Project
Central India’s Gwalior Railway Station is set amid a backdrop of the historic Gwalior fort between the old city to the west and the new settlement to the east. Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd. selected Voyants Solutions to renovate the existing station to serve as a transportation hub and enhance passenger-related amenities. The USD 61.23 million project required that the proposed design integrate the heritage of the old station with a modern aesthetic and that all platforms remain fully operational throughout construction. To meet these demands while accommodating the fixed track alignment and existing utilities, the multidiscipline team needed an integrated engineering solution.
Solution
Voyants constructed a complete 3D model using Bentley software. The proposed design retained the existing station building and incorporated new lightweight, three-dimensional vaulting arches as a shell to bring light into the complex. To meet the site and construction constraints, the team developed a framed structure that could be prefabricated off-site and positioned with cranes. Voyants designed the structure in MicroStation and STAAD.Pro and used OpenBuildings™ Designer to create a digital engineering model.
Outcome
Five designers at Voyants prepared the infrastructure development plans and created the 3D model, compared to a team of more than 15 that would have been needed had Bentley’s digital applications not been available. Bentley’s integrated technology solution helped the company industrialize BIM workflows to quickly deliver a high-quality design with a cohesive scheme. Using the software saved an estimated 30% in labor hours for this proposal and resulted in a 500% return on investment. The new design optimized sustainability, incorporating large overhangs, shading features, and natural ventilation to reduce heat gain within the building by 40%.
Software
The project team used STAAD.Pro for structural design modeling and extracting reinforcement details to make best use of the limited space and time available to construct the columns and foundations on existing platforms. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) drawings were generated using MicroStation, while OpenBuildings Designer was used to create a virtual engineering model. The 3D modeling features in MicroStation enhanced collaboration among the many professionals that simultaneously worked on the multidiscipline project. Bentley’s interoperable applications simplified design modifications and analysis.
Project Playbook: MicroStation, OpenBuildings Designer, STAAD