BIM-based tool to support construction planning of earthworks in road projects

Proper planning in construction is essential to ensure that road projects are completed within the allocated budget, schedule, and scope. Despite its importance, shortcomings in the planning process have led to delays and cost overruns in road projects worldwide. Adopting BIM in construction planning has enormous potential to solve different issues. However, its adoption needs to be improved in road infrastructure. This has generated a need for more specific BIM tools for road construction planning, which has resulted in planners working with digital models that do not represent earthworks layers. This paper proposes a new BIM-based tool and a procedure specifically designed to assist with the construction planning of earthworks in road projects. The Design Science Research (DSR) method was used to design and develop the tool as an artifact. The BIM tool automates the generation of embankments by layers and cut works. Road projects with embankments can achieve at least a level of development 300 (LOD300) of work breakdown structures (WBS) for construction planning. This work demonstrated that a digital twin model can be obtained with less than 2 % geometry variation versus a built road. In addition, the tool can reduce the time needed for earthwork planning by 20 %. • Development of a novel tool for road earthworks representation in BIM. • Modeling of earthworks with embankments reaching LOD300. • BIM generation of layered digital models in earthworks. • Road planning modeled stage is based on IFC files achieving a BIM5D.