BIM-Based Deconstruction of Bridge Structures Using Digital 3D-Models and Information Containers

J.-I. Jäkel¹, E. Heinlein¹, S. Mackenbach¹, K. Klemt-Albert¹

1. RWTH Aachen University

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 396 to 407. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_39.

Abstract

Bridge structures are considered as complex with a long service life. Despite optimized maintenance management, these structures are also subject to deconstruction, which marks the end of their life cycle. The deconstruction of a bridge structure depends on many factors, such as the type of construction and the environment. At the same time, the planning and execution of the deconstruction requires many different types of as-built data, as well as cross-domain data records on the periphery and main processes. This results in insufficient interoperability in the transition between the operational and deconstruction phase. Furthermore, it is difficult for the asset owner to estimate the possible reuse of the bridge's installed material in terms of the circular economy.In order to ensure interoperability in the deconstruction phase in the future, to be able to link heterogeneous databases and make them usable, as well as to create initial possibilities for material reuse, the article presents an approach to BIM-based deconstruction planning of bridges using digital 3D-models of the structure and information containers. At the beginning of the article, the status quo in the field of BIM-based deconstruction planning of bridge structures is presented. This is followed by the development and description of the concept by linking existing ontologies in the field of bridge engineering and deconstruction. The feasibility of the approach is then demonstrated using a proof-of-concept. The article shows an improved interoperability in the deconstruction phase of bridge structures with digital 3D-models through the new ontological approach, the possibility of using heterogeneous data sets from the operational and deconstruction phase via ontologies and information containers.

Keywords

Session

Presented in Track H, Friday 8 November 2024, 16:30 to 18:30, room WG 1020, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Dat Doan.

How to Cite

Jäkel, J.-I., Heinlein, E., Mackenbach, S., & Klemt-Albert, K. (2025). BIM-Based Deconstruction of Bridge Structures Using Digital 3D-Models and Information Containers. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 396–407). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_39

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.