Building Information Modeling (BIM) as Economical and Properties Assessment Tool for Building Units Alternatives Made with Lightweight Foamed Concrete

Abstract

Lightweight foamed concrete brick is new construction materials. It gives a prospective solution to building construction industry, this research aims to study the cost, dead loads, environmental issues and energy consumption from using lightweight foam concrete bricks as construction materials by utilizing building information modeling technique. The results obtained from this modelling proved that the cost of brick work using lightweight foamed concrete units of grade A (2000 kg/m3) and B (1800 kg/m3 ) is higher by (19.4% and 11.9%) respectively than the activity cost using traditional fired clay bricks. For grade C (1600 kg/m3) that cost was very close to fired clay bricks (+2.9%). while the construction of brick work using light weight foamed concrete units of grade D (1400 kg/m3) and E (1200 kg/m3) was lower by (8% and 18.6%) than fired clay bricks. Besides that, the dead load generated by building units was decreased by (7.7-38.5%) for grade (B, C, D, E) than the load of fired clay bricks, while the load generated from used lightweight foam concrete bricks grade is very closed to fired clay bricks (+2.5%). There was a reduction in energy consumption by the rate of (4.1-62.2%) for heating and (9.8-73.4%) for cooling as wall sharing in energy consumption. Environmental analysis showed sustainable potential so that the production of lightweight foamed concrete units reduces CO2 emission by (46.5-67.9%) compared with the fired clay bricks. Finally; it can be concluded that building units produced in this research with LWFC, characterized with properties can efficiently compete the fired clay bricks.