Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts
Purpose – The use of digital-models to communicate civil-engineering design continues to generate debate; this pilot-work reviews technology uptake towards data repurposing and assesses digital (vs traditional) design-preparation timelines and fees for infrastructure. The paper aims to discuss these...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Emerald Group Publishing
2015
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41309 |
| _version_ | 1848756109081313280 |
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| author | Whyte, Andrew Donaldson, J. |
| author_facet | Whyte, Andrew Donaldson, J. |
| author_sort | Whyte, Andrew |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Purpose – The use of digital-models to communicate civil-engineering design continues to generate debate; this pilot-work reviews technology uptake towards data repurposing and assesses digital (vs traditional) design-preparation timelines and fees for infrastructure. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Extending (building-information-modelling) literature, distribution-impact is investigated across: quality-management, technical-applications and contractual liability. Project case-study scenarios were developed and validated with resultant modelling-application timeline/fees examined, in conjunction with qualitative semi-structured interviews with 11 prominent stakeholder companies. Findings – Results generated to explore digital-model data-distribution/usage identify: an 8 per cent time/efficiency improvement at the design-phase, and a noteworthy cost-saving of 0.7 per cent overall. Fragmented opinion regarding modelling utilisation exists across supply-chains, with concerns over liability, quality-management and, the lack of Australian-Standard contract-clause(s) dealing directly with digital-model document hierarchy/clarification/reuse. Research limitations/implications – Representing a small-scale/snapshot industrial-study, findings suggest that (model-distribution) must emphasise checking-procedures within quality-systems and, seek precedence clarification for dimensioned documentation. Similarly, training in specific file-formatting (digital-model-addenda) techniques, CAD-file/hard-copy continuity, and digital-visualisation software, can better regulate model dissemination/reuse.Time/cost savings through digital-model data-distribution in civil-engineering contracts are available to enhance provision of society’s infrastructure. Originality/value – This work extends knowledge of 3D-model distribution for roads/earthworks/ drainage, and presents empirical evidence that (alongside appropriate consideration of general-conditions of- contract and specific training to address revision-document continuity), industry may achieve tangible benefits from digital-model data as a means to communicate civil-engineering design. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:06:58Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-41309 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:06:58Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Emerald Group Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-413092017-09-13T14:13:45Z Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts Whyte, Andrew Donaldson, J. Purpose – The use of digital-models to communicate civil-engineering design continues to generate debate; this pilot-work reviews technology uptake towards data repurposing and assesses digital (vs traditional) design-preparation timelines and fees for infrastructure. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Extending (building-information-modelling) literature, distribution-impact is investigated across: quality-management, technical-applications and contractual liability. Project case-study scenarios were developed and validated with resultant modelling-application timeline/fees examined, in conjunction with qualitative semi-structured interviews with 11 prominent stakeholder companies. Findings – Results generated to explore digital-model data-distribution/usage identify: an 8 per cent time/efficiency improvement at the design-phase, and a noteworthy cost-saving of 0.7 per cent overall. Fragmented opinion regarding modelling utilisation exists across supply-chains, with concerns over liability, quality-management and, the lack of Australian-Standard contract-clause(s) dealing directly with digital-model document hierarchy/clarification/reuse. Research limitations/implications – Representing a small-scale/snapshot industrial-study, findings suggest that (model-distribution) must emphasise checking-procedures within quality-systems and, seek precedence clarification for dimensioned documentation. Similarly, training in specific file-formatting (digital-model-addenda) techniques, CAD-file/hard-copy continuity, and digital-visualisation software, can better regulate model dissemination/reuse.Time/cost savings through digital-model data-distribution in civil-engineering contracts are available to enhance provision of society’s infrastructure. Originality/value – This work extends knowledge of 3D-model distribution for roads/earthworks/ drainage, and presents empirical evidence that (alongside appropriate consideration of general-conditions of- contract and specific training to address revision-document continuity), industry may achieve tangible benefits from digital-model data as a means to communicate civil-engineering design. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41309 10.1108/BEPAM-02-2014-0009 Emerald Group Publishing fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Whyte, Andrew Donaldson, J. Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title | Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title_full | Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title_fullStr | Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title_short | Digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| title_sort | digital model data distribution in civil engineering contracts |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41309 |