The article presents experiences gained during construction of the approximately 3 km long urban Lainzer Tunnel (LT31), driven with side-wall galleries under shallow overburden. The structure's safety is assessed mainly on the basis of 3D deformation analyses, comparison of predicted and observed system behaviour, evaluation of shotcrete stress, and online monitoring of surface settlements. Displacements of the tunnel face, correlating with pre-face surface settlements, are monitored by an innovative, fully automatic face monitoring system (OBM). A correlation between volume loss (surface) and volume increase (face) could be established. A test field comparing fibreglass anchors (GRP) with IBO face bolts revealed -contrary to expectations -no appreciable reduction of surface settlement due to GRP anchors. However, temporary inverts constructed in the side wall galleries in combination with IBO face bolts support turned out to be effective in reducing horizontal convergence and resulting settlements of the ground surface in a sensitive residential area.

The ÖBB‐Infrastruktur AG operates and maintains 246 tunnels and similar structures with an overall length of approx. 250 km. Nearly 150 of these structures are more than 100 years old, 35 of them are over 150 years old. Ageing processes, the impact of train traffic, ground conditions and environmental conditions are causing progressive damage to the tunnel linings, which – in order to maintain safe railway operation – requires ongoing maintenance procedures. Those procedures are carried out under a range of restrictions concerning availability, which is one of the most important principles at the ÖBB after safety. In order to obtain continuous availability of the facility, new methods of refurbishment were developed for the two double‐track tunnels Rekawinkler Tunnel and Kleine Dürreberg. The described methods enabled extensive repair works of the tunnels, mostly with uninterrupted train traffic on the second track.

An essential part of the Koralmbahn line, the Granitztal tunnel chain with a length of about 6.1 km runs between the Lavanttal and the Jauntal valleys and crosses the Deutsch Grutschen, the Granitztal and the Langer Berg. In early 2016, Austrian Railways ÖBB made a decision for the Granitztal tunnel chain project, which was then already under construction, to test the 3D model‐based Building Information Modelling (BIM) design method in addition to conventional 2D design. One essential precondition for the application of the BIM method on transport infrastructure projects was recognised as the required data structures. In addition to the definition of general project requirements and standards for BIM, work started on the structuring and classification of the construction elements required for the tunnel structure and their properties. Of equal importance are the spatial positioning and location of the construction elements and the definition of topological relationships to each other. The article gives an insight into the current state of development of BIM data structures for tunnel structure and track superstructure at the ÖBB and is intended to make a contribution to initiating the development of such data structures by all the disciplines involved in tunneling and transport infrastructure. The prime intention is to provide the BIM data structures produced in this way as an active contribution to the further development of the open BIM standard IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) in the IFC Underground Construction Group at buildingSMART

Digitalisation in the construction industry has been progressing continuously and bringing major changes for everyone involved in virtually all areas. Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB has been pushing BIM (Building Information Modelling) for the construction and rehabilitation of their infrastructure. By means of various pilot projects, the basics and the processes required for design and construction are developed and applied with a strong focus on system operation. For Granitztal tunnel and a total length of ≈6.1 km, the as‐built design of the civil structures is done with an element‐based, open BIM model. As part of the handover to the maintenance and operation division, the data of civil structures relevant for operation are derived from the BIM model, validated by means of automatic methods and transferred to the facility management system (AVS, Anlagen‐Verzeichnis‐System). In the absence of an IFC (Industry Foundation Class) structure tunnel, a semantic and spatial data structure is developed. Furthermore, the model will be enriched with components of railway equipment. On the other hand, there is the over‐100‐year‐old Karawanks tunnel as part of the railway section between Villach and Jesenice. The line has been in operation since 1906 and includes the ≈8 km‐long, single‐tube Karawanks tunnel. The current situation of the tunnel including the superstructure and technical equipment no longer meets performance, safety and durability requirements and is being rehabilitated within an international cooperation project between Austria and Slovenia. The focus in this BIM project is set on the as‐built design and merging data of the existing historic tunnel structure with information of new components implemented during refurbishment. A core task is the structured transfer of data contained in the BIM model to the facility/asset management system of ÖBB (AVS) and the Slovenian infrastructure operator. The case histories of Granitztal tunnel and Karawanks tunnel are used to describe the implementation of BIM, including the development of required data structures, validation mechanisms and data delivery to the asset management.

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