Larsen & Toubro Advance BIM for Rail on the Second Phase of Indias Western Dedicated Freight Corridor
The second phase of Indias Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is under construction to meet the increased demand for freight services in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The project will decrease the unit cost of transportation and quadruple the present day average freight speed from 20 kilometers an hour, introducing time tabled freight services and tripling container capacity from 5,000 to 15,000 tons.
Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) is constructing Package CTP-14, a 128-kilometer corridor between Rewari to Dadri passing via the regions of Rewari-Alwar-Mewat-Gurgaon-Palwal-Faridabad-GB Nagar. Since the adoption of BIM methodologies in rail in India is still in its infancy, and in light of substantial increases in government expenditure in infrastructure, L&T realized its success on the project could be a game changer. Using a multidiscipline portfolio of Bentley applications, L&T was in a position to conceptualize, design, and construct the project in a well timed manner, leveraging BIM methodologies to share data throughout the different disciplines concerned in the design, delivery, and maintenance of physical assets along the railway.
In its work, L&T confronted many environmental and technical challenges, which includes difficult and inaccessible terrain, ground stability concerns in areas of deep cut and high embankments, and optimizing horizontal and vertical alignments to decrease earthworks. In a critical section laying within a sensitive ecological zone of the Aravalli Hills in the northern part of India, the route crosses terrain requiring a vertical alignment with a maximum cut depth of 25 to 30 meters, plus a viaduct and tunnel. L&T explored two route options using OpenRail ConceptStation and leveraged reality modeling with Context Capture using drone surveys to attain a complete appreciation of the surrounding terrain and infrastructure and to visualize the potential challenges it could come across at the time of construction.
As detail design progressed, the dynamic interface of OpenRail Designer allowed group members to compare distinctive situations to assist simplify logistics, minimize cost, and create a safe environment for site personnel throughout construction. While asset tagging in OpenBuildings Designer afforded the crew a smooth and steady interface between design and site operations, LumenRT ensured the integration of lifelike animations. These animations helped personnel with non-engineering backgrounds to understand the scope of works and how the project may affect them. At all times and all through the different levels of the project, Bentley applications helped L&T to minimize costs and optimize its resources machinery, materials, and manpower as well as provide a better understanding to stakeholders and gain better customer satisfaction.
Bentley software helped L&T acquire its vision of digitalization and implementation of BIM to enable designers, planners, and implementers to use a single repository for the free flow of accurate data and a collaborative way of working through the process of designing, delivering, and retaining physical assets, stated Nikhil Jose, assistant engineering manager-civil with L&T.
