Professor Charles Eastman from the United States is widely recognized as the “father of BIM” for introducing the concept in the 1970s. He developed the “Building Description System,” which significantly advanced the use of digital information technology in architecture.
According to the Unified Standard for Application of Building Information Modeling (GB/T51212-2016) released in China, BIM is defined as “a comprehensive digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of buildings throughout their construction process and entire lifecycle, including data generated during design, construction, and operation phases.” The core idea behind BIM technology is to create a three-dimensional model that integrates all project data, essentially forming a model embedded with a database. This approach serves as an information technology platform within the construction industry to support project development.
Parametric Features of BIM
BIM models are constructed by defining geometric parameters and constraints. The fundamental elements used in the modeling process are digital objects—such as doors, windows, and beams—that accurately represent their real-world physical properties and functions. These components possess intelligent association capabilities, enabling automatic coordination and alignment between elements like doors and walls or beams and columns.
Each object contains parameters that describe its unique attributes. These parameters include not only geometric details but also non-geometric information such as material strength and supplier data. Through parameterization, BIM models can automatically perform tasks like quantity takeoffs and analysis of materials, equipment, and other engineering data.
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