Bentley > Case Studies > LBU's Digital Twin Integration for Optimized Highway Management in Malaysia

LBU's Digital Twin Integration for Optimized Highway Management in Malaysia

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
Sensors - Temperature Sensors

Applicable Industries

Cement
Transportation

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Asset Lifecycle Management
Digital Twin

Services

System Integration
Training

About The Customer

Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn. Bhd. (LBU) is a project delivery partner for the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak, Malaysia. LBU is responsible for facilitating lifecycle digitalization to meet strictly imposed government requirements. The company initiated BIM workflows for the first time on a Malaysian road and highway project, using ProjectWise to create an open, connected data environment to support the implementation and integration of BIM, GIS, and reality modeling processes. LBU is also responsible for expanding the application of BIM and big data, leveraging design models and construction information to establish a digital platform to manage operations and maintenance. As the largest infrastructure project in Sarawak, its pioneering digital methodologies means that the Pan Borneo Highway serves as a benchmark, capitalizing on BIM and advanced technology strategies for more efficient delivery and optimal asset performance.

The Challenge

In 2014, the Malaysian government announced a plan to develop and upgrade the two-lane trunk road across Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state, to accelerate socioeconomic growth in East Malaysia. The new toll-free expressway, named the Pan Borneo Highway, stretches 1,060 kilometers through undulating, rainforest terrain and protected reserves. The development of phase one of the MYR 16.15 billion government-funded roadway initiative involved constructing a four-lane dual carriageway over a length of 786 kilometers. Lebuhraya Borneo Utara (LBU) was the project delivery partner on this project, facilitating lifecycle digitalization to meet strictly imposed government requirements. LBU initiated BIM workflows for the first time on a Malaysian road and highway project, using ProjectWise to create an open, connected data environment to support the implementation and integration of BIM, GIS, and reality modeling processes. The challenge was to develop a sustainable asset management solution that would meet the government's objectives and set a benchmark for government road projects.

The Solution

LBU digitalized planning, design, and construction of the Pan Borneo Highway, accommodating government standards to deliver best value while retaining and training local contractors and resources to build expertise using advanced technology for construction. Using AssetWise, LBU integrated BIM information within GIS applications to produce highway information modeling for the entire 786 kilometers of phase one. Bentley’s asset performance and management technology serves as a reliable platform to help LBU better plan for the operation and maintenance of the Pan Borneo Highway. With real-time visibility into asset status, easily accessible to the entire project team and government stakeholders, AssetWise provides a single source of truth for all asset data, facilitating an efficient and sustainable solution to optimize highway operations. LBU also used ContextCapture to incorporate the reality context for lengths of existing roads on a highway network built over the last 10 to 15 years. Leveraging images captured using unmanned aerial vehicles, LBU has built an accurate record of asset information for the entire 1,060-kilometer Pan Borneo Highway.

Operational Impact

The integration of Bentley's ProjectWise and AssetWise allowed LBU to create a connected data environment that facilitated the management of design and construction data. This enabled teams to simultaneously access and work on information from various sources, facilitating early clash detection and resolution that helped avoid unnecessary rework and simplified construction management. The seamless integration of construction data from ProjectWise into AssetWise for ongoing operations and maintenance unlocked the full potential of the organization’s digital data. The improved information flow and seamless integration allowed the collection, analysis, and control of relevant asset information. The data remained accurate and reliable, and accessible in real-time for senior management to make strategic decisions and policies, which can be more efficiently translated into operational programs during the implementation stage. The result is efficient and economic management of the Pan Borneo Highway network that is expected to optimize best practices.

Quantitative Benefit

LBU integrated ProjectWise and AssetWise to deliver an efficient asset performance and management system for the 1,060-kilometer highway.
LBU’s connected data environment facilitated data integration and streamlined access to reliable information.
Using AssetWise as the foundation for an integrated highway management system enabled LBU to mitigate risk, increase operational efficiency, and ensure regulatory compliance.