Development Organization: CSU, Fresno (PI), CSU Long Beach, CST San Jose
Funding Agency: Caltrans
Amount: $72,445.00
Background
Rapid development of information technologies is transforming how information is produced, shared, exchanged, and managed throughout a project’s life cycle. This transformation is accelerating in state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) across the country due to the pressing need for efficient ways of delivering transportation projects and an enhanced need for collaboration internally and externally. Caltrans rolled out a new Strategic Plan and one of the strategic goals is focused on Stewardship and Efficiency. On March 14, 2022, the Caltrans Project Delivery Program adopted a charter to implement Building Information Modeling for Infrastructure (BIM4I), also known as Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and Advanced Digital Construction (ADC) systems to improve project delivery. Furthermore, there are California legislative requirements set forth by Assembly Bill 1037 to implement Digital Construction Management Technologies (DCMT). They include, but are not limited to, the following (1) Development and posting on the department’s internet website of guidance, policies, and procedures to use digital construction management technologies by January 1, 2025. (2) Begin using digital construction management technologies during the predevelopment stage of project development by July 1, 2026. (3) Begin using digital construction management technologies through final design of project development by January 1, 2028. (4) Begin using digital construction management technologies through construction by July 1, 2029. Due to achieving Caltrans goal in a timely manner and the aggressive legislative requirement’s schedule, research on international, national and local levels is needed to ensure the success of the initiative.
In the US, the current state of the art shows that no DOT has completely implemented BIM4I, and some state DOTs have implemented portions of BIM4I technologies. Further, there are many literature articles and ongoing pool fund studies at the national level, however, additional research is needed to gather lessons learned and determine how consultants are utilized. Internationally, there are countries that have fully implemented BIM4I in portions of their project delivery process. The research should focus heavily on what and how other countries have implemented BIM4I technologies. Finally, there may be some local agencies that have implemented BIM4I technologies. Research is needed to investigate what and how local agencies have implemented BIM4I technologies.
Research Objective
The purpose of this research is to provide Caltrans with a set of recommendations for the implementation of BIM4I by surveying lessons learned and best practices from international, national and local infrastructure agencies and stakeholders that have implemented BIM in one or several stages of infrastructure project delivery.
Research Methods
The research aims to identify current BIM4I implementation practices in transportation agencies at international, national and local levels. To this end, a four-step approach was followed:
In Step 1, the literature and state of the art review set the foundations for designing the survey questionnaire and identifying contact information related to the agencies that will be targeted. Throughout Step 2, the research team collects the information for the research using a survey questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The survey design considers the main BIM4I implementation themes provided by Caltrans as well as the fact that the survey will be sent to different transportation agencies, including international, national and local ones. After the survey is sent and the data collected, descriptive statistical analysis and qualitative content analysis are conducted (Step 3). Results of the analysis will lead to the selection of a group of target agencies to interview to obtain more in-depth knowledge. Finally, based on the analysis of survey responses and follow-up interviews a set of recommendations for BIM4I implementation are provided in Step 4.
Contributions
Approved for presentation: Toward BIM for Infrastructure Implementation in State Departments of Transportation: Mapping of Practices and Lessons Learned
Calahorra-Jimenez M., Shehab, T., Blampied N., Nasr E. 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting
Related Reserch Topics
Research Team
PI: | Dr. Maria Calahorra-Jimenez, California State University, Fresno |
Research Assistants: | Lesly Lopez , California State University, Fresno |
Research Assistants: | Avantika Dixit , California State University, Fresno |
Research Assistants: | Hemanth Kotti , California State University, Fresno |