Design Development

BIM for O&M Case Study

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This BIM case study will look at how Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) took on their first 3D BIM project handover with REBIM®. As well as facilitating a successful handover, REBIM® also equipped TfGM with the longer-term benefits of understanding the value of data and a robust asset information model.

PROJECT CHALLENGE

Since Manchester’s Metrolink began operation in 1992, it has expanded into the UK’s largest light rail network. Services now run on 7 lines to 93 stops and cover over 60 miles, and construction is underway to expand the network further to Trafford Park. The £350 million Trafford Park line is expected to launch in 2020 and will see 6 new stops that link some of Manchester’s busiest visitor destinations; from the Wharfside stop at the edge of Trafford Park through to the Intu Trafford Centre. As part of the wider development, the Crumpsall Metrolink stop is being upgraded as it will receive a much more frequent service once the Trafford Park line is running. The Crumpsall upgrade is the first 3D BIM project to be undertaken by TfGM. During the design process and on-going construction work, the project teams have been using data rich 3D models. These combine documents, non-graphical data and the graphical 3D model. For TfGM to have access and use of the digital asset going forward, the BIM data from the project stage needs to be transferred into an operations and maintenance environment. The client’s key challenge was to validate the data for handover into active operations and maintenance ensuring that the objects within the 3D model contained the client’s asset coding structure.

  • Crumpsall is part of the £350m TPL Expansion scheme
  • TfGM’s first BIM project being delivered by a joint venture
  • TfGM Engineering team currently work with 2D drawings
  • Azurelope appointed by the Asset Manager to pilot BIM in O&M
  • Assist with the transformative BIM in O&M handover
  • Provide client friendly means of landing and using the data

WHAT WE DID

Azurelope were appointed by the Asset Manager to assist TfGM with the transformative BIM in Operations and Maintenance handover. The work involved validating the structured metadata within the 3D model and federating the data by sharing asset codes taken from the clients computerised maintenance management system (CMMS).

RESULT

Azurelope provided a client friendly means of landing and using the data using our REBIM digital asset management system. The end result was a data literate 3D model that the client could easily searched using known asset codes. REBIM uses a ‘real-time’ asset search facility that will automatically navigate to the relevant 3D object and provide access to all relevant data without using any 3D navigation techniques.

FEEDBACK

“The take up of BIM within the construction community is gathering pace and there are many examples across industry where integration of asset information within the 3D model is achieved to a high standard. What is less well developed is the process of transferring the information rich “digital twin” into the operations and maintenance environment.” “Working with REBIM® helped us to understand the importance of a robust asset information model to support the mapping of the construction model to the operational model.” “Successful migration of the construction model to the REBIM® platform enabled us to experience its power as a highly effective tool for rapid access to drawings, documents and structured information.”
– Matthew Hack, Asset Manager (Formerly), Metrolink

Author

azl

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