Earthwork Calculation by GIS and BIM Integration Technology: An Overview

Abstract

With the advancement of computer technology, various software for calculating earthwork have emerged and are increasingly used in engineering constructions.  They mainly include the following types: GIS series, AutoCAD series, remote sensing series and BIM series, GIS and BIM integration is also critical technologies for earthwork calculation. This paper reviews previous studies on the application of GIS and BIM integration in earthwork calculation. We conducted a comparative statistical analysis of literature based on the proportion and year, and classified the analysis according to software methods and research gaps. The results indicate that the number of studying the integration of GIS and BIM has increased over the past five years (2019-2023). Although there are still significant gaps, the trend suggest that these gaps are gradually decreasing. The obtained literature items were analyzed and classified into this three types. There are 4 literature items extract BIM data to GIS software, 1 literature items extract GIS data to BIM software, 3 literature items use GIS-BIM integration new software to calculate earthwork. Future trends should focus on using BIM model data to generate the elevation in the GIS, or advance optimization method of earthwork calculation used GIS-BIM integration software to be specific and meticulous. All methods should employ more case comparative analysis for deeper application.