Virtual Reality Design Quality-Check Tool for Engineering Projects

Abstract

The recent adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) interfaces linked with Building Information Modeling (BIM) has appeared as a means to support the participation of professionals with extensive experience when operating in BIM-based work environments regardless of their practical BIM- modeling skills. As such, this paper aims to verify the existence of a significant difference between the number of design/modeling errors recognized when complementing the use of conventional systems (i.e., BIM tools) with immersive VR environments. The study employed a quantitative comparative approach, and statistical analysis was conducted through a non-parametric test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Results show that the number of modeling errors detected after the test of the two interfaces (time factor) was statistically significant. Also, it was possible to conclude the existence of statistical evidence in the identification of a greater number of modeling errors when participants first tested the BIM authoring tool and then the VR interface.