Automating the Generation of 3D Multiple Pipe Layout Design Using BIM and Heuristic Search Methods

The layout design and spatial coordination of multiple pipe systems is major challenge in the construction industry. The purpose of multiple pipe layout design is to find out an optimal layout for numerous individual pipes to route from a different start locations to different end locations in a 3D environment with no clashes under various kinds of constraints. Currently, pipe layout design is conducted manually by consultants, which is tedious, labor intensive, error-prone, and time-consuming. This paper proposes a BIM-based approach for layout design of multiple pipes using heuristic search methods. Algorithms are developed based on a directed weighted graph according to the physical, design, economical and installation requirements of pipe layout design. Clashes between pipes and with building components are considered and subsequently avoided in the layout optimization. Based on the developed algorithms, simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is used to approximate global optimization in a large search space for multiple pipe layout optimization. As for layout design, Dijkstra algorithm and two heuristic algorithms namely 3D A* and fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) are implemented and compared to obtain the multiple pipe system layout design. An example of a typical plant room with nine pipe routes is used to illustrate the developed approach on multiple pipe layout design. The result shows that the developed approach can generate optimal and clash-free multiple pipe system layout. Compared with the conventional method, the developed approach significantly reduces the time and cost for designing multiple pipe layout.