Automating Codes Conformance

The ancient methodology of trial-and-error has come a long way over the past hundreds of years, as the construction industry continues to pursue tools that improve design before construction commences. Merging BIM with SmartCodes is a vital step in that evolution. SmartCodes is a new initiative of the International Code Council (ICC) that seeks to automate code compliance check, which takes the building plan as represented by a BIM model and instantly checks for code compliance via model-checking software. The goal is to be able to create a review checklist of building elements to look for, and to inspect the building components that do not comply with code provisions to determine why they do not comply. The introduction of SmartCodes will greatly enhance the traditional design practice by simplifying the access to code provisions and complaints checks. Converting Code and Standards from a flat, rigid format into a dynamic, computable format plays a key role in this process. By breaking through the boundaries of Code and Standard provisions, design software, and Building Information Modeling, a solution to these challenging hurdles can be achieved. This research investigates automated code compliance verification systems that assess building designs according to various criteria, which includes evaluating and examining the functional capabilities of both the technology and structure of SmartCodes and recent code rule checking systems. The paper suggests a new framework for the development of automated code-checking systems that will validate building designs against regulations, provisions, and user-defined conditions. (C) 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.