PROJECT Interdisciplinary BIM-based planning, construction and operational process management in tunnel construction

Introducing BIM (Building Information Modelling) into tunnelling improves interoperability and cooperation between project participants and ensures more efficient planning, construction and operational processes. However, the prototypical character of tunnelling projects, specific software tools, individual data structures and an often existing traditionalism within the companies involved impede the digital transformation process and pose major challenges to the introduction of the BIM methodology.

The project "Interdisciplinary BIM-based planning, construction and operational process management in tunnelling" was initiated by the Austrian Association of Construction Engineers (ÖBV) and aims at keeping data on the entire life cycle of an underground construction project within a single digital model. Using the example of the "Zentrum am Berg " (Leoben, Austria), a BIM-based reference process for tunnelling is developed, which takes into account the requirements of all sub-disciplines involved over the entire life cycle of an underground construction.

The project involves partners from business and science along the process chain of planning, construction, operation, maintenance and refurbishment. Representatives with different professional backgrounds (geology, geotechnics, statics, computer science and many more) cooperate with the aim of transferring individual perspectives and approaches into common, integrative working methods.

Within the framework of the project, a prototypical platform is developed that translates data structures and terminologies between civil engineering and corporate standards. GEORESEARCH supports requirement analyses and the implementation of BIM integrations in the fields of geology and geotechnics in tunnel construction.

In order to ensure the acceptance and interoperability of the developed solutions with international BIM standards, the project partners participate in various standardisation bodies (DAUB, buildingSMART Germany & international). GEORESEARCH is a member of the buildingSMART Germany expert group "BIM and Traffic Routes" and links geological standardisation aspects in IFC with the requirements and experiences from tunnel construction.

PROJEKTPARTNER