Integrating 3D Modeling and GIS-Based Land Use and Multimodal Transport Accessibility Evaluation Model to Design and Retrofit Sustainable Bridges

Traditionally, the performance of transportation systems is evaluated in terms of travel speed and distance, while land use planning focuses on spatial accessibility. A disconnect in the planning approach exists even though transportation and spatial development are interrelated. Adaptation of integrated 3D Modeling and Geographic Information System (GIS) during the transportation infrastructure design stage has been slow due to numerous technical challenges. In an effort to partially fill this gap, a GIS-based land use and multimodal transportation accessibility evaluation tool will be integrated with an existing versatile model developed by the authors that has 3D Modeling capabilities to assist in designing and retrofitting sustainable bridges over the course of their service life. The existing model encompasses a rule-based expert system and four modules, namely: Bridge Sustainability Rating System (BrSRS), Bridge Environmental Performance Strategy Mapping (BrEPSM), 3D CAD (3-dimensional) modeling and conceptual cost estimating. The proposed GIS model will provide users the ability to evaluate the level of accessibility provided by a proposed or rehabilitated sustainable bridge via a GIS-based Land Use and Multimodal Transportation Accessibility Evaluation (LUMTAE) module that will be derived and inherited into the existing model. Overall, the proposed interoperable model aims to provide recommendations for the bridge type, allow customization and/or alteration of a sustainable bridge, present forecasted footprint levels, depict conceptual design in 3D CAD, aid in the selection of an optimal location for the proposed bridge, provide alternative retrofit design options for the existing ones to improve multimodal accessibility, and generate conceptual construction cost estimates.