About the features of BIM for linear objects
Road and bridge design is very different from building design, and this is reflected in the use of BIM. Unlike civil engineering, in which the object is divided into levels, roads, bridges, etc. are stretched along the terrain, which radically changes the modeling methods. The expert described them in detail, based on a lecture by an Italian developer of software for designing highways. We have already provided a list of these features in another article on our blog. Now we will briefly highlight the main points:
Location in space
Unlike building design, where levels are used, in the case of roads the arrangement of elements is specified by sequential order, offset and elevation (Z).
Working with relief
For road design, the relief is a key element. It is not recommended to change it, as this will entail significant costs.
Limitations of IFC
for buildings, and its classes do not map well to road and bridge elements, which creates additional modeling challenges.
Bridge cone modeling software
Today, there are already several domestic software products for road design on the market. However, there are no full-fledged domestic solutions for bridge builders yet. Foreign vendors such as Bentley, Nemetschek, Trimble and Autodesk are no longer available due to sanctions. Domestic programs such as midas CIM still require revision, and more advanced software: IndorCAD , Topomatic Robur and Credo basically only allow road modeling and engineering surveys. In addition to IndorCAD, Irina Shchekanova's team uses S-INFO, tests 7D models and is currently trying Larix.
Cone Modeling: Problems and Solutions
A bridge cone is an important support element that connects the road to the bridge. Although typical projects contain instructions for its design, in real conditions there are difficulties. The cone is usually tied to a horizontal surface, but the terrain is rarely perfectly flat, which complicates the modeling process.
The BIM specialist identified three options for modeling the cone:
Modeling in nanoCAD
This option allows obtaining volumes and areas, but does not provide direct coordination with road design solutions and does not support uploading to IFC. In addition, engineers are forced to master new software, which takes up precious time and effort.
Modeling in GeoniCS
This domestic solution allows you to upload models to IFC with the ability to coordinate, but also requires learning additional software.