Zoo Interchange – 3D Civil Information Management (CIM)

3D Modeling, LiDAR, Transportation | Wisconsin | Back

Challenge

The Zoo Interchange was the most complex interchange ever reconstructed in Wisconsin history. Set within a huge 565-acre footprint, the interchange was completely reconstructed between 2012 and 2018, costing $764 million for the freeway alone.

To reduce design conflicts during construction, the joint venture that designed the interchange implemented a modeling process known as Civil Information Management (CIM). This was the first time CIM had been used on a project of this magnitude in Wisconsin.

Solution

The model incorporated 3D elements for roadway and structure features and enabled the resolution of conflicts prior to construction, reducing unanticipated expenses.

The 3D CIM was used for Automated Machine Guidance (AMG) and could be loaded into the contractor’s equipment, providing real-time horizontal and vertical guidance accurate to two hundredths (0.02) of a foot. This reduces the risk of human error and the time required for surveying and staking, while increasing productivity, and improving quality and safety.

The construction management team used the same 3D information to anticipate and solve problems before they became issues in the field. By loading the model into Global Positioning System (GPS) rovers, inspectors could verify grade and measure quantities for payment. With the model information in the rover, construction managers also determine whether a facility may be impacted in real time. This data can be imported into the model for conflict analysis, providing a platform for timely decision making.

Services Provided

  • Final design
  • QA/QC
  • Modeling
  • Clash detection

Industries Covered

  • 3D Modeling
  • Transportation

Results

Kapur surveyors created protocols for the use of these rovers and oversaw coordinate system calibration to help ensure consistent, accurate information.

The use of GPS rovers in combination with AMG allowed for enhanced coordination between the contractors and construction management team, providing innovation and cost savings for the Zoo Interchange project.