Risk assessment tool for implementing building information modelling in industrialised building system project

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) as an intelligent model-based process, provides significant enhancements in detailing and visualisation and improves project performance in terms of coordination and communication. The number of Industrialised Building System (IBS) construction projects that derive benefit from BIM implementation has extensively increased in recent years. IBS, as a standard construction technique in Malaysia, needs to adopt BIM. However, implementing new technologies in complex IBS environment involves several risks such as insufficient information about BIM, the risks associated with BIM adoption, and unclear BIM-related risk relations. This study aims to develop a prototype risk assessment tool (PRAT) for analysing and evaluating the risk factors associated with implementing BIM in IBS construction projects. “Fuzzy Delphi Method” was used to identify the critical risk factors, while “DEMATEL” and “Cybernetic Fuzzy Analytic network process” were employed for data analyses. PRAT consists of six main parts: instruction and opening window; modifiable database for inner-relation values; the ranking module for ranking the importance of risk factors, the ranking module of inter-dependencies of risk factors, calculation parts, and the result windows. In PRAT, five risk factors comprising thirty-two risk subfactors associated with BIM adoption in IBS projects have been considered as critical risk factors. PRAT enables the users to prioritise the most significant risks for any IBS project based on the relations of risk factors, their importance, and their influence on each other. Afterwards, to evaluate the PRAT, three case studies were implemented. After obtaining the results of PRAT implementation, multiple criteria approach was conducted to recognise its level of effectiveness and efficiency. Experts with an average of ten to fifteen years of experience in the fields of IBS and BIM have undertaken the process of PRAT evaluation. Finally, the experts’ feedback indicated that the developed PRAT is effective and efficient using accurate and adequate data. Moreover, the users were satisfied with the performance of the developed tool in terms of reliability and flexibility. Through using PRAT at the primary phases of the projects, stakeholders can be aware of the significant risk factors for BIM adoption and able to execute early responses to the identified risks. Hence, the possibility of successful BIM implementation for IBS construction companies will increase.