Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Infrastructure
The Transportation Pool Fund Study TPF-5(480): Building Information Management (BIM) for Infrastructure will deliver an agile approach to provide technical guidance for leveraging the concepts of BIM and open data standards to create a guide for information management across all phases of the asset life cycle of the build environment in the transportation infrastructure context.
BIM for Infrastructure is a collaborative work method for structuring, managing, and using an agency's enterprise-wide data and information for transportation assets throughout their life cycles. BIM integrates and leverages digital information found in lidar/UAS surveys, 3D design models, eConstruction data, georeferenced assets and geographic information systems (GIS), to bring profound improvements for project delivery and lifecycle data management. The data capabilities are envisioned to better connect the silos within our agencies towards greater collaboration and real-time, fact-based decision-making in managing our highway assets. BIM is about "liberating" data from siloed systems and making it available in an automated way to anyone who needs it when they need it.
The pooled fund serves as the mechanism for stakeholders to work collaboratively to advance BIM for Infrastructure. This will involve building off the foundational work that was charted out in the BIM National Strategic Work Plan, with emphasis on increasing coordination and awareness of BIM technologies and activities. This pooled fund will coordinate with efforts of TPF-5(372) focusing on BIM for Bridges and Structures.
TPF-5(480) provides technical guidance for leveraging BIM concepts and open data standards and a guide for information management across all phases of the built environment. This includes all phases of project development, construction, operations and maintenance, strategic asset management, and planning for transportation agencies. The framework provided in the FHWA publication Advancing BIM for Infrastructure, National Strategic Roadmap (NSR) and collaboration with similar efforts to advance digital delivery in the development of this guide is a foundation of the study.
The deliverables for TPF-5(480) are organized into four distinct Work Areas, which are aligned with the chapters of the BIM for Infrastructure Guidebook.
Digital Workflow Development involves establishing the business process steps involved in Digital Project Delivery, starting from planning to survey, design, construction and handoff to asset management. These digital workflows are being established for four project types.
Digital Data Flows and Information Management involves building the following digital data management tools for enabling deployment of BIM at transportation agencies.
Stakeholder Outreach and Engagement involves engagements with the FHWA and National Programs, State DOTs, Industry Organizations, Standard Development Organizations (SDOs), Software/Technology vendors for enabling the deployment of standards driven digital workflows and data management tools that are needed for modeling, integration, interoperability, exchange and publication.
A BIM for Infrastructure Communication Hub/Platform is being developed that will host a range of information for transportation agencies to deploy BIM at their agencies by:
BIM Knowledge Platform
Curated compilations of reports (knowledge platform), complex elements used in designs (3d parametric cell library), and deployment tools used in developing data models (data artifacts).
BIM for Infrastructure Guidebook
The Guidebook will be updated annually and include a summary of TPF-5(480) approved deliverables, and include curated research findings, guidance and data artifacts for building information modeling in transportation infrastructure.
BIM for Infrastructure Roadmap
A five-year plan with intended outcomes across four key dimensions.
