Integrating Construction 4.0 Technologies with a Sustainable Bridge Design Model at the Conceptual Stage

Routed from The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), the concept of Construction 4.0 emerged and provided the opportunity for a comprehensive transformation of the project management process by using 4.0 technologies. However, the literature shows that gaps still exist due to the slow progress in adopting 4.0 technologies and their innovative processes in the construction sector. Moreover, due to those gaps, Industry 4.0 technologies are not being used to their full potential in the construction sector. Thus, to provide a novel solution, the principles of Construction 4.0 were integrated with a versatile sustainable bridge design model, developed by the authors to be used at the conceptual design stage of bridges. The said model consists of a rule-based expert system and four modules, namely: bridge sustainability rating system (BrSRS), bridge environmental performance strategy mapping (BrEPSM), 3D (3-dimensional) modeling, and conceptual cost estimating. The three (3) core principles of Construction 4.0 (smart technologies; simulation and modeling; and digitization and virtualization) are compatible with the current model's architecture, function, and purpose. Therefore, each principle was integrated with or implemented in the existing model via the Internet of things (IoT) method, bridge information modeling (BrIM), and a cloud-based computing platform, respectively. These enhancements allow stakeholders to access and run the model from anywhere and by using any operating system to produce design alternatives in real time for implementing feasibility studies and decision-making purposes. Overall, the proposed cloud-based interoperable model aims to provide recommendations of the bridge type at the conceptual stage, permit the design of a sustainable bridge, present forecasted footprint levels to encourage the design of a sustainable bridge, simulate the 3D conceptual bridge design model, and generate the conceptual construction cost estimation.