Role of 4D Construction Simulation In Monitoring Delays

The construction industry is one of the most influential contributors to the economy.

We have seen how construction projects are often affected by the world economy, changing industry dynamics, and worldwide conflicts and hence face significant delays or failure. These delays can impact the project’s timeline, outcome, and even the standing of the construction company in the market.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) services can help to overcome these challenges and be instrumental in creating a delay analysis method. Several construction companies are now investing in BIM for all stages, like preconstruction, bidding, construction, and post-construction, to create a much-needed ability to control the outcome and improve the construction processes. Nowadays, we see construction managers, architects, and engineering firms all involved in the project being a part of the adoption of BIM services.

BIM provides construction managers with accurate 4D construction simulation allowing the stakeholders to identify potential delays and take corrective action beforehand. Let us understand a bit more about this in the blog below.

The Construction Industry’s Challenges

Construction projects are often complex, with a large number of stakeholders involved. This can make it challenging to track progress and identify where delays occur. Also, construction projects usually take place in remote locations. Due to this, difficulties arise in getting accurate information about what is happening on the ground. You need to be able to track the construction process to avoid or mitigate any delays.

We all agree that the challenges faced by the construction industry are critical. Unforeseeable delays, changing client demands, and ever-tightening budgets can all lead to severe problems and, at times, the failure of the entire project. But, 4D construction simulation can help construction managers overcome these challenges.

How Does 4D Construction Simulation Help?

The 4D simulations have improved construction planning, scheduling, and production control for years by integrating detailed schedules with building information models (BIM). Recently, the projects have displayed this data in images, videos, and 3D point clouds that improve communication and coordination of work in progress. The AECO industry uses BIM services in several application areas, such as photorealistic rendering, virtual design review, cost estimating, analyzing design alternatives, analyzing execution methodologies, and project document production. A categorized framework has been established for eD/4D model areas of applications into three key phases: design, shaping, and construction. The 4D BIM simulation software allows visualizing the entire construction project in advance and provides a virtual replica of the construction site.

We believe 4D BIM planning is an extended and in-depth version of traditional planning that takes construction planning to a deeper level of detail, provides greater accuracy, and reduces risks. It allows planners to communicate visually and to schedule activities in time and space by linking the construction plan to the 3D model. 4D progress tracking is essential in project planning as it contains critical and real-time data. The 4D model enables the stakeholders with minute information and equips them. This allows managers to track progress in real-time, identify potential delays, and make changes. Besides, 4D simulation can help reduce costs by optimizing construction schedules, in turn, helps eliminate waste. Also, 4D construction simulation can help track costs and opportunities to save costs. Progress tracking of any site is also possible, which allows a view of the daily operations and gives the necessary control.

We often see BIM 4D progress tracking or delay monitoring software instrumental in identifying and addressing the conflicts between space and workspace ahead of the construction process. It conveys the project’s data and spatial dynamics and helps conduct additional analyses.

Construction stakeholders are also becoming aware of the benefits of 4D simulation. The adoption rate for BIM is increasing day by day. Below is an analysis from 2020 which shows the quantitative ratio of stakeholders using BIM.

Features and Benefits of 4D BIM

4D BIM is not limited to delay monitoring. It has many other features and benefits.

Scheduling and planning: 4D BIM are helpful for smart, automated scheduling. Smart mapping of model elements to scheduled tasks is also a feature it provides.
Construction simulation: 4D BIM can create and even export different construction simulations. It also provides look-ahead simulations and strategies.
Schedule optimization: Resource allocation becomes much more accessible. Advanced analysis is also possible via simulation. This would, in turn, lead to optimization.
4D tracking: Tracking construction progress in real-time is possible with 4D simulation. The other wonderful thing is that it also accepts traditional quantity-based inputs.
Reporting: It provides an advanced report on the planned vs. actual progress.

The below image shows the 4D simulation with the help of BIM. Tracking of actual vs. planned progress is also achieved via simulation.

The 4D BIM simulation is a powerful tool, only poised to grow and become ever more popular amongst construction companies. It is helpful in monitoring delays in construction projects and using 4D simulation; the construction industry can proactively identify potential problems and delays and make necessary adjustments, improving productivity, enhancing timelines, and ensuring safety on the construction site.