An Object-Oriented Environment for the Construction Planning of High-Rise Buildings

New buildings are experiencing a continuous increase in the sophistication of their building systems and methods of construction. This situation creates a need for a planning tool that is capable of serving one or more of the complex set of activities during the project life phases.

Several researchers have devised methods for the modeling of buildings in an attempt to develop a representation that is capable of supporting a collaborative environment for engineering and construction. Some of these modeling approaches attempt to enable the user to use the same model for conceptual and detailed design, while others target primarily the construction activities. Other models have also attempted to cover the design and construction interface. This paper will describe a modeling environment for the construction planning of high rise buildings. Issues covered include the development of an object-oriented CAD environment that enables the construction planner to evaluate potential construction sequences using both graphical, attribute, and knowledge-based inputs. The manuscript will conclude with other approaches described in the literature, problems that have limited their implementation, then extensions to this research.