A case study of building information modeling-enabled prefab logistics for smart construction supply chain management

Abstract

Prefabricated components have been widely adopted in the construction industry. A variety of prefabricated components are transported from manufacturing factories to the construction site in a prefabricated construction project. In this context, prefab logistics plays a crucial role in improving the overall performance of construction project (e.g., cost, efficiency and progress). In order to efficiently manage prefab logistics, this chapter introduces a prefabrication transportation system (PTS) that can facilitate the cross-border transportation of prefabricated components, based on a three-layer system architecture. In PTS, transportation planning is made based on Building Information Modeling (BIM), and real-time traceability services are provided to synchronize prefab logistics with BIM. In addition, alarm services are developed to handle various disturbances. Finally, a case study is reported to demonstrate the operational flow of PTS through a pilot construction project in Hong Kong. The efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed PTS are evaluated with real-life industrial data at the prefab logistics phase.