One of the most prominent indicators of a developed nation is the condition of its infrastructure. It is what enables trade, empowers business, maintains supply chains, prevents the nation from unpredictable natural disasters etc. Infrastructure also provides millions of jobs each year whether is through its construction or through its maintenance. These jobs are labor intensive and have low barriers for entry providing employment to a large number of people. It could be aptly stated that infrastructure is the lifeline of any nation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected a lot of economies around the globe. The United Kingdom is no exception, according to the UK govt. the GDP in July 2021 only grew by 0.1% which is still 2.1% below its pre-coronavirus level. The construction sector specifically has been amongst the hardest hit. For the fourth consecutive month the output was down by 1.6%. The starting of new work fell by 1.1% while repair and maintenance by 2.4%. The reasons are plenty from delays due to availability, lack of financing, broken supply chains etc. It has nevertheless made it evident that the construction industry needs a stimulus to reach normalcy.
With that in consideration the UK government has laid out an ambitious plan that aims to create economic equality, tackle climate change and improve the country’s infrastructure. This is all going to happen through construction.
In the current article we will looking at significant projects which will be undertaken as a part of this $140BN Plan and also consider the key issues and considerations that will be faced in the projects. We also state based on the project requirements as to how BIM Services for Infrastructure could help aid in its completion as well
Europe’s Largest Infrastructure Project – The HS2
The overall plan includes investment and changes in infrastructure across the country. The most significant of them is HS2. It is a 530 KM high-speed railway which will connect midlands to the South. It is currently Europe’s largest infrastructure project. The HS2 is planned in a manner that 18 trains can run per hour to and fro from London at speeds of 360 kilometres per hour. This means constructing 300 Bridges, 70 viaducts and 6 train stations. It is also projected to be the world’s most expensive railway project with estimates reaching upto USD $147BN. It is also going to long term project with current projections putting the completion of phase 1 between 2029 and 2033.
Integrating BIM Services for Railways project is essential. The above project is large scale, spread over a wide geographical area and has a lot of connecting elements. Here, BIM is perhaps the best asset that engineers have to ensure accurate delivery. Adopting BIM has several key benefits like collaboration, cost optimization, prevention of conflicts between networks, facility management etc. It would promote a cloud based environment where any changes made are instantly updated and visible for all the stakeholders to see. This would mean that throughout the project lifecycle everyone is in the loop. Similarly, data management becomes a big issue when the scope of the project is this large. BIM Modelling Services would allow to store all the relevant information in one singular model which can be accessed by all concerned parties at any given time. Moreover, the above project is also a long term project with a large investment value. It is imperative that through the project there is control over the cost and time. With 4D and 5D BIM it is possible to optimize workflows and keep track of project cost. Railways also need to be thoroughly maintained as even a small error could cause large scale adverse consequences. Mobile scanners can be used to laser scan the area and then Scan to BIM Services can create as-built models of the railway systems. This can be utilized for facility management.
In part 1 we have looked at one of the defining projects of UK’s $140 Billion plan. In the consecutive this blog we will be looking at the other projects that are a part of UK government’s plan for revitalizing infrastructure through construction as well as reinstate the need for digitization in the construction sector.
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