Contractual Risks of BIM Implementation and the Proposed Contract Form for DBB and DB Projects

AbstractThe application of building information modeling (BIM) is in its early stages in Iran and there is a lack of contract forms for BIM projects to overcome its barriers. To propose a contract form for BIM, this study conducted a literature review followed by an expert interview to identify legal issues and risks associated with the adoption of BIM in the Iranian construction industry. Through the literature survey, 31 items were extracted as BIM legal issues. This list was validated and completed through interviews, and hence a list of 41 legal considerations to be addressed in BIM contracts was identified. The 41-item list was used to propose contract provisions as a BIM contract addendum. Two local design-bid-build (DBB) and design-build (DB) contractual standards of Iran were reviewed. Then the proposed contractual conditions were incorporated into the contract forms in Iran to achieve BIM-based DBB and DB contractual standards. This research adds to the body of knowledge by developing a complete BIM contract addendum. The literature review of the study is not confined to Iranian literature; therefore, the results of the study are expected to be suitable for other countries at a similar or more advanced level of BIM perception. Practical ApplicationsBuilding information modeling is one of the emerging concepts in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Despite its numerous advantages, the implementation of BIM gives rise to some issues and challenges throughout the project life cycle. One major challenge in BIM adoption is the lack of contractual guidelines, which leads to ambiguity in BIM legal aspects. Many of the legal risks associated with BIM can be managed through contractual provisions. However, the current legal system and common contract forms are major impediments to full implementation of BIM as a novel collaborative technology. Therefore, a well-structured and clear set of BIM-specific contractual provisions will establish a legal foundation for BIM, help overcome barriers to its adoption, and encourage its utilization in projects. The current study first identifies the most common legal issues associated with BIM adoption in construction projects. Then the study proposes a comprehensive contract form that includes all the required clauses and provisions to address all these legal risks.