Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) Using Open Parametric Objects

2015Work funded by Cooperative Agreement \u201cAdvancing Steel and Concrete Bridge Technology to Improve Infrastructure Performance\u201d between FHWA and Lehigh University.PDFTech ReportFHWA-HIF-16-010DTFH61-11-H-00027Information disseminationWeb applicationsBridgesComputer modelsBridge Information ModelingBrIMBIM3-D modelingUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of InfrastructureBartholomew, MichaelBlasen, BenjaminKoc, AliUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of InfrastructureCH2M Hill, inc.Federal Highway AdministrationThis project was undertaken to investigate alternative Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) standards. The process developed is called OpenBrIM. OpenBrIM is an alternative method for exchanging bridge information modeling data between different application platforms, organizations, and users. It is a community driven, free, open, on-cloud information modeling system designed for the bridge industry. With OpenBrIM, there\u2019s one central data repository from which all participants operate. Participants are allowed to access information from and to contribute information into the repository. For this project, approximately 30 standard bridge component objects were developed. The OpenBrIM concept uses a standard XML data format to describe dimensions and other data parameters for bridge components. Bridge component library objects are defined parametrically, allowing repeated use for similar components by varying the geometric and/or physical property data. Common data can be defined globally within a project and automatically update all affected objects. In the future, new standards will be developed by the bridge community \u2013 the actual users of the information with the most knowledge about various bridge components.84