BIM-integrated semantic framework for construction waste quantification and optimisation

Quantification and optimisation of Construction Waste (CW) in the design stages are vital to implementing preventive CW management measures. Previous ICT-integrated CW models are not efficiently upscaled to achieve an interoperable and automated workflow. Therefore, this paper presents a BIM-integrated semantic framework for CW quantification and optimisation from the early design stages. A CW data model using Semantic-Web-Technologies (SWT) was developed and integrated with BIM. The results proved that unified data structure, standardised and granular information, established semantic relationships between building material and CW data, and diverse measurement units proposed in the framework facilitate seamless and dynamic information flows between BIM and CW platforms. The research outcomes are critical to improving interoperability and automation across the CW assessment process, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of results, supporting timely and integrated decision-making, and easing communication and collaboration among the supply-chain members. A test-case building demonstrates the application of the framework. • Integration of BIM and CW platforms through the application of SWT is explored. • A BIM-integrated semantic CW quantification and optimisation framework is proposed. • An ontology is developed to unify, standardise, and reuse the CW information. • A BIM-based UI integrating the SPARQL endpoint is used to perform CW assessment. • A test-case building is used to evaluate the semantic framework.