eWork and eBusiness in Architecture, Engineering and Construction – Gudnason & Scherer (Eds)

© 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-62128-1

Traffic infrastructure design and geo-information systems, a case of

interoperability

N.N. Esfahani
OBERMEYER Planen + Beraten GmbH, Munich, Germany
Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

R. Balder
OBERMEYER Planen + Beraten GmbH, Munich, Germany

R.J. Scherer
Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

ABSTRACT: Using computer programs, Intelligent Road Design attempts to establish a connection between
two points through an economical path. Born around 30 years ago, Computer Aided Design (CAD) can provide
rapid evaluation of alternative alignments, optimization techniques for road planners and powerful search tools for
a large number of alternative alignments. Geospatial Information System (GIS) with its spatio-temporal analysis
tools is an extremely helpful solution in the very early steps of alignment planning, especially for long railway
projects. Therefore Road and Railway (Rd & Rl) Design is a suitable area of help for GIS design applications,
as such projects start with topographic maps and map analysis methods. When used together effectively, CAD
and GIS fulfill the prerequisites for streamlining decision making and reducing inefficiencies in the design and
execution of critical operations.

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
The commonly used method in the Road & Railway
(Rd & Rl) economic design process is to minimize
total cost, or to maximize the total net benefit asso-
ciated with the alternatives, as well as to minimize
the planning time. This serves to avoid duplication of
effort and parallel planning and as a result to prevent
Figure 1. Proportion of GIS, CAD and BIM in an infras-
corrections and re-planning. The general design task tructure planning process.
for the layout of an Rd & Rl is to find the techni-
cally feasible alternative alignment layouts between
two points and to select the best one for further assess- costs varying from 10% to 30% depending on
ment. The design parameters of the alignment (design the complexity of the design parameters involved.
speed, minimal radius of curves, maximum slope) and OBERMEYER consultants applied the model in the
information about the terrain (land cover, elevation, 700 km Algerian High Plateau Railway Project in
geology) are given (Road Design Manual published 2006 and also introduced a low-level integration of
by Design Standards Unit). GIS/CAD which nevertheless improved the efficiency
Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the design task invari- of the design task and reduced the planning costs
ably entails a permanent transfer of data, which is (Nejatbakhsh et al, 2011). The integration means that
performed manually in today’s common design pro- the vertical design is carried out based on the landscape
cesses. This leads to a long feedback operation which theory and the combination of horizontal and vertical
can be speeded up if modeled as alignment planning alignment configurations ensures best Rd & Rl design.
packages.
The Optimum Road Design Model (IRAD, 2010)
1.2 Objectives
shows how the integration of GIS/CAD in infrastruc-
ture design can constitute an effective case of 3D The main objective of this paper is to illustrate the
optimization. It causes a reduction of total project feasibility of an optimization approach for Rd & Rl

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alignment using GIS methods to improve computa-
tional efficiency, quality of solutions and rapidity of
evaluation methods. To achieve same, this work inves-
tigates the integration of CAD and GIS for Rd & Rl
Design and then suggests a GIS-based concept to assist
Rd & Rl Design through a new Rd & Rl/GIS kernel.
2 STATE OF ART
2.1 Data modeling
Since the introduction of CAD in the planning and
design world some decades ago, entity-based model-
ing and object-based modeling have been two distinct
lines of computer products. Although most com-
puter experts have opted for entity-based modeling,
the progress and development of object-based mod-
eling has not stopped. Most CAD vendors have
launched more powerful object-based CAD software
in recent years (Kymmell, 2008). Moreover, the Open
Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is developing stan-
dards that promote efficient server-based information
sharing in the Architectural, Engineering, Construc-
tion and building Ownership and Operation (AECOO)
markets.
This software category is now commonly known as
Building Information Modeling (BIM), and is a digital
representation of the physical and functional charac-
teristics of a building (National Institute of Building
Sciences, 2008). The scope of BIM extends from
the smallest part up to the world or portfolio view,
from inception onward, in the lifecycle of a facil-
ity and includes all stakeholders who need facility
information – from the designers to the occupants.
Two of the basic challenges in merging the data
models are the data interaction between data model
systems on the one hand and, on the other, information
sharing between project team members and across the
software applications they commonly use for design,
construction, procurement, maintenance and opera-
tions. BuildingSMART has developed a common data
schema that makes it possible to hold and exchange
relevant data between different software applications.
The data schema comprises interdisciplinary building
information as used throughout the lifecycle called
Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) that enables inter-
operability betweenAEC/FM applications from differ-
ent software vendors (The International Alliance for
Interoperability-IAI).
According to Tarandi (2011), IFC is today the only
open and international standard available for BIM,
although he believes the IFC Data Model has some lim-
itations in data management support. There is no single
software which can manage all the necessary infor-
mation; moreover, open standards and standardized
interfaces are needed for information sharing.
2.2 GIS modeling
Funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation the
Bavarian research cooperation “virtual construction
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Figure 2. IFC information axes.
site” tries to develop digital tools for construction
planning and the execution of construction work. The
research project aims to collect data from different
phases of a construction project: This leads to vir-
tual landscapes, through which the construction site
“comes to life” (4D information system of the con-
struction site). The model which thus emerges is used
and constantly developed over all phases of the project.
In order to manage this, it is necessary to collect
data on a central platform, which consists of data
from planning, surveying, project planning, account-
ing and progress of construction work. Digital tools
such as Product Data Management (PDM) Systems)
or process simulations form the basis for an integrated
approach. In this model the planning is updated perma-
nently and dynamically during the construction phase
according to the surveying (Research Cooperation
“Virtual construction site”-ForBAU).
In the EU funded DIVERCITY Program (Fernando
et al, 2001) the robust representation of GIS and its
advantages in handling large amounts of data have
been very useful in providing real-time 3D data for
road projects. Database connectivity, system features,
navigation, query, render options, the hierarchical and
multi-resolution database representation of GIS with
its 3D graphics and efficient new algorithms for terrain
visualization furnish the techniques which can be com-
bined with fast handling methods for large amounts of
data to generate integrated GIS visualization systems.
The newest interfaces for GIS/IFC integration is
the development of a so-called “GeoBIM” CityGML
extension for IFC data which is capable of trans-
forming the IFC geometry as well as semantics and
properties into GIS (Van Berlo & De Laat, 2010).
Called IFG, it solves the previous problem of GIS/IFC
integration – namely the focus on converting just
geometry. El-Mekawy and Östman (2010) have also
created a semantic mapping for integrating the IFC
and CityGML.
Figure 3. Integration of Standards for Infra.

2.3 Infrastructure modeling

In Infrastructure Design an integrated view over the
planning data and a comprehensive data exchange
are the precondition for efficient Rd & Rl planning.
Besides, for a coherent recording, editing and main-
tenance of the characteristics of Rd & Rl design
assumptions, in addition to an instruction of the Rd &
Rl design database, it is necessary to have a standard-
ized object catalog for Rd & Rl data. Using these
data formats, one can eliminate the human or com-
putational errors that come from planning in different
design programs. The attempts to extend the existing
IFC in order to contain Infrastructure Data as discussed
by Tarandi (2011) are shown in Figure 3.
Two Standards are especially interesting: the
German Standard OKSTRA and the International Stan-
dard LandXML. LandXML is the text file of the land-
development world, which is a nonproprietary data
format that allows the exchange of land-development
design elements between varying products. As the
developer consortiums are American companies with
international offices, they have been able to create a
better translation mechanism for the land-development
community at large. LandXML may not be entirely
satisfactory, but it is. . .
– supported by major software vendors
– on the verge of market rollout
– and short-term alternatives are few (if any)
Therefore InfraFINBIM, which is committed to
the extensive piloting and further development of
Infrastructure Modeling (IM) specifications, decided
to choose LandXML in the scope of extending IFC for
IM (Hyvarinen, 2011). BuildingSMART is working on
a platform – first started as IFC-Infra, but re-labeled as
OpenINFRA – for information sharing and its manage-
ment including an information model for the overall
infrastructure with the domains shown in Figure 4.
OKSTRA, on the other hand, is developed and stan-
dardized by the Federal Highway Research Institute of
Germany. In this Object Catalog not only all objects
of the Roads and Traffic Data Model, but also the cur-
rent regulations and principles of Road and Highway
Planning in Germany as well as the Design and Draft
Procedure of road projects are consistently defined in
the form of an EXPRESS schema. The implementation
of the OKSTRA Standard in practice requires consid-
erable effort on the part of the CAD software compa-
nies. The Standard exchange format OKSTRA-CTE
has only been enforced on a large scale within the
Figure 4. Domains of OpenINFRA.
last few years (Ji et al, 2008). OKSTRA describes the
object structure of various technical parts of road and
traffic data systems which can be used as input and/or
output of the design processes involved, particularly
in applications and databases.
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Problem statement
According to the discussions above, in most studies
target application areas explicitly include urban and
landscape planning; architectural design; tourist and
leisure activities; 3D cadasters; environmental sim-
ulations; mobile telecommunications; disaster man-
agement; homeland security; vehicle and pedestrian
navigation; training simulators; and mobile robotics
with different data model architectures. The most com-
plete principal modeling framework for the purpose of
this work was presented by Katranuschkov and Scherer
in 1995 in a pyramidal structure as shown in Figure 5.
In his book “A Mapping Language for Concurrent
Engineering Processes” (2001) Katranuschkov sug-
gested that the implementation framework be struc-
tured in five hierarchical layers as follows:
– The Meta model layer defines the basic princi-
ples of the modeling paradigm with system-wide
applicability.
– The Kernel model layer defines high-level generic
concepts which are common to all lower level
models representing product, process and document-
related information.
– The Neutral model layer extends the kernel level
by defining high-level concepts for each modeling
perspective.
– The Domain model layer further specifies the
neutral model layer.
– The Application model layer contains the native
models of the applications to be used generally in
the model system.
3.2 Modeling framework
The system architecture of Katranuschkov enables the
coherent use of traditional object-oriented methods

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Figure 5. Modeling framework reference architecture.
Figure 6. Principal architecture of Rd & Rl/GIS
interoperability.
along with symbolic and rule-based processing for the
tackling of complex data management tasks, which
is of utmost importance for the realization of sophis-
ticated model transformation methods and advanced
view generation mechanisms. In addition, it ensures
that different types of engineering applications using
different representation paradigms can be plugged into
the system, because the details of the server function-
ality do not need to be known to the client. Besides,
it enables the realization of cooperative problem-
solving methods. Moreover, it provides a high-level
modularity since agents can encapsulate appropriate
autonomous actions – which can be executed automati-
cally and concurrently, depending on the actual state of
the data – and leads to an efficient solution for different
consistency problems, improvement in response times
and decrease in the intelligence of system behavior
(Katranuschkov, 2001). Adapted to Katranuschkov’s
modeling framework, Figure 6 demonstrates the two
possibilities of interoperability in the Rd & Rl and GIS
Domain, namely Domain Integration and Application
Integration.
In Domain Integration the two domains of engi-
neering systems communicate through a conceptual
method which leads to a new Rd & Rl/GIS domain and
establishes a direct dialog between two data models,
for example between GML and OKSTRA, whereas in
Application Integration the communication is effected
through operation software from each domain. In
Application Integration the task is, through artificial
intelligence algorithms, to establish an interface for an
effective interaction between application constraints
which significantly compromise the potential for data
reusability and interoperability. This integration has
data interoperability solutions designed to resolve data
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Figure 7. Domain Integration Approach, extending existing
kernel.
Figure 8. The scope of the German OKSTRA solution for
road design management.
inconsistencies between systems and applications and
manage the diverse set of data models. The main objec-
tive in a Domain Integration approach is to develop a
unique template for the interoperability of GIS and
Rd & Rl data by either using an existing kernel or
creating a new kernel.
If the data model and architectural structure of
the existing IFC kernel is a suitable template for the
integration of GIS and Infrastructure data, Domain
Integration can use the IFC kernel after extending it
through some adjustments. This is demonstrated in
Figure 7. But if the IFC data model does not match
the GIS and Infrastructure data model, a new so-called
Integration Domain needs to be created for GIS and
Infrastructure data. Therefore the main question is
whether the IFC Template with its existing classes,
domain layers and templates is the right platform for
the infrastructure design data model.
On September 22–23, 2005, CSTB Sophia-
Antipolis held an IFC Bridge and Road workshop
for the final presentation of the IFC Bridge data
model prior to its official integration into the IFC
international standard and discussion of opportunities
for launching an “IFC Road” project (Eric Lebégue,
2005). IFC Bridge has been accepted as a very good
base and background for a so-called “IFC Road” data
model. Alfred Stein (2005) also presents the following
schema for such a project.
As the completion of IFC Bridge and extending it
to IFC Road, adding road design elements to IFG, and
then performing a Rd & Rl/GIS domain integration
calls for the involvement of a large number of orga-
nizations and the accomplishment of a huge volume

Figure 9. Domain Integration approach, new Rd & Rl/GIS
integration domain.
of work and will be a long-term approach for the
IFC developing states, approximation in science and
engineering leads to a direct dialog between existing
GML and OKSTRA kernels.
Besides, although OKSTRA offers a good template
for a Railway Data Model, there is still no internation-
ally accepted data model for Railway Projects.
An approximate model can be better than an exact
model, because our minds are a small part of the world
itself and hence understand an approximation more
readily. So when we represent or model the world,
we have to omit aspects of the world in order for
our minds to take in the model. In addition, making
useful models means discarding less important infor-
mation so that our minds may grasp the important
features that remain. It helps us to manage complex-
ity or remove superfluous complexity, and to ignore
and eliminate complexity, with lossless compression.
By creating such models, we also make understanding
and designing more enjoyable (Mahajan, 2008).
Therefore a fast yet still reliable solution lies in a
pragmatic approach to implementation.This allows the
approximation method to proceed according to a stan-
dardized pragmatic implementation process. Along
with this approach, the demands of the engineer are
transferred smoothly and translated for the technol-
ogy and functionality of the data integration into the
planning software.
As the pragmatic solution is supposed to be appli-
cable, useful, implemental and functional, a set of
simple procedures is to be developed to facilitate data
exchange between applications for road design and
analysis using the ISO STEP standard. A system archi-
tecture is to be devised that uses these procedures to
bind small GIS analysis models together to fulfill a
complete road design task. A system of small program
modules is currently under development which, in the
first place, will function as an add-in for a conven-
tional, stand-alone transient visual analysis program.
The system is based on a common data model for a
railway project, which is actually the union of partial
data models for the small program modules involved.
New functions will be added in a later stage, so the
scope of the system will become broader than visual
analysis alone. Besides, this system model can perform
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a very basic role in the completion of IFC Road as a
long-term issue.
3.3 Conclusions and expected research findings
This work discussed the help which GIS could afford in
Rd & Rl Design and looked into available integration
frameworks for GIS and Rd & Rl Interoperability. A
German Standard Catalog has been selected as a kernel
for Rd & Rl Design and is currently being integrated
with GIS through a Domain Integration.
The data mapping under development is based on
a common data model for road and railway projects,
which is in effect the union of partial data models for
the program modules involved. New functions, such
as visualization of designed alternatives in a GIS envi-
ronment, their evaluation and the input of the feedback
from GIS into design CAD software will be added
in a later stage, thus making the scope of the system
broader than visual analysis alone. Finally, this system
model can perform a very basic role in the completion
of IFC Road as a long-term issue.
4 PREFERENCES, SYMBOLS AND UNITS
4.1 Books and papers
Arayici Y., and Aouad G. 2004. DIVERCITY: Distributed Vir-
tual Workspace For Enhancing Communication and Col-
laboration Within the Construction Industry. In: European
Conference on Product and Process Modelling in the
Building and Construction Industry (ECPPM), 8–10
September 2004, Istanbul, Turkey.
El-Mekawy M., and Östman A. 2010. Semantic Mapping: an
Ontology Engineering Method for Integrating Building
Models in IFC and CITYGML. In: 3rd ISDE Digital Earth
Summit, 12–14 June 2010, Nessebar, Bulgaria.
Fernando T., Kähkönen K., Leinonen, J. Murray N., and
Tawfik H. 2001. Facilitation of collaborative commu-
nication for building construction with Virtual Reality
Technology. In: Conference on Applied Virtual Real-
ity in Engineering & Construction Applications of
Virtual Reality, October 4–5, 2001, Gothenburg, Sweden,
(pp. 1–17).
Hyvarinen J. 2011. Finnish InfraBIM Activities & Finnish
Inframodel. In buildingSMART and InfraFINBIM
Nordic Workshop, November 2011, Helsinki, Finland.
Ji Y., Lukas K., Obergrießer M., and Borrmann A. 2008.
Entwicklung integrierter 3D-Trassenproduktmodelle für
die Bauablaufsimulation. Tagungsband des 20. Forums
Bauinformatik, Dresden, Germany, September 2008,
article in German, article in press.
Katranuschkov P. 2001. A Mapping Language for Concur-
rent Engineering Processes. Dresden, Germany. Technical
University of Dresden
Kymmell W. 2008. Building Information Modeling: Planning
and managing construction projects with 4D CAD and
simulations. USA, McGraw-Hill.
Lebégue E. 2005. IFC: The beginning of the road. . . .
IFC Bridge & Road Workshop Report, CSTB, 22–23
September 2005, Sophia-Antipolis, France.
Mahajan S. 2008. The Art of Approximation in Science
and Engineering. MIT Course Number: 6.055J/2.038J,
Spring 2008, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Open
Course Ware.
Nejatbakhsh N., Franken W., and Uhrig R. 2011. Space Tech- OKSTRA, Object Catalog for Road Design and Traffic Data
nology and GIS in ProVI based Alignment Planning. In: http://www.okstra.de/
4th Geodesy, Architecture & Construction Conference, ProVI, Program System for Traffic and Infrastructure
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SMART and InfraFINBIM Nordic Workshop, November ArcGIS, ESRI Inc.
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CAD and GIS (Integration and Beyond)
http://cadngis.blogspot.com
4.2 Websites Integrated Research Application & Development (Optimum
Road Design Model)
BuildingSMART International home of openBIM
http://irad.com.np
http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/
LandXML,
http://www.landxml.org/

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