Design Coordination in Building Information Modeling (BIM) Using Ontological Consistency Checking

This paper reports on research of utilizing ontological consistency checking in the design process for identifying potential conflicts and improving coordination and communication. Ontological consistency checking is based on the notion that an ontology could be used to conceptualize and represent the constraints and requirements of the building design. The paper describes how potential conflicts might be detected through an ontological consistency checking system and repair or modification of the inconsistencies can be accomplished. The implementation of the case study revealed guidelines for modeling an ontological representation and automatically identifying problems and conflicts in the design process of BIM (Building Information Modeling).