HBIM-GIS Integration of Infrastructure Heritage with Complex Documentation and Conservation States: Methodology and Application to the Historic Bridges along Chinese Eastern Railway Main Line

Cultural heritage assets are frequently subjected to both natural and human-induced transformations over time, often resulting in the physical deterioration or disappearance of structures, as well as the enrichment or loss of historical records. Infrastructure heritage presents significant conservation challenges due to its large spatial scale, complex site conditions, and diverse intervention histories. This study proposes an innovative HBIM–GIS integration workflow tailored to infrastructure heritage sites affected by both complex physical conditions and varied levels of archival preservation. Unlike conventional HBIM or GIS-only approaches, the proposed workflow is designed to adapt to three different scenarios: (1) well-preserved but lacking archival records, (2) extensively documented but physically lost, and (3) structurally altered with layered historical interventions. The goal is to produce accurate, georeferenced, and semantically enriched digital records while enhancing interactivity and visualization quality through 3D representation. Integrated outcomes are made accessible via remote access and online publication using the ArcGIS® platform. The methodology is validated through three representative historic bridges along the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) main line: the Huli River Bridge III, the dismantled Mayan River Bridge, and the Muling River Bridge. The results demonstrate the workflow’s adaptability and contribution to both scholarly research and public engagement in infrastructure heritage conservation.