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@PHDTHESIS{Senthilvel:1003514,
author = {Senthilvel, Madhumitha},
othercontributors = {Beetz, Jakob and Raabe, Christian},
title = {{L}inking and managing heterogeneous data using information
containers : leveraging linked data for {BIM} {S}tage 3
{CDE}s},
school = {Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen},
type = {Dissertation},
address = {Aachen},
publisher = {RWTH Aachen University},
reportid = {RWTH-2025-01088},
pages = {1 Online-Ressource : Illustrationen},
year = {2024},
note = {Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen
University 2025; Dissertation, Rheinisch-Westfälische
Technische Hochschule Aachen, 2024},
abstract = {The construction industry is widely known to be extremely
fragmented: it involves multiparty, multidisciplinary teams
collaborating on the creation, and usage of fragmented, yet
interconnected data. These data are generated, stored and
processed in diverse tools. As a result, interoperability
issues between different tools have been a focal point of
research for more than three decades. The introduction of
BIM paved the way for improved information management and
enhanced information interoperability. Despite significant
progress, construction projects continue to face
consequential challenges in effectively managing the diverse
range of information. In particular, brownfield projects
such as the ones for energy retrofitting and renovation deal
with an extremely complex mix of legacy and new data that
are not always structured.Information interoperability and
management is one of the decisive factors which influence
the success of these projects. The availability of the right
information, at the right time significantly improves
overall collaboration and effective project management.
Despite extraordinary advances in data capture and
availability in the past two decades, projects struggle with
utilising them efficiently for decision-making. In typical
projects, infrastructure components are represented in
various formats, with varying levels of information,
depending on the use case for which they were created. While
advanced BIM-based paradigms such as Common Data
Environments have proved advantageous, there is a
significant gap in managing interconnected data in these
environments. Major challenges here include gaps in
consensus of standardised schema for non-IFC data and lack
of standardised vendor-neutral representation of meta-data
and interconnected information.In this research, three key
issues in managing interconnected information are addressed.
The first objective is to provide a formal representation of
informal relationships within heterogeneous data in
construction projects by utilizing Linked Data approaches.
This facilitates easy understanding and retrieval of
existing knowledge from various, disparate sources.
Furthermore, this research proposes the use of Information
Containers, which serve as the central repository for all
formalized knowledge throughout a project's lifecycle in a
Common Data Environment. These containers promote efficient
organization and management of interconnected data, making
it easily accessible to all stakeholders involved in the
project. The Information Containers are designed with a CDE
perspective, focusing on the functional elements of the
containers and their stored data. Lastly, to maintain data
quality and consistency, the proposed approach incorporates
SHACL rule language for validation. This ensures that all
data and interlinked relationships conform to predefined
standards and adhere to integrity constraints, thus
enhancing the overall reliability of the project's
information. By addressing these three key issues, this
research aims to improve the management of interconnected
information in AEC projects. Through the adaption of
existing models for Information Containers, and their
integration with the functional aspects of CDEs, it is
demostrated that heterogeneous interconnected data can be
efficiently managed in all phases in the construction
industry. Furthermore, by leveraging linked data principles,
the integration of the current document-centric practice
with the semantic, data-centric practice is demonstrated.
The results of this work can potentially push forward the
developments of Common Data Environments beyond their
current one-dimensional interoperability. Seamless
integration and exchange of data, regardless of how the data
is structured, has an enormous potential for practical use
cases from projects.},
cin = {211220},
ddc = {720},
cid = {$I:(DE-82)211220_20140620$},
pnm = {BIM4REN - Building Information Modelling based tools $\&$
technologies for fast and efficient RENovation of
residential buildings (820773)},
pid = {G:(EU-Grant)820773},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)11},
doi = {10.18154/RWTH-2025-01088},
url = {https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/1003514},
}
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