Digitalization in Infrastructure Construction Projects: A PRISMA-Based Review of Benefits and Obstacles

TL;DR

This paper systematically reviews the benefits and barriers of BIM adoption in infrastructure projects from 2013 to 2023, highlighting advantages like improved collaboration and cost savings, while identifying key obstacles such as training and standardization issues.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive PRISMA-based analysis of BIM benefits and barriers in infrastructure, offering insights to improve adoption strategies and policies.

Findings

BIM enhances collaboration and decision-making in infrastructure projects.

Identified 74 obstacles, with 7 primary barriers to BIM adoption.

Highlights the need for standardization, training, and policy support.

Abstract

The current study presents a comprehensive review of the benefits and barriers associated with the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in infrastructure projects, focusing on the period from 2013 to 2023. The research explores the manifold advantages offered by BIM, spanning the entire project life cycle, including planning, design, construction, maintenance, and sustainability. Notably, BIM enhances collaboration, facilitates real-time data-driven decision-making, and leads to substantial cost and time savings. In parallel, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify and categorize the barriers hindering BIM adoption within the infrastructure industry. Eleven studies were selected for in-depth analysis, revealing a total of 74 obstacles. Through synthetic analysis and thematic clustering, seven primary impediments to BIM adoption were identified, encompassing challenges related to education/training, resistance to change, business value clarity, perceived cost, lack of standards and guidelines, lack of mandates, and lack of initiatives. This review explores the benefits and barriers in the industry that are facing BIM adoption in infrastructure projects, giving an important perspective toward improving effective BIM adoption strategies, policies, and standards. Future directions for research and industry development are outlined, including efforts to enhance education and training, promote standardization, advocate for policy and mandates, and integrate BIM with emerging technologies.