TITLE:
BIM Applied to Bridges: Single-Cell Box Deck Modelling Supported by Dynamo Programming
AUTHORS:
Alcínia Zita Sampaio, João Figueiras, Augusto M. Gomes
KEYWORDS:
BIM, BIM Modelling, Box-Shaped Viaduct, Dynamo Script, Family of Parametric Objects
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Software Engineering and Applications,
Vol.18 No.11,
November
27,
2025
ABSTRACT: The adoption of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology in different sectors of the construction industry has recently received government support worldwide as a way of increasing the level of digital transformation in the development of distinct building activities. In the field of the bridge design, the implementation of BIM presents some limitations due to the difficulty of defining suitable parametric objects that can be adjusted to different specific cases. This study addresses the generation of parametric models of viaduct decks of the box girder type. To support the modelling process of the deck, a script was developed using Dynamo visual programming. The script aims to generate a new family of parametric objects, representative of the bridge deck’s girder shape, with a rigorous definition of the cross-section, the longitudinal geometric variation of the deck and the track layout of the road. The proposed parametric modelling strategy of bridge decks was applied to a specific case and its efficiency was evaluated. The study presents an innovative contribution, in the context of the implementation of BIM methodology in public constructions, in the support of the design of bridge decks, driving the required digital transformation of the sector.