Using effective Rail Asset information and collaboration on the

CASE STUDY
Using effective Rail Asset
information and collaboration on
the MMLE project to minimise risk,
cost and improve safety.
Midland Main Line Electrification (MMLE) is an £800m+
railway electrification project. Its purpose is to lower the
carbon footprint of the rail network by reducing diesel
trains and as a result reduce emissions and noise pollution.
The project covers 250 miles of track; it involves around 29 contractors and included
surveyors, designers and construction teams.
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Using effective Rail Asset information
CASE STUDY
WHAT WAS REQUIRED?
The initial brief from asset owner Network Rail was to minimise risk to schedule, overspend
and personal safety on the project. The success of this was dependent upon:



1. Integration
2. Collaboration
3. Implementation
of all projects along
the route – not just the
electrification.
between all parties involved in
the project using technology as
an enabler.
of clear and effective
processes to give direction
and consistency.
SPI Virtual Reality Signal Sighting Model
To achieve this, SPI would have to implement a controlling mind for Information Management (IM), specifically
including Survey Management and CAD/Design Deliverable Management, whilst also configuring a unique
Common Data Environment.
From working with the asset owner, it became clear that innovation, wider collaboration, process and control
system implementation were required in addition to the identified resource. Document, Quality, Utilities, and
Asset Management were all implemented to improve the efficiency of working with rail assets.
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Call - 01908 671 933
Using effective Rail Asset information
CASE STUDY
PROJECT CHALLENGES
There were 3 main challenges to overcome in order to achieve the requirements of the
initial brief and improve both project and asset efficiency.
SPI Virtual Reality Signal Sighting Model
1. Remove ‘Project Centric’ mentality
There was a lack of knowledge of the strategic aims of the project across the board. This led to project based
personnel working ‘in silos’ with little (or no) thought to other project activity. There was a lack of coordination
across projects and, in a few circumstances, where working processes existed, they were in conflict with other
project processes.
2. Make Information accessible and accurate
The lack of trust in existing survey infor mation meant that data was being collected multiple times by multiple
project teams, each with their own processes and practices. Not only is this expensive, but it left uncertainty
of where to go for asset infor mation. Commissioned surveys and data collection were not quality checked or
signed off; this meant that the new infor mation and knowledge was often lost with hardware and personnel
changes. This inefficiency left a huge gap in both the Asset and Project Management, impacting on project
scheduling and spend.
3. Implement efficient working practices
Education was required to change the way of thinking; this came up against some resistance amongst the
project teams. Promoting collaborative working processes required enforcement from senior management
teams and contribution from everyone was required to identify efficiencies.
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Call - 01908 671 933
Using effective Rail Asset information
CASE STUDY
THE SOLUTION
1. Move towards ‘Asset Centric’ working
The first step was to move towards an asset centric
way of working and define clear strategic aims for
the MMLE project. This audit included assessment
of the activity impact on other projects related to
the asset.
2. Use a Common Data Environment
Next in the audit stage was to deter mine what
infor mation exists, how it needs to be used and by
whom. This was achieved by collating all existing
data, which was analysed and evaluated. This
enabled a controlled Common Data Environment
SPI Virtual Reality Signal Sighting Model
(CDE) to be designed and configured using Bentley
ProjectWise to match identified requirements.
• Education of infor mation management and
83%
97%
•by innovative survey capture through RiLA
3. Implement information control & coordination
To ensure the quality and management of Data in
the CDE, a key support team was put in place to
provide additional resource to the project team.
This resource included Document Control, Systems
Administration,
Asset
Data
Management,
BIM
Management and CAD Specialists.
The team was responsible for:
• Checking the quality of deliverables (such
as survey infor mation)
• Ops and Maintenance planning/briefing
• Data control and quality assurance
where to find data
Survey Cost
Reduction*
Less “Boots
on Ballast” *
• Use of BIM to federate and coordinate
designs from all projects
4. Educate and train the project team
This element was critical to the success of all
elements above. Without buy in and understanding
of the systems and processes from the project
team,
the
number
of
data
non-confor mances
would increase.
The project team was trained and the support team
enforced compliance with working practices.
Changing their way of thinking and reviewing
how daily tasks were carried out enabled easier
identification of where efficiencies could be made.
SPI Virtual Reality Signal Sighting Model
Email - [email protected]
Call - 01908 671 933
Using effective Rail Asset information
CASE STUDY
IMPACT OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
Using a defined strategy, process and procedure laid foundations for effective working
practices across the Infrastructure.
In 15 months from April 2014 – July 2015, over 45,000 documents were managed by the systems implemented and
configured by SPI. 150 miles of track were modelled, and 155 signals and 43 signal boards were sighted.
Benefits to this implementation of a clear asset centric strategy:
• RiLA Survey system reduced “boots on ballast”
by 97% and costs by 83%.
• Improved compliance to standards
• 2,795 Non-confor mances captured by the IM team Dec 14-July 15
• 99% time reduction in utilities data acquisition
• Supported high level planning through 4D delivery
• Introduced innovations in surveying & data acquisition
• Signal sighting meeting times reduced by approximately 50%
Overall Survey
costs reduced
by approximately
£2.7m
PROJECT OUTCOMES
This approach to collaboration and infor mation management demonstrated huge benefits,
most notably in the following areas:
Surveys
Models
• During the 15 month case study period, 51
Surveys costing £800,000 were carried out. The
estimated savings through de-scope and
re-use of data stands at £2.7 million.
• Possession time savings from utilisation of RiLA
are estimated at £264,000.
• Quality Assurance of survey data - Identified
control non-compliant issues on planned
surveys; this saved the project over £1m of
forecast control, resurvey, re-design, & delays.
• Safety risk reduced by 97% due to limiting track
access.
•
•
•
•
•
Michelle Zompi, Head of Information Management at SPI comments:
‘This was an incredibly complex multi-discipline project, but the benefits of working in a more
holistic way became obvious early. Seeing the reduction in risk and cost led the roll out of processes
and systems to include 3 other programmes of work: Signalling, Rail Systems and Buildings & Civils,
thereby increasing the impacted benefit and added value.’
Zompi continues: ‘Controlling information efficiently, making better use of information, making
it accessible and reducing duplication of effort all helped the project to improve safety risks by
reducing ‘boots on ballast’ and saved survey costs of £2.7 million.’
“
“
93% of Signals sighted
81% of Speedboards sighted
3D models of 180km of route – including track
and lineside features
All new data added to the Master Model
Virtual reality models created of key stations
and of the route
To find out more about how SPI can help with your project please call 01908 671 933