The 90-kilometer HS2 Phase 1 rail route has approximately 25 million cubic meters of material earmarked for excavation, making the volume of earthworks one of the largest sources of carbon emissions. The integrated project team (IPT) needed to identify mass haul efficiencies that could minimize wasted material and help HS2 achieve its target of 50% reduction in carbon emissions. IPT had to accurately understand the material types for reuse, but faced geotechnical and coordination challenges that traditional assessment methods could not accommodate, requiring an integrated digital geological information solution.

Leveraging ProjectWise with Central and Leapfrog applications from Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company, the team developed a collaborative geoBIM assessment technique based on the 3D spatial assessment of ground investigation data within the proposed earthworks excavations. Modeling specific geometric earthwork profiles optimized mass haul movements during construction, which provided critical insight into material reuse across the project. The 3D models provide a foundation for the development of a digital twin to support future earthworks projects.