While site layout planning (SLP) has been widely investigated in the
literature, little attention has been directed towards improving the precision of the input
parameters required by the SLP optimisation models. The main input parameters
required in a dynamic site layout model are the travel frequencies between different
facilities, the spatial coordinates of permanent facilities, candidate locations for
temporary facilities and facility dimensions. Obtaining reasonable estimates of these
parameters is challenging when a dynamic site environment is considered. The
estimation process entails a realistic evaluation of: 1). the quantities of material to be
transported between facilities at each stage of the construction process; 2). the
coordinate positioning of permanent facilities; and 3). the dimensions of the temporary
facilities to be positioned. This necessitates the utilisation of information on the
progress of different activities and their corresponding material demands and
associated facilities during each construction stage. The increasing adoption of building
information modelling (BIM) in projects and the resulting extensive project database
made available by BIM has provided unique opportunities to improve the accuracy of
such assessments. This chapter discusses the applications of BIM in SLP. The chapter
starts by discussing the composition of a typical SLP problem and the importance of
obtaining reasonable estimates for its associated parameters. The chapter continues by
summarising the state-of-the-art in BIM-based methods developed to provide input
data to different analyses as well as the state-of-the-art of SLP optimisation models and
corresponding solution methods. Benefits to be reaped from integrating BIM within the
SLP problem are discussed. Frameworks developed for obtaining travel frequencies
and locations of temporary facilities on site, as well as methodologies to account for the
dimensions of such facilities at each construction project stage, by taking advantage of
the information made available by building information models, project schedules and
construction cost databases are presented. The results obtained through applications of
one of the proposed frameworks to an illustrative case study highlight the capabilities
offered by adopting BIM in SLP.
Keywords: BIM and schedule integration, Integrated building information
modelling, Mixed integer programming, Optimisation, Site layout planning,
Travel frequency.
