IFC-for-Tunnelling schema extension: An evaluation of its impact on current BIM practices in the tunnelling domain

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become the key technology for the digitalisation of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Most current projects use non-standard software and approaches, requiring analysis and adjustments of BIM practices to align with the upcoming Industry Foundation Classes for Tunnelling (IFC-4-T) extension. To bridge this gap, this paper examines design processes, data structures, and tunnel models in relation to IFC-4-T. It identifies issues such as limitations in current software and reliance on manual data management processes or spreadsheets for project data exchange. The study concludes that the current IFC-4-T provides a high level of standardisation, can support automated data workflows and can be used effectively with existing modelling approaches. The adoption of BIM practices across organisations is essential to improve design efficiency through tools that standardise IFC-based use cases and fully exploit open data frameworks to improve interoperability, automation and data management in tunnelling.