Building Information Modeling (BIM) has revolutionized the construction industry by providing a comprehensive digital representation of building structures throughout their lifecycle. However, existing research lacks effective methods for capturing the complex spatial and topological relationships between components in BIM models, which are essential for understanding design patterns and enhancing decision-making. This study proposes a unified network-based representation method that integrates the "semantic-spatial-topological" multi-dimensional design features of BIM models. By extending the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standard, we introduce local spatial relationships and topological connections between components to enrich the network structure. This representation method enables a more detailed understanding of component interactions, dependencies, and implicit design patterns, effectively capturing the semantic, topological, and spatial relationships in BIM, and holds significant potential for the representation and learning of design patterns.

This study introduces a human-in-the-loop pipeline that converts unscaled, hand-drawn floor plan sketches into semantically consistent 3D BIM models. The workflow leverages multimodal large language models (MLLMs) within a multi-agent framework, combining perceptual extraction, human feedback, schema validation, and automated BIM scripting. Initially, sketches are iteratively refined into a structured JSON layout of walls, doors, and windows. Later, these layouts are transformed into executable scripts that generate 3D BIM models. Experiments on ten diverse floor plans demonstrate strong convergence: openings (doors, windows) are captured with high reliability in the initial pass, while wall detection begins around 83% and achieves near-perfect alignment after a few feedback iterations. Across all categories, precision, recall, and F1 scores remain above 0.83, and geometric errors (RMSE, MAE) progressively decrease to zero through feedback corrections. This study demonstrates how MLLM-driven multi-agent reasoning can make BIM creation accessible to both experts and non-experts using only freehand sketches.

Large Foundation Models (LFMs) have demonstrated significant advantages in civil engineering, but they primarily focus on textual and visual data, overlooking the rich semantic, spatial, and topological features in BIM (Building Information Modelling) models. Therefore, this study develops the first large-scale graph neural network (GNN), BIGNet, to learn, and reuse multidimensional design features embedded in BIM models. Firstly, a scalable graph representation is introduced to encode the "semantic-spatial-topological" features of BIM components, and a dataset with nearly 1 million nodes and 3.5 million edges is created. Subsequently, BIGNet is proposed by introducing a new message-passing mechanism to GraphMAE2 and further pretrained with a node masking strategy. Finally, BIGNet is evaluated in various transfer learning tasks for BIM-based design checking. Results show that: 1) homogeneous graph representation outperforms heterogeneous graph in learning design features, 2) considering local spatial relationships in a 30 cm radius enhances performance, and 3) BIGNet with GAT (Graph Attention Network)-based feature extraction achieves the best transfer learning results. This innovation leads to a 72.7% improvement in Average F1-score over non-pretrained models, demonstrating its effectiveness in learning and transferring BIM design features and facilitating their automated application in future design and lifecycle management.

ABSTRACT The adoption of cyber-physical systems and jobsite intelligence that connects design models, real-time site sensing, and autonomous field operations can dramatically enhance digital management in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. This paper introduces BIM2RDT (Building Information Models to Robot-Ready Site Digital T wins), an agentic artificial intelligence (AI) framework designed to transform static Building Information Modeling (BIM) into dynamic, robot-ready digital twins (DTs) that prioritize safety during construction execution. The framework bridges the gap between pre-existing BIM data and real-time site conditions by integrating three key data streams: geometric and semantic information from BIM models, real-time activity data from IoT sensor networks, and visual-spatial data collected by quadruped robots during site traversal. The methodology introduces Semantic-Gravity ICP (SG-ICP), a novel point cloud registration algorithm that leverages large language model (LLM) reasoning. This creates an intelligent feedback loop where robot-collected data updates the DT, which in turn optimizes paths for subsequent missions. The framework employs YOLOE open-vocabulary object detection and Shi-Tomasi corner detection to identify and track construction elements while using BIM geometry as robust a priori maps. Major findings from experiments demonstrate SG-ICP's superiority over standard ICP, achieving RMSE reductions of 64.3%-88.3% in alignment across varied scenarios with occluded or sparse features, ensuring physically plausible orientations. HA V integration triggers real-time warnings and tasks upon exceeding exposure limits, enhancing compliance with such standards as ISO 5349-1. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Construction sites are becoming increasingly complex with the introduction of new technologies such as reality capture equipment and robots, requiring better tools to streamline adoption, avoid tool sprawl, and ensure worker safety. This research introduces a system that combines robots, smart sensors, and building information modeling (BIM) data to create a "digital twin": an up-to-date virtual copy of a construction site's geometries and safety information. The system uses quadruped robots equipped with cameras and sensors to autonomously walk through construction sites, automatically detecting and tracking objects like equipment, materials, and temporary structures. Unlike traditional approaches that start from scratch, this method leverages existing BIM data as a foundation, making the robots more accurate and efficient at understanding their surroundings. Besides geometric site updates, safety information is also presented in the updated digital twin.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is essential for managing building data across the entire lifecycle, supporting tasks from design to maintenance. Natural Language Interface (NLI) systems are increasingly explored as user-friendly tools for information retrieval in Building Information Modeling (BIM) environments. Despite their potential, accurately extracting BIM-related data through natural language queries remains a persistent challenge due to the complexity use queries and specificity of domain knowledge. This study presents a comparative analysis of two prominent approaches for developing NLI-based BIM information retrieval systems: domain-specific fine-tuning and prompt-based learning using large language models (LLMs). A two-stage framework consisting of intent recognition and table-based question answering is implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of both approaches. To support this evaluation, a BIM-specific dataset of 1,740 annotated queries of varying types across 69 models is constructed. Experimental results show that domain-specific fine-tuning delivers superior performance in intent recognition tasks, while prompt-based learning, particularly with GPT-4o, shows strength in table-based question answering. Based on these findings, this study identify a hybrid configuration that combines fine-tuning for intent recognition with prompt-based learning for question answering, achieving more balanced and robust performance across tasks. This integrated approach is further tested through case studies involving BIM models of varying complexity. This study provides a systematic analysis of the strengths and limitations of each approach and discusses the applicability of the NLI to real-world BIM scenarios. The findings offer insights for researchers and practitioners in designing intelligent, language-driven BIM systems.

This research addresses the time-consuming and error-prone nature of manual code compliance checking in Building Information Modeling (BIM) by introducing a Large Language Model (LLM)-driven approach to semi-automate this critical process. The developed system integrates LLMs such as GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama, with Revit software to interpret building codes, generate Python scripts, and perform semi-automated compliance checks within the BIM environment. Case studies on a single-family residential project and an office building project demonstrated the system's ability to reduce the time and effort required for compliance checks while improving accuracy. It streamlined the identification of violations, such as non-compliant room dimensions, material usage, and object placements, by automatically assessing relationships and generating actionable reports. Compared to manual methods, the system eliminated repetitive tasks, simplified complex regulations, and ensured reliable adherence to standards. By offering a comprehensive, adaptable, and cost-effective solution, this proposed approach offers a promising advancement in BIM-based compliance checking, with potential applications across diverse regulatory documents in construction projects.

Robot dogs are receiving increasing attention in various fields of research. However, the number of studies investigating their potential usability on construction sites is scarce. The construction industry implies several human resource-demanding tasks such as safety monitoring, material transportation, and site inspections. Robot dogs can address some of these challenges by providing automated support and lowering manual effort. In this paper, we investigate the potential usability of currently available robot dogs on construction sites in terms of focusing on their different specifications and on-site requirements to support data acquisition. In addition, we conducted a real-world experiment on a large-scale construction site using a quadruped robot. In conclusion, we consider robot dogs to be a valuable asset for monitoring intricate construction environments in the future, particularly as their limitations are mitigated through technical advancements.

While 3D LiDAR sensor technology is becoming more advanced and cheaper every day, the growth of digitalization in the AEC industry contributes to the fact that 3D building information models (BIM models) are now available for a large part of the built environment. These two facts open the question of how 3D models can support 3D LiDAR long-term SLAM in indoor, GPS-denied environments. This paper proposes a methodology that leverages BIM models to create an updated map of indoor environments with sequential LiDAR measurements. Session data (pose graph-based map and descriptors) are initially generated from BIM models. Then, real-world data is aligned with the session data from the model using multi-session anchoring while minimizing the drift on the real-world data. Finally, the new elements not present in the BIM model are identified, grouped, and reconstructed in a surface representation, allowing a better visualization next to the BIM model. The framework enables the creation of a coherent map aligned with the BIM model that does not require prior knowledge of the initial pose of the robot, and it does not need to be inside the map.

The conventional BIM authoring process typically requires designers to master complex and tedious modeling commands in order to materialize their design intentions within BIM authoring tools. This additional cognitive burden complicates the design process and hinders the adoption of BIM and model-based design in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry. To facilitate the expression of design intentions more intuitively, we propose Text2BIM, an LLM-based multi-agent framework that can generate 3D building models from natural language instructions. This framework orchestrates multiple LLM agents to collaborate and reason, transforming textual user input into imperative code that invokes the BIM authoring tool's APIs, thereby generating editable BIM models with internal layouts, external envelopes, and semantic information directly in the software. Furthermore, a rule-based model checker is introduced into the agentic workflow, utilizing predefined domain knowledge to guide the LLM agents in resolving issues within the generated models and iteratively improving model quality. Extensive experiments were conducted to compare and analyze the performance of three different LLMs under the proposed framework. The evaluation results demonstrate that our approach can effectively generate high-quality, structurally rational building models that are aligned with the abstract concepts specified by user input. Finally, an interactive software prototype was developed to integrate the framework into the BIM authoring software Vectorworks, showcasing the potential of modeling by chatting.

The current study presents a comprehensive review of the benefits and barriers associated with the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in infrastructure projects, focusing on the period from 2013 to 2023. The research explores the manifold advantages offered by BIM, spanning the entire project life cycle, including planning, design, construction, maintenance, and sustainability. Notably, BIM enhances collaboration, facilitates real-time data-driven decision-making, and leads to substantial cost and time savings. In parallel, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify and categorize the barriers hindering BIM adoption within the infrastructure industry. Eleven studies were selected for in-depth analysis, revealing a total of 74 obstacles. Through synthetic analysis and thematic clustering, seven primary impediments to BIM adoption were identified, encompassing challenges related to education/training, resistance to change, business value clarity, perceived cost, lack of standards and guidelines, lack of mandates, and lack of initiatives. This review explores the benefits and barriers in the industry that are facing BIM adoption in infrastructure projects, giving an important perspective toward improving effective BIM adoption strategies, policies, and standards. Future directions for research and industry development are outlined, including efforts to enhance education and training, promote standardization, advocate for policy and mandates, and integrate BIM with emerging technologies.