Features of Visual Programming for Designing Bridge Structures Based on Information and Parametric Modelling

The widespread adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in construction project management has been greatly facilitated by technological advances. Despite this, the BIM approach has been mainly applied to building construction projects, with limited attention paid to infrastructure projects such as bridges. The projects of this kind often present significant geometric and semantic differences between structures, making it difficult to leverage existing BIM data schemas. Recent research suggests that parametric modelling can provide a viable solution to improve design efficiency and interoperability. However, the number of existing scientific sources on the topic remain extremely scarce. The objective of the study presented in the paper is to address this knowledge gap by developing parametric bridge elements capable of generating all types of bridge structures from a single parametric file. The parametric scripts used in this study were developed using Grasshopper, a visual programming language, and subsequently integrated into Tekla Structures, a popular Building Information Modelling (BIM) software, for modelling purposes. The resulting BIM integration enables exploration and creation of advanced designs with complex geometries, ultimately leading to cost-effective solutions. Compared to traditional design methodologies, the results obtained demonstrate significant improvements in terms of time savings, increased design flexibility, and optimised structural performance.