Research on the Integration of Steel Structure Design and Fabrication Based on MBSE

Abstract

Existing BIM-based workflows for complex spatial steel bridges often support 3D visualization and documentation, but they still lack a formal requirement-to-function traceability mechanism and a reliable automated link from special-shaped surface modeling to fabrication-oriented data. To address this gap, this study develops and validates a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)-oriented design–fabrication integration workflow for special-shaped steel bridges. The workflow combines requirement decomposition, functional architecture modeling, ENOVIA-based collaborative data management, skeleton-driven parametric modeling, User-Defined Feature (UDF) templates, Engineering Knowledge Language (EKL) batch instantiation, an IFC-based manufacturing information extension, ProNest nesting, and model-driven NC-code generation. The method was implemented for the Q7 North Pedestrian Bridge, a spatially twisted special-shaped steel landscape bridge. In the case study, the proposed workflow reduced typical repetitive component modeling time by 70.8%, shortened drawing generation time by 80.0%, increased nesting material utilization from 84.6% to 91.8%, and controlled the maximum coordinate-transformation deviation of formwork points within 1.42 mm. Field validation showed a mean fabrication deviation of 1.6 mm and a maximum site assembly closure deviation of 4.5 mm. The results indicate that the proposed MBSE-oriented digital thread improves design consistency, reduces manual data re-entry, and strengthens traceability from requirements to manufacturing and assembly. The study provides a reproducible case-study framework for model-driven steel bridge design–fabrication integration and identifies the limitations of UDF-library construction cost, software-specific learning requirements, and single-project validation.