The terms below provide a foundation for our Digital Delivery process. 

 

The following terms are specific to PennDOT such as the names of Department initiatives and existing systems
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Also Plan A standalone plan set that is typically submitted with the Construction Plan. An “Also Plan” presents plan layouts to complete specifically focused portions of temporary and/or permanent construction activities for a project.  Some examples include: Traffic Control Plan, Traffic Monitoring Plan, Signing and Pavement Marking Plan, Utility Relocation Plan, Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Plan, Highway Lighting Plan, Environmental Mitigation Plan, Sign Structure Plan, Traffic Signal Plan, Contour Grading and Drainage Plan, Structure Plans, Intelligent Transportation System Plans.
 
Digital Delivery A modernized approach to project delivery processes and contract media that incorporates digital data. Simply stated, construction projects have the ability to be bid using 3D technology and no longer only be delivered in a traditional construction plan format.
 
Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS) PennDOT's business system for managing engineering and construction projects. ECMS provides up-to-date information on PennDOT’s construction projects, construction contracts and consultant agreements. PennDOT’s business partners use ECMS to conduct business with PennDOT, e.g. to submit bids and invoices.
 
Enterprise Content Services (ECS) See also: Common Data Environment. PennDOT's business system for managing documents. 
 
PennDOT Project Collaboration Center (PPCC) A web-based file share system used on every highway and bridge construction in the commonwealth. PPCC is used for tracking and managing design build, environmental, roadway, and structure submissions between the contractor and the Department.  

The following terminology is standardized language that is used throughout the construction industry, both vertical and horizontal, related to Building Information Modeling.
 
Asset Information Model (AIM) See also: Project Information Model. A model that contains information to support the management and operation of the asset. 
 
BIM Execution Plan (BEP) See also: Project Execution Plan. A plan to manage the use of BIM, especially collaboration and information delivery, to accomplish the project goals.
 
BIM Manager See also: BIM Execution Plan. The individual, normally identified in a BEP, responsible for overseeing the use of BIM on the project. 
 
Building Information Modeling (BIM) See also: Computer-Aided Design and Drafting. The use of a digital model of a built asset to facilitate design, construction, and operation processes to form a reliable basis for decisions. BIM may also be used as a noun to describe the digital model.
 
Clash Detection Use of 3D Models to coordinate different disciplines (e.g. structural and utilities) and to identify/resolve possible clashes between virtual elements prior to actual construction or fabrication.
 
Common Data Environment (CDE) See also: ECS. A service that collects, stores, manages, and shares information through a managed process.
 
Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CAD/CADD) See also: Building Information Modeling. A category of computer software that is used to develop designs for a variety of disciplines. CADD software typically uses an object-oriented approach to apply mathematical rules that automate the process of drafting designs. 3D digital design data is a common output of the application of CADD software.
 
Discipline Model See also: Federated Model. A model or linked models related to a single discipline. The superstructure model, substructure model, and detailing models are linked together into a federated Structural Discipline Model. 
 
Engineer of Record (EOR) See also: Model Element Author. The professional engineer who signs and seals the project documents and assumes professional responsibility for the design. The EOR may supervise the work of subordinate Model Element Authors who create the model under the EOR’s direction. 
 
Federated Model See also: Discipline Model. A model that is compiled by integrating different discipline models together into one model through either linking and/or importing.
 
Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) See also: Open Data. A non-proprietary data schema and format to describe, exchange and share the physical and functional information for the assets within a facility. IFC is the International Organization for Standardization standard for BIM and is being extended to roadway and bridge asset classes. 
 
Level of Detail See also: Level of Development. Often confused with Level of Development, Level of Detail describes only the amount of geometric detail in a model element, not the amount of engineering intent. Highly-detailed model elements may be placed in a model as place-holders with no engineering intent. Though detail often increases in parallel with development, observing the detail of a model element is not an effective way to determine its development or the appropriate uses. 
 
Level of Development (LOD) See also: Level of Information, Level of Visualization, Model Progression Specification. A qualitative designation that communicates the degree of engineering intent behind a 3D model element (or group of model elements) and defines the authorized uses for which the model element is sufficiently developed. Normally the LOD will increase through the design development process as defined in the MPS.
 
Level of Information (LOI) See also: Level of Development. A description of the quality of the non-graphical information attached to the model elements. 
 
Level of Visualization (LOV) See also: Level of Development. A qualitative designation that communicates the degree of visual enhancement given to the 3D model elements, to suit the needs of different target audiences. Generally, non-technical audiences need color-realistic geometry or even photo-realistic materials to be able to understand bridge models.
 
Model Element See also: Level of Development, Model Element Author, Model Progression Specification. An entity within a model that represents a physical object or an abstract concept (e.g. alignment, north arrow). 
 
Model Element Author (MEA) See also: BIM Execution Plan, Engineer of Record, Model Element. The individual, normally identified in a BEP and/or MPS, responsible for creating a specific model element or group of model elements. The MEA may work under the direct supervision of an EOR who assumes professional responsibility for the design represented in the model. 
 
Model Element Breakdown Structure (MEBS) See also: Model Progression Specification. A classified list of model elements. A MBS is the basis for a Model Progression Specification. 
 
Model Manager See also: BIM Execution Plan, BIM Manager, Model Element. The individual, normally identified in a BEP, responsible for a specific discipline model.
 
Model Progression Specification (MPS) See also: Model Breakdown Structure. A specification that defines how the LOD for individual model elements increases over the project milestones. The MPS will assign a specific, minimum LOD to each model element for each milestone. The LOD typically increases from milestone to milestone.
 
Digital Delivery Execution ​Plan See also BIM Execution Plan. A plan to manage the use of BIM, especially collaboration and information delivery, to accomplish the project goals.
 
Project Information Model (PIM) See also: Asset Information Model. A model that contains information to support the design and construction of the asset.

The following terminology is standardized language that is specific to the data that is contained in a digital model.
 
Attribute Non-graphical data that is part of a model element definition. 
 
Component A physical item or feature within a model. 
 
Constraint See also: Parametric. A relationship between two or more elements in a model, which should be maintained in any modifications made to the base element. The slab geometry is a constraint for the rebar layout. 
 
Digital Twin Initially conceived of for smart manufacturing, a digital twin is a digital representation of a physical asset that contains a 3D digital model of the physical asset, as well as non-graphical information about the asset such as its properties, functions, evaluative properties, and other analytical context. 
 
Extract Transform Load (ETL) See also: Data Exchange, Information Exchange. Extract, Transform, and Load are three discrete database processes that can be combined in one action to copy data from one database into another database that presents the information differently (i.e. transformed). 
 
Feature See also: Model Element. Anything that can be seen or located and is a physical part of your project.
 
Graphical Data See also: Non-graphical Data, Spatial Data. Data conveyed using shape and arrangement and/or location in space.
 
Layer See also: Level. A container within software for model elements or features. Some CADD, GIS, and PDF software products use the term “Layer” to describe the container while other software products use the term “Level.” Common software features include styling elements and controlling the visibility of elements using layer settings. 
 
Level See also: Layer. A container within software for model elements or features. Some CADD, GIS, and PDF software products use the term “Layer” to describe the container while other software products use the term “Level.” Common software features include styling elements and controlling the visibility of elements using level settings.
 
Links Hyperlinks that can be applied to geometry to allow a user to connect to and access a wide range of external files and formats. These links can be used to link to web addresses, networked folder locations, files and/or folders located in a CDE, or bookmarks within the file.
 
Metadata See also: Model Progression Specification. Data used for the description and management of documents and other containers of information. Metadata is usually structured data embedded within the file. However, it could include an external document that describes pertinent information to others on the assumptions and basis for the 3D models, such as the geospatial metadata (grid/ground coordinate system definitions), intended uses of the 3D models, approximations and simplifications (e.g., removing minor curvature from analysis models). A MPS is important metadata that accompanies a Federated Model. 
 
Model A representation of a system that allows for investigation of the properties of the system. (EN ISO 29481-1:2016). The roadway and bridge models were delivered in CADD files. 
 
Naming Convention A set of rules for naming components and features within a model. A naming convention may provide instructions for choosing the character sequence to be identifiers that denote variables, types, functions and other entities in source code and documentation.
 
Non-graphical Data See also: Attribute, Graphical Data, Property. Data that describes attributes and properties of a model element that do not relate to its physical dimensions or location.
 
Parametric See also: Constraint. An approach to creating a model whether the physical dimensions are constrained by mathematical rules such that the model can be manipulated by changing individual property definitions.
 
Property See also: Attribute. Non-graphical information that describes a model element. The Modulus of Elasticity is a property of a girder. 
 
Schema See also: Industry Foundation Classes. A formalized model for structuring information.
 
Spatial Data See also: Geodatabase, Graphical Data. Data that is associated with a spatial reference system, such as State Plane coordinates. Spatial data may be raster (e.g. aerial photography) or vector (e.g. point, line, or polygon).

 The following terminology is standardized language that is specific to the management of data and data exchanges within a digital model, between digital models, and between the digital model and associated systems and applications.
 
Data Exchange See also: Extract Transform Load, Information Exchange. The process of taking data structured under a source schema to transform and restructure into a target schema, so the target data are an accurate representation of the source data within specified requirements and minimal loss of content.
 
Geodatabase (GDB) See also: Geoprocessing Tool, GIS, Spatial Data. A database that is designed to store, query, and manipulate spatial data. A geodatabase may hold multiple datasets of different types.
 
Geographic Information System (GIS) See also: Geodatabase, Geoprocessing Tool, Spatial Data. A software application that is designed to display, manage, analyze, create, connect, and manipulate spatial data. GIS software includes many Geoprocessing Tools that manipulate Geodatabases, as well as Graphical and Non-Graphical datasets in order to perform complex analyses. PennDOT OneMap is a hosted GIS application.
 
Geoprocessing Tool See also: Geodatabase, GIS, Spatial Data. A software tool that manipulates spatial data to produce a transformed spatial dataset. A buffer is a geoprocessing tool that creates a new polygon dataset defined by a specified offset from an existing point, line, or polygon dataset. 
 
Information Exchange See also: Data Exchange, Information Requirements. Packages of information passed from one party to another in a BIM process, or the act of passing such information, possibly as a contractual deliverable. Parties involved agree upon and understand what information content and format will be exchanged.
 
Information Requirements See also: Asset Inventory, Information Exchange. A specification for what, when, how and for whom information is to be produced. Information requirements could be documented in a PennDOT Publication, in a project Scope of Work, or in a BIM Execution Plan. 
 
Open Data See also: Open Specification. Data that is publicly available and free to use or reuse without restrictions. PennDOT’s Open Data Portal provides access to all published GIS data that members of the public can map, style, chart, download or share. 
 
Open Specification See also: Industry Foundation Classes, Proprietary Specification. A specification for data that is structured according to an open schema that is freely available and not controlled by any one particular vendor. Open specifications are intended to facilitate data exchange.
 
Proprietary Specification See also: Open Specification. A specification for data that is structured according to a proprietary schema. Proprietary data can usually only be read and written by one vendor’s software products. 

The following are industry specific terms. 

ADCMS The Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems Grant Program provides Federal funds to promote, implement, deploy, demonstrate, showcase, support, and document the application of advanced digital construction management systems, practices, performance, and benefits. The funds are for State DOTs and their grant partners. Desired outcomes include leveraging digital data in some or all phases of the infrastructure lifecycle and maximizing interoperability between systems/applications.

buildingSMART International (bSI): The parent body leading buildingSMART, a global community of chapters, members, partners and sponsors. buildingSMART is a worldwide authority driving the adoption of international open digital data-sharing standards for infrastructure and buildings. buildingSMART is an open, neutral, and international not-for-profit organisation.

bSI Data Dictionary: Also known as the buildingSMART Data Dictionary Service. Online service that hosts catalog of standard information classifications and their properties, allowed values, units, and translations that can be referenced when identifying the meaning of data in an exchange.  The service is provided by bSI for free and content is published by independent organisations. The IFC data dictionary created by bSI is one of many data dictionaries available.

ISO 19650: Is a series of international standards which define a common unified framework for the effective collaborative production and management of information across the full lifecycle of a built asset using building information modelling (BIM).

NBIMS-US V4: National BIM Standard-United States Version 4:  a consensus-based national-level standard focused on defining standard approaches and guidelines to defining requirements, planning BIM adoption, and exchanging information between project team members. These approaches are aligned with many other international and national standards. The V4 standard contains 6 modules: NBIMS-US Overview, Project BIM Requirements, BIM Execution Planning, BIM Use Definitions, Information Exchange Guidelines, and COBie Version 3.0.

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS): Is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-governmental organization that supports advances in building science and technology. Established by the U.S. Congress in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383. Congress to serve as an interface between government and the private sector – one that serves as a resource to those who plan, design, procure, construct, use, operate, maintain, renovate, and retire physical facilities.