Bentley and Seequent
software helped save 120 Days and avoids USD 180 million in losses
Meeting
all engineering challenges
The Trans-Sumatra Toll Road
is an immense expressway that will stretch the length of Sumatra, from its
northern tip to its southernmost point. It has more than 25 road sections in
all, totaling 2,800 kilometers. It is considered crucial to the Indonesian
island’s economic growth and regional integration, and will cost around USD 3.5
billion. After nearly a decade of work, the toll road is set to be completed by
the end of 2024, with roughly half of it operational by 2022.
Unsurprisingly, a highway
that spans an entire country has some unique engineering challenges. Not least
of these is navigating a constantly shifting and diverse terrain that throws up
a wide range of demanding soil conditions. And that means a huge amount of data
to process and integrate.
Leading Indonesian
construction, toll road developer, and operator firm PT Hutama Karya, was given
the task of managing the strategic planning, design, and construction
management, with specific emphasis on the geotechnical data management that
would underpin efficient, durable, and cost-effective construction.
Seeking
advanced digital technology
At first, Hutama Karya used
traditional data management methods to tackle the scheme. However, the team
struggled to cope with the sheer scale of the project.
“We explored various
approaches to address these issues,” said Deska Adi Pratama, BIM officer on the
project for Hutama Karya, “but managing large volumes of geotechnical data and
integrating them into design decisions proved too challenging without advanced
digital tools.”
After several trials, the team realized that they needed digital applications to enhance their project’s efficiency.
Delivering
ahead of deadline and with complex terrain
Already familiar with
Bentley and Seequent applications, Hutama Karya chose them to deliver this
complex project. “That decision was driven by the need to streamline data
management, enable 3D modeling and support collaborative design processes,”
explained Pratama. The Bentley ecosystem—including Leapfrog Works,
MicroStation, OpenBridge, and OpenRoads—played a “pivotal role” in meeting the
highway’s engineering challenges. “Leapfrog allowed us to create accurate 3D
ground models, optimising road alignments and earthworks based on detailed
geological data. MicroStation, OpenBridge, and OpenRoads facilitated a
model-based approach to road and bridge design, enabling rapid iteration and
adaptation to changing project requirements.”
The addition of PLAXIS to
the solution set, in tandem with Leapfrog, was also key in providing robust
geotechnical analysis of the subsurface. Across its vast and varied 2,800
kilometers, the highway exhibited an ever-changing set of soil conditions, complicating
the process of achieving sure and consistent construction. The combination of
Leapfrog and PLAXIS greatly simplified the compilation of soil stratigraphy,
and supported the implementation of a soil improvement method. This helped
avoid potential losses of around USD 185 million that could have arisen from
technical failures in the construction.
To tackle the challenge of
mapping difficult terrains, the highway team adopted “beyond visual line of
sight” technology that used drones to scan the topography, especially in the
most inhospitable areas. MicroStation and iTwin Capture processed lidar point
cloud data and orthophotos, respectively, providing precise digital terrain
models for accurate planning and design. “By utilizing these digitally synchronized
tools—and ensuring a single source of truth—the entire geotechnical process
became more structured and integrated. […] We could leverage lean construction
principles to minimize reworks and reduce waiting times due to efficient data
sharing,” said Pratama.
Turning
geotechnical data into a major infrastructure success
The Trans-Sumatra Toll Road
will have far-reaching benefits for the island and its population. Many of its
60 million people still live in small towns, effectively off the grid. As well
as stimulating economic growth, the new roads will also encourage regional
integration and support social development and community communication
throughout the country. By reducing travel time and congestion, they will
promote safer and more efficient mobility, extra trade, and tourism, as well as
improve access to essential services.
The strategic
implementation of cutting-edge technology has proven transformative for Hutama
Karya, helping the construction giant avert potential losses of USD 180 million
on the ambitious Trans-Sumatra Toll Road project. “Leveraging Bentley
applications led to a 15% increase in productivity, translating to 6,000 work
hours saved over the project duration. […] This enhanced productivity
ultimately reduced project timelines by 120 days, compared to conventional
methods,” said Pratama.
The adoption of Seequent
and Bentley applications was instrumental in delivering the Trans-Sumatra Toll
Road efficiently and cost effectively. Being able to bring together the
highway’s varied multidiscipline teams for real-time sharing of ideas and data
sped up decision-making and kept everyone better informed. “They empowered us
to navigate complex engineering scenarios, optimize designs, and address the
project’s unique challenges through advanced 3D modelling and collaborative
design capabilities,” said Pratama.
Project
Summary
Organization: PT
Hutama Karya (Persero)
Solution:
Subsurface Modeling and Analysis
Location:
Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia
Project
Objectives:
• To navigate constantly
shifting and diverse terrain with a wide range of demanding soil conditions.
• To process and integrate
data for a 2,800-kilometer roadway.
Project
Playbook: iTwin Capture, Leapfrog, OpenBridge, OpenRoads, PLAXIS
Fast
Facts
• The Trans-Sumatra Toll
Road is an immense expressway that will stretch the length of Sumatra, from its
northern tip to its southernmost point.
• Leapfrog Works,
MicroStation, OpenBridge, and OpenRoads played a pivotal role in meeting the
highway’s engineering challenges.
• The new roads will
encourage regional integration and support social development and community
communication throughout the country.
ROI
• Leveraging Bentley and
Seequent applications led to a 15% increase in productivity, translating to
6,000 work hours saved over the project duration.
• The enhanced productivity
reduced project timelines by 120 days, compared to conventional methods.
• The strategic
implementation of cutting-edge technology helped Hutama Karya avoid potential
losses of USD 180 million.
