A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement
Project Overview
The Haudagain Roundabout is a major road junction in Aberdeen which is currently operating over capacity. The contract involves the design and construction of around 500m of new dual carriageway connecting the A92 and the A96, alleviating the bottlenecks at the notorious roundabout. The project will also enable new pedestrian and cycling routes through the local area.
The Challenge
The Haudagain Roundabout is operating over its capacity leading to congestion and unreliable journey times. This caused significant queueing and delays to traffic on approach roads including the A96 and A90. This scheme seeks to improve this situation.
With future development and regeneration of areas identified in the local authority’s Strategic Infrastructure Plan, the congestions problems were only set to become worse as those developments progressed.
The objectives developed for the scheme were:
- To reduce congestion and unreliability
- To minimise the risk of transport related accidents
- To make socially-inclusive and healthy transport modes more attractive to use, including cycling, walking and public transport
- To minimise traffic induced severance on communities
The Solution
Sweco employed extensive use of a Level 2 BIM compliant model which enabled both Sweco’s specialist BIM professionals and design consultants to use the model for federation, clash detection and planning. When combined with Sweco’s common data environment, it ensured information sharing between the client and key stakeholders was seamless.
Sweco’s modelling allowed full federation of the design elements which allowed each designer to view other design disciplines in 3D to ensure a truly holistic approach was used in the delivery of a complex project.
Using a federated model allowed Sweco’s designers to eliminated design clashes in 3D which led to an additional 30% [‘reduction in clashes when compared to a standard 2D clash detection exercise. This meant fewer onsite clashes which resulted on both a cost and time saving to Sweco’s client ensuring they could deliver the project in the shortest timescale possible.
Sweco was able to provide our client with detailed 3D visualisations which allowed the contractor to effectively plan the construction works both from a technical and safety point of view.
The Result and Benefit to Client
Using 3D visualisation tools, Sweco was able to support our client in meaningful engagement in the community by allowing members of the public to immerse themselves in 3D models of the scheme by getting the perspective of someone cycling through the scheme. This proved far more engaging than showing standard engineering drawings as the public could view the completed scheme in 3D using virtual reality headsets.
Sweco also engaged heavily in promoting STEM and supported our client in the use of virtual reality software which showcased how Sweco used new and emerging technology to deliver the detailed design. It also demonstrated to younger people how engineering was at the forefront of exploiting new and immerging technologies through the scheme.
Related content
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObT65OPVtp4&feature=youtu.be