BrIM Overview | Benefits of BrIM | Bridge Solutions
The longer a bridge exists, the greater the need for accurate information
and the higher the cost penalty for poor interoperability.
The condition of the world’s transportation infrastructure is top of mind at every level of society today. With a sizeable inventory of aging bridge structures worldwide, transportation professionals find themselves facing obstacles at every turn—even critical problems with their tools and data. They are seeking best practices and better tools for sustaining bridge infrastructure.
Whether a bridge is old or new, the goal is always to make bridges better. For every step in this endeavor, it is essential that the right information is where it needs to be for the decision maker/s.
Many bridge stakeholders find themselves data-rich and information-poor. Usually, a substantial amount of data about the bridge exists, typically found in many forms and sometimes in virtual silos of data. The data is useful but not necessarily usable information. And re-engineering is often a time-consuming and cost-prohibitive step.
Today, bridge information transfer is fragmented at best. There is little data reuse in the major phases of the bridge’s lifecycle and a lack of interoperability between systems. Studies show that up to 40 percent of engineering time can be wasted locating and verifying information.
A lack of industry standards for data exchange further exacerbates the problem. To develop data into information, we not only have to get the data where it needs to be but also conform to consistent methods for data exchange.
Incomplete information, tools, and procedures result in a loss for everyone—the owner/operators, engineers, builders, even the public. BrIM endeavors to put an end to this confusion and provide a clear path to bridge sustainability.
Read a whitepaper about this subject.
Integration of Information and Automation Technologies in Bridge Engineering and Management: Extending State of the Art. By S.S. Chen and A. M. Shirole
TRB 2006 Annual Meeting and Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1976, 2006.
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Construction of
Stonecutters Bridge