Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Infrastructure Products

Advancing BIM for Infrastructure: National Strategic Roadmap - The roadmap helps State departments of transportation (DOTs) strategically develop a uniform, nationwide policy framework related to BIM for infrastructure, open data—exchange standards and methods for adopting those standards, BIM tools, and a robust personnel training and upskilling program. These actions can then become the basis for planning and implementing BIM for infrastructure to better deliver projects and transportation services at the State DOT level.

BIM for Infrastructure Transportation Pooled Fund Study -  (A pooled fun, TPF-5(480), was initiated to collaboratively work on advancing the goals of the roadmap and serves as the mechanism for stakeholders to work collaboratively to advance BIM for infrastructure. This will involve building off the foundational work charted out in the BIM National Strategic Work Plan, with emphasis on increasing coordination and awareness of BIM technologies and activities. To participate, find further information at TPF-5(480)).

Report - This study was conducted on behalf of FHWA’s GBP to document evolving trends in BIM implementations in BIM-mature nations and their public highway infrastructure agencies, with a focus on understanding how other countries are using BIM for infrastructure to better deliver transportation projects, manage assets, and provide related services with a view to benchmark and advance U.S. practice.

Fact Sheet - Overview of the study with key observations, lessons learned, and benefits experienced by each host agency.

Fact Sheet - Summarizes a capability maturity mapping framework and an assessment of the maturity of each host organization against critical success factors.

Webinar - A webinar series for the purpose of highlighting key study findings, noteworthy BIM practices, and translatable lessons regarding building and information modeling for infrastructure, global benchmarking, and BIM schema implementation workshops. 

Webinar - The FHWA;s GBP facilitated the exchange of information with European countries to advance BIM for U.S. highway transportation infrastructure projects. BIM uses collaborative digital processes that organize and move data and information efficiently through all project phases. This report documents key practices and findings from discussions with leading BIM countries.

Webinar - BIM-Based Project Delivery to Asset Information Management Systems. A discussion of the incorporation of asset data from BIM design data models that are created during the design and construction phases into asset data models used during asset operations and maintenance phases.

Report - Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows transportation infrastructure project teams to improve the overall quality of the planning and design of projects, along with more efficiently constructing the project through improved planning, cost control, and automation, such as machine-guided equipment.

Appendix A - Multimedia Toolkit

Appendix B - ROI Workbook and User Guide

Appendix E - BIM Maturity Matrix for Transportation Agencies

Report - This report provides the accuracies needed for both survey control and topographic survey. It describes how construction specifications can incorporate practices to manage the use of automation technology in a manner to adapt to project characteristics and evolving technologies. It also describes how consistency in 3D data and survey methods provides for automated inspection tasks, especially acceptance and measurement processes, can enhance transparency, make inspectors available to observe construction, and enhance project safety. State transportation departments interested in developing 3D digital design for use in automation in highway construction would benefit from reading this volume.

TechBrief - A summary of the findings from the FHWA research project Addressing Challenges in Automation in Highway Construction, which addressed gaps for automation implementation from project development through construction, success stories, and noteworthy practices for individual technologies. In addition, guidance was developed to help State transportation departments determine how to implement and use automation to accelerate project delivery.

Report - 

This research focuses on the use of 3D techniques by State transportation departments, and addresses the following topics: 

• Feasibility of State transportation departments as the central repository of utility data within the State highway right-of-way.
• Benefits of having reliable, accurate utility data available during project delivery.
• Barriers for collecting and managing utility location data as well as strategies to overcome those barriers.
• Cost to manage 3D utility location data and mark utilities with RFID technology.

TechBrief -

Research covered in this document:

• A literature review on the use of 3D technology.
• Contact with State transportation departments to document business practices and learn lessons from a review of a sample of case studies.
• An analysis of strategies, barriers for implementation, and ROI.
• A review of the use, benefits, and costs of using RFID technology to mark underground utility installations.

Case Studies Report - A comprehensive case study of how 3D digital design data was used successfully by both the owner agency and the construction contractor during six specific highway construction projects.

Report -

This study documents how state DOTs are transitioning to a more paperless project delivery system. The researchers focused on identifying the challenges encountered during implementation of e-Construction and opportunities for improvement. In addition, cost benefit data from four agencies was captured to set benchmarks used in a template to estimate ROI that DOTs can use to develop a business case to fund e-Construction initiatives. The actionable products of the research, which are included in this report, are guidelines for implementing e-Construction improvement opportunities and a framework for calculating ROI.

TechBrief -

This TechBrief summarizes a program case study that highlights the transformation and automation of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) construction process through the development of advanced mobile applications, automated workflows, and their integration with collaboration tools and payment systems to improve overall efficiency.

BCA Template - Downloadable Excel-based tool for agencies to assess the costs versus the benefits of using various e-construction technologies.

Report -

This report documents case studies and data analysis undertaken to assess the impact of using 3D models and AMG on achievement of pavement smoothness during construction. The studies evaluated how the use of design models combined with construction equipment automation affected initial pavement smoothness and ride quality. Smoothness acceptance data from companion projects with and without the use of AMG were compared in five documented case studies. The results provide an enhanced understanding of how the technology can be used as a contractor tool for quality control and how State agencies can work with contractors to mitigate risks and optimize pavement smoothness.

TechBrief -

This is summary of a study the FHWA conducted to evaluate how using 3D engineered models in conjunction with AMG technology affects initial pavement smoothness. The assessment approach includes a comprehensive literature review, engagement with SHAs that are using 3D engineered models and AMG technology to understand the current state of the practice regarding smoothness benefits, and a comparison of documentation from five case studies.

Webinar -

The use of automated machine guidance (AMG) technology in constructing pavement structures has increased with growing market-led adoption by construction contractors. This webinar provides a summary of a study to evaluate how using three-dimensional (3D) engineered models in conjunction with AMG technology affects initial pavement smoothness.

Report -

This report documents research undertaken to assess the impact of using QA and other construction data to potentially serve as leading indicators of pavement performance. Approaches were evaluated to integrate QA and other construction data into an agency’s PMS to improve performance forecasting. Data from four State agencies show the feasibility to project future performance based on QA and construction data. The results provide information and a framework for agencies to integrate QA and construction data into their PMS as leading indicators of performance. Leveraging QA and construction data in PMS can result in improved management of an agency’s pavement network.

TechBrief -

This project evaluated whether QA data, and other as-built construction data from four SHA databases, have a strong correlation to pavement performance. The project explored different data integration and statistical procedures required to improve performance prediction at both project and network levels to develop practical recommendations and best practices, and to include these data within the pavement management decision-making framework. These data may provide a foundation to evolve, expand, and improve pavement testing and data processing techniques.

Webinar -

The use of digital data and paperless workflows in project delivery has increased with growing market-led adoption by the construction industry. This webinar provides a summary of a study to document how inspectors use digital data and field survey technology in daily construction inspection activities and to highlight best practices for managing, disseminating, and integrating such digital data in those inspection activities.

Report -

This research investigates effective uses of geospatial technology for a wide variety of highway construction and maintenance applications; identifies a number of tools and their related accuracies; offers recommendations for tool selection, workflows, and strategies for conducting BCA; and analyzes future directions of these technologies in highway project and service delivery applications. The research explores several case studies using these technologies to document their benefits and limitations. In particular, the research determines the ROI associated with using these technologies in several of those case studies.

Webinar - "To Investigate the current use of geospatial technologies such as UAV and lidar in the highway construction context, from both contractor and owner perspectives. Regulatory and ROI issues shall be explored."

Project Objectives -

This project incorporates asset data from BIM design data models that are created during the design and construction phases into asset data models used during asset operations and maintenance phases.

Report -

This study includes a literature review and interviews with researchers and vendors, and is intended for State departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, highway contractors and designers, and academic institutions involved in highway construction research.

Challenges in highway construction management and field operations include the lack of real-time and integrated information, gaps between planned solutions and practical implementations, quality assurance, and effective project communications. 3D model-based design and construction workflows are becoming more common on highway projects, and the FHWA is promoting these and other innovations through its Every Day Counts program and Building Information Modeling efforts. This increased use of 3D model-based workflows and rapid advancement in computer interface design and hardware make augmented reality a tool for overcoming these challenges

TechBrief -

Research synopsis - The FHWA study “Leveraging Augmented Reality for Highway Construction” documents current AR technologies and applications focused on the state of the practice in highway design, construction, and inspection. The study included a literature review (with a desk scan to document AR use in construction) and interviews with researchers and vendors. Two workshops that involved technology and application developers, State departments of transportation, contractors, consultants, and other practitioners were also held. The final task of the FHWA study involved the development of five use-case examples of potential highway construction activities that could be enhanced using AR.

Report -

This report documents research undertaken to explore the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to support bridge inspection. It addresses UAS platforms and sensors used to assist or augment inspections, the data-collection needs to which UAS can contribute, and means and methods for managing the tremendous amount of data that can be collected by UAS-mounted sensors. The report also presents case studies that illustrate real-world applications of UAS for bridge inspections and the results of both field and laboratory testing geared toward establishing standards and requirements for UAS sensors that will ensure quality inspection products.

TechBrief - 

This TechBrief discusses the testing conducted at the University of Maine to examine the key parameters that can be controlled or managed by the operator to positively impact the quality of UAS imagery. These parameters include the following sensor settings:

• Exposure, shutter speed, and ISO settings for sensor sensitivity to light.
• Aircraft navigation and stabilization.
• UAS standoff distance from the bridge structure.
• Wind speeds.
• Lighting.

This TechBrief offers recommendations to aid in both UAS acquisition and operational decisionmaking.

TechBrief - 

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the sensors they can carry as
payload are being integrated into bridge inspection processes by a
number of State departments of transportation (DOTs) as well as the
engineering and construction firms contracted to build new bridges
and refurbish existing ones. The UAS applications supporting bridge
construction are new but growing. This document discusses some of the ways UAS have been used to support construction projects; the most successful of these ways are presented as noteworthy practices. These practices have been used in high-visibility bridge projects in Maine and New Hampshire and for a smaller bridge construction effort in South Dakota.

TechBrief -

The effective data-management practices discussed in this TechBrief address how early adopting State departments of transportation (DOTs)—among them Maine, Minnesota, and Utah—are using specific techniques to collect, store, and archive
UAS data that allow the information to be recalled, analyzed, used for reporting purposes, and shared with others. The data-management practices used by these and other early adopting States have evolved as their experience with UAS has grown. These practices help improve an agency’s ability to capture, review, and store field-collected UAS data; archive and present UAS data through bridge modeling; expand methods and media to store and archive data for future recall and use; and integrate UAS data within a bridge management system (BMS).

TechBrief -

A number of early adopting State DOTs are incorporating UAS into routine bridge inspection processes. During the initial inspections and proof of concept projects, these States (Maine, Minnesota, and Utah) developed many practices that, when followed, will benefit other organizations as they develop their UAS inspection programs.The effective practices discussed in this TechBrief involve supplementing traditional inspection techniques with UAS during routine inspections, supplementing traditional bridge deck condition inspections using infrared (IR) sensors, and capturing UAS imagery of an entire bridge structure to create a three-dimensional (3D) model. These practices
have been demonstrated to improve inspection safety, save inspection costs and time, and improve process efficiencies.

Project Objectives -

This project develops a BIM framework for infrastructure asset management and emergency response by identifying overlapping business functions in emergency and infrastructure data management and reviewing existing practices in data creation, collection, modeling, integration, and use analysis. Also identify opportunities for data exchange between emergency and infrastructure systems.

Project Objectives -

The objective of this project is to identify and analyze data management, interoperability and governance standards, practices, and frameworks related to BIM for infrastructure, and to use the analysis findings to develop following research products: 

• Conceptual data standard.
• Data model and governance approach.
• Implementation plan.
• Demonstration of the business case for data integration and BIM.

Handout -

e-Ticketing offers a safer, faster, less resource intensive, sustainable, and streamlined process using technology. e-Ticketing data can be transmitted in real time directly or to the cloud for access by mobile devices to enable operational decisions in real time. This information creates a “single source of truth” that can be exchanged, via an application program interface, with DOT information systems such as construction management, asset management, or financial systems for data mining purposes. e-Ticketing facilitates integration with complementary technologies, such as intelligent compaction, density meters, and thermal profilers. e-Ticketing offers a unique opportunity to collect critical quality and productivity data that is otherwise difficult to capture. e-Ticketing saves lives, money, and time. 

Presentation -

e-Ticketing is a paperless process for tracking, documenting, and archiving materials information, accessible in real-time via mobile devices. It reduces human interaction, eliminates work zone safety hazards, reduces paper ticket inefficiency, eliminates lost and damaged tickets, generates traceable materials, captures data for future analysis, and provides authoritative real-time information. 

Participation Workbook -

Electronic ticketing (eTicketing) is an automated process, and a market-ready, digital innovation that automates the recording and transfer of information (in real time) for materials as they are moved from the plant to the site. This report is an electronic workbook specifically developed for the participants of the Every Day Counts virtual summits. The participant workbook includes a technical description of e-Ticketing technologies, benefits, user stories of five State departments of transportation (DOTs), and a maturity matrix. Additionally, it includes the related presentation’s slides and example specifications from two State DOTs.

Implementation Plan -

The implementation plan was developed to assist FHWA with the planning of e-Ticketing deployment activities under the sixth round of the Everyday Counts initiative (EDC-6).

Project Objectives -

This research will do the following:

• Investigate the needs, gaps, and barriers for a State DOT to make the transition from paper-based, marked-up paper plans or digital CAD drawings to, digital as-builts.
• Establish the link between the information in the digital as-built and needed asset management data (for example, between the digital as-builts' PIM to the AIM.
• Develop approaches and methods for structural/organizational changes a State DOT should take to facilitate the use of digital as-builts.

Project Objectives -

This study is assessing the capabilities and limitations of consumer grade pocket lidar technology and its potential use by agencies for routine inspection efforts.