RESEARCH ON MODEL CONVERSION APPROACH TOWARDS STRUCTURAL FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Inadequate integration and interoperability are still inflicting an economic burden with the increasing requirement of model conversion between architectural and structural models. This paper presents a novel approach which combines an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-Application Program Interface (API) based conversion approach with our previous research on model conversion among different structural analysis models, providing a Building Information Model (BIM)-based model conversion framework towards structural finite element analysis to improve the efficiency within design industry. The approach was implemented in the self-developed BIM-based conversion platform based on the optimization algorithm of model display. The platform was tested in a teaching building to verify the conversion process. This research has made a breakthrough in the theory, technology, and application of model conversion towards structural finite element analysis and has established the foundation for the subsequent research of BIM-based simulation and analysis for time-varying structures.