Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an international open data standard for the capture, exchange, and use of information representing the built environment in the context of digitally-based information creation, sharing, and usage, also known as BIM, or Building Information Modeling. Its most recent version, IFC4.3, was revised and expanded to include infrastructure components and was accepted as an ISO standard (ISO 16739-1:2024) in April 2024. AASHTO’s resolution to adopt IFC for BIM-based delivery of State DOT projects provides significant advantages in data interoperability, long-term data access, and freedom of choice for software. This in turn drives gains in efficiency, productivity, and sustainability across the infrastructure portfolio and throughout asset lifecycles. The successful adoption and deployment of IFC 4.3 depends on:

• High-quality, consistent support in software, including the capture, encoding, export, import, and display of needed information, especially DOT requirements;
• User knowledge of openBIM standards (e.g., IFC, IDS, bSDD, etc.) and how preferred software supports them;
• Authoritative guarantees that the software being used properly supports IFC-encoding, regardless of end user capabilities;
• The ability to verify or validate the information being exported from BIM-authoring tools, ensuring users are creating goo ddata with their preferred tools.

Existing and proposed mechanisms and timelines in place to address some of these dependencies are inadequate when compared to the infrastructure needed to handle the rapidly approaching BIM initiatives occurring in State DOTs.

~~See Attached Solicitation Document for expanded background information~~

This proposed Pooled Fund Study would look at the viability and best means to significantly enhance the scale and maturity of services (i.e., IFC Validation Service and Global IFC Software Certification), as well as recommend any additional technical and procedural efforts (such as Use Case-based Certification), needed to support software implementation and US industry adoption and deployment. The following two primary business objectives would be achieved:

1. Enabling State DOTs to specify certified (IFC and US industry standard exchange requirement compliant) software for road and bridge projects;
2. Enabling State DOTs to validate deliverables from consultants and contractors to enhance project delivery and management quality.

This work would be separate but complimentary to the ongoing work of TPF-5(523) BIM for Bridges & Structures Pooled Fund and TPF-5(480) BIM for Infrastructure Pooled Fund.

The proposed scope would be a three-year program, with the bulk of the effort focused on initially verifying, supporting, and accelerating activities on the bSI (buildingSMART International) Technical Roadmap (specifically validation and Global “certification”), before tackling needed, US-specific, additional use case-based certification platform. The bSI scope elements would be structured broadly as follows:

Year 1 would focus on:

1. Firmly advocating bSI-vendor interactive engagement and communication to support vendors (through the bSI IFC Implementers Forum) on implementation of IFC4.3 and AbV base MVD
2. Finishing development of the IFC Validation Service
3. Satisfying US security compliance on the platform
4. Finishing development of the Global IFC Software Certification platform for exports
5. Providing bSI-compliant educational workshops to reinforce DOT training;

Year 2 would:

1. Continue with implementation support to software vendors
2. Add a Digital Certificate capability to the IFC Validation Service to help support MALD (model-as-legal-document)
3. Add import certification to the Global IFC Software Certification
4. Provide further bSI-compliant in-person workshops in support of DOT education and training efforts. Work would begin on specifying a US infrastructure industry use case-based software certification platform and requirements;

Year 3 would:

1. Provide for limited continued software vendor implementation support
2. Support further enhancements to the IFC Validation Service
3. Develop Use Case-based Software Certification based on US State DOT requirements
4. Provide any final bSI-compliant in-person educational workshops.

Funding:

1. Desired total commitment from each partner is $90,000 split between 2026-2028, generally achieved through three years at $30,000 per year.
2. SPR Part B Waiver will be requested.

New Members:

1. This pooled fund is always accepting new members. Please inquire with the Lead Study Contact noted above to join this effort.