Semantic enrichment of object associations across federated BIM semantic graphs in a common data environment
Bei Ouyang, Z. Wang, R. Sacks · 2023
Explicit association semantics across federated BIM models facilitate the interoperability between design systems and open opportunities for intelligent applications. However, the automated inference and generation of such semantics remains a key challenge. Graph representations of BIM models have shown potential in supporting semantic enrichment and conveying formal building semantics across domains. In this paper, we present our implementation of a semantically-enriched Common Data Environment – the Graph-based Core-extension Data Framework – composed of a semantic graph layer and an object geometry extension layer, hosting the heterogeneous information from BIM models. A novel rule-based inferencing approach, the TIOC algorithm , was implemented on the federated building representations to infer and establish inter-domain topological and correspondence relationships, interconnecting disjoint domain specific graphs with meaningful formal semantics. This study is the first known attempt to implement a semantic enrichment algorithm for implicit object associations in the context of multidisciplinary models.