Building Information Modelling (BIM): a route for geological models to have real world impact

The rapid rise of Building Information Modelling (BIM) represents a major opportunity for Geological Survey Organisations (GSO) to make their data and in particular three-dimensional geological models accessible to the civil engineering and construction industry. The paper presents how GSOs and the private sector are preparing themselves for a possible paradigm shift with the vision of a ‘live’ ground model becoming a possibility, leading to real efficiency gains and risk reduction during construction and throughout the life time of an asset.