Development of a BIM-Based Master Digital Model Using Data-Driven Design for the Suspension Bridge

Long-span cable-supported bridges are increasingly used to bridge a longer distance with a higher clearance than the other bridge types and their impressive aesthetic appearance. However, owing to challenging dynamic engineering practices, the suspension bridges, in particular, require accumulated design and construction technologies. Moreover, as themost distinctivemechanical property of the cable structures, different applied tension generates different lateral stiffness on the main cable. Without an integrated analysis model, the realistic profile of the cable structures cannot be determined. In this regard, this paper proposes a master digital model for a suspension bridge based on the data-driven approach formultiple purposes, including the structural assessment aspect. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) technique is a key factor to creating and federate all the essential engineering knowledge data regarding a suspension bridge. At first, a data schema for the suspension bridge's main structures is created and based on that, the database for each structural member is defined. The BIM authoring using the data-driven design is proposed to generate all the individual structural members then assembly to make the entire initial model for the suspension bridge. Metadata is linked, and any efficient revisions concerning varying situations during the construction process can be easily updated into the digitalmodel through the change of database. Finally, an analysis model is integrated into this initial model to create the federated master digital model. The advantage of this master digital model lies in the capability to continuously perform the bridge system's stability analyses at any erection step. Furthermore, it makes the digital representation of the main cable and suspended bridge structures more dynamic, no longer just rigid objects in the general commercial BIM model. A prototyping master digital model was developed for an existing bridge is introduced along with this paper.