Software innovations

New developments in the software sector will improve construction efficiency.

Standards organisation 5995 BSI is working with government, industry bodies, and private construction practices to create best practice standards for implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM).

In 2011 the UK Government announced that all suppliers that wish to bid for public sector construction contracts must use BIM tools and techniques from 2016, making its implementation commercially critical for companies that wish to apply for high value public projects in the future.

A survey of nearly 1,000 construction professionals, conducted by National Building Specification in 2011, showed that 31% of respondents were currently using BIM, rising sharply from 13% in 2010, typically in the form of 2D or 3D CAD modelling.

BIM is the process of bringing together and sharing information in a digital format amongst all those involved in a construction project, including architects, engineers and contractors. By making information more accessible and available to the client and end user to support through-life asset management, BIM should optimise productivity, risk management, margins and sustainability.

Members of the committee that are drafting the standard include 5996 Building Smart UK, the 5997 Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the UK Contractors Group (which represents the top 30 contractors in the UK), the Department for Business, the 5180 Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institute of Building, the 6003 Royal Institute of British Architects, the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and Construction Project Information.

President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Richard Coackley said, “Driving best value from new and existing infrastructure projects is crucial. BIM has the capacity to significantly improve the way we deliver and maintain infrastructure assets but to ensure it is used most effectively there needs to be accessible guidelines for best practice across the industry.”

Dr Scott Steedman, director (designate) of Standards said, “Accelerating the implementation of BIM throughout the construction sector will bring benefits to clients and their supply chains.”

Committee chair Peter Rebbeck said, “With BIM soon to become mandatory for public sector contracts many construction companies will be looking to implement it in the most effective way. The standards we are putting together will help companies achieve this, ensuring they can bid for public sector contracts and realise the huge commercial, organisational and environmental benefits of BIM. We are today calling on private practices to come forward, join our committee and contribute to the development of the standards.”

Roundabout route

Version 8 of the well-known ARCADY program for assessment of roundabout capacity is just released by UK transport research and software company, 777 TRL. It now includes functionality also from the TRL's junction program as well, PICADY.

The ARCADY program, based on years of accumulated empirical date, is widely used world-wide as well as in the UK on all traffic impact assessments concerning the design or redesign of roundabouts.

The new PICADY capacities are added in a new Priority Intersection Module which is a completely re-written and streamlined version of PICADY in itself. It means PICADY users can now model alternative layouts to an intersection with multiple time periods simultaneously, previously a capacity only of ARCADY.

ARCDAY itself new adds individual entry lane simulation on roundabouts, a roundabout bypass lane facility and basic and advanced modes, with setup wizards to help users get up to speed as quickly as is possible.

Entry Lane Analysis model is an animated graphical tool that will make ARCADY more useful for the roundabout design process since it allows engineers to analyse the queues that are likely to happen in each individual entry lane for to help achieve efficient lane configuration.

ARCADY's use in design work has been increased since version 7.1 by a linking capacity to 2902 Savoy Software's Autotrack Junctions program. The link remains but no longer requires a paid for bridge program, but comes built-in.

The Savoy link-up was further extended last year with both programs tied to 685 Autodesk's Civil 3D program, where they are accessed as part of the overall road design process, to tie together with Civil 3Ds own capacities. Used this way they allow design modification impacts to be quickly assessed on a live basis, producing an intelligent design process.

The new version 8 also includes American HCM 2010 Roundabout Capacity Equation for roundabout analysis, which will give US and Canadian engineers more options.