Use of Bridge Information Modeling for Seismic Accelerated Bridge Construction

The idea of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has existed for nearly 20 years and has been widely used in the building industry. Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM), however, is still a fresh idea for the public. Toward this end, this paper introduces the concept of BrIM and an approach for using it in Accelerated Bridge Construction workflows with seismic considerations. A streamlined design approach which reduces manual data re-entry and accelerates integrated project delivery has been investigated and assessed. This approach involves various software applications and exchangeable formats such as XML (Extensible Markup Language). The paper demonstrates aspects of analysis, design, detailing, and construction preparation in the context of a case-study 3-span bridge (Quincy Avenue Bridge over I-25 in Denver, Colorado) in accordance with emerging and recently developed advancements such as the “AASHTO Guide Specification for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design”.