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Researchers Unveil Innovative Approach to Preserving Linear Infrastructure Heritage

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study from Polytechnic University Milan is shedding light on the challenges facing the preservation of linear infrastructure heritage, such as the Muling River Bridge, a 128-year-old stone railway arch bridge on the Chinese Eastern Railway main line. The research applies an innovative approach, combining HBIM (Hand-Built Information Model) and GIS (Geographic Information System) integration to create a unified historical archive database and 3D model of the bridge. The study evaluates the efficiency of different platforms in integrating the data, highlighting the potential for improved digital management and protection of such heritage sites.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Muling River Bridge, China's first stone railway arch bridge, is facing challenges due to natural degradation and human activities.
  • The study applies HBIM/GIS integration to the bridge, establishing a unified historical archive database, a geographic information database, and an HBIM model.
  • Three platforms were used for data integration: a commercial GIS solution (ArcGIS), an open-access GIS solution (QGIS), and an BIM/GIS integration platform (Autodesk InfraWorks).
  • The platforms were evaluated in terms of four aspects: integration complexity, supported data types, 3D visualization quality, and ease of remote public access.
  • The research contributes to improved strategies for the digital management and protection of linear infrastructure heritage, offering guidance on selecting appropriate platforms for public engagement with digital conservation results.

Statistics:

  • 128 years: the age of the Muling River Bridge.
  • 1897-1903: the time period during which the infrastructure heritage was built.
  • 4: the number of aspects evaluated for platform efficiency.
  • 3: the number of platforms used for data integration.
  • 1631-1638: the page numbers where the study was published.

Sources:

  • Application and Comparison of Different HBIM/GIS Integration Methods in Railway Infrastructure Heritage: A Case Study of the Muling River Bridge along the Chinese Eastern Railway Main Line. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2025,XLVIII-M-9-2025():1631-1638.
  • The publisher for The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences is Copernicus Publications.
  • https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-9-2025-1631-2025 (a free version of the journal article is available).

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