Innovation Story #3: BIM In One Click

An innovation resulting from a professional need

BIM In One Click was created in 2015 as part of a SYSTRA innovation programme. The original idea came from an operational observation: the tools available on the market did not adequately meet the needs of large-scale modelling for linear infrastructures.

These projects often include recurring elements deployed over several kilometres. Modelling them manually takes time. Updating them throughout design variants or project phases, while maintaining perfect integration of each subsystem, can quickly become complex. BIM In One Click provides a practical response to this challenge. The solution makes it possible to generate BIM objects from the alignment and parameters defined by the teams. It facilitates model production, consistency between sections, and adaptation to the requirements of each project.

Since its launch, BIM In One Click has been expanded with modules covering a wide range of disciplines: infrastructure, civil structures, track, railway systems, technical equipment, and other linear objects associated with the railway corridor.

The solution is also part of an open BIM approach, making it easier to exchange information between software tools, disciplines, and stakeholders.

Our business modules

BIM In One Click enables the consistent modeling of all infrastructure components, relying on a structured database and a dedicated library of BIM objects.

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BIM can create value from the early stages

For Toulouse Metro Line 3, SYSTRA used BIM In One Click from the preliminary studies phase, in 2016–2017. The challenge was ambitious: to model the entire alignment, from one terminus to the other, at a stage when design choices were still open.

In a conventional project, full modelling at this level of progress is difficult to justify. It takes time, requires significant resources, and can quickly become costly if design options evolve. BIM In One Click changed that equation. By relying on the alignment, the solution made it possible to quickly produce a coherent representation of the entire linear infrastructure.

This approach gave the teams a continuous view of the line. Stations and ancillary structures were placed back within a complete transport system. The modelling thus helped to better manage interfaces, visualise the urban integration of the infrastructure, and share common information earlier between disciplines.

In Toulouse, BIM In One Click therefore created value where BIM is rarely used at full scale: from the earliest stages. The solution helped teams test design options, update the model more easily, and establish a collaborative dynamic very early on. This approach was recognised with a ‘BIM d’Argent’ award in 2017.

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Linear modelling can be accelerated and made more reliable

On this type of project, the repetition of elements can become a source of complexity. Each object must be positioned precisely along the alignment while remaining consistent with the track, equipment, and integration constraints. In Bogotá, the challenge focused especially on modelling the systems and ensuring their seamless integration with the civil works.

BIM In One Click made it possible to accelerate this modelling by applying the alignment-based logic to the structure, track, and railway equipment. The project was also recognised with a ‘BIM d’Argent’ award in 2018.

The solution was then used again in 2021 for the extension of Line 1. This second application confirms the value of BIM In One Click in supporting a project over time, from the initial line through to its extensions.

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BIM In One Click makes it possible to integrate a wide range of systems for high-speed rail

In 2019, BIM In One Click was used on the Östlänken rail project in Sweden, with an especially broad systems scope. The project is part of the future high-speed rail network led by Trafikverket, with a 65-km section between the towns of Stavsjö and Sillekrog, complemented by a conventional track to serve Nyköping station.

Here, the challenge went beyond infrastructure modelling. It involved integrating several railway systems along the alignment: catenary, signalling, cables, telecommunications, power supply, and technical buildings.

This diversity makes coordination more demanding: each discipline must fit within the same corridor, with its own constraints and interfaces. BIM In One Click made it possible to produce a coherent coordination model for the systems component across the entire linear section.

Östlänken thus illustrates the gradual expansion of BIM In One Click’s uses. The solution supports infrastructure modelling and then the progressive integration of the systems that make the line operate.

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The solution evolves with project needs

Starting in 2019, BIM In One Click was used on several Etihad Rail lots in the United Arab Emirates. SYSTRA contributed to the detailed design studies for Phase 2, particularly on some of the most complex sections of the programme.

The project aims to strengthen the national rail network by connecting strategic areas of the country. Lot 2D notably links the ports of Jebel Ali and Fujairah through the Hajar Mountains. Lot 2A connects the port of Ruwais to the border area of Ghweifat. These sections include numerous structures: bridges, tunnels, underpasses, and associated infrastructure.

On this large-scale project, BIM In One Click was used to model the track and the train’s 3D clearance envelope across several packages. The solution was also used on Lot 2D for the tunnel and the MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) equipment, particularly cable ducts and manholes.

Etihad Rail also led the teams to create new ad-hoc modules. The Fences and Culverts modules were developed to model and precisely position fences and culverts along the alignment. They address a very practical need: handling repetitive objects, present in large numbers along lengthy linear sections, with the same level of consistency as the other model components.

On Etihad Rail, BIM In One Click thus demonstrates its ability to handle the scale of a major railway project while adapting to very specific design needs.

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The solution can meet very demanding client requirements for a very high level of detail

This case marks a new milestone for BIM In One Click. The project requires an especially high level of detail, requested by the client during the detailed design phase. The catenary system must be represented with great precision, well beyond the practices observed on most high-speed rail projects.

Added to this precision requirement is a data exchange challenge. The models must be exportable in IFC 4.3, an open format designed to better describe linear infrastructure and facilitate interoperability between software tools. BIM In One Click enables the teams to meet these expectations, despite the limitations of standard BIM tools for this type of export.

The California case shows that BIM In One Click can support highly demanding projects, where the value of the solution is measured by the quality of the model, the precision of the data, and the ability to meet the client’s standards.

An innovation that continues to lead the way