An In-Depth Inquiry on the Drawbacks of BIM Implementation

Abstract

This paper presents an in-depth enquiry for a case in the current condition of BIM implementation in Turkey. The research study is based on the specific collaborative experiences of an architectural design firm and a contractor firm on a large scale public construction project. It seeks to address the requirement for comprehending the idea of integrated project delivery provided with the collaboration opportunities of the BIM technology. It intends to demonstrate how the fields of policy and process interlock in the BIM activity of the selected case. It also aims to exemplify the handicaps of partial BIM implementation in a complex building production process. The research methodology is content-analysis of the in-depth interviews with the managers of the current production process from both architectural and contractor firms. Questions were designed to gather case-specific data in relation to the four fundamental features of the 3^rd generation production process defined by Cooper [4]. The research findings indicate that although the production requirements fit the 3^rd generation process, it is constrained by the public procurement law in force. It seems evident that there is a tension between the traditional workflow and the integrated process with increased productivity and quality that BIM enables and requires. This results in a noteworthy ratio of resource waste that the contractor has to compensate in this specific case. This study contributes to the ongoing research and discussion on the drawbacks of BIM implementation, by illustrating the requirement for the redefined and rearranged roles and processes of production with a precisely guaranteed resource economy and increased quality of work equally for all parties. It presents an example case for BIM implementation and process management to illustrate the current state of the public construction industry in Turkey.