A hybrid BIM and BN-based model to improve the resiliency of hospitals' utility systems in disasters

The growing number of disasters in recent years has become a significant threat to hospital buildings' resilience and preparedness. Besides, the stochastic nature of these disasters and the complexity of the hospital building systems exacerbate the difficulty of making appropriate decisions during and after disasters. To address the issue, this research proposes a novel model that utilizes the capabilities of Bayesian Networks (BNs) and Building Information Modeling (BIM). This model helps decision-makers in hospitals and medical centers measure various effects of disasters on utility systems and analyze the consequences of their decisions. The capabilities of the proposed model are tested in the case of a medical gas distribution system in a hospital building. The findings indicate that using this model brings new insights for decision-makers into the effects of an earthquake on the medical gas system of the hospital case. Applying the hybrid BIM and BN model improves the spatial understanding of the utility systems and expedites the hospital team members' response to critical situations.