BIM-Enabled Interpretation of Saudi Building Code Shear Wall Requirements for Mixed-Use Buildings
Islam Ibrahim Shoheb1,*, Sonia Ahmed2, Haretha Aljabr3
1Technical Manager, MAS Engineering and Construction Company Ltd., KSA
2Director of the Master's Program in Building Information Modeling and Management, Syrian Virtual University, Damascus, Syria
3Building Information Modelling and Management Master Programme Student at Syrian Virtual University, Syria
Emails: Eslamshohip03@gmail.com; bimm_pd@svuonline.org; haretha_176560@svuonline.org
Purpose: this study aims to develop a Building Information Modeling (BIM)-enabled methodology that integrates Saudi Building Code (SBC) seismic detailing provisions for reinforced concrete shear walls into a rule-based parametric modeling environment. The research seeks to enhance compliance traceability, automate code interpretation, and improve quantity accuracy for mixed-use high-rise buildings with significant vertical zoning effects. Approach, Selected SBC shear wall provisions were translated into computable IF–THEN engineering rules linked to BIM parameters. The methodology incorporated vertical zoning, axial load ratio evaluation, rule-based reinforcement detailing, and automated quantity extraction. The framework was validated using a large-scale Saudi healthcare mixed-use case study through comparison of BIM-derived quantities with independent SBC-consistent reference calculations on a zone-by-zone basis. Findings, Results indicate that axial load ratio governs boundary element activation and confinement reinforcement demand. BIM-generated reinforcement distributions aligned closely with SBC intent, showing average differences of 2–4% for concrete volume, 3–6% for longitudinal reinforcement, and 4–8% for confinement reinforcement. Boundary confinement was concentrated within the lower 30–40% of building height, while zone-based detailing reduced upper-zone reinforcement by approximately 15–25%. Practical Implications, the methodology improves automated compliance verification, reduces overdesign, enhances reproducibility, and supports efficient structural modeling for complex mixed-use buildings. Originality/Value, the study establishes a direct digital linkage between SBC provisions, parametric BIM modeling, and automated structural quantity outputs.
Keywords: Parametric compliance; Rule-based modeling; Axial load interaction; Vertical zoning; Digital structural workflow