Date of Award

3-2-2021

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.Sc.

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Supervisor

Rajeev R. Ruparathna

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess

Abstract

The number of safety incidents in the construction industry is higher than that in most of the other industries. These safety incidents can be attributed to a lack of information and training. The new line of thinking in management has been moving toward predictive decision-making methods with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). In this regard, the construction industry has been lagging on embracing modern management concepts. Hence, it is vital to re-engineer construction management to be on par with industries such as manufacturing. Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be recognized as the most promising technology that is introduced to the construction sector in the recent past. The information contained in a BIM model can be manipulated to aid construction safety management. This research presents BIM-based methods for predictive safety planning in the construction industry. At first, a comprehensive review of construction management challenges was conducted. This review revealed that although there are some studies regarding BIM-based predictive decision-making, still some knowledge gaps can be mentioned in the safety management of construction workers and building residents. To address the mentioned challenges, at first, this study integrates BIM with fuzzy logic to improve predictive safety planning to reduce the safety incidents in the construction projects. A Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) was developed based on the causality of safety incidents. The FIS extracts construction project data from BIM models while automatically assessing the risk of each potential hazard and also the total risk of a project. The proposed method enables construction managers to prevent construction incidents and enhance the health and safety of construction workers. Furthermore, this study develops a methodological framework for rule checking and the safety-focused ruleset for BIM-enabled building construction projects in Ontario, Canada. Identified safety standards were defined in Solibri Model checker software as a ruleset. The outcomes of this section will ensure the occupant’s safety through a proper design. Moreover, the findings of this will support promoting BIM in the Canadian construction industry.

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