Abstract: The expansion of scale and the increase of complexity of buildings have imposed higher requirements onto collaboration among different stakeholders. How to realize a better information interaction among multiple disciplines and different software platforms becomes a key problem in the collaborative process. OpenBIM, as the common standard of information exchange, can well meet the needs of information interaction among different softwares and improve the efficiency and accuracy of collaboration. At present, research related to OpenBIM has received extensive attention from scholars at home and abroad, but there is still lack of comprehensive review on OpenBIM. In this paper, OpenBIM and its related standards and softwares are introduced by analyzing related websites and papers. Furthermore, the application of OpenBIM in engineering projects is analyzed from the perspectives of design, construction and operation. Finally, the paper discusses the deficiencies of OpenBIM in the application process and the direction of further development. The systematic analysis of the theory and practice of OpenBIM in this paper can provide support for its further research and application.

Key words: OpenBIM, interoperability, software platform, engineering application