Building Information Modeling (BIM) for projects of highway and engineering structures

Transportation investments are projects that play a significant role in the economic development of countries and constitute a large portion of budgets. As the usage capacity of these structures increases, there is a need for more economical and sustainable technologies and models. Developments in the building and facility sector also reflect on the transportation sector. One of these developments is Building Information Modeling (BIM), which allows the modeling and management of a structure in 3D in a computer environment throughout the project lifecycle. BIM has provided a new perspective in engineering, making multidimensional and variable processes centrally manageable. Furthermore, it is known from the literature that various building projects have been implemented with BIM in Türkiye, while some facilities, stations, airports, and rail system projects have been carried out in the transportation sector. However, it has been reported in many studies that academic research on the project of highway and engineering structures remains limited and at a basic level in terms of BIM. In this thesis, the aim is to detail 3D road projects for the implementation of BIM in highway and engineering structures through various scenarios. Additionally, a work plan for the fourth dimension of BIM, which is time, has been prepared, aiming to identify and interpret clashes in processes. In the final section of the study, strengths and weaknesses of alternative designs, as well as opportunities and threats, have been predicted. In general, it has been observed that Infraworks is strong in design and analysis aspects for obtaining preliminary information during project preparation, but areas for improvement have been identified. On the other hand, it has been observed that creating a project schedule in the context of the fourth dimension in Microsoft Project can be beneficial in identifying clashes in work items and taking preventive measures in these areas. Thorough discussion of the BIM usage in the project of highway and engineering structures, such as time in the fourth dimension, cost in the fifth dimension, sustainability analysis in the sixth dimension, operation in the seventh dimension, and monitoring and evaluation of safety and accidents in the eighth dimension, will advance the use of BIM in this field to more advanced levels.