Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 52-14. 3D Digital Models as Highway Construction Contract Documents

During the last several years, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have been collaborating with construction contractors and consultants to overcome the challenges to sharing construction information digitally. Now many DOTs have developed procedures for using 3D engineered digital models during design and have piloted sharing those 3D models with the contractor in a digital format for roadway construction. State DOTs have also been exploring the feasibility of using those 3D models as construction contract documents. There are numerous technical, procedural, risk management, and legal issues that arise when the construction contract medium changes from paper or electronic files (such as 2D PDFs containing plan sheets) to digital 3D models. Since there are not yet any nationally defined standards or guidelines to reference, DOTs have addressed these issues independently in different and creative ways. The objective of this synthesis is to document current DOT practice for delivering 3D digital models to highway contractors and the use of these models as part of the legal construction contract document. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to): (1) Extent of use of 3D models for informational purposes and as contract documents; (2) Identification of the controlling digital contract documents (sometimes called “model of record”); (3) Access control for the “model of record” digital contract documents; (4) Managing authorized changes to the contractual 3D models including who pays for the changes; (5) Methods for document retention and data security; (6) Scope of using 3D models as contract documents (e.g., aspects of the highway project that are depicted in the models, the level of metadata and detail in the models); (7) Procedures for quality control and quality assurance of the digital contractual and supplemental data; (8) Risk mitigation strategies (e.g., partnering and previewing the 3D models in advance of the letting, contract liability issues); (9) Outlays made by DOTs to use 3D models in contracting; (10) Sample consultant design and inspection scopes of work; (11) Sample construction special provisions; and (12) Effect on construction bid prices as a result of using contractual digital contract documents. Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Record URL:

Language

English

Project

Status: Active
Funding: $45000
Contract Numbers:
Project 20-05, Topic 52-14
Sponsor Organizations:
National Cooperative Highway Research Program

Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001

Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590
Project Managers:
Gause, Jo
Performing Organizations:
University of Kentucky, Lexington

Kentucky Transportation Center
College of Engineering, 176 Raymond Building
Lexington, KY United States 40506-0281
Principal Investigators:
Nassereddine, Hala
Start Date: 20200501
Expected Completion Date: 0
Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Construction projects; Contract administration; Contracts; Data collection; Information dissemination; Literature reviews; Quality control; State departments of transportation; State of the practice; Surveys
Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Construction; Data and Information Technology; Highways;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01739677
Record Type: Research project
Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 52-14
Files: TRB, RIP
Created Date: May 18 2020 3:05PM