Towards Secure Construction Networks: A Data-Sharing Architecture Utilizing Blockchain Technology and Decentralized Storage

Collaboration in construction projects is reinforced with building information modelling (BIM) technologies and the use of common data environments (CDEs). However, utilizing centralized data-sharing platforms in projects involving many stakeholders from different disciplines/organizations raises cybersecurity concerns. This article proposes a data-sharing architecture that utilizes blockchain technology and decentralized storage for enhanced cybersecurity. The proposed schema suggests not storing the project files in the blockchain blocks but instead storing their fingerprints. Decentralized storage is proposed for storing and exchanging the actual files in the construction network. While blockchain provides immutability and enables enhanced change tracking, utilizing a peer-to-peer (P2P) decentralized storage mechanism improves the transaction speed and reduces the total size of the blockchain (copy) that every stakeholder holds in the network. The article presents the proposed idea on a conceptual level. The authors are working on a prototype of the proposed data-sharing architecture to better understand the possible limitations for further improvement and actual implementation.