Structural health control of historical steel structures using HBIM

In architecture and civil engineering, maintaining historical constructions is essential for preserving cultural heritage. This is especially relevant in constructions exposed to a high degree of degradation, such as historic steel structures. The HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) technology can facilitate and automate this task. In this paper, a methodology based on an HBIM framework is proposed and applied, which allows the control and monitoring of structural health over time. On the one hand, an architectural model of the construction is created. This model collects, in detail, aspects such as the geometrical shape, material composition, structural configuration, and additional data required for the control and management of the construction. On the other hand, a calibrated structural model is also automatically generated. This model represents the actual overall mechanical behavior of the construction. Both models are seamlessly integrated, evolve, and collect data of all the different control or maintenance phases of the construction. The methodology has been validated in the case study of the riveted steel bridge of O Barqueiro, located in Galicia, Spain.