APPENDIX C

Glossary

In an effort to provide consistency of terms and definitions for the BIM for Infrastructure domain, this glossary was built upon the glossaries developed for and published by the Utah Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

BIM Terms

4D BIM: A 3D model linked to time or scheduling information. Model objects and elements with this information attached can be used for construction scheduling analysis and management. 4D BIM can also be used to create animations of project construction processes.

Appointment: Agreed instruction for the provision of information concerning works, goods, or services (ISO 19650, Part 1). See also Appointment, Use Cases

Asset: General concept for completed facility, building, or infrastructure.

Asset Information Model (AIM): A model that contains information to support the management, operation, design, and construction of the asset. See also 4D BIM

Asset Information Requirements (AIR): Information requirements in relation to an asset (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Asset Management: The process of managing the financial aspects of assets, including buildings; properties and infrastructure; and issues such as initial value, depreciated value, and future commitments.

BIM Execution Plan (BEP): A plan to manage the use of BIM, especially collaboration and information delivery, to accomplish the project goals.

BIM Manager: The individual, normally identified in a BEP, responsible for overseeing the use of BIM on the project. See also BIM Execution Plan

BIM Maturity: The levels of complexity and collaboration that Building Information Modeling can take.

BIM Use: A unique project task or procedure that benefits from the application and integration of Building Information Modeling into that process (e.g., design authoring, 3D coordination).

BS 1192: Collaborative production of AEC information. Code of practice.

Building Information Management: The organization and control of the business process by utilizing the information in the digital prototype to affect the sharing of information over the entire lifecycle of an asset (NIBS 2015).

Building Information Model: The digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. As such, it is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility, forming a reliable basis for decisions during its lifecycle from inception onwards (NIBS 2015).

Building Information Modeling (BIM): A service that collects, stores, manages, and shares information through a managed process.

Collaboration: Multiple parties working in a way that is focused on a common outcome rather than individual goals.

Common Data Environment (CDE): See Building Information Modeling

Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD): A category of computer software that is used to develop designs for a variety of disciplines. CADD software typically uses an object-oriented approach to apply mathematical rules that automate the process of drafting roadway designs. 3D digital design data is a common output of the application of CADD software. See also Building Information Modeling

CPI: Construction Project Information

CPIc: Construction Project Information Committee

CPIx: Construction Project Information Xchange

Coordination: The process of ensuring the correct spatial separation of elements within a model or on site.

Discipline Model: A model or linked models related to a single discipline. The superstructure model, substructure model, and detailing models are linked together into a federated Structural Discipline Model. See also Federated Model

Facility Management (FM): The process of managing and maintaining the efficient operation of facilities, including buildings, properties, and infrastructure. The term also applies to the discipline concerned with this process.

Federated Model: A model that is compiled by integrating different discipline models together into one model through either linking and/or importing. See also Discipline Model

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC): A nonproprietary data schema and format to describe, exchange, and share the physical and functional information for the assets within a facility. IFC is the ISO standard for BIM and is being extended to roadway and bridge asset classes.

Level of Detail: Often confused with LOD, level of detail describes only the amount of geometric detail in a model element, not the amount of engineering intent. Highly detailed model elements may be placed in a model as placeholders with no engineering intent. Though detail often increases in parallel with development, observing the detail of a model element is not an effective way to determine its development or the appropriate uses. See also Level of Development

Level of Development (LOD): A qualitative designation that communicates the degree of engineering intent behind a 3D model element (or group of model elements) and defines the authorized uses for which the model element is sufficiently developed. Normally the LOD will increase through the design development process as defined in the Model Progression Specification. See also Level of Information; Model Progression Specification

Level of Information (LOI): A description of the quality of the non-graphical information attached to the model elements. See also Level of Development

Model Element: An entity within a model that represents a physical object or an abstract concept (e.g., alignment, north arrow). See also Level of Development; Model Progression Specification

Model Progression Specification (MPS): A specification that defines how the LOD for individual model elements increases over the project milestones. The MPS will assign a specific, minimum LOD to each model element for each milestone. The LOD typically increases from milestone to milestone.

Model Uses or Use Cases: A method of applying BIM during a facility’s lifecycle to achieve one or more specific objectives (Messner et al. 2021).

Project Information Model (PIM): See 4D BIM

Project Information Requirements (PIR): Information requirements in relation to the delivery of an asset (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Data-Related Terms

Attribute: Non-graphical data that is part of a model element definition.

Graphical Data: Data conveyed using shape and arrangement and/or location in space. See also Non-graphical Data; Spatial Data

Metadata: Data used for the description and management of documents and other containers of information. Metadata are usually structured data embedded within the file. However, metadata could include an external document that describes pertinent information to others on the assumptions and basis for the 3D models, such as the geospatial metadata (grid/ground coordinate system definitions), intended uses of the 3D models, approximations, and simplifications (e.g., removing minor curvature from analysis models). An MPS is important metadata that accompanies a federated model. See also Model Progression Specification

Model: A representation of a system that allows for investigation of the properties of the system (EN ISO 29481-1:2016).

Non-graphical Data: Data that describe attributes and properties of a model element that do not relate to its physical dimensions or location. See also Attribute; Graphical Data; Property

Parametric: An approach to creating a model where the physical dimensions are constrained by mathematical rules such that the model can be manipulated by changing individual property definitions.

Property: Non-graphical information that describes a model element. For example, the modulus of elasticity is a property of a girder. See also Attribute

Schema: A formalized model for structuring information. See also Industry Foundation Classes

Spatial Data: Data that are associated with a spatial reference system, such as State Plane coordinates. Spatial data may be raster (e.g., aerial photography) or vector (e.g., point, line, or polygon). See also Graphical Data

Data Management Terms

Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie): An IFC reference standard supporting the direct software information exchange and a spreadsheet that can be used to capture COBie data for both small renovation and capital projects (https://www.wbdg.org/bim/cobie).

Data Exchange: The process of taking data structured under a source schema to transform and restructure into a target schema, so that the target data are an accurate representation of the

source data within specified requirements and minimal loss of content. See also Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange; Information Exchange

Exchange Information Requirement (EIR): Information requirement in relation to an appointment (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Geographic Information System (GIS): A software application that is designed to display, manage, analyze, create, connect, and manipulate spatial data. GIS software includes many Geoprocessing Tools that manipulate Geodatabases, as well as Graphical and Non-Graphical datasets in order to perform complex analyses. For example, PennDOT OneMap is a hosted GIS application. See also Spatial Data

Information Exchange: Packages of information passed from one party to another in a BIM process, or the act of passing such information, possibly as a contractual deliverable. Parties involved agree upon and understand what information content and format will be exchanged. See also Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange

Information Requirements: Specifications for what, when, how, and for whom information is to be produced. Information requirements could be documented in a PennDOT publication, in a project Scope of Work, or in a BEP. See also 4D BIM; Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange

Organizational Information Requirements: Information requirements in relation to organizational objectives (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Project Information Model (PIM): Information model relating to the delivery phase (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Project Information Requirements (PIR): Information requirements in relation to the delivery of an asset (ISO 19650, Part 1).

Use Cases

3D Coordination: The process in which information models are used to determine field conflicts via clash detection software or visual inspection. 3D coordination is accomplished by comparing proposed 3D geometry from discipline models aggregated into a federated model. 3D elements for all objects are required to perform 3D coordination.

Analyze Engineering Performance: A process in which intelligent modeling software uses the BIM model to determine the most effective engineering method based on design specifications (Messner et al. 2021).

Appointment: Agreed instruction for the provision of information concerning works, goods, or services (ISO 19650, Part 1).

As-Built Record: See 4D BIM

Asset: General concept of a completed facility, building, or infrastructure.

Asset Information Model: The process of creating an inventory of the assets removed, modified, and constructed to hand over to the maintenance, operations, and asset management departments’ business systems. The asset information is defined within the organizational AIR. See also 4D BIM; Information Requirements

Asset Inventory: See 4D BIM

Asset Management: See 4D BIM

Author 4D Model: A process in which a 4D model (3D model with the added dimension of time) is utilized to effectively plan the phased occupancy in a renovation, retrofit, or addition, or to show the construction sequence and space requirements on a building site (Messner et al. 2021).

Author Design Model: Using BIM authoring software to develop a model with 3D and additional attribute information for a road/bridge design, leveraging a library of parametric design elements (Messner et al. 2021).

Automate Equipment Guidance: Using information from a model to guide or control excavation for road and bridge construction equipment.

Automated Machine Guidance (AMG): The use of real-time positioning equipment with 3D digital data to guide or control the blade on construction equipment, resulting in real-time construction layout without the need for physical markers such as stakes or hubs.

Capture Existing Conditions: Using 3D information-capture approaches and BIM authoring software to develop a 3D model of the existing conditions for a site, roads/bridges on a site, or a specific area within a road or bridge (Messner et al. 2021).

Compile Record Model/Digital As-Built Model: A process for obtaining information about the elements, surrounding conditions, and assets of a road or bridge (adapted from Messner et al. 2021).

Construction Inspection: The process in which the owner’s representative monitors and documents construction QA and measures and verifies pay item quantities for completed work.

Contract Documents: A collection of clearly identifiable documents that describe the requirements and terms for a construction project. The contract documents typically include plans, specifications, and working drawings. The specification defines “plans and working drawings,” as well as how to coordinate contract documents in the case of a conflict. Models and/or CAD documents may be included in the definition of “plans and working drawings” or defined as specific contractual entities in the specifications or special provisions.

Coordinate Design Models: Using 3D coordination software to compile a federated model of design models for performing automated 3D collision detection to identify potential coordination issues, and performing a visual analysis to identify potential spatial design issues (Messner et al. 2021).

Create Quantities and Cost Estimate: A process in which BIM can be used to assist in the generation of accurate quantity take-offs and cost estimates throughout the lifecycle of a project (Messner et al. 2021).

Design Review: The process in which an information model is used to review and provide feedback related to multiple design aspects. These aspects include evaluation of design alternatives and environmental constraints, review and validation of geometric design criteria, and completeness or quality of overall design.

Inspect Assets: Using the model to inform the inspection of bridges and roads during the operational phase of the assets.

Inspect Constructed Assets: Using 3D models to verify location, elevation, and quantities of installed assets against contract requirements.

Inventory Roads/Bridges: Using information extracted from a model to document and track conditions and quantities of assets.

Layout Construction Work: Using model information to lay out road/bridge assemblies or automate control of automated equipment on a construction project (adapted from Messner et al. 2021).

Maintain Road/Bridges: Using information of road or bridges models to monitor status and schedule maintenance activities for a road or bridge (adapted from Messner et al. 2021).

Pay Item Quantities: A schedule of work items for which the contractor will be paid and an estimated number for each item. See also Quantity Take-Off

Permitting: The process of coordinating with other agencies to secure permits to conduct the construction activities. Many permitting agencies are not prepared for digital delivery and require 2D plans.

Quantity Take-Off (QTO): The process of estimating the pay item quantities. The designer performs QTO to determine the engineer’s estimate. QTO is also part of the contractor-estimating process to bid the job.

Review Design Models: Reviewing a building information model with project stakeholders to gain their feedback and to validate the design, construction, or operational aspects of a project (Messner et al. 2021).

Right-of-Way: Conducting a deed search for the right-of-way property boundaries and easements, determining the need for new right-of-way acquisition or vacation, and executing the surveying and platting to document these changes, as well as the acquisition/vacation process.

Scoping: Capturing digital information about the asset inventory, condition and other performance information (e.g., traffic, safety) and evaluating alternatives to determine the scope and estimated cost of the project. For bridge projects, this includes conducting a “type, size, and location” study that includes preliminary structural design.

Visualization: The process of creating visual representations of the project to communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.