São Paulo Metro: Building the Future with BIM on a 20km new Line

IVO MAINARDI: Hi, everyone. This presentation is about the Sao Paulo Metro and how we are building the future totally with BIM, with new line. And today, we will talk about the 19 Line.

I'm Ivo Mainardi. I'm an architect. I have a master's degree in civil engineer. And I'm professor at Mackenzie University, here in Sao Paulo, too. I am technical advisor at Engineer Directorate, for Sao Paulo Metro, and work with BIM over 17 years.

This presentation will talk a little bit about our company, Sao Paulo Metro Company, how we are working with the network expansion, about the 19 Line. This is the main theme of this presentation. How we are working with BIM in Sao Paulo Metro, new BIM challenges that this project have, about the software and IFC uses because this is how we work. We work with IFC. Results, ICE sessions and the future. So to start, I have a video here, to present to you our company.

[VIDEO PLAYBACK]

[FRENETIC CHATTER]

[ENERGETIC MUSIC]

- You're looking at one of the largest cities on the planet. With more than 12 million inhabitants, Sao Paulo is a modern and vibrant metropolis. What you don't see is that, underneath it, is another city, even faster, more technological and futuristic.

[ENERGETIC POP MUSIC]

Welcome to the Sao Paulo Metro. Before the pandemic, the subway opened its doors every day to take 4 million passengers to a better place in the future. There are 71.5 kilometers, 4 lines, 63 stations and 5 integrations with the train system.

[ENERGETIC MUSIC]

The Metro speeds up to shorten distances and take people to different destinations.

[ENERGETIC, INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC]

Everything here is automated, technological, just the way the people of Sao Paulo like it. The operation uses the CBTC traffic control system, which reduces the interval between trains and allows carousel mode.

Smile. The surveillance cameras work 24 hours a day and are monitored in real time by trained teams. Security, even when we don't see it, because it's at dawn, while the city sleeps, that cleaning and maintenance work is carried out. Remote monitoring technology uses sensors that detect the slightest changes and make it possible to correct possible faults before they happen.

[LIGHTHEARTED MUSIC]

All this technology has led to the creation of Metro Consulting, a specialized consulting service that is an international benchmark. The Metro is part of COMET, the group that brings together the best metros in the world.

[ENERGETIC, INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC]

Yes, there have been many advances in all areas, but the way of thinking has also evolved. The Sao Paulo Metro is a pioneer in passenger accessibility, with trained staff and all the items to help people with disabilities.

[ENERGETIC MUSIC]

The Metro is also culture. There's music, dance, theater and even an underground museum. Various health actions take place here all year round. Walking the line is more than an obligation. It's an ethical principle. The Metro follows compliance rules and has serious corporate governance.

[LIGHTHEARTED MUSIC]

Here, we respect women, the elderly, pregnant women, cyclists, pets and the environment. The subway has been voted the Best Transport Service in Sao Paulo six times and the Best Public Service for four consecutive years. Our more than 7,000 employees work night and day to continue guaranteeing this service of excellence. They are responsible for the Metro's achievements.

It invests in training its employees with its own university, a company that has always looked ahead of its time, creating, today, the infrastructure that the city needs to move better tomorrow. At this very moment, several people are planning how you will get around the city in the coming decades. And even if no one knows what the future will be like, one thing is certain. You'll get there by Metro.

[INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC]

Metro and the government of Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo is everyone.

[END PLAYBACK]

IVO MAINARDI: All right. So now you know a little more about our company. But, to start our presentation, I will talk about the network expansion, understand the size of the city and our challenges. This slide presents a satellite image of Sao Paulo, highlighting the city here, and its metropolitan region. Sao Paulo has 12.5 million inhabitants, while the Metropolitan area has 22.5 million, representing 30% of Brazil's GDP and being the largest metropolitan region in the southern hemisphere.

When comparing subway line length to population, New York has 21,000 inhabitants per kilometer of subway line. London has 22, whereas Sao Paulo metropolitan region has 119,000 inhabitants per kilometer of metro line. This underscores the urgent need for metro network expansion. It also presents a significant opportunity to implement new practice, digitalization techniques and, of course, BIM. On the next slide, we will delve into what's currently happening in design and construction.

So here, we talk about the lines that we are operating right now. All these solid lines-- blue, red, green, yellow, lilac and silver-- they are lines that are operating right now. And under construction, we have this orange line. The orange line, that is totally private line. The green line-- sorry. The gold line is a monorail line. The extension of the green line and the extension of the silver line, too, is gray. So all these dashed lines here in this map are under construction right now.

Design development, we're getting ready to finish the design develop of this new line, 19 line, celestial line. And this is the line we are talk. And I want to present to you how we worked with BIM in this project. And in preliminary design, we have the 16, violet; 20, pink line, and the extension of the 5, lilac line, too.

So all this, if you see, all of them are connected with the train's line, too. So for the next 15 years, half of the subway network in Sao Paulo metropolitan region will be built using BIM and the techniques we are currently applying.

Now you discuss 19 line, the main topic of today's presentation, and it's the largest BIM infrastructure contract that we have. The 19 line spans a total of 20 kilometers, and it's a completely new addition to our metro rail network, not an extension of an existing line. In this northern section, there will be 15 new stations, 18 ventilation shafts, 2 primary substations and the maintenance yard support lines, operations and the maintenance.

This is an overview of all federated models, including those for the 15 stations and the 18 ventilation shafts, the yard and more. In total, we have over 27,000 published documents and 623 BIM models. So just this portion of the basic project of the design development stage contains more than 600 models, with all disciplines fully integrated.

The San Paulo Metro operates across all phases of a building life cycle, planning, concept, design, construction and operation. Due to our limited in-house team, we often hire external services, companies or consortium to assist with major projects. For the 19 line, the winning consortium is MNEPIE composed of Maubertec, Nova Engevix, Pollux, Intertechne and EGT. These companies are well-known in Brazil infrastructure market, with some even operating internationally.

One of the key challenges was ensuring the integration across all these companies. Each organization has its own culture and working methods, so we had to focus on the cultural aspect to ensure they could collaborate and work seamlessly, in an integrated way. So this is how these companies are [AUDIO OUT].

Now, let's discuss how we've been using BIM in the Sao Paulo Metro, focusing especially on the case of 19. It's quite common for discussions about the new contract to raise questions about whether the market is ready and if they will respond to the [INAUDIBLE] BIM. However, in the metro sector, we have moved beyond that concern. Now we focus on how advanced we can require BIM. And our history and experience has demonstrated that the market is capable to respond effectively.

This slide summarizes the Sao Paulo history with BIM and experience utilizing and contracting BIM services across all four project stages-- preliminary planning, base design stage, construction documentation and the construction phase. Our journey began with our first contract in 2013. And over the past 11 years, we have actively contract and implemented BIM solutions.

These contracts primarily focus on the design phase, which we find most straightforward for adopting in practice. This adoption has since expanded to other engineering disciplines. A notable example is the 19 line, celestial, which represents the largest BIM project for civil infrastructure ever contracted in Brazil.

All these years of experience and success have been made possible by significant cultural changes, a lot of them. So, about this changing [INAUDIBLE], one of the main changes we've made is in the building process and contracting criteria. One of the first questions we always ask is, how advanced can we request BIM?

Whenever we launch a tender or launch a bid, we have to carefully consider whether the market is prepared to respond and if the companies are ready to meet the criteria we set. With each experience, we take small steps forward, applying lessons learned to the next contract, solidifying knowledge and moving on to the next challenge.

Another significant change is in how we pay for the projects. We used to pay based on payroll or document submission. But we've shifted to the object-based payment. The same document or multiple documents can now be paid for different times, based on the objectives they achieve. We also used to contract the civil and systems projects separately for cultural or [INAUDIBLE] reasons. Now we contract them together to solve installation and compatibility issues in an integrated manner.

Lastly, we've introduced a new rule, the BIM coordinator, which is now part of the core team. Just as we have architectural and structural coordinators, the BIM coordinator must have the same authority and influence. However, it's often challenging for contractors who may not yet have embraced this cultural change to fully understand the importance of this role. We have to work hard and to educate them, so that the BIM coordinator is valid and utilized as intended.

Here's an example of the objective-based payment criteria. We have two stages of architectural design here. First, there's the architectural drawing to validate the construction method and adjust the expropriation area. Once this objective is met through the design document, a percentage of the payment is made.

Next, we have the BIM model, which validates the circulation, space for equipment and systems, ventilation and more at this station. When the BIM model meets the criteria representing the first step in the project maturity, another price percentage is paid. This process is repeated across all project disciplines.

These objects are often grouped together because some are not entirely dependent on a single discipline. They need to be integrated with others to make sense. For example, structural calculation might need to be aligned with the architectural design. We bundle these tasks into packages, and payments are made per package.

If one discipline is far ahead and another lags behind, no payment is made for that package. This approach ensures that the project progresses as expected and that integration occurs. Without this coordination, if one discipline advanced significantly, while the other slows down, the necessary integration wouldn't happen.

In the bidding process, the introduction of objective-based payments was innovation. But other innovations were also added to the document and the process. This change generated some resistance, such as an association of designers challenging the process in the work of auditors attempting to overturn it. The back and forth between responses and positions lasted about seven months.

However, in all matters related to BIM, the court ruled in favor of the Metro, making this case the first legal precedent for public tenders in Brazil. It has since been used as a reference for many other subsequent tenders, by different companies.

To make all this possible, we had to undergo significant cultural changes, particularly regarding digital culture. For instance, we shifted from relying on verification reports often consisting of drawings and plans and written documents to more streamlined processes related to these documents. We move it from focus on drawings and reports to emphasizing 3D models and data.

Previously, we had a typical analysis flow that allowed 15 days to review a document and return it to the designer or contractor. Now, we engage in an integrated, collaborative process, allowing us to actively participate in development, reducing the sequential nature of our work. This collaborative approach helps minimize the rework.

Furthermore, we transitioned from a culture of receiving a finalized document, blueprint or paper to a more integrated approach. We now accept paper documents. Sorry. We pay for documents in intermediated stage, rather than waiting for their completion.

Another key point is that we receive drawings and models for various disciplines only toward the end of the process. Approximately 70% of a project timeline is spent discussing, developing and resolving issues solely with BIM models, while only 30% is dedicated to sheets, sections and plans.

To support all these cultural changes, we developed a portal, which is a common approach for companies. It includes our BIM requirements, our data dictionary, technical standards and "learn by doing" section with short, directly and practical videos, for our analysts and professionals, on BIM practice.

We believe professionals should be independent in their work [INAUDIBLE] than then relying solely on classroom learning. The portal provides them with the resources to continuing working and independence to find information or tools as needed. Of course, they also have access to other BIM professionals and specialists for additional support when necessary.

Now a little more about how we use it being in this project. In which disciplines do you use BIM? Beyond the more common areas like architectural, lighting design, visual communication, landscaping, structural engineering, plumbing and foundations typically handle [INAUDIBLE]. We also extensively utilize Civil 3D for systems such as waterproofing, surface drainage, roadworks, earthworks, superstructure, rail and tunnel construction.

This areas, particularly the Civil 3D systems, are the main focus of today's presentation. Another use case with a certain level of complexity surface drainage. This complexity arises from the types of objects managed in Civil 3D and the systems itself, making it more integrated model than it appears. While the geometry may be simple, technical development often presents challenges. Nevertheless, surface drainage is a crucial element to it, due to its integration with roads, landscaping and other components, including underground infrastructure.

Drag space of a TBM, this concept was primarily developed by our internal engineering department. The following-- this yellow volume represented by the cylinder indicates the space required for the tonnage that the shield will pass through. As you can see, there will be a slab platform and other structures built later. But the critical element is the bottom slab. This bottom slab must have a geometry that allows the shield to be positioned correctly, ensure it can support itself and move smoothly. However, as shown in this image, the current shape is not ideal. Then to find these points for improvement was a crucial throughout the project.

Geotechnical model, this topic is crucial for survey projects, especially for geotechnical aspect. While it's not common to see geotechnical models used in construction, their importance cannot be overstated. For the 19-line project. We utilize Civil 3D to develop the entire base, effectively incorporating layers, data and interpolation. This approach enables us to create essential geometries necessary for collaborative project analysis across various disciplines that we utilize this information and these layers.

Underground utilities, when working with underground construction, especially in projects located in the City's Central region, we encounter a complex history of underground infrastructure, including water, sewer, telecommunication and energy systems. Modeling disinformation across various disciplines is essential for developing effective excavation solutions that address the necessary relocation of these systems.

In some cases, arriving at a viable project solution would have been nearly impossible without first modeling these disciplines. A significant challenge in this process is obtaining accurate data as many interventions lack proper records, and some projects have no documentation at all. Therefore, collecting accurate data and integrating it with [INAUDIBLE] scanning information is crucial. Even when faced with modification or uncertainties, having this system model remains critically important.

Dynamic kinematic envelope, an odd practice developed internally by our engineering department and later shared with the contractors is the modeling of the train's dynamic envelope. In this example, the yard layout uses different colors to represent the various movements the train you make. These areas must remain completely clear of any equipment, infrastructure or plumbing systems, essentially free from any interruption or interferences.

Traditionally, this modeling was applied post-project often revealing preference even after construction was completed. Now we are incorporating this practicing, the basic project phase even before the construction documents are finalized. This shift significantly enhanced the quality of our solutions and projects, reducing the need for revisions and minimizing rework.

Crowd simulation, at the Sao Paulo metro, we frequently use simulations such as passengers, microsimulation, employing this IFC model in motion software. This process is carried out in collaboration with the specialists who can effectively interpret the simulation results. The IFC model enables the software to recognize elements like escalators, pixels, staircase walls and other obstacles. Streamlining the integration between the design and simulation.

This approach is crucial as we believe that simulation should occur early enough to facilitate project changes without significant effort. If a design change is required, the update design can be quickly reflected in Simulation software without the need to recreate geometries or reference. You can simply adjust one or two elements, rerun the simulation, orbiting the results, and take the necessary actions.

CFD simulation, we also utilize most extraction solutions, particularly in scenarios involving a fire on a train. This allows us to verify whether the compartmentalization is correctly implemented or if the turbines and ventilation system are adequately designed to structure smoke in compliance with the firefighter regulations and the technical requirements for the station's operation.

Laser scan, I know this is a rather common practice in many projects around the world, but for us, it's especially important. We have stations that over 50-years old, and when connecting to a new line or another station, relying solely on drawings from 50 years ago isn't ideal. That's why we conduct all the surveying using point cloud technology and for external areas, we also use drones. This ensures the accuracy needed for the best project decision making.

Another initiative we've undertaken to support the digitization process is the creation of a space called the digital construction station. This area features modular furniture and equipment that facilitate a seamless transition to digital practice. We no longer believe that the standard meeting room with a rectangular table, a TV at one end and a projection screen is sufficient. We need additional resources such as a fast screen sharing capabilities, touch interfaces and network integration tools.

This allows for various meeting formats and work styles which digitalization, not only encourages, but also increasingly demands. So now about the software and IFC. Working with IFC is a strategic and political decision for the Sao Paulo metro. The primary advantage of using IFC is that it eliminates the need to continually explain their purpose, and there is already a wealth of lectures and materials available.

Most of you are likely familiar with them, but we want to emphasize the core values of IFC. IFC is an open standard, facilitating various processes and published as an international standard ISO. This openness allows data to be accessed, retrieved and preserved at any time, both now and in the future. It enables interoperability, allowing data to be exchanged between different applications and tools.

Additionally, IFC is extensible, meaning new data types can be created while complying with existing rules enabling new data organizations. By utilizing this open and free standard, we expand the number of potential users as many free tools are available for working with IFC. This approach allows us to involve other professionals, both within an outside organization who may not be familiar with complex softwares but need to visualize and conduct quick analysis and perform simple queries without requiring specific software licenses.

Thus using IFC, integrated these professionals into the workflow, which is crucial. Moreover, it broadens the range of tools we can use as many on the market do not support native Revit file format. Leveraging a well-organized and organized IFC file expanded these possibilities in an unusual scenario such as the political decision or unforeseen event that results in Autodesk ceasing to sell software in Brazil. We hope this will never happen. Using IFC help safeguard public investment in products and projects.

However, challenges exist. The IFC data format is complex and requires time to understand its structure. It is essential for those working with IFC files to grasp this structure and use it effectively. This learning curve necessitates additional time investment, and not all professionals are willing to delve into these technical aspects. Unlike companies like Autodesk that provide extensive support, there is no dedicated entity for consulting on IFCs.

Exporting and importing IFC file varies between software, complicating the process. Consequently, understanding data structuring and import and export process is crucial. Currently there are still too few professional skilled in working with IFC files, at least in Brazil. Producing a quality IFC file requires significant effort and is not a straightforward. The elderly clients should also establish standards, meaning they would need to create a document with guidelines or align their documentation with the IFC standard. They would need to study not only their requirements, but also how to meet them within the IFC framework.

Despite these challenges, this remains a valuable path to follow, especially when considering the company's strategic objectives. And about their data requirements, whenever we initiate a contract, we include an annex containing a matrix that outlines which data should be associated with each object across all disciplines. At the start of the contract, we provide the contractor with a comprehensive mapping of this data detailing how it should be structured in Revit or the 3D service, as well as how it should be exported to IFC.

This approach facilitates data management and standardization across multiple contracts, make future data integration easier. While we have been involved in translating and publishing IZO 1960 650 for Brazil, we are not yet using this standard within the metro due to various legal considerations. Nevertheless, we utilize many of them, the resource but with different names.

So we are using IFC and we are using Solibri too. And this is another practice that has become commonplace for us is the use of automatic model validation. We utilize Solibri which allows us to create and configure roles within the software to verify compliance with BIN criteria and other technical requirements that we aim to expand. This approach simplifies the qualitative analysis of our extensive models over 600, which are often updated weekly or bi-weekly.

Conducting this analysis manually would be an overwhelming task. As the models are updated at least once a week, although not on a single day, each station can have more than 40 different courses. The system federate the models daily, conducts these checks overnight and generates-- sorry, and generates a quality report on the results. These checks are crucial for ensuring the quality of the IC file, given the volume of models, manual, manual or visual analysis would be impractical.

Therefore, this report plays a vital role in facilitating communication with the designers and addressing any necessary resolutions and improvements to the models. These reports integrating two dashboards created with Power BI, which displayed the results of each type of check. The dashboards categorize service situations as having no problems, a high level of issues or anything in between. This visual representation simplifies the communication with the designers and provides a clearer understanding of the overall quality of the models.

And now let's talk about IC sessions in the future, what do you see as the way forward and the issues we need to resolve? Like many large, large companies, we find that dashboards developed in Power BI or other BI tools are extremely useful for coordination, especially for extensive projects like 99. This project is no exception. Here is a dashboard displaying issues that have been created and resolved along with an overview of the current situation represented in these graphs.

However, in this particular contract, we encounter a situation. As you can see in this timeline, the blue curve represents the open issues that need to be resolution-- that sorry, that need resolution, that needed resolution. The concerning aspect was that we had only six months left to close this contract, yet the curve of open issues was not decreasing. In fact, it was rising. This trend understandably caused management to feel apprehensive.

Upon examining the situation, we identified one or two main problems with the contract designer that required immediate attention. The first problem we identified was the lack of direct communication between [INAUDIBLE]. We had the analyst, the analyst coordinator, the designer and the designer's coordinator, but there was no direct line of communication between the analyst who needed to approve the project and the associated documents and the designer developing the project.

To address this, our first step was to bring the analyst and the designer closer together, positioning then side by side to facilitate the collaboration and resolve the technical solutions necessary for the project approval. Another important issue we identified was that despite being a consortium with all the disciplines represented, communication among the designers was not happening in an integrated manner. It was very fragmented.

The solution was-- the solution we proposed was to unite all these designers, enable them to collaborate effectively on a cohesive project solution. One of the ways we identified to help resolve this issue is a practice associated with the VDC method which you may be familiar with. Unfortunately, we have not yet implemented VDC in this contract or the thing that Sao Paulo metro. However, it aligns well with our BIM approach and we aim to introduce a similar methodology known as integrated concurrent engineering, IC.

In this photo, we see engineers and architects collaborating to address project challenges, representing both the metro team and the contractor. Among them are ventilation specialists, system professionals, telecommunication experts, BIM coordinators as and structural and architectural teams. This situation likely involved all these disciplines. And this gathering was a key way to bring everyone together to resolve the issues at hand.

Here is a time lapse capturing the dynamics of that meeting. Each island we call island in the room represents a different discipline. At the bottom was the system island, while the Civil and the plumbing structures and island occupying the center of the room. The architecture island was located at the back. In another room visible through the glass partition, other disciplines like roads and landscape were also represented.

Returning to the issue chart, you can see the impact of the ICE sessions reflected in the drop of the blue curve. By thinking differently, adopting new approaches and exploring alternative ways of working, we are able to meet the project deadline while maintaining the expected quality. Sorry.

And to finish about our challenges, upcoming challenges and the future. As we look to the future, what challenges do you face? Currently. Our biggest issues lies in coordinating with the contracted company. Often this coordination lacks experience in BIM and integrated workflows, instead relying on traditional mindset and workflow. Therefore, we need to invest significant effort in changing the culture of these professionals to achieve our objectives.

We also need to advance new disciplines. For example, we haven't yet modeled the tunnels in our basic projects, but we are working on that now. Additionally, the adoption of a common data environment CD represents a major challenge, and it involves not only new project, but also integrating a legacy of 50 years of documents, many of which remain unjustly underutilized. We need to establish a system to track where these documents are stored.

Moreover, we aim to enhance the use of automated checking, integrated GIS with IFC in our design process, develop the ideas to streamline the compliance and verification of data requirements. We also plan to add the Sao Paulo metro to the buildingSMART data dictionary and leverage artificial intelligence to monitor physical progress and measure work aiding our inspectors.

Thank you. thank you all for joining me to discuss the journey of the 19 line. Here are my contacts and thank you.