Tygerberg Hospital Road Resurfacing
Combined GIS and BIM approach to road resurfacing
Background
The Tygerberg Hospital Road Resurfacing (Phase 2) project involved an investigation and remedial work for all the existing access roads, parking areas, walkways, road markings, road signs, as well as pedestrian and transport movement within the hospital's property.
It was decided to use a BIM approach to manage the information and a GIS approach to serve as the Information Model, helping to manage the project. The Information Model was hosted on ArcGIS Online as a Web Map Application and linked to a cloud-based Common Data Environment (CDE), which combined formed the digital twin.
Information Model Diagram
Tygerberg Hospital is located in the City of Cape Town Metro, South Africa.
The hospital was officially opened in 1976 and is the largest hospital in the Western Cape and the second largest hospital in South Africa.
The first component of the project entailed the road rehabilitation, road resurfacing, pedestrian walkways, kerb and channel replacements, retaining walls, and replacement of damaged road signs. Construction layouts were added to the Information Model as works package layers.
These layers were also connected to the project programme timelines, for 4D simulation. Helping the project manager visualise the work sequencing.
As work progressed on site, it was captured with the ArcGIS Field Maps mobile app on site, using various layers and Smart Forms. This assisted the project manager and contractor to track progress and keep a record of what was done, in a time-efficient method.
Site worker capturing data on Field Maps
The other component of the project entailed inspecting and cleaning stormwater pipes and manholes.
ID numbers were generated for all the manholes and pipes, which the contractor used to plan, reference, and systematically carry out the work.
As the stormwater pipes and manholes were cleaned, video footage was uploaded to the Common Data Environment (CDE) with an approval process. When videos were approved, it was also reflected in the Information Model by changing the symbology from red to green.
This helped the project manager and contractor visualize progress and to plan.
One of the data fields collected on site was for the manhole shaft condition. Having collected this data, it was now possible to do some high-level spatial analysis with a Dashboard.
For example, here all the manholes that were classified as being full of sand are highlighted.
And here all the manholes which were classified as having roots inside are highlighted.
This gave the stakeholders spatial context and insight into the data and can potentially help with mitigation planning.
Screenshot of the Stormwater Dashboard
Conclusion
Using a combined GIS and BIM approach for this project proved to have added a lot of value to the project and the client.
The main benefits were; firstly, the right information could be accessed by any stakeholder at the right time, directly from the Information Model. And because there were processes in place to approve the data going into the Information Model, it could be trusted.
Secondly, using Field Maps to capture site data saved a lot of time in the office, since all the data was already available in a digital and structured manner at the end of the day. Quantities and reports were easily generated from it.
And lastly, because the product of this approach is an Information Model, it can be handed over to the client as an Asset Information Model. Giving the client a more intelligent deliverable with a lot of valuable information compared to traditional dead drawings and reports.
