In the early 2000s, Autodesk’s acquisition of Navisworks pushed BIM coordination forward — and with it came the rise of the Clash Matrix.

Their first major test? A project in Qatar. The goal was to reduce filtering time and cut costs by using a tailored clash matrix aligned with project needs.

The result? Rejected by the client — but the experiment gave birth to something better:

The Elements Interaction Matrix (EIM).

Unlike the traditional Clash Matrix, the EIM evaluates:

The behavior of each individual element

Its interaction with others

And the phase-specific logic of the model

This shift helped make clash detection more relevant and actionable. Brazil further formalized this by requiring clash reports for both site conflict detection and model quality validation in 2010.

But here's the catch:

False clashes are still one of the biggest challenges in BIM today.

One study shows poor coordination accounts for 37% of the issues in BIM implementation.

So how do you fix it?

Build a project-specific Clash Matrix

Know your LOD and project stage

Define your goal: validation or construction prep

Use the right tools, and don’t be afraid to use multiple matrices if needed