In recent years, construction projects have grown in scale, complexity, and technological sophistication, leading to a significant increase in the volume of project information. Managing this vast amount of data has become a critical challenge for project managers. Traditional paper-based methods for information transmission, storage, and management no longer meet the demands of modern engineering project management. As a result, there is an urgent need to implement modern information technologies throughout the project lifecycle. These technologies enable rapid processing of project-related information, minimize losses caused by delays, information asymmetry, and transmission errors, and facilitate real-time sharing and integration of data across all project phases. In this context, Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology has emerged as a powerful solution.
Many believe that BIM technology is a recent development; however, its roots trace back to the 1970s. Professor Chuck Eastman, often regarded as the “father of BIM,” introduced the concept through his “Building Description System.” Since then, BIM research has progressed steadily, especially abroad. In 1984, Hungary’s Graphisoft developed ArchiCAD, pioneering the “virtual architecture” design concept centered on BIM. The 2000s saw the rise of BIM application software from major international developers, popularizing the technology further. In 2002, Autodesk formally defined the “Building Information Model” as a computable digital representation used throughout architectural design, construction, and operation phases.
China began exploring and applying BIM technology relatively late, starting around 2001. However, by 2010, the country launched strong policy initiatives to promote BIM research and implementation. Several BIM development guidelines and implementation manuals were issued, along with the establishment of the China Building Information Model Standard (CBIMS) framework. The China BIM Standards Committee was formed to develop BIM standards tailored to the nation’s needs, fostering increased research and adoption of BIM technologies.
Today, BIM research goes beyond theoretical studies both domestically and internationally. Companies like Bentley and Graphisoft have created a range of BIM applications, including Revit and Navisworks. Similarly, Chinese firms such as Glodon and Thsware have developed BIM-compatible software like Guanglianda BIM5D and Guanglianda MagiCAD, which integrate well with international BIM platforms. Currently, BIM technology is increasingly applied in engineering practice, yielding promising results.
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