Knowledge Discovery of Spatial Conflict Resolution Philosophies in BIM-Enabled MEP Design Coordination Using Data Mining Techniques: A Proof-of-Concept

Knowledge discovery and formalization in a computer interpretable manner is a critical step toward effective construction automation. Ideally, any spatial conflicts in design should be identified and coordinated prior to construction execution. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has greatly improved the efficiency of spatial conflict identification and coordination compared to the traditional paper-based approach. However, the current model-based design coordination is still an iterative and experience-driven process, during which considerable knowledge is not properly captured. This research attempts to explore the feasibility of formalizing knowledge regarding spatial conflict analysis in design coordination by capturing necessary information using an object-oriented data capture approach in a model-based environment and analyzing the captured data with data mining techniques. It is envisioned that the formalized knowledge can then be used to narrow down the search space and assist future coordination tasks. Specifically, this paper proposes a process of information acquisition, data capture and knowledge discovery with BIM and supplemented tools. Results of the feasibility study are summarized and discussed. Opportunities and challenges are identified.