The construction industry has been going through a digital revolution in recent years, driven by innovation, automation, and smarter ways of working.
There is no doubt that AI is set to add to this transformation however there is another technology led opportunity that has been around for many years that has been ignored that has the potential to add substantial value to the industry, and first adopters have an opportunity to give themselves a competitive edge over the competition.
The technology approach I am referring to is Model Based Systems Engineering – MBSE.
This article will summarise what MBSE is and how it can add significant value to construction companies and projects, with a focus on commercial, mixed use, institutional, industrial, and civil projects. The value of MBSE for large scale infrastructure projects such utilities, dams etc will be addressed in a future article.
Look at it this way – you would not commence a complex building project without a 3D architectural model so why isn’t the same consideration given to the myriad of requirements of the product being built, which are still developed using 2D.
MBSE is a systems engineering methodology that uses models as the primary means of information exchange rather than relying solely on documents and natural language. These are not CAD models, which are more concerned with the physical product, they are models that provide a valuable source of information regarding the structure, behaviour, constraints, and relationships of all systems for a project, including full traceability, and a system of systems view of the product being constructed.
MBSE enables stakeholders to visualize, simulate, and analyse complex systems and their requirements at the commencement of a project, subsequently reducing risk, time, wastage, and cost.
Traditional design and engineering depend heavily on static documents, which can lead to misinterpretation, errors, and inefficiencies. MBSE, however, uses dynamic, interactive models that provide real-time insights and updates.
And that is not all.
MBSE tools allows you to model and simulate the relationships and required behaviour of all systems prior to producing the CAD/BIM models providing an accurate representation of requirements and enabling the CAD/BIM modelers to work faster and more efficiently.
Infrastructure projects are complex requiring the management of thousands of interconnected systems. Subcontractors do a good job designing and assembling specific elements and systems however clashes and design changes throughout the project are still high.
The role of MBSE is to manage the connectivity of all those connections at a system of systems level prior to the build to provide:
With Industry 4.0, the construction sector is also moving towards automation, robotics, IoT, and AI-powered systems. MBSE ensures these technologies work in harmony by enabling system-wide integration.
If you had an abundance of time and resources you would replace the current 2D requirements documentation process with models – it is simply more powerful and beneficial. As this is not so practical in a busy landscape where systems and processes are in place, following are some Use Cases to consider.
I touched on this earlier. While BIM focuses on building design and visualization, MBSE handles system-level complexity. Together, they provide a comprehensive digital representation of construction projects.
BIM deals with geometric aspects, while MBSE focuses on functional and systemic aspects. Using an MBSE approach to BIM provides the opportunity to provide better quality outcomes at reduced cost and time.
This is achieved by modelling, simulating, and validating all requirements early in the project and providing the BIM modelling team with detailed designs based on validated requirements.
Think about the impact that modular construction is having on the construction industry. As with the automotive industry in the past, modular construction will continue to provide the opportunity to increase quality and speed to market. A car that used to be manufactured from thousands of individual parts is now constructed from a small number of assemblies that are manufactured offsite, and quality has never been better.
MBSE provides the opportunity to model all the components and systems of a project including their behaviours and relationships, thus providing the opportunity to model a new project faster and more efficiently. This is inclusive of all aspects to a project including standards and regulations.
This approach to reusability can be developed over time across multiple projects minimising the impact on organisational change.
Expanding on the conversation of productization and reusability, there is an opportunity to model the construction process including rules, regulations, architecture of all the underlying systems, behaviours, and attributes. This would allow a baseline for new projects to be created very quickly based on the knowledge that has been captured on previous projects.
The MBSE models provide a baseline of requirements from which to conduct design reviews and provide the following advantages over traditional methods:
There are some significant benefits to be obtained from incorporating MBSE into current construction practices and processes. These include the opportunity to increase quality whilst also reducing waste, cost, and time to market. Following are some of the ways that this would be achieved:
Most of the above deliverables result in cost savings, productivity increases, and efficiency led timely execution of projects. This has been quantifiable by advance sectors such as aerospace, transport, and passenger car companies. Everyone of the adopters in these industry verticals have realised significant competitive advantages in addition to financial benefits.
MBSE can be applied gradually to reduce the impact on organisational change and deliver measurable benefits in short time periods. Think big, start small, scale fast is a term that is often used where there is significant opportunity, but it is not practical or feasible to change the current project methodology overnight.
A proof of concept is a low cost and effective way to become familiar with MBSE and assess the tools, processes, and results. An effective way to do this is to take a completed project and identify the elements you would like to model for comparison purposes.
You might need to start with some training to become familiar with the modelling language and it is also a good idea to get some guidance on how to approach the task. There is a lot of flexibility in how you can structure the models hence the time you take up front to design your intended architecture, and desired outcomes will make a difference to the result.
It is also important to set up clear objectives and outcome statements to be able to measure the results.
After capturing the results, you can then adjust and/or expand the POC and when ready use MBSE on a new project. As per the POC you can start with a small area of a new project to minimise the organisational impact of this change in approach.
You can expand once you have proved the benefits for yourself and have a resource base to launch from.
Learn from those who have already done it. Some of the most successful companies in other industries have used this approach.
MBSE is being used in Australia in Aerospace and Defence and there are case studies in other industries including Rail and Marine & Offshore. There is now a sufficient body of evidence for you to assess the value and lessons learned. For assistance with this you can go to our Contacts page.
While I have covered the basics there is still a lot more that can be discussed when it comes to the value of MBSE in construction, such as integrating physics-based modelling of energy systems to further reduce costs and improve sustainability. More on that later.
I remain convinced that those who adopt MBSE as a strategic initiative will have a competitive and cost advantage. It is step forward into the future which you can take today.
Brenton has a degree in Applied Science and his forte is in strategic planning, consulting and key account management. With over 30 years of experience extending across multiple business domains and industry sectors, Brenton’s passion is to facilitate positive change for businesses and people through collaboration. Brenton has joined MEMKO to bring the value of MEMKO’s services and Dassault Systémes solutions to the construction industry.