Bridge design with BIM
Calculations and design, plus all other disciplines
Calculations and design
Contractor
A 634-metre-long world record
BIM models have long been an important part of bridge design. In recent years, this technology has matured enough to allow many structures to be built without drawings, based solely on data models.
Randselva Bridge is also being constructed in this way. At a length of 634 metres, this is the world’s longest bridge to be built without drawings, pushing the limits of what can be done with this technology. More than 200,000 rebars and 250 post tensioning cables will be put in place based only on BIM models.
The method places high and completely new demands on design, control and everyone working on construction sites, but there are many benefits. There is more understanding of the task and fewer mistakes are made. The design can be reused and is also more easily adapted to the contractor’s construction methods. Revisions are performed more quickly, and the parties involved always have access to the latest version.
While there are a number of challenges, we have always felt that the advantages of projects without drawings greatly outnumber the disadvantages. We are therefore convinced that we will not be able to retain the world record for very long.
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