Experimental Investigation of Using Rfid Integrated Bim Model for Safety and Facility Management

ABSTRACT: This paper proposes a new system integrating radio frequency identification (RFID) and building information modeling (BIM), which can be used for the lifecycle management for buildings. During the structural and MEP design stage, the locations of permanent tags are designed for facility management purpose. Tags can be designed to be attached to concrete structures, steel structures, ventilation pipes, sewerage pipes. Location information and other information can be written in and retrieved from the tags. During the construction stage, the locations of temporary tags are planned for safety management purpose. Tags can be attached to doors, windows, protection fences, and other temporary safety measures during construction. Space in the BIM is classified into workspaces with different risk levels according to work breakdown structure (WBS) and schedules. Algorithms are proposed for automatic risk analysis using the BIM, which is updated to reflect the real situation on site, resulting in risk-ranged workspaces. RFID receivers are installed on the critical locations on site. Once a tag is detected for specific safety measures, the risk of that workspace will be reduced. Workers also carry tags and their locations can be monitored. Once a worker enters a workspace with high risk, signals can be sent to the worker to remind him/her about the situation. In extreme cases, an alarm is triggered to ask the worker to leave the dangerous workspace. A case study is undergoing to apply the proposed approach on a construction site in Suzhou, China.