Distributed Information Modelling for Infrastructure (DiMi): whole-life construction and operation
Submitted: 15 December 2011
Project contact details:
| Contact: |
Ms Sharika Fernando |
| Role with project: |
Project Manager |
| Company name: |
COMIT PROJECTS Ltd |
| Job title: |
Project and Marketing Manager |
| Contact email: |
info@comitproject.org.uk |
| Contact telephone: |
null |
Project details:
| Project name: |
Distributed Information Modelling for Infrastructure (DiMi): whole-life construction and operation |
| Project manager: |
Sharika Fernando |
| Project aim: |
Delivering major infrastructure programmes efficiently and effectively is fundamentally important to the future prosperity of the UK economy. This project will develop and implement distributed infrastructure information modelling (IIM) to the design, construction and through-life maintenance of infrastructure assets. It will demonstrate the potential for distributed technologies to improve decision-making, product development and asset performance by linking physical processes to a virtual model, allowing the visualisation of yet-to-be constructed assets, improve site organization and enhance management of asset performance. The innovation lies in the federated approach to IIM combined with data harvesting from design software. Harnessing distributed intelligence will be further enhanced by a range of mobile technologies which will also relay information via augmented reality in the construction & asset management phases. This will be demonstrated on a £120m project. |
| Project description: |
This project primarily addresses Key Challenges relating to Process and supply-chain interaction and Innovation in product and process lifecycles. More specifically it will demonstrate the potential for distributed technologies - of both 'hub and spoke' distributed software systems and of users and tools distributed in space/time - to improve decision-making, product development and its performance by linking physical processes to an asset information model. The specific challenges are: developing collaboration tools that allow disciplines experts to work more effectively across the supply chain (2) and incorporating whole life information models into design, development and maintenance (4). The project also relates to Challenge 3 of Engaging users in service design and operation. The ICT exploitation is twofold: firstly in the creation of a federated approach to infrastructure modelling (as opposed to an integrated approach which suffers from the long-standing challenges of interoperability); and secondly in the harvesting of data (and associated APIs) from each discipline design software into the information model. Together, they will allow those engaged in delivering or maintaining the infrastructure to undertake their tasks more effectively, being controlled through documented processes and a simple interface between the virtual and real worlds. Imagine for example, a site engineer validating the levels and falls during installation of a drainage system or subsequently the sump-cleaning operative recording blockages during routine maintenance. This approach will thus âhardcodeâ the know-how of expert designers, contractors and operators.The project directly addresses the TSB construction focus areas of âachieving designed-for performanceâ of infrastructure and âmaximising potential of retrofitâ through more effective operation, maintenance & upgrading of infrastructure, as well as reducing embodied energy and resources in construction and operational. It also address the HVM pillars of Processes and Value Systems, specifically technology innovation relating to: Collaboration within extended operations resulting in global value networks, High value products for a low-carbon economy and Resource efficient processes. The demonstrator will be developed on a £120m Welsh Government highways project, but the principles will be transferrable to key infrastructure areas such as rail, water supply, power and waste process. The demonstrator - A465 Heads of the Valleys Duelling Section 2, was selected for its complex civil engineering design that includes: new highway and junctions; bridges; dversions of utilities, river and HV power cables; and waste water treatment works in one of the UK's most environmentally sensitive locations. |
| Business case: |
As above |
| Ties / Dependencies / Overlaps: |
N/A |
| Proposed funding mechanism: |
TBA |
| Status of Project: |
In Progress |
| Project deliverables and timescales: |
TBA |
| Project sponsors: |
TBA |
| Estimated resources required: |
TBA |