Digital transformation in construction integrates BIM with GIS for virtual reality, digital twins, and simulations. Portcoast's ArcGIS data aids flood scenario planning and response strategies

By thanhnien.vn - 14/10/2024

Digital transformation has truly become a key driver for the development of many industries, including planning, construction, and infrastructure. Portcoast is a pioneering consultant, accompanying Vietnam and the world in the digital transformation of this sector.

Breakthroughs in Digital Transformation

Since early 2022, the Politburo has issued Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on the planning, construction, management, and sustainable development of Vietnamese urban areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045. The Government has also issued Resolution No. 148/NQ-CP, the Government’s Action Program to implement Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the planning, construction, management, and sustainable development of Vietnamese urban areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045. This resolution directs the "Building of a national data system on urban development planning; the broad application of geographic information system (GIS) and digital technology, as well as digital platforms in urban planning and development management."

In the construction industry, the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM), integrating BIM on a 3D GIS platform to develop virtual reality (VR/AR/MR) applications, digital twin models of the physical world, and simulations on digital models, has become an inevitable trend.

The goal of digital transformation is to manage territorial space, planning, and infrastructure (urban areas, transportation, industrial zones, logistics hubs...), while also aiming for smart urban development, smart infrastructure, and a smart nation. Digital transformation also targets the management of natural disasters, especially floods and landslides.

The Port and Marine Engineering Consultant JSC (Portcoast) is a private company primarily operating in the field of port, maritime, and inland waterway consultancy. It is also the only consultancy unit in Vietnam recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a scientific and technological enterprise in applying technology in survey design. For many years, this company has applied modern technologies such as laser scanning, lidar, and photogrammetry to create digital models of current conditions and implement BIM models for construction projects. Especially, the integration of BIM models on a GIS platform has been applied by Portcoast in projects in Egypt, UAE, Pakistan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and many projects across Vietnam.

Portcoast is frequently invited to international conferences organized by technology companies like Esri, Autodesk, and Trimble to present its technology, further reinforcing Portcoast’s leading position in the industry. The company’s research on technology applications in survey and design is published in journals of reputable organizations such as PIANC and Hexagon. Recognition in mainstream media is evidence of Portcoast's breakthroughs and affirms the importance of Portcoast's pioneering contributions in digital transformation consultancy.

Smart Urban Management and Disaster Prevention

The digitalization of the Metro Line 1 project (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) is one of the outstanding projects in smart urban management and is also the first urban infrastructure project in Ho Chi Minh City to achieve world-class digitalization.

This digitalization effort has been implemented by Portcoast right after the signing of a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railways Company Ltd. No.1 (HURC1) and Portcoast three months ago (July 5, 2024). The two entities collaborated to survey and build digital models of the stations, tunnels, and depots of Metro Line 1, including three underground stations and elevated stations. The digital model accurately reflects a 1:1 representation of the actual structure in terms of size, information, location, and depth.

According to the plan, HURC1 and Portcoast also aim to equip the metro infrastructure and train cars with sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, pressure, air quality, etc. All monitoring data will be automatically sent to the operations management center, integrated into the digital model of the project for real-time monitoring and timely adjustments during operation.

Portcoast’s CEO, Pham Anh Tuan, stated that the company possesses a range of modern equipment in line with global standards to implement this digital model. He remarked that developing a management system with BIM and GIS application in the operation, maintenance, and management of urban railway structures and equipment will optimize operation and management, particularly in maintenance and structure "health" management.

Another area where digital technology can significantly assist managers is in disaster prevention, especially in a geographically and environmentally diverse country like Vietnam. The modern development of GIS systems combined with unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and drones (UAVs) equipped with photogrammetry or LIDAR devices provides powerful solutions for understanding, simulating, and mitigating the impact of natural disasters. One prominent tool in this field is ArcGIS, a platform that enables real-time 3D data visualization and analysis to simulate accurate flood scenarios, assisting planners in making informed decisions.

According to Portcoast Chairman Tran Tan Phuc, data collected from UAVs, USVs, and the LIDAR system, visualized on the ArcGIS platform, is not only applied in territorial space management but is also extremely useful in simulating various flood scenarios, thereby enabling planning and response strategies.

Furthermore, integrating BIM with ArcGIS allows for simulations of new infrastructure projects in flood-prone areas. This integration is essential to ensure that new projects are designed with sustainability and resilience against future natural disasters.