The fundamental linear information defining a road includes plane data, vertical section details, and cross-sectional information. An interchange project, however, is essentially a combination of basic data from multiple roads, including the main line and ramps. Beyond this already complex information, additional specialized data such as bridges, culverts, pipelines, lighting, drainage systems, and traffic safety facilities are required. This results in an enormous volume of design information for a complex engineering project within a two-dimensional environment. It is easy to imagine that using traditional software to produce construction drawings for an interchange project demands a large number of drawings to cover all professional design aspects involved.
BIM software, with its robust 3D design environment and superior information management capabilities, offers many advantages over traditional CAD software in the modern design era:
(1) Simplicity in information storage: Each project corresponds to a single BIM model file that complies with national standards, greatly reducing file complexity.
(2) Comprehensive information coverage: All professional designs for the project are integrated into one document, leaving no detail overlooked.
(3) High accuracy in information display: The 3D engineering model becomes more refined as more data is input, making the model closely represent real construction conditions.
The way design information is managed also differs significantly between these technologies. For example, on the Weidi software platform, designing a road generates numerous specific design files to save parameters. Although these files share similar formats, their built-in parameters vary greatly. These parameters enable elements like alignment shapes and line attributes to be displayed on the CAD platform. However, for large, complex projects, managing, backing up, and organizing so many files can easily lead to errors.
Even though Weidi software includes a project manager, as shown in Figure 2.1, which visually integrates horizontal, vertical, and other route design parameters, project files remain decentralized. Designing an interchange project with Weidi requires a separate project manager for each ramp to handle design parameters. When designers need to consider interactions between ramps during the design process, they must repeatedly open and edit multiple project files, increasing workload and complexity.
In contrast, BIM technology operates on a new design concept platform where linear information does not rely on mounting external parameters. All data is stored within a single BIM model file, and relevant parameters can be intuitively accessed directly from the model. This significantly reduces the need for designers to frequently open and modify external files.
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