Engineering Innovation

Digital As-Builts

What is an As-Built?

As-Builts, also referred to as Record Plans at NYSDOT, are a collection of documents containing graphical or written contract information that are produced by or for the Engineering Division in the delivery of the Capital Construction Program. Their purpose is to document how a project was actually built, noting any changes made to the original plan information during construction.

NYSDOT’s current state of practice for as-built record plans can be found within the Contract Administration Manual—Section 91 Request for Information, Field Revisions and As-Builts. Section VI As-Built Record Plans was recently revised in March 2024 to include electronic files identified as plans.

NYSDOT maintains a database for all As-Builts collected, including projects dating back to the 1890’s. These projects can be found using our Record Plans Public Access Portal (RPPAP) tool which can be found at https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/recordplans.

Cover of NYSDOT Contract Administration Manual Section 91 on As-Built Record Plans. Click to download PDF.
Click to download
Example of a traditional NYSDOT as-built record plan document.

What is an As-Built?

As-Builts, also referred to as Record Plans at NYSDOT, are a collection of documents containing graphical or written contract information that are produced by or for the Engineering Division in the delivery of the Capital Construction Program. Their purpose is to document how a project was actually built, noting any changes made to the original plan information during construction.

NYSDOT’s current state of practice for as-built record plans can be found within the Contract Administration Manual—Section 91 Request for Information, Field Revisions and As-Builts. Section VI As-Built Record Plans was recently revised in March 2024 to include electronic files identified as plans.

NYSDOT maintains a database for all As-Builts collected, including projects dating back to the 1890’s. These projects can be found using our Record Plans Public Access Portal (RPPAP) tool which can be found at https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/recordplans.

Cover of NYSDOT Contract Administration Manual Section 91 on As-Built Record Plans. Click to download PDF.
Click to download
Example of a traditional NYSDOT as-built record plan document.

What is a Digital As-Built?

The FHWA National Strategic Roadmap publication defines a DAB as a digital data-oriented process for tracking, documenting, and archiving asset information created during project delivery. DAB’s focus on enhancing access, use, and management of highway project data from design to asset management. All asset data provide useful lifecycle facility asset inventory information for data management, with data that are accessible, searchable, geospatial, contextual, reliable, durable, extractable, and interoperable.

NYSDOT is currently utilizing an Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems grant to develop the exchange and information requirements and a process to extract subsurface roadway asset data from design models to support asset management through a digital as-built exchange. This grant will help NYSDOT better define any future changes needed to the current As-Built process. Please check out our ADCMS page to learn more.

The image below demonstrates NYSDOT’s ADCMS progress toward DABs by modifying the CAD workspace to include asset attribute information within the CAD element properties. The goal is for these element properties to be populated by Design, Construction and Operations as the asset progresses throughout its lifecycle.

Cover of NYSDOT Contract Administration Manual Section 91 on As-Built Record Plans. Click to download PDF.
Click to download
Example of a digital as-built showing CAD element properties populated with asset attribute information.
An example of a digital as-built.
Diagram illustrating the relationship between BIM, Digital As-Builts, and Record Plans in NYSDOT's digital delivery workflow.

What is a Digital As-Built?

The FHWA National Strategic Roadmap publication defines a DAB as a digital data-oriented process for tracking, documenting, and archiving asset information created during project delivery. DAB’s focus on enhancing access, use, and management of highway project data from design to asset management. All asset data provide useful lifecycle facility asset inventory information for data management, with data that are accessible, searchable, geospatial, contextual, reliable, durable, extractable, and interoperable.

NYSDOT is currently utilizing an Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems grant to develop the exchange and information requirements and a process to extract subsurface roadway asset data from design models to support asset management through a digital as-built exchange. This grant will help NYSDOT better define any future changes needed to the current As-Built process. Please check out our ADCMS page to learn more.

The image below demonstrates NYSDOT’s ADCMS progress toward DABs by modifying the CAD workspace to include asset attribute information within the CAD element properties. The goal is for these element properties to be populated by Design, Construction and Operations as the asset progresses throughout its lifecycle.

Cover of NYSDOT Contract Administration Manual Section 91 on As-Built Record Plans. Click to download PDF.
Click to download
Example of a digital as-built showing CAD element properties populated with asset attribute information.
An example of a digital as-built.
Diagram illustrating the relationship between BIM, Digital As-Builts, and Record Plans in NYSDOT's digital delivery workflow.

Additional Resources

Click on a thumbnail below to access additional resources on digital as-builts.

Cover of NCHRP Synthesis 548: Development and Use of As-Built Plans by State DOTs. Click to open PDF.
NCHRP Synthesis 548 – Development and Use of As-Built Plans by State Departments of Transportation [PDF]
Cover of FHWA TechBrief on delivering BIM under Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build approaches at NYSDOT. Click to open PDF.
FHWA TechBrief – Delivering BIM Under Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build Project Delivery Approaches – A Review of NYSDOT's Practice [PDF]
Thumbnail for the FHWA EDC-6 Digital As-Built Webinar Series. Click to access webinar recordings.
FHWA Digital As-Built Webinar Series
Cover of the FHWA Digital As-Builts Getting Started How-To Reference guide. Click to open PDF.
FHWA Digital As-Builts: Getting Started How-to Reference [PDF]

Additional Resources

Click on a thumbnail below to access additional resources on digital as-builts.

Cover of NCHRP Synthesis 548: Development and Use of As-Built Plans by State DOTs. Click to open PDF.
NCHRP Synthesis 548 – Development and Use of As-Built Plans by State Departments of Transportation [PDF]
Cover of FHWA TechBrief on delivering BIM under Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build approaches at NYSDOT. Click to open PDF.
FHWA TechBrief – Delivering BIM Under Design-Bid-Build and Design-Build Project Delivery Approaches – A Review of NYSDOT's Practice [PDF]
Thumbnail for the FHWA EDC-6 Digital As-Built Webinar Series. Click to access webinar recordings.
FHWA Digital As-Built Webinar Series
Cover of the FHWA Digital As-Builts Getting Started How-To Reference guide. Click to open PDF.
FHWA Digital As-Builts: Getting Started How-to Reference [PDF]

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