The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics planned a total of 25 venues across three main areas: urban Beijing, Yanqing, and Chongli in Zhangjiakou. Both Yanqing and Zhangjiakou venues are situated in mountainous regions with complex terrain, presenting significant challenges due to the large construction scale and difficult conditions. These challenges include site selection, building energy consumption, and post-competition operations. Additionally, the concept of hosting a “highly centralized, frugal, scientific, and sustainable Olympics” imposed stringent requirements on the design, construction, and operation of all venues throughout their lifecycle.
Application Objectives
Addressing data-sharing obstacles caused by diverse information needs and meeting the unique requirements of Winter Olympics venues are crucial. Therefore, it is essential to clearly define the specific requirements and levels of BIM-related information from all stakeholders.
Project Overview
On-site inspections and preliminary research in Zhangjiakou and Yanqing revealed that snow venue construction is often led by the design team.
In Zhangjiakou, BIM use mainly focuses on collision detection within the design team for complex structures like peak club frameworks and pipelines. Simpler parts use basic modeling. Various specialized design contractors deepen their respective models using software such as Revit and Rhino based on their needs.
The construction teams primarily rely on drawings for construction, with limited BIM model use. In Yanqing, the design team has hired professional groups for BIM modeling of both the alpine skiing center and the bobsleigh center. The construction party also has its own BIM model, but despite precise requirements, coordination with other parties remains challenging. Different BIM software tools including Rhino, Revit, and Civil 3D are used by participants, adding complexity to model integration.
General BIM Function Requirements
(1) Owner’s Perspective: The owner’s BIM needs span design, construction, and operational phases. During design, the focus is on 3D visualization and competition area workflow, while cost estimation and venue performance analysis are less critical. The owner prioritizes intuitive BIM functions during design.
During construction, emphasis shifts to BIM-assisted progress tracking and cost control. In the operation phase, detailed information on pipelines and equipment is more important than basic structures, highlighting the need for in-depth BIM models for internal building maintenance.
(2) Design Team: The top BIM requirement for designers is conflict detection. Expert interviews show this is one of the most commonly used BIM functions. Additionally, BIM is needed for collision checks during construction changes, reflecting a need for collaboration between design and construction teams.
Collaborative multi-disciplinary design and feasibility assessments of construction schemes are also highly demanded. However, early-stage design functions, such as planning venue layout and mountain location decisions, are less relied upon, as traditional methods adequately meet those needs.
(3) Construction Party: Construction teams have strong BIM needs during both design and construction phases. Many BIM functions are requested during design to guide construction, like feasibility assessments, indicating a desire to improve collaboration with designers and reduce construction changes.
BIM functions related to controlling track concrete bottom plate curvature and simulating construction plans rank high but are underutilized in practice. This highlights the significant potential and urgent need to enhance BIM applications during construction.
(4) Specialized Design and Component Manufacturers: This group bridges design and construction. They deepen designs and produce components for construction, so their BIM needs focus mainly on design and construction phases.
Unlike the design team, they have less need for functions like automatic compliance checking during design, as their scope is smaller and such features suit global design tasks better.
During construction, BIM functions for extracting component parameters for production and simulating installation are crucial, enabling prefabrication and thorough preparation for construction.
Special BIM Function Requirements
(1) Venue Component Management During Operation: For infrastructure with long maintenance cycles, BIM only needs to record basic data such as dimensions and materials, with no requirement for maintenance or replacement logs. Complex and concealed pipeline routes need detailed BIM records of internal structures and inspection statuses. Easily visible equipment requires only routine observation for replacement and inspection, without additional alerts.
(2) Mountain Data Requirements: Different stages require varying levels of mountain-related information such as contour lines, geological surveys, dimensional coordinates, and surface conditions.
- The design phase demands contour lines and geological exploration data.
- During construction, there is a high need for contour lines, geological data, and mountain surface conditions, critical to smooth construction operations.
- In operation, geological exploration info remains important.
Experts also mentioned the importance of meteorological data, digital elevation models, post-construction off-site mountain conditions, and grid coordinates, which, when integrated with BIM, provide valuable support to stakeholders at every stage.
BIM Talent Demand
Among experts involved in Winter Olympics venues, over 60% have more than four years of construction experience, and more than half have participated in at least four construction projects. All surveyed experts are familiar with or aware of BIM, and nearly half have practical experience using BIM technology.
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