Ontology Assisted Collaboration Sessions on 4D BIM

Stakeholders use 4D modelling during construction to coordinate project data and collaborate effectively. The collaborative sessions between project stakeholders have a complex dynamic. This research was conducted under the scope of the 4DCollab project, which aims to improve 4D BIM supported Synchronous Collaboration Sessions (SCS) by adopting a user-centric approach, whilst considering specific 4D use-case information requirements. Following several experimental SCS, an initial ontology model was developed. This model offers a holistic view of the dynamics between the following main concepts: the meeting itself (session), its participants (users), the 4D BIM model and the collaboration devices used for decision-making. Several existing schemas within the BIM domain were identified and considered for the definition of the proposed ontology, re-using several already validated concepts. The 4DCollab ontology is introduced following a rigorous design methodology. Its applications, limitations and future work are also outlined and discussed.