Purpose This study aims to address the critical challenge of managing the long-term durability of reinforced concrete infrastructure by developing a visual, 4D-Building Information Modeling (BIM) framework to forecast lifecycle performance and support proactive maintenance strategies for structures subjected to carbonation. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology involves integrating predictive degradation models with a BIM environment. Custom plugins were developed for Autodesk Navisworks to map analytical data – including carbonation depth, rebar corrosion and cracking probability – onto a 3D bridge model, thereby generating easily interpretable, time-based 4D animations. Findings The simulation revealed that structural function is a key determinant of degradation rates. The bridge deck, acting as a tensile member, was projected to fully carbonate in 85 years, significantly faster than the compressive piers (103 years). This accelerated deterioration resulted in a substantially higher long-term cracking probability for the deck (27.5%) compared to the piers (11.7%) after 120 years, at which point the corrosion depth to rebar diameter ratios were 0.53 and 0.35, respectively. Originality/value The value of this study lies in its creation of a practical 4D-BIM tool that transforms complex, abstract durability forecasts into an actionable and visual decision-support system. This novel framework bridges the gap between theoretical degradation models and practical asset management, enabling stakeholders to better understand lifecycle performance and implement timely, proactive maintenance.
Banar et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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