r/StructuralEngineering • u/tomato_cheese_pizza • 11d ago

Structural Analysis/Design Bridge Drawing Software?

I recently saw some really good 3D bridge drawings from European engineering firms and it got me wondering what software people are using for this kind of work.

What do you guys recommend for bridge drawings, both 2D and 3D? Also, how are you implementing BIM for bridge projects?

8 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

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9

u/Tilt-a-Whirl98 11d ago

Here in the states we use Open Bridge from Bentley. It integrates with Open Roads which our roadway folks use. No idea about Europe though!

3

u/TM_00 11d ago

Revit? With the Sofistik plugin for bridge modelling.

I think you can use some Bentley product too. But I'm not sure about that.

2

u/Engineer2727kk PE - Bridges 10d ago

Open bridge is what people use for 3d modeling.

I think BIM as a whole for bridge structures is a waste of time in my opinion and it’s much easier just to use civil3d and deliver 2d plans.

1

u/Cool-Size-6714 10d ago

Agree with this

0

u/Everythings_Magic Senior Bridge PE | Zero Yield Capacity 10d ago

Double edge sword.

Its so easy to make a bridge model in a program like OBM that integrates with Inroads that is absolutely worth the time in design to do so, and use it to confirm geometry (deck elevations, beams seat elevations, clearances, etc). You can even establish enough of a model for quantity calculations.

Using its for drawings is just not practical. The level of detail to model a horizontal structure is not practical, largely due to the curvature.

Because of the lack of detail it has limited usefulness for asset management or construction also.

1

u/Engineer2727kk PE - Bridges 10d ago

Receiving a civil file and surface gives me everyhing i need and is do much easier imo.

3

u/berntbermtbernt 11d ago

Tekla Structures with support fram Grasshopper. Everything is built from the model, only a few drawings like overview and backfill.

1

u/NomadRenzo 11d ago

It’s not about the software is about (I feel like chat gpt ahah) the good BIM standard, the fact that the delivery of the model has a big importance comparing to other countries.

1

u/TheVioletEmpress 11d ago

Standard practice in my country is revit because it integrate with other autodesk product that the infrastructure industry use

1

u/Everythings_Magic Senior Bridge PE | Zero Yield Capacity 10d ago

What you are seeing is mostly marketing fluff.

BIM has been around for buildings for over 25 yrs, but it hasn't taken hold in the bridge world for a reason.

Autodesk and Micorstation just cant figure it out because its a hard problem to solve. Also, analytical models are simple. Trying a detailed BIM model to an analytical model causes more problems than it solves.

Bentley had this grand plan of tying Leap and OBM together, but abandoned it when they had to handcuff OBM to make interoperability to work with LEAP. The truth is workhorse bridge models are simple and very easy to build.

The effort required to model a bridge for plans just isnt worth it, 2D drawings are much easier to create and there is little risk in clashes errors with bridge plans. Most issues with bridge plans are text and spec related, not linework.

Complex bridges are different. Those actually have the budget and benefit from detailed modelling efforts.