IFC model viewer to support nD model application

Today, building information modelling (BIM) plays a crucial role in the research and development fields of construction information integration and interoperability. This paper, from an information technology point of view, outlines the definition and aims of the “3D to nD Modelling” project, a platform grant-funded project by UK’s British Engineering and Physics Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It presents a scenario of widening BIM implementation into the overall aspects involved in the whole life cycle of a building project. Industry foundation classes (IFC) as a standard BIM specification has been adopted as a central information repository in order to deliver the integrated building information throughout the nD-driven assessments, evaluation and decision-making. This paper also focuses on the development of an IFC-viewer, which is defined as the holistic interface of the nD modelling tool. The techniques and methods including the auxiliary tools adopted in this development are detailed. This development presents a practical and economic way to reveal and retrieve the information of IFC models inclusively, structurally and visually.