The use of building information modelling to detect clashes in building infrastructure.

Abstract

The construction industry in Uganda has seen a lot of activity in the last decade. One of the biggest reasons for this is the rapidly growing population of the country which was registered at 3.3% per annum (UBOS, 2020). With an increasing demand for infrastructure, the surge in construction activity in the country has increased the demand for improved project delivery techniques. Technological advancements have impacted different industries in the last three decades and the construction industry has not been left out. Building Information Modelling is a relatively new project handling methodology, especially in the African construction industry, but has become a standard construction methodology in developed countries like the United Kingdom. It has brought in a dynamic shift in how we plan, design, build, and manage a Civil Engineering infrastructure. Utilizing BIM significantly increases design efficiency as it reduces risk throughout the design and construction process. It reduces inefficient practices including the generation of massive amounts of waste hence instigating sustainable engineering. Even though BIM’s relevance in the construction industry has been widely explored, in this thesis, we aim at using BIM for effective construction through clash detection and assessing the impact of BIM tools on the overall project cost and time with a case study of an apartment construction project. The objective of this Final Year Project is to present a BIM clash detection process on a project after modeling the different elements of the 3D BIM model. Research findings through a questionnaire have been used as a prognosis to establish the relevance of BIM clash detection capability for effective construction in Uganda. This work will draw a comparison on how things are being done currently, and depending on the outcomes of the research, recommend the use of BIM as a better work method in detecting and eliminating construction clashes.