Exploring Potential BIM Application across the Project Life Cycle of Public Sector Construction Projects: The case of Tanzania

Despite its proven benefits, Building Information Modeling (BIM) has witnessed limited adoption in developing countries. In response, recently, there has been a significant increase in research works investigating BIM in developing countries. These studies have investigated various aspects of BIM adoption and implementation, including barriers/challenges, drivers/enablers, benefits, implementation strategies, BIM awareness, and adoption rates, among others. However, there has been an absence of studies that have attempted to explore the potential application of various BIM functions across the construction lifecycle of public sector construction projects in the context of a developing country, such as Tanzania. Accordingly, the present study seeks to bridge this gap by employing a qualitative approach. Specifically, semi-structured interviews with 34 BIM knowledgeable experts with extensive knowledge of the delivery of public sector construction projects in Tanzania were conducted. Thematic analysis was then employed to report key findings. The findings revealed that BIM had various potential applications across the lifecycle of the public sector construction projects. It is anticipated that findings of the present study will provide valuable insights into the potential areas where BIM can practically benefit public sector construction projects in Tanzania taking into account its distinctive contextual issues. It is further hoped that the findings will generate interest for the wider adoption of BIM in developing countries. This would facilitate in the sustainable delivery of public sector construction projects which constitute the backbone of developing economies and hence promote the 9th goal of SDG.