BIM-enabled terminal designs

Airports are perhaps the most sophisticated of transport hubs. However, they stand out as one of the most complex and demanding projects, given the need to incorporate diverse infrastructure systems like terminals, taxiways, aprons, carparks, etc. Traditional methods of airport construction present several challenges, such as high costs, vast data handling, operational disruptions, lack of coordination among stakeholders, and, to top it all, design errors. With these shortfalls and the increasing global demand for air transport, architects and structural engineers are on the verge of pushing their limits to rethink airport construction. This is where Building Information Modeling (BIM) is proving to be a game-changer!

BIM has become a revolutionary approach, redefining airports’ design and construction worldwide. This is because BIM goes beyond conventional two-dimensional drawings and provides a three-dimensional model encompassing spatial relationships, geometry, geographic information, and other aspects.

Nadim Abbas, Senior BIM Manager at WSP Middle East, elucidates how BIM extends beyond common visualising models and is a powerful tool for creating a single source of truth. BIM creates a federated environment with validated information flowing uninterrupted between disciplines. This transparency facilitates governance, minimises errors and rework, and improves project and asset outcomes.

Meeting the demands of complex coordination
BIM meets the demands of complex coordination, an essential aspect when working on large-scale infrastructure projects involving multiple stakeholders. All stakeholders work with a unified digital model, a centralised platform facilitating communication. A shared digital model ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing misinterpretations.  

Tvvsn Reddy, Senior General Manager—Aviation, Egis, India, explains how the central platform has benefited the construction of Lucknow International Airport. The platform has enhanced communication, minimised errors, ensured team alignment and collaboration, and ensured project milestones were met in terms of cost and time.

BIM fosters terminal expansions as well
Although newer airport terminals are designed to be adaptable to expansions, this requires studying and syncing large amounts of historical data on the existing structures. BIM fosters this as much as it does for constructing a new airport. The technology enables accurate scanning of existing structures, MEP systems, HVAC systems, the site, and other airport infrastructure, allowing them to be remodelled in BIM.

Ar. Dhananjay Patil, Principal Architect, AtkinsRéalis, enumerates this. Existing structures can be remodelled using BIM even when original drawings are unavailable. Although this scanning and BIM modelling require financial investment, they contribute to optimal and viable renovation and expansion proposals, a boon for large-scale structures like airports.

Major construction challenges mitigated
Today, airport terminals are no longer confined to their traditional operational roles. This calls for considering several factors during the design and construction. Manual handling of large volumes of data, the absence of a centralised database, and traditional manual site surveying methods can all be time-consuming and prone to errors. BIM eases these construction challenges for architects and designers by enabling them to generate multiple design options and absorb even minute details by leveraging technologies like Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and reality capture. Some famous airports that have been a testimony to the technology include Dubai International Airport, Changi Airport, and Wellington Airport.

Sustainability and BIM
BIM is the golden rule for ensuring sustainability and efficiency. Building envelopes are prospective candidates for achieving energy efficiency. BIM enables architects and façade designers to create 3D models by incorporating energy-efficient parameters and arrive at the most sustainable design. It also allows the monitoring of various sustainability parameters throughout the design and construction of airports. BIM also provides a structured framework for integrating sustainability data and tracking project progress.

Being a data-driven model, BIM enables environmental performance through simulation tools and accurately assesses energy efficiency, material usage, and life-cycle impacts. To further enhance sustainability, architects can use asset information models like digital twins and integrate them with asset management systems to monitor energy usage, conduct predictive maintenance to foresee breakdowns, and plan future expansions with minimal human and material disruptions.

The future of airport infrastructure
Undoubtedly, as technology evolves, BIM will continue to be the game-changer in airport design and construction. Integrating technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is already on the move. As more countries look to adopt BIM in airport design, stakeholders will have an enhanced, immersive experience. Smarter, greener, and more efficient airports that meet future demands are guaranteed.