4D Scheduling, Active Learning, &
Industry Collaboration: Filling the BIM Void
David W. Martin, CPC, PSP
Agenda
•  Problem statement
–  BIM in the construction industry
–  The current CM BIM void
•  Filling the void
–  Industry/university partnership
–  Active learning BIM workshop
•  Results
•  Plans for future research
Current BIM Void
"   Construction Industry & BIM1
"
"
"
"
"
 
 
 
 
 
2007 – 17% of AEC industry utilized BIM
2012 – 71% of AEC industry utilized BIM
Construction (74%) recently surpassed architecture/engineering (70%)
Clash detection and to a smaller extent for scheduling and estimating
Challenge is finding people educated in BIM
"   Construction Management programs & BIM2
"   Slightly over 50% currently employ/teach BIM
"   20% still have no plans to include in curriculum
"
"
"
"
 
 
 
 
Time & Effort
Lack of experts
Curricula changes
Credit hour constraints
Current BIM Void
"   Construction management programs & BIM3 (cont’d)
"   Stand-alone courses
"   BIM capstone course or project
"   Interactive teaching modules integrated into upper level courses
"   Normal Schools vs. Land Grant
"   Normal Schools were created to train high school graduates to become
teachers. Purpose was intended to establish teaching standards/norms.
"   Land grant universities established through the Morrill Land Grant Act;
turned public lands over to any state that agreed to use the land sale
proceeds to maintain a college for agriculture and the mechanic arts.
School
Normal Schools
Bowling Green State
Central Missouri
East Carolina
Eastern Kentucky
Illinois State
Northern Iowa
Texas State
Weber State
Western Carolina
Western Kentucky
Normal Schools Averages
Land Grant Schools
Florida
North Carolina A&T
Oklahoma State
Purdue
SUNY ESF
Virginia Tech
Land Grant Schools Averages
ASC
Region
Major
SCH
3
4
2
3
3
4
5
6
2
3
2
2
5
3
1
2
Gen Ed
SCH
89
83
84
80
81
81
76
78
82
84
81.8
89
91
88
90
100
98
92.7
Total SCH
36
43
42
40
39
45
48
46
42
44
42.5
36
33
36
30
27
36
33.0
Gen Ed %
125
126
126
120
120
126
124
124
124
128
124.3
125
124
124
120
127
134
125.7
28.8%
34.1%
33.3%
33.3%
32.5%
35.7%
38.7%
37.1%
33.9%
34.4%
34.2%
28.8%
26.6%
29.0%
25.0%
21.3%
26.9%
26.3%
Filling the Void
"   Enter the Industry
" Lydig Construction Co. and
CWU faculty partnered to
develop active learning BIM
workshop
"   4D Scheduling techniques
"   Learning outcomes:
–  Students learned how to navigate in a
BIM environment and manipulate an
existing BIM without becoming BIM
experts
–  ACCE standards maintained & students
able to virtually build the building and
apply typical scheduling considerations
such as the critical path method (CPM)
and resource management. CWU – Science Building Phase II
120,000sf, concrete frame on shallow foundations
with a five-story steel observatory
Filling the Void
"   CPM schedule from 2D drawings
"   3D Model and active learning
workshop with NAVISWORKS
follows
"   Create a new 4D schedule and
compare with 2D schedule
"   Present findings to Lydig and
faculty and then Lydig debriefs
Survey
• 
Quantitative survey questions:
Question
The 3D model helped me to better visualize the structure in a way 2D
drawings could not.
NAVISWORKS helped me to better understand the concrete
construction process in a way that 2D drawings could not.
This exercise added to my professional development as a
construction manager.
The concepts in this exercise have changed how I will manage
concrete projects in the future.
This exercise will likely help me to be a better project manager
regarding planning and scheduling concrete projects.
• 
SA
A
N
D
SD
Qualitative survey questions:
–  In what way did the use of a time-sequenced, three-dimensional model either help or
hinder your ability to plan and schedule the CWU Science Building?
–  In what way did the use of a time-sequenced, three-dimensional model either help or
hinder your ability to understand the resources required to construct the Central
Washington University Science Building?
Research Results
Effectiveness of Workshop
Question
The 3D model helped me to better visualize the structure in a
way 2D drawings could not.
NAVISWORKS helped me to better understand the concrete
process in a way that 2D drawings could not.
construction
This exercise added to my professional development as a
manager.
construction
The concepts in this exercise have changed how I will manage
concrete projects in the future.
This exercise will likely help me to be a better project manager
regarding planning and scheduling concrete projects.
(N = 18)
Minimum
4
Maximum
5
Mean
4.83
SD
0.39
1
5
4.06
0.97
3
5
4.11
0.60
3
5
3.67
0.59
3
5
3.78
0.53
“It really helped to visual[ize] how each piece comes together. It also made a huge difference in
visualizing how some pieces conflict with each other and what things must precede each other.”
“It helps you visualize where your crews and resources are so you can better see when you can
move your crews from east to west.”
Limitations & Future Work
•  Limitations:
–  Measure by which student’s knowledge of scheduling and BIM was
increased is anecdotal and no empirical measure was employed to
gauge the level of knowledge gained through these experiences. –  Study limited to 18 students
–  Pilot study useful to plot a course forward
•  Future Work:
–  Establish a baseline mechanism to determine the students’ knowledge
prior to the workshop and then follow up with similar measures to
compare with the baseline.
–  Lessons learned from activities will be incorporated into future courses
–  More technical classes and labs are being employed to assist learning,
these could be expanded on.
Benefits
"   Students gain real world insight in the classroom that has
immediate application in the industry.
"   Provides a framework for other construction management
program with condensed curricula due to university and ACCE
accreditation requirements.
"   Teaches students how to virtually build a structure from a
logistics perspective.
"   Develops a new breed of construction manager with BIM
experience.
"   Future construction managers better prepared to embrace
technology and change.
Questions?
1. 
2. 
3. 
McGraw Hill Construction (2013). “The Business Value of BIM in North America: Multi-year Trend
Analysis and User Ratings (2007-2012).” Smart Market Report, McGraw-Hill Construction, Bedford, MA.
Becerik-Gerber, B., Gerber, D. & Ku, K. (2011). The Pace of Technological Innovation in Architectural,
Engineering, and Construction Education: Integrating Recent Trends into the Curricula. Journal of
Information Technology in Construction, 16, 411-431.
Lee, N. & Hollar, D. (2013). Probing BIM Education in Construction Engineering and Management
Programs Using Industry Perceptions. ASC Proceedings of the 49th Annual Conference Proceedings, San
Luis Obispo, CA.