Complete bridge design with the new Tekla Bridge Creator
Trimble introduces the Tekla Bridge Creator, a new extension of the Tekla Structures Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. The software supports the complete bridge design workflow – from the first design of the bridge geometry through to constructible modeling and detailing. The new solution is based on the so-called „Trimble Constructible Process“, an innovative approach to boost digitalization in the construction industry, on the basis of detailed and constructible building models.
The Bridge Creator provides bridge designers with a solution to numerous common problems: from importing of the alignment directly from a road design software, to creating one or several cross-sections of the bridge‘s superstructure or the abutments, through to modeling and detailing of the reinforcement in an easy and efficient way.
Excellent choice for the detailing of bridges
The Bridge Creator enables users to create and utilize Bridge Information Models (BrIM) in Tekla Structures for the entire workflow of the project, from the conceptual design (LOD 100), to the accurate building models for the production (LOD 400), through to the as-built models (LOD 500) being ready for implementation. In this regard, the level of development (LOD) gives information on the content and the reliability of the building models in the various stages of the design process and construction phase.
The WSP Finland planning and service providing company participated in testing the Bridge Creator as part of a user feedback program. The company is part of the WSP Group headquartered in Montreal, Canada, actively operating in 40 countries with 550 offices. „Bridge Creator is an intelligent tool. It is certainly one of the most efficient tools for the complete bridge design workflow available on the market,“ states Hannu Suojanen, project engineer for bridges at WSP Finland. „It automatically imports the alignment and enables creating the bridge geometry easily. The extension enables the user to create a model of the bridge‘s superstructure with impressive accuracy, even in case of complicated geometries.“
„Tekla Structures is already an excellent choice for bridge detailing. Using the new Bridge Creator together with the existing concrete bridge reinforcement tool for complex geometries, Trimble‘s Tekla solution becomes one of the most advanced solutions on the market, increasing the efficiency in bridge design even more,“ adds Suojanen.
Solution to common challenges in bridge design
Those involved in the project are often faced with a number of common problems in the bridge planning and construction process. These problems can be solved with a purpose-built bridge design workflow. In the early design phase, adjustments of the road alignment frequently lead to avoidable delays. Later, in the ongoing design process, the constructing engineers often encounter problems because of designs with insufficient detailing and thus not ready for implementation.
„The Bridge Creator extension enables users to create an implementation model for efficient workflows and smooth construction processes. This avoids errors on the construction site, which in turn leads to cost reductions as adjustments are avoided,“ explains Päivi Puntila, business development director of Trimble‘s Structures Division. „The solution enables the input of road alignments as well as the creation of complicated superstructure geometries in different widths and depths, including cambers. The difficulties in modeling multiaxial curved bridge geometries are a thing of the past. The new Bridge Creator will do the modeling for the bridge designer.“
The Bridge Creator version 1.0 is available for users of Tekla Structures for download at Tekla Warehouse from March. The extension is available to all customers of Tekla Structures with a valid software maintenance contract. For more information visit //www.tekla.com/de/bim/lod-ausf" target="_blank" >www.tekla.com/de/bim/lod-ausf:https://www.tekla.com/de/bim/lod-ausführungsreife-modelle.
