Humanity is always building bigger and bigger constructions, and to enable these incredible projects, construction technology must improve too. More efficient building materials, more complex construction strategies, and more advanced logistical methods are only some of the ways that the AEC industry has improved over throughout history. Building Information Modeling is the newest influential technique, and it has made possible the world’s most breathtaking construction projects, that would be prohibitively expensive or impossible to build otherwise. In today’s blog we’ll be going over three impressive modern construction achievements that could only be made possible with BIM technologies.

Before understanding how BIM can enable these advanced building projects, you’ll have to understand what exactly BIM is. Building Information Modeling, or BIM, is more of a process than it is a singular technology. You can think of BIM as a toolbox that contains planning techniques, 3D modeling software, and logistical software that all synchronize to streamline the process throughout the entire lifetime of the construction process. Visit Smarcon’s BIM Projects page to see how it can improve your projects.

1. SHANGHAI TOWER

The first BIM project in our showcase is the 128-story, 2,073 foot-tall Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China. This megatall skyscraper is the world’s second-tallest building (to the architectural top) and has the highest observation deck of any building in the world.

The bim construction project, Shanghai tower.

Shanghai’s construction was complex from the very beginning, so it required the use of more advanced techniques than traditional blueprinting software. The multiple dozens of consulting companies and subcontractors created a need for intense logistical and coordinating support, so the team behind the project embraced BIM. BIM allowed them to create models of each section of the building and the multiple layers within it, and allowed them to communicate clearly with every person working on the project.

2. WEWORK

WeWork, the highly valued shared workspace company, would not be here today without BIM construction. WeWork is a unique real estate company that rents out small spaces in office buildings to other companies, small businesses, and individuals. This means that the properties that WeWork leases often have to be changed to fit their business model, and BIM construction allows them to make those changes quickly and accurately. The WeWork BIM process begins with creating advanced models of their offices, using software like Autodesk Revit. This allows them to carefully analyze potential clashes and more accurately predict cost. Prefabricated construction elements are another powerful BIM tool that WeWork puts to great use, dividing spaces into smaller offices easily and efficiently with offsite-assembled booths, privacy areas, and more.

3. RANDSELVA BRIDGE

The last project in our list is the Randselva Bridge, a 2080-foot cantilever bridge built without a single paper drawing! This bridge is situated about 31 miles north-west of the Norwegian capital of Oslo, and was constructed using solely 3D modeling. The Randselva Bridge crosses the Randselva river, and connects a crucial European highway to the industrial town of Honefoss.

a cantilever bridge made with bim construction.

This project has a uniquely sleek look, with a gentle curve and slender profile. Using BIM models, the team working on the project was able to cooperate across countries, and access the models on-site using tablets or computers in on-site offices. The online collaboration possibilities ensured that necessary changes detected by the automatic clash detection could be made easily and without extensive re-work.

Have these incredible projects gotten you fired up about BIM construction? Contact Smarcon today to get a quote and learn about how BIM can help improve your construction projects.