Development of an Innovative Automated Method for Identifying the Installation Sequence of Steel Structure Elements Using ETABS Model Information

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Department of Construction Engineering and Management, School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran

Abstract

Accurate and detailed scheduling is a critical prerequisite for creating 4D models in construction projects. However, this process, heavily reliant on manual efforts, often results in a generalized and less-detailed schedule that ultimately fails to deliver the required accuracy and efficiency, potentially jeopardizing project success. This challenge becomes more pronounced with the increasing scale and complexity of projects, especially in steel structures, where the installation sequence of elements must be determined in a way that not only adheres to general installation rules but also ensures structural stability at all times. Despite the importance of this issue, the literature has paid limited and often fragmented attention to installation sequencing, leaving the process predominantly manual. To address this gap, this paper introduces an innovative automated method for identifying installation prerequisites and determining the optimal installation sequence for steel structure elements. The proposed method automatically extracts the necessary data from the ETABS model and, using a set of installation rules and real-time stability analysis, identifies the prerequisites for installing each element. The results demonstrate the success of the model in determining installation prerequisites for each element and, consequently, the installation sequence for the structure. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the proposed method, particularly in large-scale projects, not only improves the accuracy and speed of installation sequencing but also serves as a robust foundation for generating automated 4D models—an aspect that has been addressed to a limited extent in the existing literature.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 November 2025

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics