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Blockchain-BPMN Integrated Framework for Construction Management

  • Xuling Ye
  • Xingyu Tao
  • Jack C. P. Cheng
  • Markus König

Implementing blockchain benefits various construction management processes, such as securing payments, enabling traceable design process, and enhancing information transparency in supply chain. However, blockchain implementation in construction is still in its infancy due to weak functionality of smart contracts, which are self-enforceable programs allowing iteration between external data and blockchain. In the context of construction management that embraces complex and dynamic business processes, smart contracts are currently designed based on specific and isolated functional requirements without considering the connection and execution logic between these functions. It leads to inefficient collaboration and even execution errors, thereby corrupting data quality and even causing business failure. Therefore, this paper proposes a Blockchain-BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) integrated (BBI) framework for construction management. The framework poses two contributions. First, a BPMN-driven method is developed to design smart contracts supporting executing linked and logically connected business activities. Second, an access control strategy is integrated into smart contracts to safeguard the accessibility of sensitive business data in a blockchain environment. The BBI framework is validated in an actual BIM design collaboration scenario, and results show its feasibility and computational performance are acceptable. Several aspects for improvement and future directions are discussed in the end

  • Keywords:
  • Smart contract; Blockchain; BPMN; Construction business process,
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Xuling Ye

Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany - ORCID: 0000-0001-9857-4288

Xingyu Tao

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong - ORCID: 0000-0003-0232-0596

Jack C. P. Cheng

University of Hong KongThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong - ORCID: 0000-0002-1722-2617

Markus König

Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany - ORCID: 0000-0002-2729-7743

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  • Publication Year: 2023
  • Pages: 309-317

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  • Publication Year: 2023

Chapter Information

Chapter Title

Blockchain-BPMN Integrated Framework for Construction Management

Authors

Xuling Ye, Xingyu Tao, Jack C. P. Cheng, Markus König

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0289-3.29

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2023

Copyright Information

© 2023 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY-NC 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Bibliographic Information

Book Title

CONVR 2023 - Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Construction Applications of Virtual Reality

Book Subtitle

Managing the Digital Transformation of Construction Industry

Editors

Pietro Capone, Vito Getuli, Farzad Pour Rahimian, Nashwan Dawood, Alessandro Bruttini, Tommaso Sorbi

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2023

Copyright Information

© 2023 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY-NC 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Publisher Name

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0289-3

eISBN (pdf)

979-12-215-0289-3

eISBN (xml)

979-12-215-0257-2

Series Title

Proceedings e report

Series ISSN

2704-601X

Series E-ISSN

2704-5846

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