18
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PREFACE
This basis for the research originates from my interest in the development of BIM,
accompanied by my passion for architecture and structural engineering. As BIM is developing
on different areas, the integration of all disciplines into one model is not there yet. How can
we move forward to a more integrated BIM approach? It is my passion to find out and develop
new possibilities and to improve the current situation in the building industry.

First of all, I would like to thank Schreuders Bouwtechniek that offered me the opportunity to
do this research, especially the company supervisor who helped thinking along. I would also
like to thank my UT supervisor. He has been truly supportive and motivating, and made me
more excited about doing my thesis. I also wish to thank my colleagues for taking part in
interviews and giving me feedback during the process. It has been a very informative and
pleasurable time working at their company.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary..................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
1.1. Background .................................................................................................................. 4
1.2. Problem Statement ..................................................................................................... 5
1.3. Objectives and Research Questions ............................................................................ 6
1.4. Contribution and Relevance ........................................................................................ 6
1.5. Terminology, Limits and Boundaries ........................................................................... 7
2. Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 8
2.1. Research Phasing ......................................................................................................... 8
2.2. Research Design .......................................................................................................... 8
2.3. Verification & Validation ........................................................................................... 10
2.4. Research Design – Finalizing ..................................................................................... 10
3. Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 11
3.1. Design Process ........................................................................................................... 11
3.2. Application of BIM ..................................................................................................... 11
3.3. Interoperability .......................................................................................................... 12
3.4. IFC .............................................................................................................................. 13
3.5. Robot ......................................................................................................................... 14
3.6. Comparison IFC and Robot ........................................................................................ 14
4. Analysis of Current Workflow .......................................................................................... 15
4.1. Interviews .................................................................................................................. 15
4.2. System Requirements ............................................................................................... 19
5. Concept Structural Analysis.............................................................................................. 20
5.1. Proposed Method...................................................................................................... 20
5.2. Interoperability with Structural Analysis Software ................................................... 22
5.3. Modification in Spreadsheet ..................................................................................... 23
6. Verification & Validation .................................................................................................. 25
6.1. Verification Concept .................................................................................................. 25
6.2. Validation Concept .................................................................................................... 26
7. Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 28
8. Conclusion & Recommendations ..................................................................................... 29
References ................................................................................................................................ 31
Appendices ............................................................................................................................... 33

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SUMMARY
This document contains the research for the BSc Thesis that focusses on one of the features
of Building Information Modelling (BIM), structural analysis, which is the determination of the
effects of loads on physical structures and their components. The purpose of this research is
to identify possible trajectories for the incorporation of the structural analysis in the BIM
process, to develop a middleware that interacts between the architectural and structural
design disciplines, and to recommend a practical solution for the client to adapt their
workflow towards a more integrative structural design that can ensure improvements in
efficiency of the design. The main questions of this research are; which technique can be
adopted by the client for the better integration of structural analysis in their BIM process and
workflow and how can this be integrated.
The research consists of two phases. The first phase is the preparation phase which is intended
to gather background information about the subject. Therefore, a literature review containing
state-of-the-art knowledge about this subject is presented, where the possibilities and
difficulties that are present concerning structural analysis in BIM are investigated.
Furthermore, this research contains interviews with employees at the company to investigate
the current situation of the BIM workflow and to discuss this. The aim of this is to develop
sufficient background knowledge for developing a strong argumentation to support the
recommendations. Based on literature and interviews, a few trajectories for the integration
of structural analysis are introduced, along with a new concept that entails an improvement
on the information exchange between the different disciplines during a building project. The
second phase is the production phase in which new knowledge is generated. New tools are
developed to support the new concept. These tools have been verified by testing it on
different projects and validated by giving a workshop to the employees and starting a
conversation about the tools.
The method presented encompasses a concept that aims to improve the process of revisions
by creating a new middleware to store data. The middleware contains information that is
specifically associated with the construction. The concept contains two processes. One
process is used to extract data from a BIM model to a spreadsheet that is used for structural
analysis purposes and the other process involves the modification of elements within a
spreadsheet.

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background
In the past few years, the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become
conventional in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. BIM is a 3D
model-based process that gives AEC professionals the insight and tools to integrate design and
planning, so the industry is able to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage
buildings and infrastructure [1]. The use of BIM in the AEC industry has established results like
cost and time reduction, communication, coordination, and quality improvements [2].
Adapting the BIM method will help companies in the AEC industry to work more time and cost
efficiently.

Building on Object-Oriented (OO) paradigm, BIM allows to integrate various types of project-
related data (e.g., planning, material characteristics and quantities) in a single (or federated)
model in a systematic way. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is based on objects. An object
can be a variable, a data structure, a function or a method. Objects in BIM can contain non-
geometrical information (e.g. material characteristics and costs). These objects can be
organized into classes, so they can be gathered together. The objects can interact with each
other and developers can add attributes and behaviour to them and focus on programming
how objects are related and interacting with each other [3].

The purposes of using BIM lays with several aspects. The most obvious aspect is the
visualisation that has been provided by the 3D model. A visualisation of the project results in
a better customer services because proposals can be better understood. Also, the objects
inside the model can easily be converted to a shop drawing, which is a detailed construction
and fabrication drawing. Furthermore, BIM models can be used for: code reviewing, e.g. the
fire department; by adding value to materials used in the model a BIM model can provide a
cost estimate; construction sequencing which provides a better overview of the fabrication
process and the building components on site or their delivery status; clash detection, e.g.
interference of the window placements with the electricity cables; forensic analysis like an
evacuation plan; and facility management [4].

Among various advantages mentioned above, streamlined communication between

stakeholders is perhaps the most cardinal benefit of BIM, provided it is implemented properly.
However, because a lot of stakeholders are involved in the construction of a new building,
projects are becoming more complex and difficult to manage. Most importantly for this
research is the collaboration between different stakeholders. Because of the integrated
design and planning of BIM, stakeholders have access to all data that has been provided in
BIM. This results in a better communication and coordination between all stakeholders
involved. Whereas in the past you would work with a lot of different unconnected data, now
all this data can be connected and gathered into a single view [5]. Something which is very
challenging to integrate, but has an important part in the design phase, is the structural
analysis. Many companies are facing this challenge, because all the information required for
structural analysis is not commonly incorporated in the model at the design phase (e.g., forces
and moments).

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1.2. Problem Statement
BIM is becoming the midpoint of information for stakeholders to elaborate on building
projects. The more information is present in a structured way, the easier it will be to share
information with other stakeholders involved in the project. A prevalent trend in the workflow
of many companies in the AEC industry, is that structural analysis is not integrated within BIM.
The issue present is that the architect and the engineer are both working on the same project
but on different dimensions (i.e., one focuses on functionality/aesthetic and the other one on
structural soundness/engineering). In case of the client, the architect is making the
architectural design with the use of CAD and the engineer is analysing the structural design
with the use of calculations in spreadsheets and other calculation software. Companies are
not taking the full advantage of the communication and translation possibilities (i.e., the
conversion of the architectural model into the structural model) that are possible in BIM. The
issue described is called the lack of interoperability. For the structural aspect of the design,
the architectural models are reduced and translated to only contain the mechanical sense of
the model, e.g. the beam-truss structure. Then, a structural analysis will be carried out to
analyse the stability of the structure. The structure needs to be optimized, which means
adjustments to the structure will be done and the structural analysis has to be carried out
again. This is an iterative process and will go on until design objectives are met. After
optimizing the structure, it can be proposed for purchasing and fabrication steps. Even after
this step changes are possible due to manufactory, and material arrangement issues. Requests
to redesign can be raised both for architectural and structural concerns, which means that the
information flow between the different stakeholders is very important. Changes in the
architectural perspective might require a new structural model. This orthodox structural
design approach lacks the ability to easily adopt to redesign requests and handling interactive
and cooperative abilities at early conceptual design stages.
Schreuders Bouwtechniek (the client) is also struggling with the above-mentioned problem.
The client feels that structural analysis in BIM will be the next paradigm in the AEC industry
and wants to be ahead of their competitors. Schreuders is an independent engineering firm
in the building construction environment. They work on projects in the housing and utility
building field in both inside and outside the region of Twente. Besides designing, drawing and
structural analysis, they give advice on optimizing structural design. To do so, they are working
with the methodology of BIM. Because of their experience, Schreuders is using BIM more
frequently. They are working on a highly detailed level and draw every single element as it will
be built, they call it ‘Virtual Building’ [6]. In the current situation of the structural analysis, the
client has to transfer a lot of data manually which makes the process error-prone, time-
consuming and costly. To take the full advantage of BIM, a structural analysis should be
integrated in BIM. Structural analysis is something to be conducted using various techniques.
However, the client is not familiar with BIM-enabled structural analysis techniques and
realizes the urgent need of integrating architectural and structural design into their BIM
workflow. The absence of integration of the architectural design and the structural design is
not only inconvenient because it causes redundancy, it also causes rework which costs time
and money.

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1.3. Objectives and Research Questions
The purpose of this research is to (1) identify possible trajectories for the incorporation of the
structural analysis in the BIM process, to (2) develop a middleware that interacts between the
architectural and structural design disciplines, and (3) to recommend a practical solution for
the client to adapt their workflow towards a more integrative structural design that can
ensure improvements in efficiency of the design. The meaning of ‘efficiency’ in this research
is reducing time and costs, and improving communication, coordination and quality. This will
be done by developing a guideline for integrating the structural analysis within BIM for the
client.

The main question of this research is: “Which technique can be adopted by the client for the
better integration of structural analysis in their BIM process and workflow and how can this
be integrated?”. The main question is supported by the following research questions:

Q1. Which BIM-compatible and BIM-supporting approaches/tools are available for

structural analysis?
Q2. What is the current scope of BIM application at the company?
Q3. Which method is the client currently using for the structural analysis?
Q4. Which approach/tool better fits the BIM workflow of the company?
Q5. How can the company best adopt the identified approach/tool?

1.4. Contribution and Relevance

Considering the client, the immediate contribution is an advice that fits the client’s workflow,
so it can adopt to a more integrated structural analysis and achieve a higher efficiency in their
structural design process. Additionally, the findings of this study will contribute to
improvements in the AEC2 industry, especially in the field of engineering. Engineering is of
great importance for guaranteeing safety during the construction and the use phase of a
building. An integrated structural design would help the AEC industry with optimizing their
structural design. An optimized design could result in improvements on cost efficiency and
sustainability. This study will give the AEC industry guidance in the adoption of an integrated
structural design by investigating and reviewing several possible trajectories.

2 AEC = Architecture, Engineering and Construction

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1.5. Terminology, Limits and Boundaries
Terminology
AEC Architecture, Engineering and Construction
Autodesk Revit (Revit) BIM-software that includes features for architectural design,
MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) and structural
engineering, and construction
BIM Building Information Modelling
BIM model A digital model of an existing and/or planned building that
consists of objects which contains information
CAD Computer Aided Design
Dynamo Visual programming environment that works with Revit and
other software
FEM Finite Element Method
IFC Industry Foundation Class
Interoperability The ability to exchange data between applications to facilitate
automation and avoidance of data re-entry
MVD Model View Definition
Robot Structural Analysis BIM-software that is able to test the effects of structural loads
Professional (Robot) and verify code compliance
Structural analysis The determination of the effects of loads on physical
structures and their components

Limits and Boundaries

The limited timespan of this research makes it more difficult to validate all the possible
trajectories for the incorporation of the structural analysis in the BIM process. Therefore, the
research will verify and validate the method that is most suitable for the client.
The client has offered their own project to work with. Although, because of the short amount
of time, the projects with difficult structures have been excluded. The projects available are
selected by the company supervisor and are selected on their difficulty.

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2. METHODOLOGY
This chapter explains the process of this research. In section 2.1 the processes will be grouped
into 2 main phases and 7 sub-phases. In the following sections the process steps are
presented, and it will be made clear how data for this research is collected, which research
techniques are used and how information is analysed.

2.1. Research Phasing

A global phasing of the project is presented in Figure 1. The whole research is categorized into
two main phases; the preparation phase and the production phase. The preparation phase is
intended to gather background information about the subject. The production phase is
intended to develop the integration method. Every task has been given a number based on
the phase and order. The process steps will be discussed in the upcoming sections.

2.2. Research Design

The beginning of this research is focussed on the first research question (Q1) “Which BIM-
compatible and BIM-supporting approaches/tools are available for structural analysis?”.
Several articles have been read to find out what has been done on this topic. An overview of
the information about this topic is presented in a literature review (0.2) in section 3. This
information is useful for the research because it provides insight into the possibilities and
potential trajectories. The literature review will focus on (1) the existing solutions for the
integration of structural analysis in the BIM process, and (2) how these new solutions affect
the workflow of the stakeholders involved in a project. The findings of the literature review
will be integrated with the answers to Q2 and Q3, to identify a potential solution that fits the
workflow of the client’s company.
Thereafter, the research questions (Q2) “What is the current scope of BIM application at the
company?” and (Q3) “Which method is the client currently using for the structural analysis?”
will be answered. Both questions will help defining the source of the problem and will help
identifying what possibilities for the integration of structural analysis in BIM fit the workflow
of the client. To get answers to these questions, interviews (1.1) are held with employees
working with BIM and structural engineering. The interviews are presented in section 4.1.
The client is mainly working with Autodesk Revit which is BIM-supporting software that
includes features for architectural design, MEP3, structural engineering and construction. It is
crucial to develop some basic understanding of the features and possibilities of Revit before
next step of the research can be taken. Therefore, I must become familiar with Revit (2.2).
Working with online tutorials will help attain knowledge and skills of Revit. Another software
program I must become familiar with is Dynamo [7]. Dynamo is a visual programming
environment that works with Revit. It can be used for manipulating data, generating
geometry, automating processes, and connecting applications. Dynamo could be the tool that
can be used to create a new medium where the information flow between the architect and
the engineer can be improved by programming. In this research, Dynamo can be used to
transfer data between different applications like Revit and Excel.

3 MEP = Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing

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Figure 1. Research Phasing

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After finishing the preparation phase, with all background information and skills prepared, the
research will continue with the production phase. Based on the findings of the literature
review and the interviews, a method for integrating the structural analysis in BIM (3.1) will be
designed. The design needs to fit the workflow of the client and help solving the missing
integration of structural analysis in BIM.

2.3. Verification & Validation

When succeeded with phase 3, the method has to be verified and validated (4.1 – 4.2). The
tool will be reviewed and verified based on the proper functioning of the system. The system
is working properly if the tool is exchanging the data between the different software programs
correctly. This will be verified by checking if the data that has been transferred corresponds
to the data that would normally be present in the old workflow.
The validation will be based on the ability of the tool to meet its core objectives. A few criteria
the tool will be evaluated on:
- Transferability: the tool should be able to transfer data from one software program to
another without any errors or data loss. Without this criterion the tool would be
useless to adopt to because it does not function properly.
- Usability: the tool should be easy to use. If there are many actions required from the
user, or the tool is too difficult to understand and will be prone to errors made by the
user.
- Time efficiency: the tool should not be slower compared to the old process. If the tool
takes a lot of time, the whole project process will be slowed down.
- Applicability: it is preferred to use the tool in any case possible. If the tool can be used
in complex projects, it will score high on this criterion.

2.4. Research Design – Finalizing

Depending on the review of the newly designed tool, a recommendation (5.1) will be provided
for a practical solution for the client to adapt their workflow towards a more integrative
structural design that can ensure improvements in efficiency of the design.
This recommendation will be followed by a guideline for the client on how to implement this
solution (5.2). The last phase is meant for documenting (6.1) all finding, results and advises
into a report.

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3. LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter contains a literature review of articles relevant to the subject of this thesis. There
are a few topics that need to be investigated to provide background knowledge on the subject.
The first topic is the current situation of the processes involved in a building project. This
information serves as background information for the interviews in section 4. The following
topic is BIM. What are the advantages and are there disadvantages or issues? What are the
latest developments in BIM and how will BIM develop in the future? The other topic is
structural analysis. To what extend is it used in BIM? What are the bottlenecks when applying
structural analysis? And (Q1) which BIM-compatible and BIM-supporting approaches/tools
are available for structural analysis?

3.1. Design Process

Because both processes are part of the whole design process of a building project, it is
important to know the phases of a design process. The initial phase of a building project is the
(1) sketch design which contains the wishes of the client, a program of requirements, the
environmental situation, and the opportunities and limitations. Next the (2) preliminary
design is elaborated. This is the first spatial and aesthetic design of a project to be represented
to the client. Using 3D visualisations, the design can be clarified to the client who can give
feedback or make additional wishes. In this phase there is still opportunity to make changes.
After this opportunity the next phase is the (3) final design. In this phase the spatial relations,
the appearance, the main dimensions and the materials are established. This design is
technically elaborated in the (4) technical design phase. This phase contains the elaboration
of material connections, the foundation, and a beam plan. Furthermore, the principle details
are drawn. A principle drawing describes the way something (i.e. roof and frame connections)
works or is put together (e.g., detailed drawing). The final phase is the (5) working drawings
(e.g., fabrication/shop drawings) which contains the final dimensions and the structural
information. This phase is followed by the execution. [8]

3.2. Application of BIM

Predominantly architects are using BIM, which can also be confirmed by the fact that one of
the major application areas of BIM is the conceptual design support, which has been
concluded out of a survey [9]. The same survey also showed that BIM users believed that BIM
had a positive impact on the productivity of the company and improved the project outcomes,
for example the reduction of requests for information (RFIs). Because RFIs are time
consuming, the fewer RFIs the better the performance of a company will be. A few years ago,
Azhar [4] stated that BIM had a lot of potential to develop in different fields.
BIM is considered to be a process and not just software. It can be described as a virtual process
that includes all aspects, disciplines, and systems of a facility within a sole, virtual model that
allows all project stakeholders to collaborate more exactly and efficiently compared to
conventional methods. The main purposes of BIM are: the visualisation of a model, which
gives insight in what will be realised; a quick production of shop or fabrication drawings; an
easier fashion to verify codes and standards; an accurate cost estimation; construction
sequencing; conflict, interference and collision detection; forensic analysis; and facility
management [4]. The article of Kreider et al. [10] supports this.

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3.3. Interoperability
Besides these advantages of BIM, there are still some issues present. Among others,
interoperability is one of the greatest risks involved in the application of BIM. Because most
structural analysis software based on FEM already existed before BIM, there are no proper
standards for sharing information between these programs [11]. Interoperability is highly
important for the performance of BIM. Therefore, the lack of interoperability is causing
problems for companies which are working with different tools and programmes. The
integration via open standards is critical in providing the information exchange throughout
the project lifecycle [12]. Currently, two formats are being used for the integration of BIM
models: Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and green building Extensible Markup Language
(gbXML). IFC describes geometry information, material properties and the relationships in a
BIM model [13]. The gbXML schema facilitates the exchange of data between BIM models and
Building Performance Simulations (BPS) tools [14]. Although, both formats are widely
accepted by the AEC industry, its adoption does not ensure a data exchange without
problems. The IFC schema does not capture the ways information is created and shared by
practitioners [15]. And, gbXML is limited to simple design solutions because it lacks the ability
to read complex geometries [16]. The client is working with the IFC scheme and is likely to
have the same problems described. In the research the lack of interoperability between
programmes and tools that the client is using will be tried to solve with the use of Dynamo.
Usually, current issues on the development of structural design involve (1) the lack of
flexibility, (2) dull or time-consuming labour works, and (3) communication gaps with different
design aspects. (4) The space for discovering new and improved design solutions at early stage
has been limited. Also, (5) the lack of unified data sources within the architectural and
structural models are making it hard to covert data between the two models. The last issue
can be described by the terms ‘Lack of Interoperability’ [17].
BIM-enabled structural analysis is solving the lack of interoperability that is present between
architectural and structural concerns. By its nature, most structural design elements are
already present in a BIM model [17]. Which means they might only need minor adjustments
to make BIM-enabled structural analysis possible. For example, the architect (and/or BIM
modeller) could consider more factors other than geometrical properties during the
architectural modelling process.
Implementing structural analysis in BIM has several advantages, such as not only considering
the structural criteria, but becoming more conscious about the usability (e.g., safety,
functionality) of the building as well. Another advantage is that higher level of communication
between the stakeholders can result in better and more complex design solutions. Besides,
with structural analysis in BIM it is possible to adjust throughout the design process and
visualise the effects of different design options through analysis. On the other hand, there are
a few issues that come along with BIM. An important issue is the loss of information during
data exchange processes. In the future, BIM-enabled structural analysis will become more
popular and the advantages are expected to become even bigger, which will result in more
functional, sustainable and safer buildings. [17]

There are several approaches possible that support structural analysis based on BIM. The
approaches differ on the level of integration of BIM. With the use of literature, two
approaches are explained and reviewed. The next paragraphs are dedicated to these
approaches.

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3.4. IFC
An approach that is more collaborating with BIM is extracting and translating (Figure 2)
information from the BIM model with the use of IFC. The structural information present in the
BIM model can be stored in an IFC file, which can be imported by different structural analysis
software programs. However, IFC comes with several difficulties. Three main difficulties of IFC
will be discussed.

Figure 2. Conversion of BIM model [18]

Figure 3. Wrong alignment [19]

(1) When designing the 3D model in Revit, the BIM modeller is not connecting the structural
columns and beams properly. This results in a structural model where nodes are not
connected the way they should be to carry out a proper structural analysis (Figure 3). This
issue is also noticed in the article of Zotkin et al. [11], where they describe it as the
inconsistencies in the vertices of elements. The coordinates of the nodes need to be aligned
manually in the right node that bears the load. This is additional work that should be avoided.
The paper of Ramaji et al. [19] discusses the development of a mechanism for the
transformation of IFC building information models in the Coordination View to their
equivalent structural models in IFC Structural Analysis View4 (SAV). The model automates the
transformation, modification, and additional operations that are necessary during the
exchange of information between the different software programs. The paper describes how
the nodes that are not aligned properly are merged to one point.
(2) Another difficulty of exchanging data with IFC is the fact that software programs
implement the information in the IFC file in different ways which leads to inaccuracy. A tool
has been designed to solve this issue [18]. It uses algorithms that overcome the differences in
the representation syntax and grammar of different structural analysis software. MVDs
defined by BuildingSMART are good solutions for the exchange of information. However, the
IFC SAV has not been updated since 2007. Instead, they have developed IFC4 Design Transfer

4The IFC Structural Analysis View is a Model View Definition (MVD) defined by BuildingSMART [19]. MVD defines
a subset of IFC schema, which are required to satisfy exchange requirements. SAV therefore covers the exchange
requirements to send the structural analysis model, created in a structural design program, to a structural
analysis tool.

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View (DTV) which has been released in 2015. IFC4 DTV basically covers the IFC SAV. However,
IFC4 DTV has one disadvantage.
(3) The receiver of the IFC file is able to suggest/demand changes, and changes may be made
to the model directly. But, bidirectional exchange of information (i.e. making changes and
send the full model back to continue) is out of reach. This is fine for data exchange processes
that are linear. When one process is over, the other one can start. However, the data exchange
between the architect, BIM modeller and the engineer involves a iterative process where
readjustments are being made during the design process. Therefore, having to make
suggestions/demands to make changes takes more time compared to having a bidirectional
exchange of information. BuildingSMART suggests using their Open BIM Collaboration Format
(BCF) to support solving this issue [20]. BCF gives structure to the way suggestions or demands
are being written down. The format offers the possibility to add remarks, screenshots etc., on
top of the IFC model layer. It separates the communication from the model which improves
the coordination between parties [21]. It is a format that allows the addition of textual
comments, screenshots and more on top of the IFC model layer for an improved
communication Despite the development of IFC and the number of tools that provide IFC
import and export, IFC is still used to a limited extend in the construction industry due to the
various challenges which the industry faces. [22]

3.5. Robot
Besides working with different software programs, it is also possible to integrate the structural
analysis within Revit with the use of the Structural Analysis Toolkit. The toolkit supports the
BIM process and allows structural engineers to analyse and check the structure within the
Revit environment. The analytical model created in Revit can be extended to Autodesk®
Robot™ Structural Analysis Professional (Robot). The tool has a bidirectional link between
Revit and Robot and is able to; transfer a structural model from Revit to Robot and vice versa,
update a structural model in one program after making readjustments in the other program,
and transfer results of a static analysis and required reinforcement calculated in Robot to the
Revit model [23]. This approach holds the same difficulty as IFC, namely the wrong alignment
of structural elements (difficulty 1). To use the integration with Robot, this issue needs to be
solved.

3.6. Comparison IFC and Robot

In a Master Thesis [24], several structural-BIM tools have been evaluated. The authors
concluded that the direct link between Revit and Robot showed the best results. However,
they did not recommend it because the structural engineer is limited to only one software
application. Instead, they suggested integrating IFC Structural Analysis View. This enables the
use of different FEM software applications. Back then, they have not been able to evaluate
this since the software they used did not support IFC Structural Analysis View yet. Since none
of the solutions come without flaws, the thesis reflects that there has not been a perfect
solution for solving the interoperability issues between the different disciplines yet. The
above-mentioned articles describe the fact that adopting to a BIM-based structural analysis
comes with some challenges which results in companies not adopting to new technologies.
Both the IFC and Robot approach require a revision on how to work with the structural model
in Revit.

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4. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORKFLOW
In this chapter the interview questions and its results will be presented. Along with the
literature review, the interviews frame the prior knowledge of this subject. Based on the
interviews, the current workflow is elucidated and visualised with the use of a diagram.
Besides, the interview can be seen as an introduction of my research to the employees that
are involved and to make sure that they are aware of what my research entails. Therefore, the
employees are able to help me with follow-up questions during my time at the company.

4.1. Interviews
To answer the second and third research question, (Q2) “What is the current scope of BIM
application at the company?” and (Q3) “Which method is the client currently using for the
structural analysis?”, a BIM modeller and a structural engineer working at the company have
been interviewed. The BIM modeller is responsible for creating and maintaining the BIM
model. I have asked the BIM modeller a set of questions that can be found in Table 1. The
questions are related to the process of his work and the purpose is to find out if he is noticing
any difficulties in their work and establish the communication issues that arise with the
structural engineering part of BIM. The structural engineer is carrying out the structural
analysis of building projects. The questions for the structural engineer can be found in Table
2. The main purpose of the interview is the same as the interview with the BIM modeller and
is focussed on discovering the current challenges that are present. Another purpose of the
interviews is to start a conversation amongst the employees and to discuss future possibilities.
During the interviews, I took notes to document the interview. In the next section, the results
of the interview with the BIM modeller will be presented in the next subsection followed by
the structural engineer in the subsequent subsection.

Table 1. Interview format BIM modeller

Question Relevance of question

What is your profession? And how Before going in depth, it should be clear what the employees’
would you describe it? contribution to the company is.
What is the input, the process and Sketching a clear information flow of all the information that
the output? is input and the information that is produced along with the
conversion of this information. (Q3)
How goes the communication To find out whether internal communication could be an
between you and the structural issue.
engineer/BIM modeller?
With which other stakeholders do To find out whether external communication could be an
you have contact, and how? issue.
Where are the difficulties? What Trying to find out if the employee is aware of difficulties
is error-prone? What issues do mentioned in literature or if the employee has other
occur? difficulties that are not mentioned yet.
What information is present in the Finding out what the scope of BIM is. (Q2)
BIM models you are creating?
In what Level of Detail are you Creating background knowledge on to what extend they use
working? BIM. The higher this level the more information the BIM
model contains. This indicates how much space there is to
improve. (Q2)

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Table 2. Interview format Engineer

Question Relevance of question

What is your profession? And how Before going in depth, it should be clear what the
would you describe it? employees’ contribution to the company is.
What is the input, the process and Sketching a clear information flow of all the information
the output? that is input and the information that is produced along
with the conversion of this information. (Q3)
How goes the communication To find out whether internal communication could be an
between you and the structural issue.
engineer/BIM modeller?
With which other stakeholders do To find out whether external communication could be an
you have contact, and how? issue.
Where are the difficulties? What is Trying to find out if the employee is aware of difficulties
error-prone? What issues do occur? mentioned in literature or if the employee has other
difficulties that are not mentioned yet.
To what extend are you involved in Finding out if he is working with BIM, how much
BIM? knowledge he has of BIM.

Results Interview BIM modeller

The process of the BIM modeller starts with the receipt of a grid plan derived from an
architect. Additionally, he receives the principle details from an architectural office. Initially,
the BIM modeller designs a model based on a ‘closed box’ concept. This concept contains the
spatial objects in terms of spaces or volumes (i.e., there are just walls and no cut-outs). The
contractor is appointed to design the shell of the building, which holds the location of the
windows and doors. Afterwards, the BIM modeller will receive back the model with the
additions of the contractor. The additions need to be checked on feasibility by the BIM
modeller. After the technical design, the installer has some MEP additions to the project as
well. Frequently, these adoptions are too late, which means that readjustments need to be
done. Readjustments might also influence the structural analysis which might require
recalculation. This will result in a lower operational efficiency. After the readjustments, the
BIM modeller will design the working drawing. To find out to what extent the client is working
in BIM, I have asked the BIM modeller in what Level of Detail (LOD) he is working in BIM. The
LOD describes a state of development or detail the BIM model is in. LOD is used in agreements
between different project stakeholders to determine the accuracy of the model in a certain
time frame. The BIM modeller at the company is working between LOD 300 and LOD 400,
which means that the objects are materialized and exact in terms of dimensions, shape,
location, orientation and quantities. Besides, the objects contain additional information
concerning the detailing, the manufacturing of components in factories, and the assembly of
components on site [25].
Clearly, communication plays an important role in the BIM process. The BIM modeller
mentions that the communication inside the company is quite solid. When attaining a new
project, the BIM modeller and the engineer discuss the nature of the project and what they
can expect. Problems start to appear when working with other stakeholders outside the
company. As a BIM modeller there is a lot of communication with contractors and architects.
Mainly, communication is face to face (desirable), although occasionally by phone. Since more
and more information is communicated through BIM, the lack of face to face communication
between different parties has become a product of the BIM paradigm. Changes within the

16
project are not passed on properly. The BIM modeller emphasises the lack of proper
communication and deliberation that comes along with it.

Results Interview Engineer

As an engineer he is calculating, and designing steel, concrete, or wood constructions for
projects, varying from bigger projects like the construction of the city hall of Hengelo, to
projects like the installation of a dormer. The engineer is especially involved in a lot of smaller
projects. This makes him less involved in the BIM workflow, because BIM is mainly used in
bigger projects. The use of BIM in smaller projects does not really show improvements on
efficiency which makes using BIM redundant. Just like the BIM modeller, the first information
the engineer receives, originates from the architect of the project. From these sketches he
makes the first calculations for the construction. For this he uses several tools depending on
what to be calculated. Excel is used for quick calculations, Technosoft’s calculation software
is used to calculate 2D structures (portals and trusses), and for 3D structures he uses AxisVM.
AxisVM is a calculation tool based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). For example, AxisVM
can provide a floor plan containing an approximation of the deflection of the floor using a heat
map. AxisVM and Technosoft are both BIM compatible, which means that information
between these programs can be imported and exported to BIM models with the use of IFC. In
this phase, the reinforcement is not included yet. The output of the engineer consists of an
advice to the client of the project. The advice contains the dimensioning of the construction.
This information will be returned to the architect or the contractor for further adjustments.
The process of the structural analysis is an iterative process depending on the phase of the
design process. Every phase, the dimensioning of the structure will become more detailed.
The final detail to be included is the reinforcement.
The engineer also stresses the importance of communication between different parties. He
points out the difficulty of responsibility for some tasks. Besides he mentions another
problem. Not all stakeholders involved in the project are involved in BIM. Take for example
MEP installers. In all probability, they know what BIM is, nonetheless not everyone feels the
need to adopt to it. Because the MEP installers continue working with conventional methods
interoperability issues start to appear (also see chapter 3. Literature Review). Another
interoperability issue mentioned by the engineer is the problems that arise with prefab(-
ricated) products. These drawings are 2D, and therefore not (directly) compatible with BIM.

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Conclusion Interviews
Concluding from both interviews, communication is very important. There is a lot of
information going back and forth between stakeholders. It is especially difficult to work with
stakeholders outside the company. Inside the company there is the lack of smooth
interoperability between the different methods of the BIM modeller and the structural
engineer. Considering the research questions (Q2) “What is the current scope of BIM
application at the company?”, the client is already working on a detailed level in BIM
(LOD300+), although the current situation does not involve any sort of structural information
in BIM except for material characteristics and the analytical lines (Figure 2, p. 13, Structural
Model). For example, how beams are connected to each other (e.g., clamping, hinge) is not
included in the model, as well as forces that occur on the building. This information which is
necessary for the structural analysis is generated in different software programs. This brings
us to the third research question (Q3) “Which method is the client currently using for the
structural analysis?”. Currently, the client is using mainly calculation software from
Technosoft. The software requires a manual drawing/input of the structural model which is a
time-consuming process.
With the aid the background knowledge about the design process described in the literature
review, and the results from the interviews, the workflow is visualised with the use of an
IDEF05 box diagram (Figure 4). In this workflow there are several flows (dotted lines) that
represent feedback to an earlier stage which requires modifications. Now these stages are
rather separated, and all have their own way of working. Feedback to an earlier stage results
in rework. What would be more efficient is a workflow where the feedback automatically
updates the state of an earlier stage without making manual adjustments.

Figure 4. IDEF0 workflow

5 IDEF0 (Integration DEFinition) is a method to create a diagram that describes a business process.

18
Figure 5 represents an IDEF0 workflow that would be the ideal situation. The different stages
of a building projects are all connected to each other. Information can be easily be exchanged
in both directions. This is not the case in the current workflow. As described in the interview
with the engineer, his work entails an iterative process where changes are being made during
the project. Because the lack of interoperability, iterations can result in a lot of time
consuming and tedious work. In this research, a concept has been created that aims to
improve the process of revisions by creating a new format to store data. In next section the
concept will be explained.

Figure 5. IDEF0 ideal workflow

4.2. System Requirements

The current situation needs to improve to transit to the new workflow (Figure 5) and that
requires a middleware that: (1) can be used without opening the BIM model. Because the BIM
model contains more information than necessary for this specific task, it takes more time to
open the model. Therefore, using a more defined medium to modify data is more time
efficient; (2) presents the data in a spreadsheet which makes it easy to create filters with
software (e.g. Excel). The ability of creating filters makes it possible to select and modify a
specific element based on its characteristic (e.g., Column Location, Level, Family (Type) or
Material); (3) presents a clear overview of the elements used in the construction of the
project. In the following section, the concept of the middleware will be presented.

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5. CONCEPT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
This chapter introduces a concept that tries to solve the lack of interoperability between
different software programs in a building process. In the first subsection the concept will be
explained in detail. In the following subsections the concept has been created with the use of
specific software. However, the concept is not restricted to the software used in this study
and can be achieved with other software as well.

5.1. Proposed Method

In this concept, the necessary information for structural analysis is automatically extracted
from the BIM model and structured in such a way that it can be easily used by structural
analysis software. Additionally, the proposed method would allow the engineer to update the
model based on the required changes in a semi-automated way. The general process of the
concept is presented in Figure 6 where the two grey blocks represent the two different layers
of development that are involved in this concept. The left layer represents (1) the
interoperability with structural analysis software and the right layer (2) the modification of
elements inside the BIM model. Both layers will be explained in the following subsections.

Figure 6. General Concept Structural Analysis Process

The first step of the concept entails the extraction of data from the BIM model (Figure 6).
More specifically, only structural elements need to be extracted from the BIM model. The next
step is to gather the information of characteristics that are relevant for the structural analysis,
for example; Level, Family, Type and Material. Some characteristics are extracted only to
provide insight on what element it refers to (e.g., Column Location Mark and Level). Other
characteristics are extracted to be modified. Multiple spreadsheets are created that contain
specifically this information.

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The next part of the concept involves a structural analysis (Figure 7). Part of the structural
analysis is the analysis on the beam grid. Instead of drawing a 2D representation of the beam
grid, it can be extracted from the BIM model which already contains the dimensions of the
beam grid. The concept creates nodes and beams which connect to the nodes. With this
information, a structural analysis can be carried out.

Figure 7. Flowchart Structural Analysis Figure 8. Flowchart Modication BIM Elements

Based on the structural analysis, some structural elements might not comply to safety
requirements or are not optimized yet. To meet these requirements and optimize the
structure, elements need modification (Figure 8). The spreadsheet created by this concept
provides a clear overview of all structural elements and makes it easier to find specific
elements in the BIM model without opening the BIM model. The modifications can in the end
of the process be imported back to the BIM model. This has the advantage that engineers can
make modifications without having to make requests for adjustment to the BIM modeller.

The tool involves two layers of development that are combined into one file containing several
spreadsheets. The first layer is presented in the next subsection which involves (1) the
extraction of information from the BIM model to be used in calculation software for structural
analysis. Consequently, the second layer is described which involves (2) the modification of
elements in BIM within a spreadsheet.

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5.2. Interoperability with Structural Analysis Software
Throughout this research I found that the exchange of information between the different
disciplines in a building project can be improved. Engineers are creating new models from
already existing models that are more filtered down than the original model, so it only
contains the information they need to make calculations. Even though there are possibilities
of extracting specific data from the original model, these possibilities are not used and
sometimes not known.

In deliberation with the structural engineer at the company, another process has been created
that fits the concept described in previous paragraph. The process entails the extraction of
specific data from a BIM model to the data that is required for the structural analysis. The
structural engineer is using Technosoft to specify and calculate the foundation of a building
project. Therefore, in this research, Technosoft has been analysed to develop a tool. However,
any calculation software that is accommodated with the ability of importing spreadsheets can
be used. As for Technosoft, the software requires the x and y coordinates of nodes (i.e., joints)
in a beam grid and are stored into a spreadsheet. Since the geometry of the beam grid already
exists in the BIM model, this data can be extracted and manipulated with a Dynamo script.

Figure 9. Dynamo Script: creating nodes

Figure 10. Dynamo Script: sorting nodes

Dynamo reads the start and end coordinates of all beams present in the grid. Because one
coordinate can be both a start and end coordinate, all possible coordinates are reduced to
only the unique coordinates, which results in the nodes. Figure 9 shows how Dynamo is able
to create the nodes. In Figure 10 the nodes are being sorted by their x and y coordinate which
results in a list of nodes numbered bottom-up, left to right. Next the Dynamo script will
translate the x and y coordinates of the start and end coordinates of a beam into the
corresponding node number. This results in a list beams containing two values that refer to

22
the two nodes it is connected to (Figure 11). The list of nodes containing the coordinates and
the list of beams containing the node numbers can be copy pasted into Technosoft which will
automatically draw the structure of the beam grid.

Figure 11. List of Beams

Currently, the engineer is redrawing the grid in Technosoft manually. With this tool it is
possible to use the spreadsheets to import the beam structure. This will save time, especially
when the project contains a lot of elements.

5.3. Modification in Spreadsheet

During the design phase of a project modifications in the structure of the building are likely to
occur. Modifications made during the process result in rework and take up more time than
necessary. Too reduce this amount of time, a concept has been created. In this research the
concept is realized with Dynamo, collaborating with Revit and Excel. The visual script created
in Dynamo is able to read information of the structural elements present in the BIM model
and stores its relevant information in a spreadsheet (in this case Excel). Figure 12 shows how
the parameters from each element is derived.

Figure 12. Selecting the Parameters to Export

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When all modifications are finished, the data in the spreadsheet can be imported to the BIM
model. All modifications that have been made in the spreadsheet will then be applied. An
example of an adjustment could be changing all columns on the top floor in grid A to columns
with a smaller thickness. Figure 13 presents on the top left corner the row of columns that
needs adjustment. The top right corner shows that these columns have a thickness of 450mm
in the BIM model. By changing this value to another possible value (e.g., 300mm) in Excel
(bottom left corner) and running the Dynamo script, the bottom right corner shows that the
columns have been adjusted to 300mm in the BIM model.

Figure 13. Adjustment of specified Revit elements with the use of Excel

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6. VERIFICATION & VALIDATION
To verify if the developed concept is working consistently and properly, the concept has been
tested on other BIM models than the initial model that has been used to develop the concept.
The BIM models are originated from the client. The projects consist of steel and concrete
constructions or a combination of both. The concept should provide the same format of data
as the initial model to verify its compatibility. Thereafter, the tools are validated. Due to the
short amount of time, the validation of the tools is based on a discussion that took place in a
workshop I provided for the employees. In this workshop the tool has been presented and
explained to the employees involved with the BIM process. Afterwards the employees have
been asked to take part in a survey to provide their own feedback on the developed concept.

6.1. Verification Concept

An important part of the tool is extracting the right data from the BIM model. Therefore, the
script uses parameter names that are used in Revit. It is important that the names of the
parameters are consistent in all projects. If not, the parameter names should be changed
manually. Otherwise warnings will show up and the tool will fail to execute. Therefore, it is
required to use the same parameter names throughout all projects to prevent necessary
adjustments to the script. Considering that the parameter names are consistent, the tool
provides the results that it is intended to provide.
The first BIM model is a concrete building. Within this project there are no structural columns
nor structural framing elements present which results in the Dynamo script not being able the
read the data that it wants to read. However, the interoperability process is generating
coordinates for the nodes and some beams that connect the nodes.
The second BIM model tested is a combination of steel and concrete. The extraction of the
structural columns has been executed, however with a minor bug caused by the difference in
the naming of the ‘Column Location Mark’ parameter (CLM). The left row of Table 3 shows
the format of the parameter that has been present in the initial model, the right row shows
the second BIM model. The Dynamo script splits the cell based on a dash. Because the CLM of
the second BIM model has two dashes (and sometimes even three) it causes disruption in the
spreadsheet created. The numbers between parentheses describe the distance from the
nearest grid line. These are not relevant for the use of this concept. To solve this issue the
Dynamo script needs to be adjusted.

Table 3. Different Column Location Mark formats

Ideal Column Location Mark Format Disruptive Column Location Mark Format
Column Location Mark : A-1 Column Location Mark : -2-C'
Column Location Mark : B-1 Column Location Mark : -1-C'
Column Location Mark : C-1 Column Location Mark : C'-1(-440)
Column Location Mark : D-1 Column Location Mark : E(1374)-1(-440)
Column Location Mark : E-1 Column Location Mark : E-1(-440)
Column Location Mark : F-1 Column Location Mark : F-1(-440)
Column Location Mark : G-1 Column Location Mark : -1-F

25
As for the structural framing, the Dynamo script was not able to find this in the model. This is
not a problem in the script but an issue that is due because of different naming. Instead of
using ‘Structural Framing’, ‘Structural Framing (Girder) is used in the BIM model. This issue
does not occur when generating the nodes and the beam grid. These have been formatted
reasonably well. However, because the second BIM model contains more levels, the beams
have overlap which causes ambiguity in the structural analysis software. This is something that
needs investigating. (See Figure 16 in Appendix III)
The third BIM model is construction which only contains steel and is a relatively simplistic
construction. Again, CLM has not been transferred correctly and because of multiple levels
the beams have overlap in the structural analysis software. It also appears that some beams
are not connected to the nodes correctly. This could be solved by changing the level of
accuracy in Dynamo. Nevertheless, this model has been able to extract most of the data
correctly.
The fourth BIM model has a construction that is mainly concrete. Unfortunately, the same
issue as the first BIM model occurs which is due to a different type of creating the BIM model.

6.2. Validation Concept

Due to the fact that the model is not yet ready to be used in the daily process of the client,
and the lack of time to finish the model of this concept, the validation of the model is based
on a workshop I gave at the company with employees that were interested and had time to
join. In this workshop I explained them how the concept works and how to use it. During the
workshop they were able to ask question, give feedback or start a discussion. Based on the
workshop I created an online survey. The survey addressed the concept and the employees
were asked to provide a score to each criterion mentioned in subsection 2.3. Since the
transferability and the applicability are not something that the employees have been able to
assess, they have been asked to provide feedback on the usability and the time efficiency of
the model and to rate (1-5) these criteria compared to the current process of the client. The
feedback is therefore based on the knowledge of the employees that they have gained
throughout my time at the company and the workshop I gave.

Transferability
As noted from the verification of the model, there are some matters with the transferability
of the current state of the model. Because of different parameter names used in projects, the
model is not able to read the right information. The model should be changed to solve this
issue. This however, is not a failure of the model, but something that needs to be kept in mind.

Usability
Resulting from the surveys, the average score for Usability is 3, which means that the current
state of the model is not considered to be an improvement compared to the current approach
of the client. One of the employees mentions that the model requires specific knowledge on
how to use it properly. I can relate to his opinion and think that the execution of the concept
could be further improved to make it a more user-friendly experience. Besides he mentions
that the issue with the analytical lines is still present (see subsection 3.4, page 13). This
problem appears in other trajectories for structural analysis too and can be considered as
something that is outside the scope of this research. Another employee emphasizes the clarity
of the produced spreadsheet by the model and finds the way that data is stored practical for

26
using in combination with Technosoft or any other software that uses this input for structural
analysis.

Time efficiency
As for the time efficiency of the model, the employees also came to the average score of 3,
whereas the two tools involved are both ranked differently. The employees mentioned that
adjusting of structural elements within spreadsheets could save them a lot of time. However,
the process of the integration with structural analysis software is not considered to achieve
an improvement on time efficiency.

Applicability
The model does not make a difference in the type of structure that is used, both steel and
concrete structures are tested, and the model should be able to produce the right results if
the ‘structural columns’ are being used in the BIM model which was not the case with the
verification models. The model would be perfectly suitable for simplistic structures, rather a
box designed building which consists of a beam grid with a flat surface.

Concluding from the workshop and the surveys, the current state of the concept does not
show big improvements yet compared to the current situation at the company. However, the
employees were impressed by what has been achieved in a little amount of time. And they
were positive about the potential it could have. With more time available the concept could
be further improved and would have more potential for a bigger impact.

27
7. DISCUSSION
This section contains a critical analysis of the results established in the previous sections.
Limitations and remarkable results are indicated and explained.
During the research I have gained the knowledge that it should be possible to export the beam
grid from the Revit file into a DXF-file. The Technosoft software is able to import this DXF-file.
This process could be more integrated than running Dynamo but requires knowledge on how
to export and import the right information with the right settings. The engineer is not familiar
with this process. However, the BIM modeller might be, which makes it interesting to have
conversations about this and to develop agreements on how to implement this way of sharing
information.
The verification of the model brought a few issues to light. The first issue (1) appeared in the
Column Location Mark (CLM) of structural columns. Because some columns are not located
on the grid lines that have been created in the BIM model, an additional number is added to
the name of the CLM. This causes the columns (of the spreadsheet) to move to the right. This
however is not a huge issue and can be ignored. The downside of this issue is that the data
inside the format cannot be sorted on grid lines correctly and the first row (of the spreadsheet)
is not matching with the data it contains and needs to be adjusted. A solution for this would
be changing the Dynamo script so it generates the correct data in each column.
The other issue that appeared is (2) the overlap of beams in the beam grid. Because of multiple
levels in a project and the structural analysis software being two dimensional, it results in
having multiple beams between two nodes. A way to solve this would be adding a specific
level as a constraint, so only elements on that level are gathered. Another option would be
deleting the beams manually in the structural analysis software. This would take more time
but might still be faster than drawing the whole beam grid manually.
Concluding from the used BIM models, the tool that has been designed has a few remarks.
The tool gave proper results with steel structures. Yet, the tool has been created with the use
of a sample file that contained a concrete structure. Apparently, the BIM models provided by
the client did not contain any concrete columns or beams, but only concrete walls and floors.
Therefore, those BIM models are not suitable to be used with this tool. Yet, the tool should
be able to provide the right data for both concrete and steel structures.
A vital note to the tool is the importance of using the same parameter name throughout all
projects. A different parameter name results in the tool not being able to extract the right
data.
One of the employees emphasises the interesting prospect to the future of the integration of
structural analysis in BIM and mentions that both the BIM model and structural analysis are
being improved step-by-step during the design phase of a building project. To what extend
calculations will have to be redone becomes more relevant. Ideally, you would want to apply
round-trip engineering, which is the synchronizations of different related software
applications [26]. For example, changes made in the BIM model will also automatically change
the structural model in Technosoft. This round-trip process is present in the connection
between Revit and Robot.

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8. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
This research has primarily investigated the current situation of structural analysis in BIM
within the company and in the AEC industry. Thereafter it has focused on the more BIM
enabled approaches that are also possible to adopt to. Besides, a new concept has been
introduced which focusses on creating a middleware which allows BIM software and structural
analysis software to collaborate and to make modifications outside of BIM. Considering the
literature review, the interviews with employees and the design of a new concept, this
research has established some results that are summarized in this section. To support this, the
research questions are answered.

Main Question: “Which technique can be adopted by the client for the better integration of
structural analysis in their BIM process and workflow and how can this be integrated?”
Q1. Which BIM-compatible and BIM-supporting approaches/tools are available for
structural analysis?
Q2. What is the current scope of BIM application at the company?
Q3. Which method is the client currently using for the structural analysis?
Q4. Which approach/tool better fits the BIM workflow of the company?
Q5. How can the company best adopt the identified approach/tool?

Starting with the Q1, in this research there are two approaches analysed with the use of
literature. IFC is a file format that can be used to store specific information of a BIM model for
different purposes (e.g. structural information). Many programs used in the AEC industry are
able to work with IFC. However, IFC for structural engineering purposes is not as well
developed as for MEP purposes for example. Another approach which integrates structural
analysis with the BIM process is Robot for Revit. Robot is able to make a bidirectional link with
the analytical model present in Revit. When in either of the two software programs changes
are made, changes will be updated in both programs. However, the bidirectional link is limited
to only one structural analysis software which is Robot. Both IFC and Robot require the BIM
model to have a properly aligned analytical model. Which usually is not the case.
The current scope of BIM application at the company (Q2/Q3) has been analysed by interviews
and observations. The client is working with different software programs for different
purposes. The BIM modeller is mainly working with Revit and keeps the BIM model updated
based on the input of other stakeholders. The structural engineer is not familiar with BIM at
all. The engineer is used to working in different software programs. For example, Technosoft
Raamwerk/Balkrooster and AxisVM is used for the structural analysis of the building. The
information generated with this software is not included in the BIM model and is only present
in separate files. With this approach comes a fair amount of rework, like redrawing the beam
grid of a building. However, the dimensions of the beam grid are already present in the BIM
model.
The concept that has been created (Q4) to solve this issue has been presented in the report.
The verification and validation of the designed prototype of the concept shows that the model
has potential but needs modifications to make the concept properly fit with the workflow of
the client. Nevertheless, the designed model represents the potentials of this concept. It
demonstrates how data can be derived and translated to different formats, so it can be used
to achieve a more efficient data exchange between the architectural and structural design of
building projects. The middleware offers interoperability between the two disciplines and the
ability to choose any structural analysis software.

29
Adopting to Robot might also be interesting for the client. However, it is questionable what
the consequences will be and if carrying out one structural analysis meets the requirements
for the building projects the company is involved in. The use of Robot (and the other
approaches) would require the BIM model to have proper alignment of the analytical lines in
Revit. This is something that needs to be considered at earlier stages of the design process.
Besides, using Robot would entail a totally different approach than the current one. The best
way to adopt to Robot (Q5) would be starting to develop rules and guidelines for the
architects/BIM modellers how to use the analytical model in Revit so time can be saved in a
future stadium.

This research has showed the opportunities that are possible with the extraction of data from
a BIM model and make it suitable for any structural analysis software. It shows how much can
be achieved in a little amount of time and what could be a possible trajectory besides using
the traditional ways of structural analysis in BIM. With further improvement on the execution
of this concept it could be a good solution for solving the interoperability issues that currently
present.

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REFERENCES
[1] Autodesk Inc., "BIM," 2018. [Online]. Available:
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[19] I. J. Ramaji and A. M. Memari, “Interpretation of structural analytical models from the
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APPENDICES
I. Manual: Modification in Spreadsheet
The Dynamo script is capable of reading the structural information present in the BIM model.
This information is written to an Excel file.

Process 1 – Step-by-step:
1. Open BIM model in Revit
2. Start Dynamo and open ‘Export_Excel.dyn’ (Manage ribbon)
3. Create an Excel file on your computer, go back to Dynamo to select the path of the file
4. Run Dynamo script (bottom left)
5. Data has been stored in the Excel file and will open automatically. The file contains all
the structural columns present in the BIM model and contains a database of all the
Families, Types and Materials that are loaded into the model.
Recommended (optional):
6. Create Filters in Excel to make it easier to select
specific parameters (e.g., filter columns located
on the first floor) – [ctrl]-A and look for ‘Filter’ in
the start ribbon
7. Additionally, the database in the other sheet can
be used to create drop-down lists to make it
more user friendly to choose values – Select a
column and look for ‘Data validation’ in the data
ribbon
These adjustments only need to be done once after
exporting to Excel. The optional steps require a little bit
of skills but are easy to learn and overall process speed
will increase once you are familiar with the procedure.
Now the structural engineer can make adjustment in to
the structural columns in Excel without opening the BIM
model. When the adjustments are final, the Excel file is Figure 14. Filter
used to make changes to the structural columns in the
BIM model.

Process 2 – Step-by-step:
1. Open BIM model in Revit
2. Start Dynamo and open ‘Import_Excel.dyn’
3. Select the path of the file
4. Run Dynamo script (bottom left)
Figure 15. Drop-down list
5. The columns will now update in the BIM model
in Revit, as well as the rightest column in the
Excel file that has not been updated yet.
It is important to use the same parameter names. They may differ between different projects
and therefore should always be checked before using the Dynamo script.

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 II. Manual: Interoperability
The Dynamo script is capable of reading the structural information present in the BIM
model. This information is written to an Excel file.

Process 1 – Step-by-step:
1. Open BIM model in Revit
2. Start Dynamo and open ‘Export_Excel.dyn’ (Manage ribbon)
3. Create an Excel file on your computer, go back to Dynamo to select the path of the file
4. Run Dynamo script (bottom left)
5. Data has been stored in the Excel file and will open automatically. The file contains all
the locations of the nodes present in the BIM model and all the beams that connect
the nodes.
Process 2 – Step-by-step:
1. Open Technosoft
2. Copy the coordinates of all nodes from the spreadsheet and paste into Technosoft
3. Copy the beam connection points from the spreadsheet and paste into Technosoft

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III. Screenshots Technosoft

Figure 16. Overlap of Beams in the middle area of the construction where multiple levels are facilitated

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Figure 17. Multiple nodes where should be one

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