Bentley Case Studies Collins Engineers Utilizes Digital Twin Technology for Restoration of Historic Stone Arch Bridge

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	Collins Engineers Utilizes Digital Twin Technology for Restoration of Historic Stone Arch Bridge Bentley

Collins Engineers Utilizes Digital Twin Technology for Restoration of Historic Stone Arch Bridge

Bentley

Technology Category	Drones - Drone Payloads & Accessories Networks & Connectivity - Routers & Bridges
Applicable Industries	Construction & Infrastructure Transportation
Applicable Functions	Maintenance Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Digital Twin Mixed Reality
Services	Testing & Certification
Challenge	The Stone Arch Bridge, a historic pedestrian pathway in Minneapolis, required significant restoration to ensure its structural integrity and public safety. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) hired Collins Engineers to assess and restore the 140-year-old masonry bridge. The project required a detailed inspection of the entire bridge structure’s condition, including stone arches, embankments, piers, and underwater foundations. Given the age and size of the masonry structure, Collins faced challenges developing repair plans that traditional data collection and inspection methods could not accommodate. Conventional workflows would be time-consuming, significantly impact public use of the bridge, and might not produce the level of detail required to generate accurate repair plans. To overcome these challenges, Collins sought to digitalize inspection data and generate a 3D model of the bridge. Read More
About Customer	The customer in this case is the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). In the early 1990s, MnDOT converted the Stone Arch Bridge, a former railroad bridge built in 1883, into a pedestrian and bicycle pathway. To ensure public safety and preserve the historical icon, MnDOT initiated a USD 12 million rehabilitation project. They hired Collins Engineers to assess and restore the bridge’s structural integrity, identifying deficiencies and repairing the bridge to ensure that it remains a valuable cultural and physical asset throughout the future. MnDOT is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of this important landmark, which is recognized as a symbol of prosperity and a National Civil Engineering Landmark. Read More
Solution	Collins Engineers decided to supplement conventional inspection processes using digital twins to streamline workflows and change how they perform inspections. Using unmanned aerial vehicles, they captured over 13,000 images and processed them in ContextCapture, generating a high-fidelity 3D model of the Stone Arch Bridge that was then uploaded to the cloud. Integrating Bentley’s digital twin technology, Collins performed virtual inspections in a mixed reality environment. Bridge inspectors in the field could access the digital twins via tablets and record their inspection information directly on the models. The digital twins not only provided valuable data and information but also functioned as a communication tool, enabling real-time collaboration and problem solving among the team. The models also helped the design team precisely identify physical, structural deficiencies in a digital environment, and provided virtual visual insight and a better understanding of the restorative works to the public. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Drones - Drone Payloads & Accessories

Networks & Connectivity - Routers & Bridges

Applicable Industries

Construction & Infrastructure

Transportation

Applicable Functions

Maintenance

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Digital Twin

Mixed Reality

Services

Testing & Certification

Challenge

The Stone Arch Bridge, a historic pedestrian pathway in Minneapolis, required significant restoration to ensure its structural integrity and public safety. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) hired Collins Engineers to assess and restore the 140-year-old masonry bridge. The project required a detailed inspection of the entire bridge structure’s condition, including stone arches, embankments, piers, and underwater foundations. Given the age and size of the masonry structure, Collins faced challenges developing repair plans that traditional data collection and inspection methods could not accommodate. Conventional workflows would be time-consuming, significantly impact public use of the bridge, and might not produce the level of detail required to generate accurate repair plans. To overcome these challenges, Collins sought to digitalize inspection data and generate a 3D model of the bridge.

About Customer

The customer in this case is the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). In the early 1990s, MnDOT converted the Stone Arch Bridge, a former railroad bridge built in 1883, into a pedestrian and bicycle pathway. To ensure public safety and preserve the historical icon, MnDOT initiated a USD 12 million rehabilitation project. They hired Collins Engineers to assess and restore the bridge’s structural integrity, identifying deficiencies and repairing the bridge to ensure that it remains a valuable cultural and physical asset throughout the future. MnDOT is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of this important landmark, which is recognized as a symbol of prosperity and a National Civil Engineering Landmark.

Solution

Collins Engineers decided to supplement conventional inspection processes using digital twins to streamline workflows and change how they perform inspections. Using unmanned aerial vehicles, they captured over 13,000 images and processed them in ContextCapture, generating a high-fidelity 3D model of the Stone Arch Bridge that was then uploaded to the cloud. Integrating Bentley’s digital twin technology, Collins performed virtual inspections in a mixed reality environment. Bridge inspectors in the field could access the digital twins via tablets and record their inspection information directly on the models. The digital twins not only provided valuable data and information but also functioned as a communication tool, enabling real-time collaboration and problem solving among the team. The models also helped the design team precisely identify physical, structural deficiencies in a digital environment, and provided virtual visual insight and a better understanding of the restorative works to the public.

Impact #1	The use of digital twins in a mixed reality environment resulted in faster and more accurate data collection and inspection methods, streamlined model access, and minimized impact to the public, compared to conventional processes. The digital twins not only provided valuable data and information but also functioned as a communication tool, enabling real-time collaboration and problem solving among the team. The models also helped the design team precisely identify physical, structural deficiencies in a digital environment, and provided virtual visual insight and a better understanding of the restorative works to the public. The digital twin will also be shared with contractors during the construction phase, providing more detailed information and insight into the structural condition of the bridge, allowing for more accurate construction bids. After the project is complete, Collins will extend the use of the digital twins for future lifecycle planning and maintenance to ensure the bridge continues to remain structurally safe and a valuable cultural asset to the city and state.

Impact #1

The use of digital twins in a mixed reality environment resulted in faster and more accurate data collection and inspection methods, streamlined model access, and minimized impact to the public, compared to conventional processes. The digital twins not only provided valuable data and information but also functioned as a communication tool, enabling real-time collaboration and problem solving among the team. The models also helped the design team precisely identify physical, structural deficiencies in a digital environment, and provided virtual visual insight and a better understanding of the restorative works to the public. The digital twin will also be shared with contractors during the construction phase, providing more detailed information and insight into the structural condition of the bridge, allowing for more accurate construction bids. After the project is complete, Collins will extend the use of the digital twins for future lifecycle planning and maintenance to ensure the bridge continues to remain structurally safe and a valuable cultural asset to the city and state.

Benefit #1	Digital twin applications saved 20% in field inspection time.
Benefit #2	Bridge closure was limited to just four days due to efficient inspection and data collection.
Benefit #3	The digital twin solution is expected to save MnDOT 10% to 15% in construction costs.

Benefit #1

Digital twin applications saved 20% in field inspection time.

Benefit #2

Bridge closure was limited to just four days due to efficient inspection and data collection.

Benefit #3

The digital twin solution is expected to save MnDOT 10% to 15% in construction costs.

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Overview

Collins Engineers Utilizes Digital Twin Technology for Restoration of Historic Stone Arch Bridge

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit