A Comparison of Building Information Modeling (BIM) Use Within the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry

Abstract

The Department of the Air Force (DAF) devotes significant funding and resources to maintain, repair, and construct facilities to preserve and improve its power projection platforms. A service-wide team of engineers, architects, and other professionals face many diverse challenges as they manage the DAF’s global facility and infrastructure portfolio. As the demand and cost for construction escalate and the DAF’s Real Property portfolio grows, it is essential for projects to economically generate high-quality acquisitions, decrease facility lifecycle costs, and enable enhanced post-construction maintenance and management processes. Building Information Modeling (BIM), encompassing an extensive set of technologies and construction management methods, has found recent success in the growing architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Though BIM is regularly used in the AEC industry with well-documented advantages, its implementation on DAF design and construction projects has not been recently analyzed. This research explores the recent body of knowledge to develop a baseline of BIM benefits and challenges within the AEC industry for later comparison with the DAF’s BIM use. DAF BIM use was then investigated from regulation through implementation by reviewing BIM-specific DAF directives and guidance, analyzing two active Military Construction (MILCON) projects, and conducting a survey of DAF civil engineer professionals. The benefits and challenges of BIM use on DAF design and construction efforts were then identified and evaluated relative to those seen in the AEC industry, providing a DAF-tailored side-by-side comparison to inform future decisions.