BIM Workflow, which guides the user through the typical interoperable BIM steps, and a Standalone Workflow meant to support independent, non-interoperable work with any of OpenBridge Designer's components.

Working in a BIM workflow provides users who create multiple projects (which can contain multiple bridges) with a significant advantage, having the ability to access overall project information in one central file format, the new OpenBridge Designer (OBD) file format.

In BIM workflow:

• User may have multiple projects and multiple models under each project (maybe to represent design alternatives or to represent different bridge models in a corridor). Besides, each model may have several bridges and units under it, as represented in OpenBridge Modeler (OBM) models.
• User starts BIM workflow by adding a project and associating an OBM file (dgn) to the model added under the project. There are three ways of associating an OBM file which are:
  • By using "browse button in the modeling tab and selecting an OBM file in the local drive, server or ProjectWise without launching OBM component
  • By launching OBM component and opening an OBM file within the application
  • By launching OBM component and creating a new OBM file
• Based on the bridges and units in the OBM file opened or created, the project tree gets automatically created. Below example shows a model with a single bridge and 3 units under it.
  
• At this stage, "Modeling" tab is enabled, however, "Analysis" tab is locked/disabled.
  
• In order to unlock "Analysis" tab, a unit within OBM model should be sent to (using Send To buttons under Utilities tab of OBM) an analytics component (concrete bridge designer, steel bridge designer or complex bridge designer - formerly, LEAP Bridge Concrete, LEAP Bridge Steel and RM Bridge Enterprise, respectively). Once the unit is sent to appropriate component and saved, "Analysis" tab gets enabled and the saved bridge is added under "Analysis" tab.
  
• Once the connection is established between the OBM model and the analytical component files;
  • Data exchange is only uni-directional, from OBM to analytics (with an exception which is the reinforcement sent from analytics to OBM)
  • Any geometrical or physical modification made to the OBM model is gets reflected in the analytical component files. If user launches the analytical component, the modifications made in OBM model gets applied, automatically in real time.
  • Or modifications made to OBM model can be pushed to analytics by using "Update Analytics" button in OBM without closing OBM.
• The modifications made to OBM model get categorized as minor or major changes when the analytical component files get updated. Based on the categorization, some actions are taken regarding the analytical information previously input. See "1.5 Minor/Major Changes to Physical Model" section.
• Analytical components in BIM workflow are designed only for analytical purposes. Any geometrical modification to the bridge model must be made in OBM to be reflected in the analytical file. This workflow ensures the real BIM behavior and centralized data or single source of truth approaches by preventing discrepancies in the geometry of physical model and analytical model.
  • If user wants to use physical modeling tools in analytical components, the project in which the unit in question exist could be exported to a directory. Then, user may switch to "Standalone" option in OpenBridge Designer and open the analytical file to use physical modeling tools in the analytical component version in standalone option. See "Standalone Workflow" section.