Deployment of GIS + BIM in the construction of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

Construction of the Pan Borneo Highway across 786km of the Malaysian state of Sarawak is leveraging on technology to achieve greater efficiency and productivity throughout the project’s life-cycle. With a tight construction delivery timeline and budget to keep in check, the ability to design and plan efficiently, minimize errors and discrepancies during construction, manage risks, visually monitor and track progress at the site, and finally to establish accurate 3D as-built models for future asset management are among the challenges faced. To address such challenges of a linear construction, Project Delivery Partner, Lebuhraya Borneo Utara (LBU), has deployed the use of Malaysia’s first-ever Highway Information Modelling (HIM) as an integral part of its Integrated Project Management System. HIM is a combination of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) which incorporates three dimensional (3D) parametric highway models and optimal utilization of accurate and precise Geospatial Datasets. This paper discusses the application of GIS in development of the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project and its role as a foundation for design, planning, monitoring of construction and operation and maintenance of the future highway asset by providing precise data in a timely and cost-efficient manner.