Mrs. Michelle Maura Ribeiro
Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais
Brazil
Abstract Title: Geobim for Railroad Infrastructure – Modernizing Federal Public Management through the Adoption of BIM & GIS in the Context of Brazilian Cross-Investment and ESG
Biography:
Michelle Maura Ribeiro, BIM Specialist, Master BIM Infra, Civil Engineer, Global BIM Manager, Digital Engineer. She is a Researcher, Professor, and Coordinator of the GeoBIM Infrastructure Postgraduate Program in Brazil and a speaker at renowned international institutions. She manages Multidisciplinary BIM Projects for High-Speed Trains in Europe in 4 languages, residing in Paris, France. She was Head of BIM and GIS Manager at Infra SA (VALEC) Ministry of Transport, implementing GeoBIM for Road-Rail Infrastructure in the Brazilian Federal Government. She wrote the first BIM Appendix for Rail Tendering in Brazil (Ferrogrão) by EPL and launched the first BIM Manual for Railways in Brazil in Public Consultation by Infra SA. She works directly with OpenBIM in the CoPIL of buildingSMART France and is part of BuildingSmart PT&BR, a BIM mentor at Infra Women BR, WIB Europe, IRAP's Women in Engineering, and SAEBrasil.
Research Interest:
The Ferrovia de Integração Centro-Oeste (FICO), a strategic center west Brazilian railway spanning 383 kilometers, forms a key segment of Transcontinental Railway project, which aims to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, fostering economic integration and regional development across South America. The construction of FICO is enabled by an innovative cross-investment model involving Infra S.A. (Valec), ANTT, and the private mining company VALE. This groundbreaking financing approach blends public and private efforts to realize large-scale railway projects in Brazil.
Digital transformation in public management has become indispensable, particularly in this context, enhancing transparency and efficiency in project execution. Central to this transformation is the application of GeoBIM, integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). For FICO, GeoBIM consolidates technical, legal, environmental, and construction data through the Portal GeoBIM FICO+, an innovative platform that enables centralized and transparent lifecycle management of the project.
The adoption of these methodologies and technologies goes beyond innovation, aligning with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles to promote environmental and social responsibility while modernizing governance in both public and private sectors. This digitized and integrated model optimizes processes related to engineering and environmental management, meeting the logistical demands of a growing economy.
The FICO GeoBIM successful use case exemplifies how technological innovation combined with strategic PPP public-private partnerships can transform Brazil’s railroad infrastructure, establishing a new benchmark for future projects.
Keywords: GeoBIM, GIS, ESG, PPP, Railroad