From GIS to HBIM and Back: Multiscale Performance and Condition Assessment for Networks of Public Heritage Buildings and Construction Components

The paper addresses the integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) as a framework for structuring and managing information related to networks of public historical buildings. The approach aims to support administrators and decision-makers in assessing both performance and condition of these assets. To this end, the study proposes a methodological workflow encompassing: (i) the development of an interoperable GIS-BIM database that aggregates heterogeneous data at multiple scales, including district, building, and construction component levels, with the latter enhanced by data derived from experimental measurements of both onsite and laboratory tests; (ii) the creation of tailored data exchange routines facilitating bidirectional transfer between GIS and BIM environments, enabling parametric modeling of building elements based on unified descriptors drawn from predefined glossaries; and (iii) the semantic enrichment of HBIM models, incorporating descriptions of decay patterns and enabling integrated visualization of both “<i>as-buil</i>t” and “<i>as-damaged</i>” conditions within the GIS platform. The methodology is applied to a real case study focusing on the historical building assets of a municipality in southern Italy, within a specialized context, namely systematizing knowledge to support seismic vulnerability assessment. This case study demonstrates the outcomes and potential applications of the proposed framework, contributing to the debate on its implications for enhancing contemporary heritage evaluation and management practices. Centralized relational database is set for GIS-BIM interoperability. GIS-based inventory approach of networked construction materials, components, and performances is established by unified performance descriptors and diagnostic tests. GIS-BIM data exchange routines by programming codes and algorithms are developed in Python. Dynamo “As-built” and “as-damaged” HBIM models are integrated in GIS environment multi-data seismic vulnerability assessment