New Perspectives for BIM Usage in Transportation Infrastructure Projects

Abstract

Although there is already a great amount of scientific literature dealing with the use of building information modeling (BIM) in engineering activities, the majority refer to successful case studies using the usual methods and technology of building construction but rarely bring up the real problems for implementing BIM methodology to the field of transportation infrastructure. It must be also considered that the construction activity is only a part of the infrastructure life and the stakeholder must consider the works of enlargement, renewal, and maintenance of the infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is not only to show a mere review of the existing literature but also present a rational analysis for the use of BIM in different areas of civil engineering. For that purpose, the gathered experience in the use of BIM in civil engineering projects in the final course of Civil Engineering Master Studies in the Civil Engineering School (ETSICCP) at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid were compared with the reported literature. This way, a complete and updated information regarding tendencies, applications, and practice along with limitations and benefits can be presented. The significance of this research relies on the original insight of BIM for civil engineering applications through four case studies. Two of them were focused on construction possibilities and the other two on the possibilities in the exploitation, rehabilitation, and maintenance. The results showed that despite the lack of previous experiences, the use of BIM methodology is possible for activities such as maintenance, managing, or expansion of infrastructure by applying different specific software packages. Among the main problems needing to be addressed are the following: handling of big data files, the integration of new data non-related with the modeled object, and interchange of data without losing information. That proves the need of new more efficient techniques to overcome the challenge of the full use of BIM in the civil engineering field and obtain the mutual advantage of the co-operation of the academic and industrial worlds.