Founders’ Honor

Providing multidiscipline design services across the United Kingdom’s rail network, Arcadis initiated a project to automate engineering solutions for renovating common footbridges and underbridges. They wanted to provide more reliable data early in the design process to optimize the entire project lifecycle and tried several technological approaches. However, these processes presented file compatibility and coordination issues across disciplines. Arcadis needed a user-friendly, flexible 3D modeling solution to streamline and automate bridge engineering workflows. 
 
Leveraging OpenBuildings and ProjectWise, Arcadis developed automation techniques that allowed for rapid 3D modeling of typical bridge elements, reducing modeling time from two weeks to minutes. Working in an open, connected environment with a user-friendly interface eliminated the need for file conversion, optimizing change management and allowing teams, stakeholders, and suppliers to engage early in the design stage. Having more reliable data early improves cost estimation, facilitates carbon analysis, and enables identification of potential constructability issues. Deploying the automated solutions on subsequent projects is expected to reduce modeling time by 95%.