The potential of automated rule-based verification for fire safety measures in BIM

Abstract

The aim of this study is the operationalisation of Eastman et al.’s (2009) code checking method applied to the modelling and automated verification of fire regulations for multifamily residential units in the state of São Paulo, using specific BIM tools. The method adopted was constructive research. The solution evaluation process applied the methodology in the verification of a five-stories H-shaped residential building in a social housing project built by the Housing and Urban Development Company of the state of São Paulo. The resulting devices are as follows: (i) a set of rules for fire safety code-checking for buildings with an area of over 750 m ² and a height of 6 m to 12 m, which can be replicated to 90.8% of the remaining heights; (ii) a hierarchy to guide the coordination of the application of the various modules and rules on the object of study; (iii) a description of the required preparation of the BIM model; and (vi) clarification of the subset of model objects and properties needed for the automated verification process, which provides indications of a specific Model View Definition (MVD) for this code checking. The solution developed will make it possible to maximise the application of laws and regulations related to fire safety measures in buildings.

Keywords:
Fire safety; Code checking; Rules automation; Standards; BIM; Solibri Model Checker