This document discusses model view checking, an automated validation method for building information models (BIMs) that uses rules to check for compliance with interoperability and exchange requirements. It presents research on developing an open-source IFC validation tool based on open standards. The tool structures rulesets using the BIM Collaboration Format and generates reports. Use cases demonstrate checking for data existence, value/type, uniqueness, and conditional rules. Ongoing work involves implementing the tool as a plugin for BIM servers and expanding the expressivity and standardization of rule libraries.

1. Model View Checking:
Automated Validation
for IFC Building Models
Presenter: Chi Zhang
Authors: Chi Zhang, Jakob Beetz,
Matthias Weise

2. Background
• Interoperability Requirements
• IFC Validation
• Exchange Requirements
• Business Rules
E.g. “A project must have a site.”
IfcProject
(INV) IsDecomposedBy [1:1 ]
IfcRelAggregates
RelatedObjects [1:1]
IfcSite

3. Related Research
Coordination View
IfcProject
(INV) IsDecomposedBy [1:1 ]
IfcRelAggregates
RelatedObjects [1:1]
IfcSite
COBie

4. Introduction
• Research
• Prototype Implementation of an IFC checker
• Testing by real BIM standards
• Objectives
• Open source IFC validation tool based on open standards
• Developing stable and easy-to-use IFC validation methods

5. Implementation
• Structuring Rule-sets
BIM Collaboration Format
(BCF)
• Checking Execution
• Report Generation
IFC

6. Implementation
• Structuring Rule-sets
• Data existence and cardinality
• Data value and type
• Uniqueness
• Conditional rules
E.g. “every wall should be typed by a wall type”
x(Wall(x) :  y(WallType(y)  be _ Typed _ By(x, y)))
IfcWall Ifc lDefinesByType
x( (x) : z( Re (z)
(x, z)
IsTypedBy
IfcWallType

y( (y)
latingType
Re (z, y))))

 
 
(Chipman et al, 2013)

7. Implementation
• Checking Execution
• Report Generation
(INV) IsTypedBy [1:1]
IfcWall IfcRelDefinesByType
RelatingType [1:1]
IfcWallType
BIM Collaboration Format

8. Use-cases
• Data existence and cardinality
“A building contains at least one level. ”
(Statsbygg 14)
• Data value and type
“The site name shall contain the official
ID.” (Statsbygg 12)
• Uniqueness
“The space names should be unique.”
(Rgd 2.2.7.6)
• Conditional rules
“each geometric building object should
be associated with the appropriate
building level if it is not a component of
other building objects.” (Rgd 2.2.7.4)
Rule Types Requirements in Rgd BIM
Norm
a) data existence §2.1.1, §2.1.2, §2.1.4,
§2.1.7, §2.1.8, §2.1.9,
§2.2.6.1, §2.2.6.2, §2.2.6.4,
§2.2.6.5, §2.2.7.1, §2.2.7.2,
§2.2.7.4, §2.2.7.5, §2.2.7.6,
§2.2.7.7, §2.2.7.8, §2.2.7.9,
§2.2.7.10, §2.2.7.11
b)data content §2.1.2, §2.1.7, §2.1.8,
§2.1.9, §2.2.6.2, §2.2.7.1,
§2.2.7,2, §2.2.7.3, §2.2.7.5,
§2.2.7.6, §2.2.7.7, §2.2.7.8
c)data uniqueness §2.2.6.4, §2.2.7.6
d)conditional
dependency
§2.1.4, §2.2.6.3, §2.2.7.4,
§2.2.7.7, §2.2.7.11

9. Demo
• Example
“All doors and windows should have the fire resistance property (in
minutes) in the Pset_###Common” (Rgd 2.2.7.8).

10. Demo

11. Discussion
• Efficiency and Reusability
• Structuring Rule-sets is time
consuming
• Different agreements
• Very few resources
Rgd BIM Norm Statsbygg BIM Manual
§2.1.7 Model units,
9. Project units
dimensions, display units,
and rounding
§2.2.6.5 Geographic position
and orientation
10. Defining and geo-referencing
the project
zero
§2.2.7.1 Project 11. Project, 33. Project
§2.2.7.2 Terrain 12. Site, 34. Site
§2.2.7.3 Building 13. Buildings
§2.2.7.4 Level 14. Storeys
§2.2.7.6 Space 15. Spaces-in general, 16
Spaces-functional, 22
Space-functional space
heights, 36. Spaces
§2.2.7.5 Level Area object 18. Space-the gross area
object
§2.2.7.7 Grouping of
spaces:zone
26. Zones, 35. Functional
zones
§2.2.7.8 Architectural,
structural, and mechanical
& electrical engineering
elements
29. Modeling with both
occurrence and type
objects

12. Discussion
• Ease-to-use
• Easy-to-use comparing to full-fledged programming
• Still need strong IFC background
• Need structured library
• Expressivity
• Data derivation and inference
• More agreements needed

13. On-going Work
• Implementation Roadmap
• https://github.com/opensourceBIM/mvdXMLChecker
• Plugin for BIMserver and BCF server
• Future Research
• Domain-specific requirements
• Investigate technologies supporting
formally defined concept libraries
(Berlo & Krijnen, 2014)

14. Sources
• Chipman, T., Liebich, T., Weise, M. 2013. mvdXML: Specification of a
standardized format to define and exchange Model View Definitions with
Exchange Requirements and Validation Rules.
• Berlo, L. A. H. M. van, Krijnen, T. 2014. Using the BIM Collaboration Format
in a server based workflow. 12th International Conference on Design and
Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning, DDSS 2014
• Rillaer, D. van, Burger, J., Ploegmakers, R., Mitossi, V., 2012. Rgd BIM
Standard, version 1.0.1. 1–29.
• Statsbygg, 2011. Statsbygg Building Information Modelling Manual
Version1.2. Available at: http://www.statsbygg.no/bim, accessed January
2014.
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