Building Information Modeling - implementation within structural design

Building Information Modeling (BIM) radically changes the planning process of construction projects. This implies that all planning partners have to familiarize oneself with new working structures and new software tools. A three-dimensional building design and its object-oriented database form the basis for this new working method. Special applications, developed for the BIM planning process, assist the structural designer by providing features for an automated transformation from the building design over an analytical model in a calculation model. As a chain of reasoning three-dimensional calculation models are used for the static proof by this workflow. The application of 3d-static software in practice can already be noticed. Three-dimensional calculation models concerning structural engineering were realized according to the BIM workflow for scientific research and designed in its entirety. This article points out difficulties of the transformation process, limits of structural detailing and problems of a 3d structural analysis based on experiences gained on three-dimensional analytic and calculation models. Additionally options to implement intelligent methods in the BIM workflow are presented.