María Zambrano train station 5G pilot, Andalucia: Smart transport hubs

NEW CIVIL ENGINEER: TECHFEST AWARD FINALIST 2022: 
Transportation infrastructure, including airports, train stations, and port terminals, plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of goods and people, promoting economic growth. However, station managers, city planners, designers, and builders need to adopt new technologies to make these assets more efficient. By digitizing transport hubs, we can create a connected infrastructure that is secure and enables us to regulate and enhance movement flows, optimize operations through data analysis, and ensure efficient energy consumption. Furthermore, digitization can reduce capital expenditure.

The use of 5G connectivity is the key component that opens up an infinite world of possibilities, enabling us to exploit the capabilities of other tools, such as BIM (building information modelling) and virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). The ‘5G Andalusia Pilot’ Project has transformed the way we can experience and interact with transport hubs, making our journeys smoother and more enjoyable than ever before.

Picture this: you’re at the María Zambrano high-speed station in Málaga, trying to navigate the bustling crowds and find your way around. But wait, what if there was an app that could guide you through the station seamlessly? Thanks to the ‘5G Andalusia Pilot’ initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Red.es and developed through a partnership between Vodafone, Station operators Adif, Huawei, and Ayesa, this is now a reality.

Ayesa used BIM modeling to create a digital twin of the station, complete with information about its geometry, spatial relationships, and components. This 3D model, hosted in the BIM360 cloud with a 5G connection, serves as the foundation for two applications based on augmented reality (AR). The first use case is the passenger guidance app, which allows travelers to use their mobile devices to navigate the station and select places of interest, like restaurants and shops.

The app provides real-time information and directions, all in an immersive augmented reality experience. Meanwhile, the second use case – the maintenance app uses the BIM model to perform preventive and corrective maintenance tasks at the station, with AR visualizations that allow for easy monitoring and execution of tasks. With the speed of 5G, data flows instantly from both mobile phone apps to the station BIM model, reflecting live experiences such as crowds, security incidents, accidents, and real-time operations and repair updates on assets.. The Ayesa team used Unity technology to create 3D augmented reality and BIM 360 from Autodesk for this groundbreaking project.

Benefits of combining the digital twin and 5G technology in various industries include:

Improved efficiency and performance of assets in energy, architecture, aerospace, tourism, and the food sector.

Real-time view of operations, revenues, customers, and energy consumption for transport infrastructure such as airports, port terminals, and train stations.

Up-to-date information on building health metrics and KPIs, including air quality, facility usage, station occupancy, and regulatory compliance.

Quick identification and resolution of issues if readings fall out of the acceptable range, leading to improved compliance and safety.

Enhancement of the entire lifecycle of the transport hub, from design to operations, maintenance, and refurbishment.