High-speed rail flying between the alpine valleys BIM helps complete the design challenge

In the mountainous southwest of China, where rugged terrain and deep valleys dominate the landscape, the saying “Guizhou has no three feet flat” vividly captures the region’s challenging geography. For over 60 years, China Railway Second Hospital Engineering Group Co., Ltd., based in Chengdu, has been at the forefront of navigating these complex terrains. From the Chengdu-Kunming line to the Nanning-Kunming line, from the Jiangyou-Kunming line to the Baoji-Chengdu line, and through various other rail projects across the region, the company has left an indelible mark on the development of railway infrastructure in the southwest. Today, as high-speed rail construction accelerates in the west, the engineering design team of China Railway Second Hospital is leveraging advanced technologies like BIM (Building Information Modeling) to tackle the challenges of designing rail lines through some of the most difficult terrains in the country. One such project involves a high-speed railway spanning approximately 515 kilometers, with a design speed of 250 km/h. The route traverses alpine valleys, where geological conditions are poor, rock formations are unstable, and there are numerous tunnels and bridges. In fact, 81% of the entire line consists of bridges and tunnels, with 14 special bridges and 180 of the 193 tunnels classified as extra-long. This level of complexity presents significant challenges for the design team. With a tight six-month timeline—half the usual time for similar projects—the engineers had to quickly compare multiple design options and produce detailed cross-sections efficiently. Moreover, the need for intuitive visualization of the final design added another layer of difficulty. To meet these demands, China Railway Second Hospital turned to BIM technology. This shift marked a major transformation in their workflow, moving from traditional 2D design to a more intelligent, integrated approach. As Zhou Jian, head of the 3D design team, explained, "BIM isn't just an upgrade—it's a leap forward that requires rethinking the entire design process." The implementation of BIM brought remarkable improvements. Using AutoCAD Civil 3D, the team was able to create dynamic 3D models of the railway alignment, subgrade, and cross-sections, allowing for real-time adjustments and automatic updates across all related designs. This not only improved accuracy but also significantly boosted efficiency. In one section of the project, the team completed a 160-kilometer subgrade design in just 10 days, focusing on details like slopes and drainage systems while minimizing time spent on revisions. For station design, the team used Autodesk Revit, enabling multi-disciplinary collaboration and conflict detection between different models. This helped avoid costly clashes during construction and allowed the client to visualize the final outcome more clearly, improving communication and reducing misunderstandings. As the project continues to evolve, China Railway Second Hospital remains committed to refining its BIM application. While the technology is still in its early stages within the company, the benefits are already evident. The integration of BIM has not only enhanced the quality of design work but also provided a more intuitive way to deliver results to clients. Looking ahead, the company aims to deepen its use of BIM in future projects, exploring new ways to optimize workflows and improve collaboration. As Dong Fengxiang noted, “This high-speed rail project in the west is the most complex we’ve ever applied BIM to.” The journey is ongoing, but the path forward is clear: embracing innovation to build a better future for China’s railway network.

Flush Plate

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