Lightweight blockchain facilitated BIM data management for smart city operation and maintenance

Building Information Modelling (BIM) project operation and maintenance information management in smart cities currently faces challenges like data redundancy, a large number of management and maintenance personnel, and complex processes. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized and non-tamperable characteristics, offers a potential solution to these challenges. However, its direct application is not a panacea, as its complex deployment and cumbersome approval processes can introduce new challenges. Therefore, this paper proposes a lightweight blockchain-based BIM project O&M information management framework. A Design Science Research (DSR) methodology was used to construct this framework, aiming to optimize the information management process and ensure its efficient application. First, a one-to-many mapping tool was developed to allow a single blockchain node to register multiple users, thus simplifying the deployment process and enabling a lightweight blockchain. An InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)-based tool was also built for generating digital fingerprints to enhance data security and traceability. Secondly, to deal with the complex BIM collaboration process, multiple types of smart contracts were designed and developed to automate the coordination and management of various interactions and transactions in BIM projects, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of the entire collaboration process. Finally, this study validates the effectiveness of the proposed BIM information management approach using Hyperledger Fabric. The validation results show that the proposed approach is not only technically feasible in the field of BIM information management, but also effectively addresses key storage and efficiency challenges prevalent in smart city BIM applications in terms of performance metrics, including response latency and data processing throughput.