BIM Standard: Tensile Structures Data Modeling

To leverage all the benefits that building information modeling (BIM) is bringing to the build environment, the AEC industry recognized the critical need for BIM standardization. The issues of level of details and interoperability as means to communicate and integrate various model-based applications into an efficient workflow have materialized to the forefront of the standardization process. The ultimate goal of BIM standard is in part to enable capturing all relevant data in the BIM model, and to allow for flawless data exchange between the various applications. Current BIM tools that have been developed to model conventional structural steel and concrete construction are not yet satisfactory for modeling tensile structures. This paper reviews the current state of BIM platforms in modeling tensile structures and formulates the functional requirements for cross-platform standardization and interoperability. This study centers on advancing standardization of BIM models for designing and analyzing tensile structures. Specifically, the study addresses the Information Delivery Manual (IDM) and Model View Definitions (MVDs) as they aim to provide the integrated reference for process and data required by identifying the distinct processes undertaken to design tensile structures as well as to create an efficient method for unified, reproducible exchange of consistent information that is customarily acknowledged by the industry.