2023 Best Use of Technology: Digital Engineering

Reducing embodied carbon on the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier

AtkinsRéalis

Atkins, with the support of the Environment Agency (EA), have developed a carbon analytics tool to reduce the environmental impact of the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier project, which will protect over 13,000 homes and businesses from flooding until 2125. The BIM Analytics – Carbon tool integrates with the EA’s carbon calculator (and the Atkins’ team’s design software) to provide real-time feedback on the carbon impact of design choices as they are made. This allowed the team to quickly test and iterate potential solutions, as well as to identify carbon-critical elements of the design which could be efficiently tackled for significant carbon reductions. As a result, the team were able to reduce embodied carbon for the tidal barrier by 50% against the baseline, with a 70% reduction in the impact of carbon critical elements.

Digital bridges toolkit

Laing O'Rourke

In collaboration with Ramboll and WSP, Laing O’Rourke’s have developed a modular “kit of parts” approach to the delivery of bridges. This 'product-led’ approach maximises the opportunity for repetition and efficiency during manufacturing, whilst offering enough flexibility to configure the products to suit the geometry required for each specific bridge location. The approach is underpinned by a digital bridge configurator tool, allowing rapid optioneering and exploration of design. The tool is dynamically linked to cost and carbon data, allowing informed decisions to be made during the design process. Based on a small number of input parameters, the tool is able to rapidly configure a modular bridge solution in under 2hrs. In this short space of time the tool is able to output a data rich 3D model, associated GA's, a draft AIP and a full cost and carbon estimate; a process that would normally take months.

NEST: Network Enterprise Structures and Tunnels System

Network Rail and Cognizant

As the backbone of Britain’s rail infrastructure, Network Rail manages a large number of structural assets within its civils infrastructure portfolio. NR embarked on a national strategic initiative to modernise its asset management using digital technologies. NR partnered with Cognizant on this digital journey to develop a transformation roadmap and take an agile approach to engineer ‘NEST’ – an integrated platform that digitises asset management by bringing together several digital technologies such as the cloud, geo-spatial and 3D modelling. By sparking cultural change across asset maintenance, NEST makes processes more efficient for structural asset management colleagues and improves safety for 1.8bn passengers annually by giving asset engineers the transparency of data needed to potentially prevent critical structural failures.

GeoPlan: The geospatial construction sequencing tool

Skanska UK

Skanska GeoPlan is a bespoke geospatial, construction sequencing tool. It combines existing GIS and planning tools to empower cross-disciplinary collaboration, digital engineering therefore reducing programme revisioning and boosting productivity. Using Skanska GeoPlan allowed the team to quickly understand spatial and logistics challenges to develop a programme that could be easily understood and challenged by non-planners through digital rehearsals. Skanska GeoPlan allowed us to produce a programme we were confident could be delivered, reducing risk and improving efficiency. By working in a geospatial world, we enable a proactive and engaged team by working with an accessible, innovative solution that facilitates future digital working in the construction industry.

Skye 132kV Reinforcement Project: GeoBIM Trial

SSEN Transmission and Arcadis

Digital engineering is making a significant impact on SSEN’s Skye Reinforcement Project through the trial of a new software platform, GeoBIM, which is being developed through a year-long collaboration with Arcadis, which commenced in late 2022. The trial involves leveraging the interfaces between ESRI, Bentley and SSEN’s Autodesk environment to create a new approach to organisational data collaboration. A notable example involves changing the way in which ground investigation (GI) data is shared and utilised in early design. GI data is brought into 3D models in a user-friendly interface, enabling data to be viewed quickly and in a collaborative manner, enhancing our decision-making processes and enabling more informed organisational design choices. Following the trial, the ambition is to expand the project remit to develop a partnership between SSEN and Arcadis, promoting shared learning and eventually scaling the platform across the organisation, integrating the technology into standard workflows.