Optimizing Handover of As-Built Data Using BIM for Highways

An efficient maintenance of the UK’s transportation network is of critical importance to the country’s economy and among the top priorities of the government and public agencies (e.g. Network Rail, Highways England). The public transportation agencies have huge data sets related to asset management and maintenance. However, those data sets are usually held in disparate platforms and have been historically developed using multiple standards and formats. As a result, full value of such data is often not fully realized. Effective management of asset data and availability of reliable information as and when needed, could bring in key benefits for effective management of the transportation network. This paper aims to present the initial findings of a research effort understanding the potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in handover processes for a more efficient maintenance of highways assets, and discuss the way forward. The research methodology applied is systematic literature review and two recent best practice cases in the Highways Sector. The research findings suggest that efficient data management through BIM could provide a structured framework to improve asset handover and maintenance. However, it is important to capture the current handover practices between the construction and maintenance phase, and maintenance processes in the UK’s highways sector, both of which seem to be absent in the literature at the moment

Engineering Support Systems for Industrial Machines and Plants

In the business of industrial machines and plants, rapid and detailed estimates for planning installation, replacement of equipment, or maintenance work are key requirements for meeting the demands for greater reliability, lower costs and for maintaining safe and secure operation. These demands have been addressed by developing technology driven by IT. When replacing equipment at complex building or plants with high equipment density, the existing state of the installation locations and transportation routes for old and new equipment need to be properly measured. We have met this need by developing parts recognition technology based on 3D measurement, and by developing high-speed calculation technology of optimal routes for installation parts. This chapter provides an overview of these development projects with some real business application results

Briefing: Towards exploring profession-specific BIM challenges in the UK

Building information modelling (BIM) has been proposed as an enabler for greater efficiency and effectiveness within the UK construction industry, providing digital management of construction data throughout the project life cycle. The potential benefits of BIM have been widely discussed in published literature but relatively less attention has been paid to the discipline/profession-specific challenges of wider industry adoption. Further studies, such as the authors' ongoing research, could help to remedy this

Outlining a new collaborative business model as a result of the green Building Information Modelling impact in the AEC supply chain

BIM (Building Information Modelling) technological push has enabled to integrate the design/construction outcomes of 3D-CAD along the product/service AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) SC (supply chain) through an intelligent DMS (Data Management System) based on standard and interoperable data formats. The proposed end-to-end approach overcomes a typical AEC gap, enables the operationalisation of the sustainable/green building LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and puts together new collaborative relationships with the owner, among SC stakeholders and with new forms of BIM procurement. The outlined collaborative business model is based on the Quality Control and Assurance framework and provides conceptual consistency to the reintroduction of the owner concerns/satisfaction in the SC, as well as enables consistent and accountable relationships between (smart)materials procurement and building specification. An expert’s focus group carried out a preliminary check of the model’s interest/applicability, resulting in recommendations for its further detailing and for propositions development into a systematic enquiring process.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Coal pyrolysis and coal briquetting for production of smokeless fuel

To investigate the possibility of direct production of smokeless fuel, a moderate temperature coking was applied. Coals used for this purposes are named as No:800 in International Classification and cause considerable amounts of smoke emissions due to their high tar contents, when burned. Following a preheating treatment at 120 degrees C, the smokeless fuels (semicokes) were produced by coking of the samples 16-32 mm at 450 degrees C, with a heating rate of 150 degrees C/h. These semicokes have been found to be strong, their tar contents are far below 2%, and volatile matters are mainly composed of CH4 and H-2 The formation of semicoke particles smaller than 10 mm at the level of 25 to 30%, could not be avoided. Briquettes prepared by using these particles and tar or molasses as binder, were also found suitable for heating purposes

Oxidation of manganese (II) with air in water treatment

Manganese is the second most common constituent after iron of impounded water and many well waters. It causes difficulties in public supplies and in industrial supplies. In this study, the oxidation of Manganese(II) is studied in batch reactors in which the concentrations of manganese(IV) was in the range 0-300 mg/L. This study has demonstrated the catalytic effect of MN(IV) on the Mn(II) oxidation by air to the MN(IV) levels of 100 mg/L. A quadratic equation has been obtained to determine the catalytic reaction rate constant, kcat, as a function of Mn(IV)