Automated model checking for topologically complex code requirements – security room case study

A review of the state of the art in the field of automated code compliance checking revealed that existing applications are limited in the scope of clauses they are able to check. While some building code clauses are straightforward, requiring direct checking of parameter values, others depend on the topological relationships among objects, making automated checking of BIM models more challenging. Moreover, existing applications require the user to extensively preprocess the model in preparation for checking. We propose applying semantic enrichment for pre-processing the BIM models. The goal of a semantic enrichment process in support of automated code compliance checking is to derive the needed clause test values automatically and to represent them explicitly. A successful semantic enrichment process can therefore widen the scope of requirements that can be checked automatically. This work demonstrates such a process for checking code clauses involving topologically complex requirements. Although semantic enrichment proved to be successful for several purposes in previous research, dealing with complex topologies involves different types of semantic enrichment tasks. We explore the subject through a test case of requirements from the Israeli code for security rooms.