AT GROUND LEVEL
resource use , avoid change orders , and improve communication between stakeholders . To ensure compliance , state DOTs need effective ways to monitor contractor progress and quality of work . Bridge BIM data fills this need during construction and throughout the lifecycle of the asset .
The effort to go ‘ paperless ’ is leading smarter bridge development while empowering effective asset lifecycle management .
In regions where winter weather shortens the construction season , large-scale projects must be started and completed within a limited timeframe . This finite window for field work limits the number of projects a contractor can complete . Streamlined workflows based on accurate data help prevent errors and delays and can significantly boost contractors ’ productivity and profitability .
For specialist measurement agency OR3D , 3D laser scanners are a game changer . When sub-millimetre accuracy was required to create a complex digital twin of a damaged swing bridge , they used a 3D laser scanner to collect 120 scans in a single day . The digital twin was then converted to a 3D CAD model and used in software to simulate the motion of the bridge .
The ability to quickly achieve sub-millimetre accuracy was “ . . . imperative for the project and made the job possible by beating the incoming tide ,” said Robert Wells , service manager for OR3D .
Digital is trending
The effort to go ‘ paperless ’ is leading smarter bridge development while empowering effective asset lifecycle management from the pre-design phase through operations and maintenance . On new construction projects , as demonstrated by the impressive Randselva Bridge in Norway , forgoing 2D drawings and preparing all designs in a 3D model saves time and allows for simple , cross-departmental access to detailed project data . In a bridge BIM , every inch of the bridge
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