Accelerating IFC Adoption by Advancing IFC Validation Service and Software Certification Program

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an international open data standard for the capture, exchange, and use of information representing the built environment in the context of digitally-based information creation, sharing, and usage, also known as BIM, or Building Information Modeling. Its most recent version, IFC4.3, was revised and expanded to include infrastructure components and was accepted as an ISO standard (ISO 16739-1:2024) in April 2024. AASHTO’s resolution to adopt IFC for BIM-based delivery of State DOT projects provides significant advantages in data interoperability, long-term data access, and freedom of choice for software. This in turn drives gains in efficiency, productivity, and sustainability across the infrastructure portfolio and throughout asset lifecycles. The successful adoption and deployment of IFC 4.3 depends on: (1) High-quality, consistent support in software, including the capture, encoding, export, import, and display of needed information, especially DOT requirements; (2) User knowledge of openBIM standards (e.g., IFC, IDS, bSDD, etc.) and how preferred software supports them; (3) Authoritative guarantees that the software being used properly supports IFC-encoding, regardless of end user capabilities; (4) The ability to verify or validate the information being exported from BIM-authoring tools, ensuring users are creating good data with their preferred tools. Existing and proposed mechanisms and timelines in place to address some of these dependencies are inadequate when compared to the infrastructure needed to handle the rapidly approaching BIM initiatives occurring in State DOTs. This proposed Pooled Fund Study would look at the viability and best means to significantly enhance the scale and maturity of services (i.e., IFC Validation Service and Global IFC Software Certification), as well as recommend any additional technical and procedural efforts (such as Use Case-based Certification), needed to support software implementation and US industry adoption and deployment. The following two primary business objectives would be achieved: (1) Enabling State DOTs to specify certified (IFC and US industry standard exchange requirement compliant) software for road and bridge projects; (2) Enabling State DOTs to validate deliverables from consultants and contractors to enhance project delivery and management quality. This work would be separate but complimentary to the ongoing work of TPF-5(523) BIM for Bridges & Structures Pooled Fund and TPF-5(480) BIM for Infrastructure Pooled Fund.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/1798

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Programmed
• Funding: $1,080,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  TPF-5(565)

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

  200 Mero Street
  Frankfort, KY  United States  40622

  New York State Department of Transportation

  50 Wolf Road
  Albany, NY  United States  12232

  Washington State Department of Transportation

  Transportation Building
  Olympia, WA  United States  98504

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Project Development
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8380

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Keystone Building
  400 North Street
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17120

  Mississippi Department of Transportation

  P.O. Box 1850
  Jackson, MS  United States  39215-1850

  Michigan Department of Transportation

  Van Wagoner Building
  425 W. Ottawa Street
  Lansing, MI  United States  48909

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  600 West Peachtree St
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30308

  Connecticut Department of Transportation

  2800 Berlin Turnpike
  P.O. Box 317546
  Newington, CT  United States  06131-7546

  California Department of Transportation

  1227 O Street
  Sacramento, CA  United States  95814
• Managing Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Project Managers:

  Clute, Khyle

• Start Date: 20260109
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Building information models; Certification; Project delivery; Software; Standards; State departments of transportation; Validation
• Identifier Terms: Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Subject Areas: Construction; Data and Information Technology; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01976136
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Contract Numbers: TPF-5(565)
• Files: RIP, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 10 2026 11:59AM