Saona Island Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Coastal Infrastructure: 3D Coordination, Quantity Take-Offs and Digital Construction

Introduction

Planning and constructing infrastructure in an island environment involves coordinating many technical disciplines. Roads, buildings, drainage networks, water systems, electrical services, coastal facilities and other infrastructure components must work together within a limited project area. Design changes in one discipline can affect several others, making coordination an important part of project delivery.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) offers a structured digital approach to managing this complexity. Instead of treating drawings, schedules, quantities and technical documents as disconnected files, BIM connects geometric models with useful project information. Engineers and construction teams can use this information to understand design relationships, identify potential conflicts, coordinate construction activities and prepare data for future asset management.

For Saona Island, BIM can be considered as a potential planning and engineering approach for suitable future infrastructure projects. This article explains the principles, tools, workflows and practical considerations involved. It does not claim that a particular BIM programme, digital twin or infrastructure model currently exists on the island.

1. What Is Building Information Modelling?

Building Information Modelling is a process for creating, organizing, sharing and using digital information about a built asset.

A BIM model can contain more than a three-dimensional representation. Depending on project requirements, it may include:

Geometry and dimensions of buildings or infrastructure.
Structural materials and component specifications.
Equipment and utility information.
Construction sequence and programme data.
Quantity and cost information.
Inspection and maintenance records.
Asset identification and operational information.

A conventional CAD drawing mainly communicates geometry through lines, symbols and annotations. A BIM object can also contain structured information describing what the object is, what it is made from, where it belongs and how it relates to other components.

The ISO 19650 series provides an internationally recognized framework for managing information using BIM across the built-asset life cycle. Its principles can be adapted to infrastructure projects of different sizes and levels of complexity.

2. Why BIM Can Be Useful for Island Infrastructure

Island projects can involve limited working areas, specialized material transport, sensitive coastal surroundings and coordination between multiple engineering disciplines. These conditions make reliable project information particularly valuable.

BIM can support project teams in several ways.

Better design coordination

Architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and utility designs can be brought together in a coordinated digital environment. Engineers can review how different systems interact before construction begins.

Fewer avoidable design conflicts

A drainage pipe may intersect a foundation, an electrical duct may conflict with a structural element, or a utility route may pass through a planned road structure. A coordinated model can help identify these issues earlier.

More consistent project information

A controlled information environment helps teams work with the correct model versions, drawings, specifications and revisions.

Improved construction planning

Digital models can be connected to schedules and quantities to support sequencing, resource planning and progress reviews.

Better asset handover

When the project is completed, structured information can be prepared for the owner or operator. This may support future inspections, repairs and maintenance.

These are potential benefits rather than guaranteed outcomes. They depend on the quality of the project information, the team's skills and the way BIM is implemented.

3. BIM Applications for Coastal Infrastructure

BIM is not limited to buildings. Its principles can be applied to many types of built assets.

3.1 Roads and access infrastructure

A road model may include horizontal alignment, vertical profile, cross-sections, pavement layers, kerbs, drainage structures, retaining elements and road furniture.

A coordinated model can help engineers review:

Road alignment and terrain conditions.
Pavement thickness and material layers.
Roadside drainage and culvert locations.
Utility crossings and access points.
Construction quantities and design revisions.

For island access routes, a model can also help communicate the relationship between proposed road works and nearby buildings or infrastructure.

3.2 Drainage and water infrastructure

Drainage networks often involve pipes, channels, manholes, inlets, outfalls and other components. These systems need to coordinate with road levels, foundations and existing utilities.

A BIM or civil-infrastructure model can represent pipe routes, invert levels, diameters, slopes and connection points. Engineers can use the model to review spatial conflicts and communicate design intent.

Hydraulic calculations and drainage capacity checks must still be carried out using appropriate engineering methods. A visually accurate model does not automatically prove that a drainage system is hydraulically adequate.

3.3 Buildings and structural systems

Building models can combine architectural layouts with structural elements such as columns, beams, slabs, foundations, reinforcement zones and roof structures.

For coastal buildings, the design team may need to coordinate structural requirements with building services, corrosion-protection specifications, access provisions and other project-specific considerations.

BIM supports coordination, but it does not replace structural analysis, geotechnical investigation or code compliance checks.

3.4 Coastal facilities and marine-related assets

Where a project includes suitable coastal or marine infrastructure, digital models may represent structures such as:

Quay walls and waterfront structures.
Small harbour facilities.
Access platforms and walkways.
Retaining structures.
Coastal utility connections.
Marine-related service buildings.

The appropriate modelling approach depends on the asset type, available survey data and engineering requirements. Marine structures may require specialist geospatial, structural and geotechnical datasets in addition to conventional building models.

4. The Main Dimensions of BIM

BIM dimensions are commonly used to describe how additional project information is connected to a model. The terminology and implementation can vary between organizations.

3D BIM – Geometric modelling

Three-dimensional BIM represents the physical geometry of project components. It helps teams visualize spaces, dimensions, interfaces and relationships.

4D BIM – Time and construction sequencing

4D BIM connects model components with a construction programme. Teams can visualize the planned sequence of work and review how construction activities may interact.

For example, a road project may be divided into earthworks, drainage installation, sub-base placement, pavement construction and finishing activities.

5D BIM – Cost and quantity information

5D BIM links model elements with quantities, rates or cost information. It can support quantity take-offs, cost planning and the assessment of design changes.

The reliability of the output depends on correct model classification, measurement rules, project specifications and cost data.

6D BIM – Sustainability and performance information

Some organizations use 6D BIM to describe sustainability or building-performance information. The exact meaning varies across industry practice.

A project should define the intended information requirements rather than assuming that every BIM dimension has a universal definition.

7D BIM – Facility and asset management

7D BIM is often used to describe information prepared for operation and maintenance. Asset identifiers, equipment data, inspection requirements and maintenance records can be linked to model elements.

The objective is to make the completed model useful beyond construction.

5. The BIM Workflow for a Coastal Infrastructure Project

A successful BIM process begins with clear project requirements. Purchasing software and producing attractive 3D images is not enough.

Step 1: Define the project objectives

The project owner and engineering team should identify what BIM is expected to achieve.

Possible objectives include:

Coordinating multidisciplinary designs.
Producing reliable quantities.
Reviewing construction sequences.
Managing design changes.
Preparing asset information for handover.

The objectives should be specific, measurable and appropriate to the project scale.

Step 2: Establish information requirements

The team should define what information is needed, who will produce it, who will review it and when it must be delivered.

Requirements may cover geometry, component properties, technical documents, schedules, asset data and model exchange formats.

The ISO 19650 approach emphasizes structured information management rather than simply creating a 3D model.

Step 3: Collect existing site information

A reliable model needs reliable inputs. Depending on the project, these may include:

Topographic survey data.
Existing building and infrastructure records.
Geotechnical investigation results.
Utility surveys.
Coastal and tidal reference information.
Environmental and planning constraints.

Survey accuracy, coordinate systems, vertical datums and data sources should be documented. Inconsistent reference systems can create major alignment problems.

Step 4: Develop discipline-specific models

Relevant specialists develop their own models or information containers. These may include civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and utility models.

Each discipline should follow agreed naming, coordinate, classification and information requirements.

Step 5: Combine and coordinate the models

The discipline models can be brought into a shared coordination environment. The team reviews geometry, interfaces and potential conflicts.

A clash detection process may identify:

Physical intersections between components.
Insufficient access or maintenance space.
Incorrect elevations or alignments.
Conflicts between utility routes and structures.
Inconsistent model coordinates.

Not every detected clash is a genuine construction problem. Teams must review and classify each issue before assigning corrective actions.

Step 6: Prepare quantities and construction information

Once the design has reached an appropriate level of development, model data can support quantity extraction, drawings, schedules and construction planning.

Engineers and quantity surveyors should check the outputs against project measurement rules and approved documentation.

Step 7: Verify the as-built information

Changes made during construction should be recorded and incorporated into the final project information where required.

The handover model should represent the agreed record of the completed asset, not simply the original design model.

Step 8: Prepare operational information

The owner or operator should receive the information needed to manage the asset. This may include equipment identifiers, inspection requirements, warranties, maintenance instructions and relevant technical documents.

6. BIM Software and Digital Tools

BIM is a process supported by software, data standards and agreed working methods. No single software platform is suitable for every project.

Common tool categories include:

Authoring and modelling tools: Used to create building, structural, civil or infrastructure models.

Model coordination tools: Used to combine discipline models, review interfaces and identify potential clashes.

Survey and reality-capture tools: Used to process information from total stations, GNSS, laser scanning, photogrammetry and other survey methods.

Scheduling and cost tools: Used to connect model elements with construction activities, quantities and cost information.

Common Data Environment (CDE): A managed environment for collecting, reviewing, sharing and controlling project information.

The project should select tools based on technical needs, staff capability, interoperability, licensing, data security and long-term access to information.

7. OpenBIM and the IFC Standard

Interoperability is an important consideration when different organizations use different software.

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an open, standardized data schema for describing and exchanging information about built assets. IFC 4.3 includes capabilities for infrastructure-related information and is published as ISO 16739-1:2024.

OpenBIM approaches can help project participants exchange information without relying entirely on one software vendor.

However, exporting a model to IFC does not guarantee that every object, property or relationship will transfer perfectly. Teams should test representative exchanges, check required data and agree on supported versions and workflows.

8. Model Accuracy, Level of Information Need and Quality Control

A BIM model should contain the right level of information for its intended purpose.

A conceptual planning model does not need the same detail as a construction coordination model or an asset handover model.

The project team should define:

Required geometric detail.
Required non-geometric information.
Required documents and supporting evidence.
Delivery dates and responsible parties.
Acceptance and quality-check procedures.

The concept of level of information need helps avoid both insufficient information and unnecessary modelling effort.

Quality checks may include coordinate validation, naming checks, model integrity reviews, property completeness, clash review and confirmation that the model matches approved design information.

9. Coastal and Island-Specific BIM Considerations

A BIM model can improve coordination, but coastal engineering requires additional technical care.

Coordinate systems and vertical datums

Survey data from different sources must be referenced consistently. Road levels, drainage inverts, foundation elevations and coastal levels should not be combined without checking their reference systems.

Corrosion and material specifications

Where relevant, the model can store material grades, protective coating information, exposure classifications and inspection requirements. These properties must come from the engineering specifications and approved design.

Extreme weather and structural design

The model may help communicate structural geometry, connections and design revisions. Wind, wave, current and other environmental actions must still be assessed through appropriate engineering calculations and applicable standards.

Limited logistics and construction access

4D planning can help visualize access, material delivery zones, temporary works and construction sequencing. The model should be based on realistic site and logistics information.

Environmental constraints

Project information may include designated exclusion zones, protected areas, construction boundaries and approved environmental requirements. The model is a coordination tool, not a substitute for environmental assessment or regulatory approval.

10. Digital Twins: Moving Beyond the Construction Model

A digital twin is a digital representation connected to information about a physical asset or system. Depending on its purpose, it may receive updated information from inspections, sensors, operational records or other data sources.

For a suitable infrastructure asset, a digital twin could potentially help organize:

Inspection history.
Maintenance activities.
Equipment condition.
Repair records.
Operational performance.
Sensor observations.

A BIM model can provide a foundation for some digital-twin applications, but a BIM model is not automatically a digital twin. A digital twin needs a defined relationship with the physical asset and an appropriate process for updating and using information.

11. Challenges of Implementing BIM

BIM can create value, but implementation also introduces challenges.

Training requirements: Staff need technical skills in modelling, coordination, information management and quality assurance.

Initial investment: Software, hardware, training and information-management processes require resources.

Data quality: Inaccurate surveys, incomplete drawings or inconsistent specifications can produce unreliable models.

Interoperability: Information may be lost or changed when exchanged between different platforms.

Coordination responsibilities: The project must clearly identify who creates, checks, approves and updates each information deliverable.

Cybersecurity and access control: Project information should be protected through appropriate permissions, backups and secure sharing procedures.

Over-modelling: Creating excessive detail can consume time without improving project decisions. The model should match the intended use.

12. A Practical BIM Implementation Framework for Saona Island

A future infrastructure project in Saona Island could consider a staged BIM implementation, subject to project feasibility, available data and stakeholder requirements.

Stage 1: Project assessment

Identify the asset type, project size, engineering disciplines, information needs and expected outcomes.

Stage 2: Site information preparation

Collect and verify relevant survey, geotechnical, utility and existing-asset information. Establish consistent coordinate and elevation references.

Stage 3: BIM execution planning

Prepare a BIM execution plan describing responsibilities, model structure, software, information exchanges, naming rules, review procedures and deliverables.

Stage 4: Pilot modelling

Begin with a manageable asset or project section. Test model coordination, quantity extraction, information exchange and team workflows.

Stage 5: Review and improvement

Evaluate whether the model is accurate, useful and proportionate to project needs. Improve the process before expanding it.

Stage 6: Construction and handover

Maintain controlled updates during construction and prepare verified asset information for the owner or operator.

This framework is a proposed approach, not a description of an existing Saona Island BIM programme.

13. Measuring BIM Project Performance

A BIM project should be assessed through measurable outcomes rather than the visual quality of its models alone.

Possible performance indicators include:

Number of design coordination issues identified and resolved.
Time taken to close coordination issues.
Percentage of required information delivered on schedule.
Number of model-related drawing or quantity discrepancies.
Accuracy of model-based quantity take-offs.
Percentage of accepted handover information.
Time required to retrieve asset records.

Baseline values and project targets should be established before performance is measured. A reduction in reported clashes, for example, is meaningful only when the review process and reporting criteria remain consistent.

14. The Future of BIM in Coastal Engineering

Digital construction is evolving through improved infrastructure modelling, cloud collaboration, reality capture, automation, artificial intelligence and digital-twin applications.

For island and coastal projects, these developments may support more coordinated planning and better access to asset information.

The most effective approach is not necessarily the most complicated one. A small project may benefit from a carefully managed 3D model and shared document environment, while a complex infrastructure programme may require integrated 4D scheduling, quantity management and operational information.

The technology should serve engineering decisions—not become an additional burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is BIM in civil engineering?

BIM is a structured process for creating, managing and exchanging digital information about buildings and infrastructure. It combines geometry with technical and project information.

2. Can BIM be used for coastal infrastructure?

Yes. BIM principles can support the planning and coordination of roads, drainage networks, buildings, waterfront structures, utilities and other suitable infrastructure assets.

3. What is the difference between BIM and 3D modelling?

3D modelling mainly represents geometry. BIM connects model geometry with structured information, collaboration processes and project deliverables.

4. What is 4D BIM?

4D BIM links model elements with construction schedules so that project teams can visualize the planned sequence and timing of construction activities.

5. What is 5D BIM?

5D BIM connects model information with quantities and cost data to support estimating, cost planning and change assessment.

6. What is IFC in BIM?

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an open international standard for exchanging digital information about built assets. It supports interoperability between different software environments.

7. Does BIM replace engineering calculations?

No. BIM supports visualization, coordination and information management. Structural, hydraulic, geotechnical, transportation and other engineering analyses must still be completed using appropriate methods.

8. Is a digital twin the same as a BIM model?

No. A BIM model is a structured digital project representation. A digital twin is connected to information about a physical asset or system and may be updated using operational or inspection data.

9. Is BIM only useful for large construction projects?

No. BIM principles can be scaled to smaller projects. The level of modelling and information management should be proportionate to project complexity and objectives.

10. Can BIM improve infrastructure maintenance?

It can help organize asset identifiers, equipment data, inspection records and maintenance information, provided that the information is accurate and kept up to date.

Conclusion

Building Information Modelling offers a structured way to coordinate design, construction and asset information for coastal infrastructure. Its potential applications include roads, drainage systems, buildings, utilities and suitable waterfront facilities.

For future projects in Saona Island, a practical BIM approach could begin with reliable survey data, clear information requirements, coordinated discipline models and a manageable pilot project. Open information standards, quality control and a well-planned handover process can help make digital project information useful beyond construction.

The central value of BIM is not simply producing a 3D image. It is improving how project information is created, checked, shared and used to support engineering decisions throughout an asset's life.