BIM helps create a digital twin in historic city

05 Nov 2020 CW Staff

POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation (HDEC) is using BIM to provide the foundation of a co-called Digital Twin that the company says will transform the ancient Chinese city of Shaoxing.

The company is responsible for the digital engineering of Shaoxing’s new Urban Rail Transit Line 1. Construction of the 34.1 km line in the eastern coastal Zhejiang province is planned to finish in June 2021, with railway operations scheduled to commence in 2022. Digital workflows will increase productivity, improve quality, mitigate risk, and lay the foundations of a digital twin of the railway for use in operations and maintenance. The construction of the line commenced in 2017.

The city of Shaoxing carries a history of more than 2,500 years. With the title of Oriental Venice, the 21 sq km city is rich in lakes, rivers, and rainfall. With the new Urban Rail Transit Line 1, the city will be linked with the cities of Hangzhou and it’s Metro Line 5 via the Hangzhou-Shaoxing Intercity Railway. The 34.1 km line is expected to be constructed by June 2021.

HDEC is employing real-time analysis and data from various sources that are processed in a connected data environment to enhance the accuracy and impact of the decisions for the project. Furthermore, the digital approach will directly improve the project's efficiency, quality, and productivity while reducing the risk.

The construction of the Urban Rail Transit Line 1 is the largest infrastructure project in the city. It is mostly underground with 24 stations, 25 sections, one depot, a parking lot, two main substations, and a control center.

HDEC required complex software to meet the requirements and provide a solution to all the problems that can occur during the construction. The issues include limited space, hydrogeological conditions, the safety of the foundation pits due to the thickness of the soft soil, water leakage during construction, and other technical interfaces.

To address the issue of having a limited workspace and testing environmental conditions, HDEC has developed a 3D geology software, GeoStation, based on Bentley’s iTwin technology. The technology is used to create a 3D reality mesh using aerial photographs of the city. The unique approach enabled HDEC to save more than 800 hours of field data collection time while reducing the project's cost by CNY 3 million. With BIM technology and an automated monitoring system, the real-time data of the surroundings can be analysed to tackle any abnormalities.

POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation (HDEC) is using BIM to provide the foundation of a co-called Digital Twin that the company says will transform the ancient Chinese city of Shaoxing. The company is responsible for the digital engineering of Shaoxing’s new Urban Rail Transit Line 1. Construction of the 34.1 km line in the eastern coastal Zhejiang province is planned to finish in June 2021, with railway operations scheduled to commence in 2022. Digital workflows will increase productivity, improve quality, mitigate risk, and lay the foundations of a digital twin of the railway for use in operations and maintenance. The construction of the line commenced in 2017. The city of Shaoxing carries a history of more than 2,500 years. With the title of Oriental Venice, the 21 sq km city is rich in lakes, rivers, and rainfall. With the new Urban Rail Transit Line 1, the city will be linked with the cities of Hangzhou and it’s Metro Line 5 via the Hangzhou-Shaoxing Intercity Railway. The 34.1 km line is expected to be constructed by June 2021. HDEC is employing real-time analysis and data from various sources that are processed in a connected data environment to enhance the accuracy and impact of the decisions for the project. Furthermore, the digital approach will directly improve the project's efficiency, quality, and productivity while reducing the risk. The construction of the Urban Rail Transit Line 1 is the largest infrastructure project in the city. It is mostly underground with 24 stations, 25 sections, one depot, a parking lot, two main substations, and a control center. HDEC required complex software to meet the requirements and provide a solution to all the problems that can occur during the construction. The issues include limited space, hydrogeological conditions, the safety of the foundation pits due to the thickness of the soft soil, water leakage during construction, and other technical interfaces. To address the issue of having a limited workspace and testing environmental conditions, HDEC has developed a 3D geology software, GeoStation, based on Bentley’s iTwin technology. The technology is used to create a 3D reality mesh using aerial photographs of the city. The unique approach enabled HDEC to save more than 800 hours of field data collection time while reducing the project's cost by CNY 3 million. With BIM technology and an automated monitoring system, the real-time data of the surroundings can be analysed to tackle any abnormalities.

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..