Bridge Information Modeling - Approach for Improving Safety and Serviceability from the Design Phase throughout the Life Cycle

Building information modeling has recently become an often-used catchword. In fact, data management of large buildings with a variety of functional requirements and utilization demands is a challenging task. Several attempts to improve the integrity and error rate by automatic procedures have been allowed for by the fast-paced development of the information technology capabilities.

In support of the development of similar capabilities for bridge engineering, this paper describes efforts currently underway to evolve the concept of bridge information modeling (BrIM). The authors are actively involved in all aspects of this effort which includes definition of the physical bridge model and the enabling of a complete suite of bridge engineering applications that encompass the entire bridge life cycle from planning, design, fabrication, construction and operations/maintenance, to operate seamlessly with the bridge information model. A description of the work accomplished to date is included to help illustrate the concept.