Abstract
The effective integration of Building Information Modeling has become essential for improving coordination, efficiency, and lifecycle performance in construction projects. However, despite its global diffusion, BIM adoption in residential construction within developing countries remains constrained by multiple implementation challenges. This paper investigates the critical barriers influencing BIM integration and examines how overcoming these barriers enhances lifecycle success across the design, construction, and operation phases. A conceptual framework grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model and socio technical systems theory was developed and empirically tested using data collected from 166 construction professionals. Structural Equation Modeling based on partial least squares was employed to analyze the hypothesized relationships. The results identify four primary categories of BIM implementation barriers, namely behavioral, managerial, technical, and operational factors, with behavioral and managerial dimensions exerting the strongest influence. The structural model confirms that mitigating these barriers significantly improves overall project lifecycle performance. Beyond its regional context, the paper provides a transferable framework for understanding digital innovation adoption in project based environments and offers strategic guidance for policymakers and industry stakeholders in developing countries seeking to accelerate digital transformation in residential construction. The findings contribute to both BIM adoption literature and broader digital transformation research by demonstrating that successful implementation requires alignment across technological capability, organizational readiness, and human behavioral factors.
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Data availability
The data supporting the findings of this paper are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. All survey responses were collected anonymously, and no personally identifiable information was recorded. The dataset has been securely stored and is accessible only to the research team to ensure confidentiality and compliance with institutional ethical guidelines.
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Conceptualization: Abdullah Alsehaimi, Muhammad Usman Ghani; Methodology: Abdullah O. Baarimah, Aawag Moshen Alawag; Formal analysis: Madhusudhan Bangalore Ramu, Muhammad Usman Ghani; Investigation: Aawag Moshen Alawag, Abdullah O. Baarimah; Data curation: Abdullah O. Baarimah, Aawag Moshen Alawag; Writing – Original Draft: Abdullah Alsehaimi; Writing – Review & Editing: Madhusudhan Bangalore Ramu, Muhammad Usman Ghani, Abdullah O. Baarimah, Aawag Moshen Alawag; Supervision: Abdullah Alsehaimi, Madhusudhan Bangalore Ramu.
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This study involved human participants in the form of a voluntary questionnaire survey. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Taiz University, Yemen (Approval No.: TU-REC-2025-CE-017). All participants were informed about the purpose of the research prior to participation and provided informed consent. Participation was anonymous and no personally identifiable information was collected. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant institutional guidelines and regulations and complied with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
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Alsehaimi, A., Ghani, M.U., Baarimah, A.O. et al. Mitigating obstructions to attain successful application and implementation of building information modeling (BIM) in residential construction projects’ lifecycle. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43261-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43261-w


