Sector 02 / 18

BIM for tramways

Tramlines in the city: alignment and trackbed, track, stops, electric traction and underground utilities coordinated in a federated model, from design to as-built.

At a glance

B1P Group models and coordinates tramlines: alignment and trackbed in Civil 3D, track, stops, masts and contact line, substations and depots in Revit, with clashes with underground utilities and construction phases checked in the federated model in Navisworks. We deliver in IFC 4.3 and in the native format, up to the as-built model of the line for whoever will operate it.

The sector

What do we do on a tramline?

We start from the alignment in Civil 3D: centreline, profile, trackbed and road platform form the corridor to which the other disciplines are attached. In Revit we model track, stops and shelters, masts and contact line, substations, depots and workshops, with parametric families built for the project; elements repeated along the line, such as masts and manholes, are placed by automation that reads chainages and spacings from the alignment.

The federated model in Navisworks brings together the line, the buildings and the underground utilities: clashes emerge before construction and the register accompanies every delivery. Models and data are set up according to the exchange information requirements and, when needed, we write the BIM execution plan. For railway lines, see railway projects. To train your team on Civil 3D, there is the Civil 3D course.

Typical projects

New tramlines and extensions
Tram trackbed and track, including slab track and anti-vibration systems
Electric traction: masts, contact line, substations
Stops and shelters
Depots and workshops
Diversion and protection of underground utilities along the line

In the city

Why is a tramway different from a railway?

A tramway is built inside the city. The trackbed occupies the street, crosses other lines and accesses, and runs over water, gas, power and telecommunications networks that have to be surveyed, diverted or protected. The model must contain these elements too: without the underground utilities, coordination stops at the surface.

Construction proceeds section by section, with traffic diversions that change over time: the phases are simulated on the model (4D) to check spaces, accesses and sequences before the street is opened up. The contact line, with masts, cantilevers and suspensions, is coordinated with lighting, trees and buildings along the route.

Completion

How is a completed tramline handed over?

At the end of the works the model becomes the reference for whoever operates the line: track, masts and contact line, cable ducts and underground utilities as actually laid, with component data for maintenance. If the construction model was kept up to date during the works, only the check remains; if it was not, we start from BIM modelling of the laser scan survey for the visible parts and from the construction records for the buried ones. How we work is described on the as-built BIM page.

Typical deliverables

What do we deliver?

Deliverables vary with the stage and the information requirements; these are the most common.

Phase	Handover	Who it is for
Design	Alignment and trackbed model in Civil 3D, discipline models in Revit, federated model with underground utilities, clash register, IFC 4.3	Design firms
Construction	Construction-level models, construction phases and traffic diversions (4D), quantities by section (5D)	Contractors
Completion	As-built model of the line checked against the survey, component data for maintenance, drawings from the model	Contractors and asset operators
Operation	Model updated with the works carried out, delivered to the operator's common data environment	Asset operators

References

Why are there no project names here?

Projects in this sector belong to the clients: we do not publish names, locations or images of the assets. In our offers we list projects of the same type and, with the client's consent, someone who can confirm our work.

Why we do not publish our projects

Related services

Which services do we provide in this sector?

Frequently asked questions

The questions we are asked in this sector

Who models a tramway line in BIM?

B1P Group models and coordinates tramway lines for design firms, contractors and operators: alignment and trackbed in Civil 3D, trackwork, stops, traction power and depots in Revit, and the federated model with the underground utilities in Navisworks. Delivery is in IFC 4.3 and in the native format, up to the as-built model.

Do you also model the contact line and substations?

Yes: B1P Group models poles, cantilevers, suspensions and the contact line in Revit with parametric families, placed along the alignment by automations; substations and cabins are modelled as buildings, with their building services.

How do you handle underground utilities?

B1P Group models them from the surveys and the plans of the network operators, stating how reliable each item of data is. In the federated model the clashes with the trackbed and with the pole foundations come to light before excavation.

What format do you deliver in?

B1P Group delivers in the native format, Civil 3D and Revit, and in IFC: version 4.3 contains the entities for alignment and positioning along the line. Formats and coding follow the exchange information requirements.

Who produces the as-built model of a tramway line that has already been built?

B1P Group produces the as-built model of tramway lines in operation, starting from the BIM modelling of the laser scanning survey of the visible parts and from the construction records (variations, measurement records, data sheets of the installed components) for the buried parts. The model is delivered with the data needed for maintenance, in the native format and in IFC.

Contact

Do you have a tramline to model?

Tell us about the section, the disciplines and the information requirements: we will tell you how we would set up the model and what we would deliver at each stage.

Request a meeting All 18 sectors