Project 

On August 14, 2018 in Genoa, Italy a 210-meter section of the 1,182-meter Morandi Bridge over the Polcevera River suddenly collapsed, destroying buildings below and resulting in casualties and injuries. Though the cause of the collapse was never officially determined, the bridge had been affected by corrosion, and repairs were scheduled to begin only weeks after the collapse. The remaining structure of the Polcevera Viaduct (now known as the Viaduct San Giorgio) was demolished by June 2019, but since the bridge was part of a key roadway linking Italy with France and a main access point for a nearby airport, it was vital to Genoa’s well-being. To avoid long-term economic and cultural impact to the area, local officials tasked Italferr, based on its 30-plus years in bridge design, to create a new span while adhering to a tight three-month schedule.

Solution

Italferr established an open, connected data environment to manage the flow of multidiscipline data and establish clear operating methods, emphasizing collaboration. The company defined standards, templates, and basic criteria to create and curate a digital twin, including information in the model that formed the basis for construction, operation, and design. Computational modeling with a minimized set of information—including work breakdown structure (WBS) identification codes, building materials, and dimensions—allowed the team to create 4D scripts that would optimize and automate processes that were once required to be completed manually.