Dimensions of interoperability in BIM-supported seismic structural studies: Application to the H-BIM of the chalet of the countess of Edla in Sintra, Portugal

Protecting the built heritage depends on the collaboration of experts from distinct disciplines that need to access building data to effectively perform their activities, such as documenting, analyzing, or managing the constructions. Heritage Building Information Modeling (H-BIM) has emerged as a solution for the virtual representation of heritage buildings’ geometric data and associated attributes in an integrated platform for accurate 3D representation and information exchange. In this paper, we address the challenges derived from the modeling and analysis processes that occur in constructing an H-BIM based on a point cloud and the data transfer to/from structural analysis software. This discussion is supported by applying a point cloud-BIM-structural analysis workflow to a heritage chalet, on which strategies to overcome obstacles in model interoperability and data transfer were identified.