A groundbreaking international study has revealed how BIM is helping to solve persistent scheduling and planning problems in road construction projects, offering a clear path to improved delivery, reduced disruption, and cost certainty
Published in Sustainability (2025), the study — led by researchers from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Universidad Industrial de Santander, and international collaborators — examined the most impactful BIM applications for mitigating key deficiencies in road project scheduling, from poor traffic management planning to resource estimation and coordination failures.
The problem: Why road projects go off track
Road infrastructure projects across the globe continue to face avoidable challenges during planning and execution stages.
Among the key deficiencies identified:
- Inaccurate material quantity estimates
- Scheduling errors and misaligned dependencies
- Poor traffic flow planning during construction
- Ineffective use of on-site space and equipment
- Budget overruns due to disconnected cost data
These issues contribute to delays, increased costs, and public dissatisfaction — especially in urban settings where transport disruptions ripple into economic and social impacts.
The BIM solution: Seven targeted uses
The study identified seven specific BIM uses with the greatest impact on improving scheduling and reducing risk in road construction:
- 4D construction planning – Simulates project sequences in time and space, allowing teams to visualise the build process before ground is broken.
- Traffic management planning – Enables virtual modelling of traffic flows, signage, and closures to minimise public disruption.
- Schedule estimation – Enhances accuracy by linking real-time data with simulation to forecast and adapt project timelines.
- Quantity take-off and cost estimation – Improves budget accuracy and material logistics through detailed digital models.
- Equipment and material planning – Optimises the coordination and delivery of site resources.
- Space use planning on site – Prevents layout inefficiencies and safety risks by digitally simulating site operations.
- 5D cost analysis – Integrates financial data into project models for better cost control and forecasting.
Top performer: 4D BIM leads the way
Of all the uses, 4D BIM was ranked as the most influential in resolving planning issues, particularly for defining activity sequences, allocating resources, and visualising construction timelines. Interviewed experts cited 4D planning as essential for spotting missing work packages, sequencing errors, and coordination gaps — often before they affect the site.
Expert insight
“Using BIM for 4D simulations means we can walk through the construction sequence and catch inconsistencies long before they cause issues,” said one project manager involved in the study. “It’s not just about planning smarter — it’s about building smarter.”
Other practitioners noted that traffic management modelling helped reduce confusion and safety risks during high-impact roadworks, while quantity take-off features improved forecasting accuracy and reduced material waste.
What this means for UK infrastructure
As the UK continues to modernise its infrastructure delivery through initiatives like project speed, digital roads, and net zero commitments, this research offers a practical framework for embedding BIM into national and local road programmes.
The findings align with the Construction Playbook’s emphasis on digital tools, better risk management, and whole-life project value.
While BIM has become commonplace in vertical construction, its uptake in horizontal infrastructure — especially roads — has lagged. The authors argue this must change.
“This research clearly shows that BIM is not just a modelling tool — it’s a powerful enabler of schedule certainty and resource efficiency in road construction,” said lead author Dr Rodrigo Herrera.
“Governments, contractors, and consultants should urgently scale up BIM deployment to avoid the repeated failures we’ve seen in road planning over decades.”
Read the full open-access study: Castañeda, K. et al. (2025). BIM Uses for Mitigating Deficiencies in Road Scheduling Planning. Sustainability, 17(6), 2729. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062729
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