DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE // PARTNER SOLUTIONS
HOW INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS CAN EFFICIENTLY USE
VIRTUAL TWIN EXPERIENCES
All construction projects are expected to be delivered on time and on budget, but real value comes when asset owners can save money and create efficiencies across the whole asset lifecycle. With the industry now managing construction in a digital world, Virtual Twin Experience technology is allowing companies to spot mistakes virtually before construction starts, and collaborate remotely with all stakeholders using one source of data that can be used throughout construction, operation and maintenance.
W
hile ‘digital transformation’ might be a buzzword for many industries, the fact is that technologies such as BIM and 3D modelling have enormous potential to reduce costs and increase efficiency on large infrastructure projects. Prashanth Mysore, Global Strategic Business Development and Industry Marketing Director at Dassault Systèmes – a global leader in 3D design and engineering software – said the infrastructure sector is conservative compared to other industries when it comes to digital technologies because of long project lifecycles, but there is huge potential for cost savings using processes like Virtual Twin Experiences.
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“In infrastructure, we work with large projects and budgets which can be very complex, so if people make errors in the field, the cost of fixing them is huge,” Mr Mysore said. “The benefit of Virtual Twin Experiences is that we can simulate everything first in a virtual environment. We virtually build the whole project with 3D software so we can forecast all the issues and risks you might face in the field. If an error is made in the digital environment, it's easier to fix and the cost will be very low. In this way, we can make sure that the real construction can be successful in one shot.” It’s also common in infrastructure for design changes to occur even once construction has begun. If 2D drawings are used there is potential for mistakes
to occur and it takes time to update designs manually, as well as analyse what these changes could mean for the project. However, 3D models can be updated faster and simulations can be run to view all possible scenarios. Mr Mysore said that when talking about Virtual Twin Experiences, it’s important to recognise that at Dassault Systèmes it doesn’t just mean a 3D simulation of the final asset, but also simulations of all the processes used to build it. “Our 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a lifecycle management system. We not only include the 3D model, but also the project information, simulations, and all of the data in one single source, which can be put on the cloud,” Mr Mysore said.
