Representation and Integration of As-Built Information to IFC Based Product and Process Models for Automated Assessment of As-Built Conditions

Frequent assessment of as-built conditions is necessary for active project control during construction. Assessment of as-built conditions involves collecting accurate as-built information and comparing the as-built information collected with given design and schedule information. Currently, different technologies exist for collecting accurate and comprehensive as-built information. The as-built information generated through these technologies is then manually evaluated by comparing it to the design information. This process is time-consuming and error prone. Therefore, there is a need for an automated assessment of as-built conditions. This paper discusses the applicability of the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) in their current version 2x to support the assessment of as-built conditions of construction projects. The goal is to create a project model that represents and integrates as-built and design information. In this paper, we state different types of information that need to be represented in this integrated model, describe common ways of representing this information in IFC Rel.2x, and highlight the limitations of current IFC Rel.2x specifications in representing an integrated design and as-built model. The paper concludes with a proposal for extending the IFC specifications to enable the automated assessment of as-built conditions.