Visualization for Project Development (2006)

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71 APPENDIX F Utah Department of Transportation—Virgin River Arch Bridge Case Study

Anew steel arch bridge spans 392 feetacross Utah’s Virgin River betweenHurricane and LaVerkin.The $11 mil- lion project was designed to add a second bridge, easing traffic congestion on the exist- ing,384-foot steel arch bridge over the Virgin River gorge. In addition, it was to be a work of art in its own right, blending into the area’s scenic surroundings. The older bridge was built in 1937 along State Route 9, the main road to Zion National Park. Over the years, the bridge has been well-traveled, due to the hundreds of thou- sands of tourists that visit the park each year. Bob Nash, a structural engineer for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), developed the initial design for the bridge using a combination of electronic and manu- al methods.The design was then passed to a drafting technician, who used MicroStation and InRoads to create 2D drawings and detail sheets of the design. Creating 3D model from 2D designs Not long into the project, the designers realized they would need a 3D computer model of the structure to facilitate public involvement, and also to meet Context Sensitive Solutions requirements and verify constructability. Bob Peterson of UDOT’s Engineering Technology Support (ETS) staff imported the 2D designs using Bentley 3D tools to create a model that was accurate to the smallest detail. Using MicroStation, the team was able to graphically review the design at every step. The ability to render and shade each compo- nent as it was being graphically constructed helped the engineers visually inspect the structure. “Critical design areas—such as bolt spacing and drill-hole angle and loca- tion, gaps, and complex angle measure- ments—could not have been easily verified without MicroStation,” said Greg Herrington, ETS manager for IT at UDOT. The main components of the bridge were built on two large parabolic arches, making it difficult to verify fit and angle of the cross- ing members, diaphragms, and joints. Using MicroStation’s 3D and rendering tools, UDOT could create each structural member graphically to verify its location and fit.This helped the designers verify the clearance on a large crossbeam location as well as the gap clearance on a half-inch bolt. The ability to render the drawing let UDOT see whether the element was located correctly, or whether there were any gaps or overlaps. With 3D and rendering tools, the agency was much more efficient at recogniz- ing potential conflicts or design deficien- cies, and could resolve them swiftly and accurately. Model brought to light new design challenges Working together, ETS and the UDOT Structures department were able to find and fix several design challenges that were not apparent in the 2D drawings and plans.With MicroStation, the team was able to meet a very tight project schedule while constantly improving the design. As a result of design issues being resolved before the release of the plans, there were no significant change orders during construction of the structure. Herrington stated that although the learn- ing process was initially demanding, the time and cost of modeling the structure gave MARKET STORIES CIVIL 3D modeling helps UDOT verify critical design areas, secure public approval Cost reductions yielded 15-to-1 return on technology investment 44 • BE Magazine • Volume 2, Issue 2 The ability to render and shade each component as it was being graphically constructed helped the engi- neers visually inspect the structure. The principles that we discovered … led us to believe that the value of 3D design and visualization was not just as tools for large, very complex projects, but that it would bring us significant value on almost every project. 2004 BE Award Winner

MARKET STORIES CIVIL a return on investment of 15 to 1 based on reduced change orders and construction cost savings. The 3D visualizations were useful exter- nally as well, helping UDOT secure public approval and support for the project. Long before the bridge was constructed, UDOT used photo matching, fly-throughs, and ani- mations in public hearings to showcase the designs and ask for feedback. In turn, feed- back from these sessions was used to improve the design. Applying 3D design to a wide range of projects “The principles that we discovered dur- ing this process led us to believe that the value of 3D design and visualization was not just as tools for large, very complex projects, but that it would bring us significant value on almost every project,” Herrington said. “We have taken what we learned and are currently applying it to a project with a sim- ple, single-span, concrete bridge,” he contin- ued. “We have designed the bridge and the roadway components completely in 3D from the start, and our ability to recognize design problems is now clear, rapid, and apparent to all.” “The added benefits of being able to try multiple aesthetic treatments in seconds, inspect utility conflicts, and drive the proj- ect reviewing sight distance, pavement marking, and signing have already proven invaluable to the design process. We intend to further measure the value of 3D visualiza- tion by defining construction sequencing, staging, and traffic control.” The success of the Arch Bridge project earned UDOT a 2004 BE Award of Excellence for civil visualization. Volume 2, Issue 2 • BE Magazine • 45 A wireframe view of the main arch with column and splice connection. ‘Applied technology in a way we’ll see more of’ The Utah Department of Transportation’s use of visualization … stands out to me. Not only did the team create rendered images of the final bridge for the activities involved with gaining public acceptance, but it applied the technology in the a way I think we’ll see more of in the future: to identify design deficiencies prior to construction. By reducing change orders and construction costs, this team provided real value to UDOT, not just a pretty picture. Shanon Fauerbach, P.E., editorial director, CE News 2004 BE Awards juror Project Virgin River arch bridge Organization Utah Department of Transportation BE Awards category Civil visualization Project objectives UDOT created a 3D computer model of the structure to facilitate public involve- ment, meet Context Sensitive Solutions requirements, and verify constructability. Fast facts The time and cost of modeling the struc- ture in 3D gave a return on investment of 15 to 1, based on reduced change orders and construction cost savings. The 3D visualizations were useful exter- nally as well, helping UDOT secure public approval and support for the project. Bentley products used MicroStation Civil market news from Bentley David Evans and Associates joins Bentley ETS program Oregon firm joins Enterprise Training Subscription program, for unlimited training on Bentley software products at a fixed annual fee. >>more