Leveraging Bentley Infrastructure Cloud and iTwin Technology Streamlines Workflows and Facilitates Data-centricity to Save over 75% of Manual Field Work

Project Summary

Organization: Benesch

Solution: Surveying and Monitoring

Location: United States

Project Objectives:

• To streamline and automate pavement crack detection processes.
• To leverage AI/ML and digital twins for an intelligent, data-centric application to pavement assessment.

Project Playbook: iTwin, iTwin Capture

Fast Facts

• Traditional pavement management processes lack efficiency and comprehensiveness, failing to maximize asset value.
• Benesch explored integrating AI/ML and digital twins for a more data-centric, automated pavement detection workflow.
• Leveraging Bentley’s iTwin applications with AI/ML technologies, Benesch piloted a ground-breaking digital solution.

ROI

• The pavement crack detector technology saved 75% in onsite manual data collection.
• Benesch expects to save an estimated USD 144,000 when inspecting 100 future airports.
• The data-centric approach will save 99% of time for CAD users to digitize linework.

Pushing Technology Boundaries for Pavement Assessment Workflows

Most civil infrastructure assets—including bridges, transport networks, and airport runways—include pavement, requiring crack detection survey and maintenance to ensure the safety and longevity of these structures. However, current traditional pavement assessment practices and data collection methods are costly, time consuming, and result in shutdowns that negatively impact infrastructure owner-operators, as well as the public. “Our clients struggle with the amount of time that it takes consultants to close their assets down, and current methods for collecting cracking and joint data take too long,” said Bret Tremblay, technical manager at Benesch, a multidiscipline engineering firm offering services across a broad range of civil infrastructure markets. In addition, the on-site inspections and analyses would not be conducted for the entire pavement, but rather across sample sections, providing general insight into existing area damage and a projected average for defects throughout the rest of the asset. While this approach opens the door to quantity overruns and change orders, it has become standard industry practice.

Courtesy 1: Benesch explored integrating AI/ML and digital twins for a more data-centric, automated pavement detection workflow. Image courtesy of Benesch.

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ProjectWise and iTwin Facilitates Data-centric Workflows via Digital Twins for More Intelligent Sustainable Infrastructure

Project Summary

Organization: WSP Australia
Solution: Enterprise Engineering
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Project Objectives:

• To implement smart, data-centric digital workflows and strategies for improved decisions and outcomes.
• To harness the power of cutting-edge technologies for a holistic approach, supporting widespread intelligent digitization in enterprise engineering.
  

Project Playbook: Bentley Infrastructure Cloud, iTwin, MicroStation, OpenBridge, OpenBuildings, OpenCities, OpenRail, OpenRoads, ProjectWise, SYNCHRO

Fast Facts

• WSP Australia is committed to fostering a holistic digital approach to project delivery across all infrastructure sectors to meet evolving industry demands.
• They sought to utilize cutting-edge technology to streamline data management while building trust in new digital workflows.
• ProjectWise and the iTwin Platform facilitated data integration, promoting real-time collaboration and visualization, enhancing decision-making, and optimizing project outcomes.

ROI

• Using the Port Rail Transformation Project as a digital-centric case study, WSP saved 300 resource hours, reducing rework.
• By seamlessly integrating various data sources and models, WSP achieved real-time collaboration that saved 12 days on their Port Rail Transformation Project.

Searching for Data-centric Project Delivery Methods

WSP Australia is committed to providing a transformative enterprise engineering journey by building trust in digital applications and processes to optimize project delivery across all business sectors. The organization embraces the latest technologies, fostering a culture of innovation. “There is a growing need for integrated digital solutions on major infrastructure projects, with all participants seeing increased efficiency, collaboration, and reduced cost,” said Alexander Yammas, regional digital engineering lead at WSP. The organization initially embarked on their digitization initiatives back in 2017 when they were faced with disparate information and project management hurdles. At that point, they introduced ProjectWise on a project-by-project basis and, in 2021, utilized the application to link multisourced data and 250 team members on their Port Rail Transformation Project (PRTP) in Melbourne, Australia.

WSP Australia sought to utilize cutting-edge technology to streamline data management while building trust in new digital workflows. Image courtesy of WSP Australia.

“Fast forward to 2023, ProjectWise has become a business-as-usual application that is employed in over 150 active projects, with more than 2,000 active users,” said Bob Freeman, WSP’s information management lead. Now with digital twins and artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront of delivering intelligent infrastructure, WSP is seeking to implement smart, data-centric digital workflows and strategies to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes. WSP is prioritizing this organizational shift, harnessing the power of cutting-edge technologies to implement a holistic approach, streamlining data management and workflows within the transportation division while supporting widespread intelligent digitization in enterprise engineering.

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Bentley Infrastructure Cloud and iTwin Technology Helped Streamline Digital Data Integration and Improve Visualization

Project Summary

Organization: Dublin City University

Solution: Facilities, Campuses, and Cities

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Project Objectives:

• To explore and evaluate the latest advancements in smart city solutions using a university campus.
• To investigate the power of artificial intelligence and immersive digital twin technology.

Project Playbook: AssetWise, iTwin, iTwin Capture

Fast Facts

• Dublin City University (DCU) is collaborating with Bentley Systems to create a campus digital twin as part of its Smart DCU initiative.
• Using Bentley’s 3D reality modeling and digital twin applications facilitated data integration from multiple Internet of Things sensors and monitoring devices.
• Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence analytics with Bentley’s iTwin technology provided an immersive visual environment, enabling real-time insight into on-site operations for smart campus solutions.
• The campus digital twin serves as a digital city microcosm for developing intelligent, sustainable urban spaces.

Callout Quote: “By utilizing the Bentley ecosystem, we were able to create a detailed 3D model of the university campus and integrate diverse IoT data feeds from various vendors in a fast, efficient manner.” – Kieran Mahon, Smart DCU Project Facilitator, Dublin City University

Image caption/courtesy 1: Dublin City University (DCU) is collaborating with Bentley Systems to create a campus digital twin as part of its Smart DCU initiative. Image courtesy of Dublin City University.Collaborating on the Future of Infrastructure Digital Twins

Understanding that digital twins are the future of infrastructure, Dublin City University (DCU) teamed up with Dublin City Council, Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, and Bentley Systems to push the boundaries of digital twins. DCU sought to advance its existing Smart DCU program, which is utilizing the university campus as a test site to explore and evaluate the latest advancements in smart city solutions. This collaborative initiative will investigate the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive digital twin technology using DCU as a city microcosm for developing intelligent and sustainable urban spaces.

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