IFC Standards for Civil 3D: Optimizing Projects in the São Paulo Metro Company

IVO MAINARDI: Hi, everyone. Today we're talking about IFC Standards for Civil 3D, Optimizing Projects in the Sao Paulo Metro Company. I'm Ivo Mainardi, architect, civil engineer, Master's degree. I'm professor at Mackenzie University, and work with BIM over 17 years. And I have podcasts about BIM, first in Portuguese language, FALA BIM. You can find us at Spotify. And here's my friend Marcus. He will present with me.

MARCUS CARDOSO: Hi, everyone. My name is Marcus Cardoso. I'm a civil engineer and the author of Autodesk Civil 3D books. I'm a leader of the BIM infrastructure teams at FF Solutions, a partner of Autodesk. I'm a BIM implementation consultant, specializing in infrastructure and the structure for infrastructure solutions at BuildLab Acadamy.

I'm a contributor to the Brazil Country Kit for Civil 3D, and awarded as a technical specialist by Autodesk Brazil. Holds Autodesk certified professional and instructor certifications.

IVO MAINARDI: Great, Marcus. Thank you. And for this presentation, our agenda is, we'll talk a little bit about the company, Sao Paulo Metro Company. How we work with BIM, the IFC, and his importance for the process, Sao Paulo Metro IFC uses, IFC and actual state into Civil 3D, IFC mapping for Civil 3D entities, and highlights and wishes.

So first, I have video here to introduce the Sao Paulo metro company.

[VIDEO PLAYBACK]

- 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.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

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

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

[MUSIC PLAYING]

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

[END PLAYBACK]

IVO MAINARDI: OK. I don't know how much you all know about Sao Paulo, but here are some numbers-- part numbers to understand the size of the city. This complexity of this Metro network. So the city of Sao Paulo have 12 million inhabitants. And the Metropolitan area achieve 22.5 million inhabitants. And it's the biggest city, the biggest metropolitan area of the South hemisphere. If you compare all the metro line extension that you have today with New York and London, New York have 21,000 inhabitants per kilometer, per metro line kilometer. London, 22, and Sao Paulo have 119.

So this explains that we need to upgrade and expand our metro lines and our metro network. So we have a lot of work to do and a lot of experience to have to. So here are all the lines we have here in Sao Paulo. This solid lines, blue, red, green, yellow, lilac, silver, they're already in operation. And all the dashed lines are under construction or in design development or in preliminary design. So for the next, probably the next 10 or 15 years, half of all our metro network will be built with BIM or with any other way that digital construction could help.

And this is all our experience by now. We start to work with BIM since on 2013. So it's more than 11 years of experience. And each line here, it's one experience. If you sum all of this contracts that we read are done or we are doing right now, we have 120 kilometers of lines, 88 stations, and more than 4,500 BIM models. And we prepare a different document and different payment way and payment method for each of these cases. Let's discuss the significance of this decision. Why has the Sao Paulo metro opted to work with IFC files? This is the meaning of this presentation, right? Although we continue to require native files, such as those Revit and Civil 3D, there are specific reasons for prioritizing IFC files.

So working with IFC is a strategic and political decision, particularly for the Sao Paulo metro. The primary advantage of using IFCs is that it eliminates the need to continually explain their proposal, as there is already a wealth of lectures and materials available on the subject. Most of you are likely familiar with them. However, we want to emphasize the core values of IFC. IFC is an open standard. This openness facilitates various processes, and it's published as an international standard, similar to ICO, which allows data to be accessed, retrieved, and preserved at any time, both now and in the future.

It also enables interoperability, allowing data to be exchanged between different applications and tools. Furthermore, it is an extensible standard, meaning new data types can be created, of course, in compliance with existing rules, enabling new data organizations. By utilizing these open and free standard, we expand a number of potential users, as there are numerous free tools available for working with AFC. This approach allows us to involve other professionals from within and outside the organization who may not be familiar with the complex softwares, but need to visualize, conduct quick analysis, or perform simple queries without requiring a specific software license.

Does using IFC files allow us to integrate these professionals in the workflow, which is crucial? It also broadens the range of tools we can use, as many on the market do not support the native Revit file. By leveraging a well-organized file, we expand these possibilities, as we will see shortly. In an unusual scenario, for example, a political decision or unforeseen event could result in Autodesk seizing the sale of software in Brazil. We expect that this will not happen, ever, or to a Brazilian public entity. Using IFC helps safeguard the public investment made in products and projects.

Of course, there are also challenges. The IFC data format is complex. And it requires time to understand its structure. It is crucial that those requests, our work with IFC files, understand this structure and how to use it effectively. This learning curve requires additional time investment. And not all professionals are willing to go beyond the usual project requirements we did such as adding these steps. Unlike companies like Autodesk, which provide extensive support, working with IFC means there is no dedicated support entity to consult.

Exporting and importing IFC files rather than working directly with them varies from software to software, complicating the process. Consequently, understanding the data structuring and the import export process is essential. Currently, there are still too few professionals, at least here in Brazil, skilled in working with IFC files. Producing a quality IFC file requires significant effort, and it's not straightforward. Ideally, the client should establish its standards as well. This means the client would need to create another document with these guidelines or directly align their documentation with the IFC standard. They would then have to study, not only the requirements, but also how to meet them within the IFC framework. Despite these challenges, it remains a valuable path to follow, especially when we're considering the company structure objectives.

So now we'd like to discuss some of the ways we've been using BIM in Sao Paulo metro. We use these models for a variety of purpose, ranging from traditional applications, such as project development, quantity takeoff, cost estimation, 2D documentation, clash detection, model validation, to more advanced user-like simulations, point cloud integration, visualization and beyond. In which disciplines do we use BIM? Besides the more common ones like architecture, lighting design, visual communication, landscaping, structural engineering, hydraulics, or plumbing and foundations, which we typically handle, we also use these extensively in 3D for systems such as waterproofing, surface drainage, roadworks, earthworks, superstructure, rail and tunnel construction.

These areas, particularly the Civil 3D systems, are the main focus of today's presentation. Some of our uses. Today, we are going to present eight examples of BIM applications we are using here in Sao Paulo metro. When do we need to make modifications to a tunnel or existing line, we use a point cloud. It's widely known that modeling from a point cloud is not a simple task. In this case, we had a point cloud, and we created the model based on it. Civil 3D was used for modeling the point cloud while Cloud Compare was used for data processing.

We also developed a tool to analyze the proximity of geometry created in Civil 3D to the surveyed points, similar to a heatmap showing whether the modeling aligns with the points and highlighting the necessary corrections. This use is meeting by one of our contractor company called SynTech.

Another use case with a certain level of complexity is the surface drainage. This complex arises either due to the types of objects handling in Civil 3D or the system itself, making it not straightforward model. Geometrically, it's simple. But from a technical development standpoint, it often presents some challenges. However, it's a crucial element due to its integration with roads, landscaping, and other components, including underground infrastructure.

This concept was primarily developed by our internal engineering department. The volume you see here represented by this yellow cylinder indicates the spacing required for the tonnage that the chute will pass through. As you can see here, 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 chute to be positioned correctly, ensuring it can support itself and move along. However, as we can see in this image, the current shape is not ideal. Then find these points for improvement was crucial throughout the project.

Geotechnical model. This topic is crucial for survey project, particularly the geotechnical aspect. Why is not common to see geotechnical models used in construction? Their importance cannot be overstated. In the case of the line 19 project, we utilize Civil 3D to develop the entire base, enabling us to incorporate layers, data, and interpolation effectively. This approach allowed us to create the essential geometries necessary for collaboration in the project analysis across various disciplines that will utilize this information and these layers.

About underground utilities. When working with underground construction, particularly in projects located in the central region of the city, we encounter a long history of underground infrastructure, including water, sewers, telecommunication, and energy systems. Modeling these information across various disciplines is essential for developing effective excavation solutions that address the necessary relocation of these systems. In some cases, it would have been nearly impossible to arrive at a viable project solution without first modeling these disciplines. One of the significant challenges in this process is obtaining accurate data.

Many of these interventions lack proper records. And some projects have no documentation at all. Therefore, collecting the correct data and integrating it with the joist scanning information is crucial. Even in the face of modification and uncertainties, having this system model remains critically important.

Dynamic kinematic envelope. Another practice developed internally by our engineering department and subsequently shared with the contracting is the modeling of the train's dynamic envelope. In this example, the VR layout uses different colors to represent the various movements that the train will make. These areas must remain completely clear of any equipment, infrastructure, structures, and/or bundling systems, essentially free from any interruptions or interferences. Traditionally, this modeling was applied post-project, often revealing interference, even after construction was completed. Now, we are incorporating this practice into basic project phase, even before the construction documentations are finalized.

So basic phase is about the design phase and the construction documents is the phase when you construct with all the documents to construct the building. This shift adds significant value to the quality of our solutions and projects, reducing the need for revisions and minimizing rework. Permanent way and architecture. As I mentioned earlier, we are expanding the application of various disciplines. For instance, in the context of the permanent way, the location of the station is already pre-organized and predefined. From this, we can determine the volume of the superstructure, the gauge, the layout of the train tracks, and the space occupied by the train's dynamic envelope. This information and these geometries are crucial for developing the architectural design.

While this could be provided in different formats, integrating it volumetric in 3D offers significant advantages for conceptualization solutions. We are moving away from traditional floorplans and instead adopting a spatial perspective to integrate these designs into the city and align them with existing roadways. All these uses, everything I present from today, we use IFC from Civil 3D, of course. And we use this IFC for model validation too. So we have Solibri software to automate this process. And by utilizing the IFC, we can leverage various tools, such as Solibri, which is essential software for verifying the quality of our models. It ensures compliance with technical requirements and appropriate data organization. We have also automated this process by creating a robot that conducts these checks every night.

As the models are updated, at least once a week, for not a single day, each station can have more than 40 different ports and different models. The system federates the models daily, conducts these checks overnight, and generates the quality report on the results. These checks are crucial for ensuring the quality of the IFC file. Given the volume of the models, 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.

And this checking results, this checking reports, are integrated into dashboards created with our BI, which display the results of each type of check. Dashboards categorize service situations as having no problems, a high level of issues, or anything in between. This visual representation simplifies communications with the designers and provides a clearer understanding of the overall quality of the models. So now I will pass this presentation to my friend Marcus. So, Marcus, it's on you.

MARCUS CARDOSO: Now, we'll show how IFC is an actual stage we chose to go through there. The integration of IFC into Civil 3D has significantly improved collaboration in BIM modeling for infrastructure projects. This integration allows for more seamless and accurate exchange of data between different software applications, strictly project workflows.

So how does it work, IFC works? Just mapping, mapping, and mapping object classes. IFC defines a set of classes and attributes that represents common elements found in construction projects, such as walls, beams, columns, electrical parts, hydraulic system, infrastructure components for rail track, and so on. By using the IFC format, we can use our BIM software to exchange information about these elements in a structured way, regardless of the software manufacturer. So it's necessary to configure the mapping of Civil 3D entities to corresponding IFC objects classes.

Proper mapping is crucial to understand that the mapping between these entities can vary depending on the specific approach to requirement, the importance for proper mapping, for example, data accuracy, ensures that the information transferred to IFC is correct and consistent. Interoperability, proper mapping enhances interoperability between different shipping software, allowing for seamless data exchange. Data preservation. Careful mapping helps to preserve the valuable information contained within pseudo 3D models when exported to IFC.

Some examples for mapping and each surface can be mapped in different types of surfaces, corridors solids, we have some types too, and assemblies. And the challenging best practice for this, for example, complex geometries. Some Civil 3D entities may have complex geometries that are difficult to represent accurately in the IFC. In these cases, it may be necessary to simplify the geometry or use custom IFC classes and project-specific requirements. The mapping of Civil 3D entities to IFC classes may vary depending on the specific requirements on the metro rail projects. It's essential to consider the project scope.

Sorry. Next is light. Let me show you the evolution of IFC in Civil 3D. The integration of IFC into Civil 3D has significantly improved the collaboration in BIM modeling for infrastructure projects. This integration allows for the more seamless and accurate exchange of data between different applications, simplifying project workflows. So the adoption of the IFC format in Civil 3D has seen significant evolution in recent years.

Initially, Civil 3D did not provide native support for IFC, which limited interoperability with other design tools. Before the version of Civil 3D 2022, we had a lot of difficulties, such as difficult to use, complex geometry, limited the properties mapping, low performance, data and geometry loses. And recent developments, starting with the release of the 2022 and newer. Autodesk introduce the IFC 4.3 extension, enabling better capabilities for IFC files directly within Civil 3D.

These is extensions brought several key improvements, such as the ability to map and export custom parameters, as well as enhanced handling of complex geometries like corridors, alignments, and surfaces. And these new enhancements incorporated like automatic property mapping, complex geometry support, IFC capabilities, performance enhanced, and new functionalities. Let's talk about the mapping for Civil 3D entities.

First, to ensure a successful and all IFC exports from Civil 3D, it's essential to follow these best practices. And a tip, try to use Civil 3D objects as much as possible. This will make it easier to map these objects to their corresponding IFC classes. So don't explode the Civil 3D objects, please. And first, the best practice is, structure your model according to IFC standards. This means organizing your elements in a hierarchical manner that aligns with the IFC structure. Sorry-- standardized naming conventions and classifications, standardized custom properties with property sets from Civil 3D, and define a quality control process to export the IFC data and keep your software up to date with the latest hotfixes and service packs.

And we got a workflow to export IFC. First, install the IFC extension for Civil 3D. Configure a three JSON files. Set a geographical location in your model, in your Civil 3D model. And export IFC and generate a CSV file. And validate the exported IFC. Let's see now, how we can install the IFC extensions. You need a login. Make a login in Autodesk account. Access your account page on products and services area. Found the Civil 3D page, and search for the extension. Download and install the extensions.

After the installation, the IFC extension will be available in the add-in ribbon at IFC infrastructure panel. This example, this image, is from Civil 3D 2025. So let's configure JSON files. To achieve optimal IFC export results, it's essential to configure the JSON files correctly. These files provide a flexible way to tailor, to export process to your specific project needs.

So the Infra configuration file sets project wide settings, while the export mapping and property mapping files define how individual elements and their properties are mapped to IFC. This video uses visual studio code application. That's a good tool. And show a sample of infra configuration JSON file. This file, that's a powerful way to customize your IFC export. You can use it to set project-specific parameters, like units, coordinate system, and IFC version tool. For example, you choose to export only specific types of elements or exclude certain properties.

A proper mapping is crucial for ensure that your exported IFC data is accurate and understandable by other software. By correctly mapping Civil 3D elements to IFC classes, you can maintain the integrity of your project data and facilitate collaboration with other stakeholders. As you can see, in this table in this video, Civil 3D entities are mapped to specific IFC classes. For example, a couple points, which represent control points in Civil 3D model are mapped to IFC classes and IFC annotation. Similarly, alignments and feature alignments are mapped to IFC alignment class. This standardized mapping ensures that the information from our Civil 3D model is correctly transferred to the IFC file, allowing for seamless collaboration with other software and disciplines.

Now, about the property sets. Why the geometric representation of elements is essential, it's equally important to capture the associated data and attributes. This is where I see property sets coming to play. Property sets are a mechanism within IFC that allow us to attach additional information to IFC elements. These properties can represent anything from material properties to construction dates, providing valuable context and metadata.

Examples for relevant property sets, alignment properties, like a property length, curve radius, station, design speed, and so on. Track properties, track gauge, rail, ballast depth, and others. Tunnel properties, tunnel diameter, lining type, ventilation requirements, and other. And drainage properties, material, length, slope, starting elevation, end elevation, hydraulic analysis results, and so on.

To validate the exported IFC. Review the CSV file. The exported CSV files contains valuable information about the IFC elements and their properties. Check for any errors or inconsistencies in the data. Open the IFC file in a BIM viewer. Use a software like Autodesk Navisworks or BIMvision to visualize the IFC model and verify that all elements have been exported correctly. Inspect element properties. Using the BIM viewer to examine the properties of individual IFC elements. Ensure that properties match the expected values from the Civil 3D model.

Now, about highlights and wishes. That's good. The future of IFC on Civil 3D, Trends and Wishes. So maybe deep integration with other disciplines, for example, improved interoperability with architectural and structural disciplines, and maybe automatic mapping for properties between different disciplines too, for enhancing accuracy and detail, maybe export and export detailed information about the materials, quantity, and costs. It's very important.

About automating the process. It's good tool. I'm sorry, it's integration with other projects to manage tools. And new functionalities, maybe ability to create and edit IFC objects directly into Civil 3D. Tools for IFC data analysis and collision detection. That's good. But my favorite wish is to simplify the process to mapping and exporting IFC files from Civil 3D. In my opinion, that's been very interesting to use the Project Exporter from Civil 3D to configure, export, import, and control the data from the IFC models.