BIM-Based Design Change Framework for Assessing MEP System Stabilisation

Abstract: Design changes during construction remain a challenge, as late-stage modifications to complex MEP systems can impact cost and schedule. While BIM enables documentation of design evolution through versioned IFC files, existing tools focus on retrospective change detection rather than forward-looking stability assessment. This study introduces two metrics, Change Intensity (CI) and Stability Index (SI),to track MEP design evolution across consecutive IFC versions.CI aggregates the proportion of elements changed, while SI applies a logistic function to translate CI into an interpretable stability score. Eleven IFCs from a real project demonstrate the framework’s ability to identify disruption events and track design convergence.