# HBIM: Background, Current Trends, and Future Prospects
## 5 Applications and Data Management
### Scope of Existing HBIM Models  
In accordance with the origin of the BIM concept itself, the general purpose of HBIM models is to systematically store all relevant and available data about a specific historical building on the basis of a three-dimensional geometry. However, beyond this, it is important to understand the specific goals of the various HBIM models developed over recent years. In general, as already observed in other literature reviews on the subject [7; 28], HBIM studies have focused on three main areas: the data acquisition process and modeling  
Figure 6: Example of ontology for a tangible cultural heritage element. Adapted from [73].  
techniques, the use of HBIM for the management of heritage buildings, and the conduction of analyses (primarily structural) within HBIM environments.  
Based on the publications analyzed in this review, and as illustrated in Figure 7, a significant number of studies over the past decade have focused on data collection procedures and techniques, although the percentage compared to other topics has slightly decreased in the last few years. From the outset, the dominant focus of the HBIM literature has been the management of cultural heritage assets and the development of strategies for their preventive preservation, conservation, and restoration. Within this topic, since the mid-2010s, the authors have paid special attention to the introduction of workflows and protocols aimed at standardizing the management of cultural heritage buildings within BIM environments. In the past five years, there has also been a notable rise in research exploring the integration of HBIM models with virtual, augmented, and extended reality technologies, especially due to their potential as educational and outreach tools. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the number of publications related to the conduction of analyses to assess the structural condition of heritage buildings within BIM environments. These studies have explored topics such as data exchange processes, interoperability between BIM and structural analysis software, and the possibility of continuously updating the structural condition through SHM systems.  
A significant number of the published articles, though not all, focus on the development of an HBIM model for a specific heritage building or apply their research to a particular case study. As shown in Figure 8a, among the publications indexed in Web of Science between 2010-2023 considered in this study, about 10% refer to HBIM models of churches (including basilicas and cathedrals), making this by far the most represented building type. Other relevant types of buildings evaluated in the literature are palaces, museums, and bridges, each accounting for between 3% and 4%. There is also coverage of other monumental buildings, such as towers, temples, and castles, as well as schools, historic factories, and mosques. Other more particular and difficult-to-classify building types were excluded from this analysis.  
In terms of construction materials (Figure 8b, approximately 15% of HBIM publications focus on masonry buildings (including both stone and brick masonry), while timber structures account for around 4%. More modern materials, such as steel and concrete, are each featured in less than 2% of the articles, and only a small number address earthen structures (e.g., adobe and rammed earth). Although these figures might be only indicative, as not all studies explicitly reference the construction materials of the heritage buildings they address, they still provide a general sense of the representation of the different construction materials (and, by extension, the associated building techniques) in HBIM models.  
Figure 7: Main topics of HBIM publications in the Web of Science database between 2010 and 2023.