BIM In Civil Engineering

Building information modeling (BIM) is a tool that can assist civil engineers in a variety of ways. It creates a physical representation of a building, and allows for engineers to gain insight into a fully constructed project. In the future, such technology may give may for faster operational efficiency and reduced project risk.

The first way BIM may be able to give way to these improvements is through its analysis of a job site. With the utilization of snapshots and existing information about a jobsite, it can make a 3-D model of the existing area of a site. This can give engineers a better view on elevations, slopes, and existing structures.

Also, BIM will allow for more accessible plans. This will prove vital for engineers in interacting with architects, land owners, and construction leaders, who can quickly visualize the finished product of a project.

Along with this, such technology will allow for the culmination of many different plans. This will reduce work for engineers in the form of searching for files, as all the plans will be in one place. Also, engineers will be able to quickly identify if a plan interferes with another.

In structural design, some BIM technology can give real-time analysis of physical models. These forms of BIM can analyze the physical loads of a structure as a whole, and quickly identifies certain areas that may be dangerous. Also, even more advanced technology can analyze the compliance with regulations, through the comparison between existing data and catalogs of civil engineering law. One example of this is in ADA law, where the BIM technology can quickly analyze if existing slopes match such regulations.

BIM has the potential to reduce time in structural and legal analysis of a plan. This will open up more opportunities for engineers to try new solutions for certain jobsites, and coordinate their plans with other groups. And with these many benefits of such technology, it is imperative that civil engineers embrace BIM.