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  • 3D Printing in construction: Prospects and Challenges

    The construction industry generates approximately $10 trillion in annual revenue, accounting for roughly 6% of global GDP. Indeed, engineering and construction are essential chevaliers of world economy and growth. Hence construction firms are always looking for new techniques to increase the output while lowering costs. 3D printing is the new solution for these issues. 3D printing, often known as additive manufacturing (AM), is one of the newest types of construction technology that has been introduced to the industry. Today, construction is being pushed towards automation to reduce labour; minimize on-site construction time; increase production; improve architectural freedom and lower costs. Furthermore, 3D printing contributes to environmental sustainability. 3D printing (3DP) is a layered material joining method that uses 3D model data to create diverse structures and complicated geometric patterns without the use of tooling, dies, or fixtures. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) define AM as "the process of combining materials to construct objects from 3D model data, usually layer by layer." With its potential for automation, formwork elimination, construction waste reduction, and geometrical precision enhancement, 3DP has a lot of promise for construction applications. Recommended: 3D-printed concrete, its uses, processes, advantages, limitations A brief history of 3D printing technology The first commercial 3D printing machine was built in 1986 by Charles Hull, an American scientist recognized as the "Father of 3DP". The experimental application of 3DP in the building industry began in the late 1990s. Existing 3DP research focuses on advanced materials (e.g., cementitious materials, polymer materials, and metal materials, processes (e.g., contour crafting, D-shape, and concrete printing), and implementation methods (e.g., off-site/on-site fabrication, hybrid techniques, and multiple materials). Novel shapes, topology optimization, bespoke parts, and in-situ repair are some of the construction applications. 3D printing techniques AM employs a variety of manufacturing techniques. Contour Crafting, D-shape, Concrete Printing, and Shotcrete 3D printing are the four major 3D printing processes among them. Contour Crafting (CC) technology is the most promising 3D printing technique utilized in the construction industry. Material is poured layer by layer in this technology, yet the entire process takes place on-site. This technology offers a huge chance for construction process automation by using a 3D printer that can print a whole house on-site. Benefits of 3D printing The major advantages of 3D printing are explained as follows: Time savings: The time taken to finish the building can be drastically reduced. Cost savings 3D printing gives you more geometric freedom to create structures that would not be possible otherwise. Sustainability: 3D Printing allows for the creation of environmentally friendly designs and structures. 3D printing decreases waste generated during the manufacturing process. It also decreases the need for formwork. Enhanced safety in the building sites as the printers will be capable of performing the majority of the hazardous and dangerous work Time-efficient: wet construction procedures are eliminated, resulting in fewer material wastes and less time spent constructing buildings Challenges of 3D printing Despite having numerous benefits, 3D printing also has some limitations and challenges. They are explained as follows: Material: the main challenges are related to the 3D printing material. The material issues can be broken down into three categories: printability, buildability, and open time. The material must have the desired printability and buildability in order to be extruded from the nozzle and maintain its shape. Other major issues are printability and constructability. The material must swiftly support itself, and the layers must generate sufficient connections between them. The third challenge is open time. The printability and buildability must be constant within acceptable tolerances during the open time. Printer: There is just a limited amount of time to print the materials. Any delays may cause the concrete to harden. As a result, unique material combinations are required, as well as sufficient printing time. Scalability, directional dependency, and cyber security are all issues with 3D printers. The scale of construction projects adds to the difficulty of 3D printing. Cyber security: The construction process is automated and all information is stored in a 3D model. Hence cyber security and the danger of hacking are a concern. Exclusion of building services, structural integrity, and construction site suitability are all design and construction problems. Building services, such as electrical and mechanical, are difficult to exclude. Another major issue is structural integrity. Because the quality of the printed parts have been discovered to be fragile, printing load-bearing components have proved problematic. Another difficulty is establishing a construction location. The open environment of a construction site may not be suited for 3D printers that require a more regulated setting. Furthermore, site circumstances may be variable, making the relocation and installation of the 3D printer difficult. 3D printing construction faces additional problems due to a lack of codes and regulations. There are no restrictions limiting the use of 3D printing in construction projects because the technology is still new. New technology: It's difficult to imagine 3D printing replacing traditional buildings in the next few years. It is more likely that both technologies will be present in the sector, with 3D printing developing alongside older processes and supporting them, particularly in the case of more complex building projects. Some notable 3D printing applications in the building industry Canal House in Amsterdam In 2014 Dutch design business Dus Architects decided to build a house by printing its elements via a huge 3D printer. This was the first project that will be realized solely by 3D printing technology In Europe. This 3D Print Canal House project was built in Amsterdam. Architects from Dus Architects want to show that by printing house components directly on the site, they can entirely eliminate construction waste and reduce transportation expenses. The printer's mobility is seen as its primary benefit because it can be relocated anywhere in the world, reducing the cost of material transportation and storage on construction sites. The project's duration was calculated to allow them to research printing processes and manufacture appropriate materials. Because the major goal of the operation is to identify and share possible uses of 3D printing in the building sector, the construction site is accessible to the public and will remain open long after the project is completed. WinSun Company buildings WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co is a Chinese firm, working on materials that are comparable to concrete and suitable to use in 3D printing technology. They have been successfully building numerous houses using their 3D printing technology since 2014. The building components are printed as prefabricated elements and assembled on site. They use a 3D printer for printing components that are 6 meters high, 10 meters wide, and 40 meters long. Layer by layer, the printer extrudes the material (mortar) through a nozzle. The walls are diagonally reinforced, with a hollow structure acting as an insulation layer. Components are printed in a facility and then brought to the construction site where they are put together to form the entire structure. Then the building walls were fitted with windows and doors. After the roof was erected, finishing works were done and structures were completed. The anticipated cost of each structure is $4,800. REFERENCES Izabela Hager, Anna Golonka and Roman Putanowicz; 3D printing of buildings and building components as the future of sustainable construction; Proceedia Engineering 151 ( 2016 ) 292 – 299 Wikipedia, available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Hull (2016) 3D print canal house, available from: http://3dprintcanalhouse.com/construction-technique, (2016). WINSUN, available from: www.yhbm.com, (2016). B. Khoshnevis, Automated construction by contour crafting – related robotics and information technologies, Automat. Constr. – Special Issue: The best of ISARC 2002, 13 (2004) 5–19. Xin Ning; 3D Printing in Construction: Current Status, Implementation Hindrances, and Development Agenda; Advances in Civil Engineering, 2021 Lotfi Romdhane and Sameh M. El-Sayegh, 3D Printing in Construction: Benefits and Challenges, International Journal of Structural and Civil Engineering Research Vol. 9, No. 4, November 2020

  • Top 5 books for Construction Project Management in 2022

    Introduction to Project Management Construction is an inherently high-risk, high-cost, long-term activity and low-margin business with countless opportunities for miscoordination, miscommunication, and disconnected processes. The construction industry in the UK contributes to a turnout of £110 billion per annum with a 7% contribution to GDP and accounts for approximately 3 million jobs, 10% of total employment in the UK. As boldly stated by the UK government publication “Construction 2025” in 2013 some ambitious goals were set for the future strategy of the construction industry. A 33% reduction in the initial cost of construction and the whole-life costs of built assets and a 50% reduction in the overall time, from inception to completion, for newbuild and refurbished assets were set to be achieved. Furthermore, the goals set completely align with the primal pillars of the project management practice also defined as the golden triangle, driven by objectives of cost, time, and quality. Project managers of civil engineering projects will play a vital role in achieving these set goals by improving the processes and systems used in delivering projects. 5. Value And Risk Management: A Guide to Best Practice by Michael F. Dallas Published on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Building with cross-industry institutional support: Combines value and risk management which are often considered, wrongly, in isolation Makes a complicated subject accessible to a wide audience of construction practitioners Features checklists and proformas to aid the implementation of best practice Buy now: https://amzn.to/3rQJzI8 4. Introduction to Building Procurement by Brian Greenhalgh With chapter summaries and tutorial questions provided throughout the book, the reader will get to grips with the following topics: the structure of the construction industry the nature of clients the historical development of building procurement methods the roles and responsibilities carried out in any project. Buy now: https://amzn.to/3eKNYIO Are you looking for a job in Civil Engineering? Learn about the company's values, the sectors they work in, and the services they provide, compare ratings from Indeed and Glassdoor, and Apply for your dream job 3. Accounting for Non-Accounting Students by John R. Dyson Accounting for Non-Accounting Students is a highly reputed text for its accessibility and clarity. The book combines user-friendly language and real-world examples making it ideal for students with little or no prior knowledge of Financial or Management accounting. The text covers the essentials of book-keeping and the rules of accounting in a non-technical style and teaches students the right questions that all non-accountants should ask who want to excel in their studies and career. Buy now: https://amzn.to/2NjLSUX You may also find useful : Procurement systems advantages, disadvantages and risks for the construction client: The procurement options mentioned provide satisfactory performance in the objectives of the golden triangle with both advantages and disadvantages to the construction client based on the project size and client priorities. Procurement strategies to deliver better value for clients: The continuing search for maximum value for money in construction work has, in recent years, increasingly focused attention upon the procurement process. Effective delivery of a project requires that the supply chain clearly understands the client’s needs and specific business case to deliver an economical and efficient end product. Cost, Time and Quality | The Golden Triangle in Construction Recent research into major projects by (Dalton, 2008) as shown in Table 1 found that 75-80% of the causes of projects failing were due to procurement, the definition of project requirements, and the client’s management capabilities. 2. Project Management by Dennis Lock Dennis Lock's masterly exposition of the principles and practice of project management has been pre-eminent in its field for 45 years and was among the first books to treat project management as a holistic subject. Project Management explains the entire project management process in great detail, demonstrating techniques from simple charts to detailed computer applications. The author has expanded discussion of topics such as supply chain management and the project management office (PMO). Buy now: https://amzn.to/3s2Rp1a Discover: Construction Project Management Course at Coursera What you will learn: Construction Project Management introduces you to Project Initiation and Planning. Industry experts join Columbia University professor, Ibrahim Odeh, to give an overview of the construction industry. Professor Odeh teaches the fundamentals of the Project Development Cycle while guest lecturers discuss Lean Project Delivery method and Lean Design Behaviors. Technological advances, such as Building Information Modeling, will be introduced with real-world examples of the uses of BIM during the Lifecycle of the Project. The course concludes with Professor Odeh discussing the importance of project planning and scheduling and an opportunity to develop a Work Breakdown Structure. Take the free Course Now 1. Modern Construction and Management, by Prof. Frank Harris Modern Construction Management presents construction as a socially responsible, innovative, carbon-reducing, manager-involved, people-orientated, crisis-free industry that is efficient and cost-effective. Drivers for efficiency: lean construction underpinning production management and off-site production methods. Sustainability: reflecting the transition to a low carbon economy. Corporate Social Responsibility: embracing health & safety, modernistic contracts, effective procurement, and employment issues. Building Information Management: directed towards the improvement of construction management systems. Buy now: https://amzn.to/3cwITRL

  • Top 4 Key Drivers of Sustainable Development in the Construction Industry

    Summary Top 4 Key Drivers of Sustainable Development in the Construction Industry and Built environment. Climate Change Equity Health and well-being Water and resources build nothing, less, clever, efficient Climate change Carbon neutral living – homes, transport, data: introduce renewable net zero infrastructure such as clean energy or clean transport such as EV and electric rail. For homes try to build efficiently with net zero materials or refurbish buildings which will provide less harm to the environment than building new Resilience and adaptation: build new assets and infrastructure with future resilience in mind as more flooding and natural disaster will happen and assets need to withstand extra forces. Also, infrastructure has to be interdependent with each other Drought and water scarcity: minimize leakages of pipe networks and make them more efficient, as well as use smart management of water supply by controlling dam and riverways levels to be able to supply water all year long Equity Affordable housing: promote developments of brownfield sites and provide affordable housing by refurbishing existing infrastructure or repurposing it Modern slavery: have full checks to comply with the health and safety and well-being of people working on construction sites on large projects through correct reporting of events and leadership Indigenous rights: creating accessible drinking water for everyone Fair opportunities and access for populations and minorities: creating links between different urban areas, increasing connectivity and access to jobs, such as regenerating parts of outer London by creating new stations. Health and well-being Birds, bees, and green space: create green spaces in cities for the well-being of people but also to increase the biodiversity of areas and shelter animals. Also, build green bridges which allow animals to cross motorways Air quality (indoor and out): reduce congestion in cities by introducing more green transport such as rail or electric busses which subsequently improve air quality. Introduce green spaces and vehicle tolls to reduce traffic and improve the transport infrastructure in urban areas (e.g. London ULEZ Zones) Flexible working: allow people to work from home, which reduces the number of trips they take such as in private vehicles Food quality and security: incorporate flood defenses and drought protocols (water management) to protect food Water and resources Single-use plastics: create recycling facilities Circular economy: The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum Use SuDS pond: Where rainfall lands on a surface, you can use source control sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) techniques to control run-off at, or close to, the source. This prevents pollutants from entering and contaminating watercourses You may also find useful: What is the circular economy? Starting Point on how to decarbonize the built environment industry (Thinking shift) Image from: BEAMA Build nothing – challenging the root cause of the need to build and exploring alternative options Build less – maximizing the use of existing assets to reduce the need to build new Build clever – minimizing resource consumption, using low-carbon materials Build efficiently – eliminating waste and embracing new construction technologies. Most decisions on a construction project should be made sooner at the planning stage (RIBA Plan of Work Stages 0-3) before the design is completed and finalized as it is harder to change features in the construction stage due to high embodied carbon. Build nothing Challenge the root cause of the need to explore alternative approaches to achieve the desired outcome Example: Giving people green spaces to improve air quality and water quality hence there is no need to build more hospitals. Reducing the possibility of people getting ill from the quality of life Example: Build no motorways as the problem is not giving enough access but encouraging people to use public transport instead of private vehicles. A new motorway will not solve the congestion problem as demand will increase with the capacity increase introduced with the new motorway Build less Maximise the use of existing assets, optimise asset operation and management to reduce the extent of new construction required Increase the usage of existing assets by efficient planning and optimization (eg. Such as hot desking of people going to the office, instead of an allocation seat) Utilize the current assets with minimal new builds such as improving the timetable of railway services and introducing more trains where demand is high Refurbishment of buildings instead of demolishing and building new as it can be more expensive Use an old power plant to create office space (Battersea power station) Build clever Minimizing resource consumption, using low-carbon materials & smart design Low-carbon materials (certified EPDs of material are a good measure to identify low-carbon solutions) Streamlining delivery process (incorporate the supply chain during the concept and inception stages of a project to end up with a more efficient, optimized design which will include the delivery process of materials to the site) Minimizing resource consumption (build open spaces with fewer columns, use less dense materials such as steel) Build efficiently by eliminating waste ( use efficient construction methods such as prefabrication that have minimal waste. if waste is present, measure it and recycle it by setting a baseline of metrics) Source materials locally ( this reduces the transportation emissions of transporting raw material from factories to the site)

  • The future of custom parts: Precision Machining

    The manufacturing industry now depends on precision machining. A great number of the tiny and large items we use daily are produced by precision machining. A machinist's skill set is required at some level for each intricate component that goes into creating an object. The same is true for worn-out tools and equipment, which frequently calls for precision machinists to calibrate machine tools, weld, or grooves. To produce parts and components with incredibly complicated or intricate geometry, this compositional production method frequently teams professional engineers and designers together with the most cutting-edge machinery possible. Many crucial components utilized in a wide range of industries, such as the aeronautical, electrical, and medical sectors, require precision machining to be created. Precision machining is used in every technology and sector, including the fabrication of aircraft aluminum alloys, surgical bone drilling equipment, and specialized automotive tools. Alternatively put, precision machining was necessary if an object has pieces. Making the transition from conventional to precise manufacturing is similar to making a dump truck into a sports car. Contaminants are prevented by electrical drive, oil-free equipment, as well as by particle and fastener-free integration with laser welding and over-molding. Software for controlling machines that is digitally driven and AI-enhanced offers the best dimensional accuracy to accommodate complex design characteristics. Precision Machining Method: Utilizing cutting-edge, computerized machine tools, precision machining can produce intricate geometric cuts with high levels of reproducibility and precision while maintaining strict tolerances. Automated computer numerical control (CNC) precision machining can be used to do this. The most popular automated machine tool types are CNC mills and CNC lathes, while cutting-edge CNC machining centers may frequently carry out both tasks. Computer-aided design (CAD) software is used by designers to develop digital design files, which are then converted into computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) files that guide CNC machining equipment on what tools and procedures to employ. Among the tasks carried out during CNC machining are milling, rolling, drilling, tapping, piercing, and other operations. Precision Machining Applications: The quality of the items produced by precision machining is substantially higher than that of regular CNC machining. Here one of the main questions that arise is: What is precision machining and how does it work? It is a great way to satisfy demanding project needs, like: Precise tolerances. Precision machining may create items with tolerances as small as 0.0001′′ if the appropriate machinery is available. Repeatability. Components must be capable of being manufactured to the same tight tolerances repeatedly from one part to another for precision machining to be successful. Medical device manufacturing. Machine operators are starting to make use of CNC medical machining's potential for creating precise medical components due to its high compatibility with the healthcare sector. Volume. Practically every production volume requirement, including prototypes, high-volume production runs, and blanket orders, may be met with precision machining techniques. Future medical device technology will be impacted by precise machining. For crucial applications like prosthetics and orthotics, precision machining produces the ideal fit. People now feel more capable as a result of these technologies rather than just being supported. Usually made from titanium and otherwise cobalt-chrome including some amount of polyethylene, acrylics, terephthalate, as well as polyether ether ketones plastic components, the following substitutes include: ● Major joint replacements for the knee, hip, or shoulder ● Surgical implants for the elbow, ankle, or hand ● implanted craniums ● Spine fusions ● spinal fluid shunts in the brain ● ports for implantable catheters ● implanted cochlea Precision manufacturing is advantageous to specialists like surgeons and dentists. They can now create personalized instruments, such as scissors, biopsies instruments, implant carriers, forceps, nebulizers, and blade grips, or they can give the robotic helper personalized grippers, depending on their preferences. Extremely intricate solutions can be precisely crafted to match the patient's biomechanics using body scans as a guide. In sharp contrast to conventional hand-made components, this makes a statement. A product that has been precisely machined eliminates human mistakes, patient discontent, and additional operations. Medical practitioners will produce custom components to specification, locally, and on demand in the future using digital customizer apps. Along with their practical advantages, wearable medical devices are becoming more socially acceptable, allowing for the use of hip hearing aids, canes as well as crutches, slender manufactured biometric rings, as well as other accessories. Conclusion Precision machining uses a wide range of materials to create precise, high-quality products. The materials frequently used for precision machining include Aluminium, Brass, Bronze, Steel carbon, Copper\sPlastics, Steel stainless, Steel, Titanium as well as exotic metals, etc. Unquestionably, CNC precision machining is the most efficient method for producing your unique parts. Along with saving you money, it also requires extremely little time and leaves minimal room for error. Include this manufacturing method in your current production.

  • The Art of Scale in Construction: A Miniature House

    By: Studio Destto “THE ART OF SCALE IN CONSTRUCTION” THE INCREDIBLE CONSTRUCTION OF A MINIATURE HOUSE WITH CEMENT AND BRICKS BY STUDIO DESTTO If you are a student or construction professional, you will know the hours of study and experience that are needed to achieve the necessary knowledge on a construction site, but have you ever thought about learning to build in a more intuitive and entertaining way from home before going out to practice in the professional world? Here we explain a little. Studio Destto is a YouTube channel created by a group of architects and engineers that teaches the principles of architecture and construction using miniature pieces. You will discover videos of how to make mini tools for construction and all the processes you need to build a house from scratch. Although they are made on a small scale, we use real construction methods and in this post, we will describe step by step one of our latest projects and what is the process of this incredible miniature tower house. To begin with this project, the design of the "tower house" created by the group of architects "GLUCK +" was taken as a reference. The idea was so unusual and magnificent that we took this great work as a starting point, adapted it and designed it in the “Destto style”. Once the design is finished, we gather the necessary materials such as miniature bricks, sand, cement, wood, glass, cardboard and many others that you can see in the video. We made a box covered with sand to simulate the terrain of the construction of the project and we began with the marking and excavation of the foundations, we made the structure of the foundation footing structure, beams and columns and stirrups made with wire. Having the structures ready we proceed to the location and tie the entire foundation structure. Once the foundation structure is made, we proceed to make concrete with cement, sand and water (2: 1: 1), We do the respective casting process and wait one day for it to take consistency, the next day we proceed to place the formwork made of acrylic that we designed ourselves and that will form the first columns with the concrete and the structural steel rebar. Throughout the process we are assembling and pouring the concrete in each of the structures that are required according to the design, do not forget that since there is more than one level we must leave a section in the columns free of concrete to tie the following ones. The structure of this complex design took a full week to complete and is documented and summarized in the video. We make the concrete slab with a welded wire mesh that works as a structure and then we pour the concrete. The design has a large cantilever, and we must create a structure that supports it, this we will make a metal column in "V" using a 3D pencil and some metal tubes and thus support with this cantilever. The next step is the pouring of the concrete slab; For this, we use "Steel Deck" made with a thin sheet of metal that we folded and recreated its shape. Remember, when working on such small scales, there are things that just need a lot of patience and care. Once the entire structure of the project is finished, we proceed to the installation of clay bricks for the creation of the walls. We manufacture these small bricks according to the necessary requirements and we are sure that it will be very entertaining to see in fast motion how they are installed on top of each other. But it still does not end here, at the same time that the clay bricks are installed you will see how plastic straws and cables, they work for the electrical installation that will give light to this incredible house. Once all the walls have been installed, we proceed to plaster them to have better finishes, for this, we first apply the mortar to all the walls and after polishing them and waiting for them to dry, we proceed to apply the stucco with a small trowel and let it dry a few hours and sand it with sandpaper. Do you remember the electrical installation? Well, for now, it will be the protagonist of this trajectory, you will see how with cardboard, cables and some LED lights connected to each other, we create small lamps that will be connected to this electrical installation. Blue world city But first, we installed the drywall structure made of cardboard and covered with white contact paper, now we can install the lights, all this to make a more impressive project. From this point, you will see some of the architectural finishes that will give the project essence and aesthetics, for example, the stairs located at the back that we made with cardboard and wood to give it a more modern contrast. You will see the installation of wooden floors and concrete steps that decorate the main entrance of this house, and of course, it will have its doors, which we will also teach you how to create. Remember, it is a project with four levels, in the upper part you will see a large terrace that we cover with small clay slabs and we apply a tile nozzle, we clean the excess, and we have an architectural finish. At this point you can imagine the days of work that we have to dedicate to create a house at the most realistic scale possible, now imagine a real construction. Now we go into the last details, the terrain is only sand and we know that nature plays an important role in the harmony of the projects, that is why we replaced the sandy soil with grass. After this, we make the windows, for the creation of these we use black painted cardboard and glass, with the cardboard pieces we create a mould that is perfectly assembled with the glass. We finished the process and making the recording of this project day and night, where you will be able to appreciate the house in its maximum splendour and the lights that accompany it. The project was a great challenge for us, we did it in five weeks with all its details, the result shows us what we do with love and dedication, we give our best every day to offer quality content and be able to enjoy it. Friends and colleagues, we hope you liked this post about the process and experience of this magnificent project, and it caught your attention, at Studio Destto we are happy every day to receive motivational messages, we want to take this content to different parts of the world and show you how entertaining and educational scale construction can be, is the goal that motivates us to continue developing this and many more projects we have for the future. Watch More: We thank “Structures Insider” for giving us the opportunity and space to reach more people through this medium and we hope that they will continue with us in this project by visiting our YouTube channel where we will continue showing new projects and answering all their questions. Best regards. Studio Destto.

  • 5 Ways the 5G Revolution will change Civil Engineering and the construction industry

    What is 5G? 5G is a collection of new spectrum, new technologies, and new infrastructure that will convert cellular communications from voice and data communications to a high-performance unified networking platform. From a commercial standpoint, 5G integrates all network edge touchpoints into a single platform, from fixed wireless access to vehicle tracking to complete Internet of Things functionality (IoT). In a nutshell, 5G is smarter, quicker, and more efficient than the existing 4G. This most recent standard includes three key elements: improved mobile broadband, ultra-low latency for time-sensitive applications, and the capability to connect huge numbers of IoT and rapid-capture technologies. Because of the high bandwidth and low latency of 5G, the technology is expected to greatly improve data capturing across a variety of project delivery processes. Commercial construction companies that can take benefit of the next 5th generation (5G) of wireless networks have a bright future ahead of them. How is 5G going to revolutionize the construction industry? The commercial construction industry is expected to evolve in the following ways: ● 3D Models An on-site view of project drawings can be provided by combining Augmented Reality (AR) with Virtual Reality (VR). These techniques can also be used in combination with BIM (Building Information Modeling) (BIM). Today's hardware is pricey and inconvenient for all-day use, but it will advance to lighter weight, less expensive variants. Thanks to 5G. With 5G's power, speed, and accuracy, clients will be able to imagine the project in new ways, from the foundation excavation to the ribbon cutting celebrations. This will make AR and VR more convenient and cost-effective for the construction industry, which will benefit greatly. Virtual reality and augmented reality will play a supporting role in the future construction industry as 5G is able to move and analyze vast amounts of data to the cloud or edge, both during construction and operations. Using AR and VR, it will be possible to add extra information to the animation, such as task planning and material pricing, as well as the characteristics of various construction pieces. As a result, the scheduling of building tasks might be significantly streamlined. With 5G's power, speed, and accuracy, the clients will be able to imagine the project in new ways. Also for you: Top 5 Construction Industry innovations in 2022 Know About 3D Printed Concrete Civils.ai, the exciting tech startup helping thousands of Civil Engineers innovate project planning ● Shared modifications to the design in real-time Today's construction sites rely on models that are regularly updated and modified by the several stakeholders involved in the building of a structure, whether it's a building, bridge, or road. Consider architects and designers making 2D and 3D modifications to digital blueprints that are immediately available for viewing and interaction on mobile phones, digital tablets, or giant monitors in construction trailers. 5G can help construction crews save time and minimize delays caused by someone forgetting to deliver new drawings. This will be especially noticeable on large projects or when working in remote areas. ● Machines that can be operated remotely and autonomously Robotic operators or self-driving cranes and remotely operated machinery like bulldozers and excavators are examples of autonomous machinery. Self-driving construction machinery will be able to recognise signals, map an area more precisely, and interact with one another more simply than ever before. All of these will improve the efficiency and safety of building sites. Sensors allow these components to continuously gather data about their surroundings, such as video images or physical measurements. Autonomous machinery in motion can be stopped if it gets too close to an employee or structure, or a crane operator can be alerted to an unexpected problem using camera recognition. As a result, workplace safety can be improved by constantly analyzing huge volumes of data. An operator can also operate the machinery from a safe location, this sort of equipment reduces the risk of workers being exposed to potentially hazardous conditions on the job site. Human error can be avoided by using self-driving machines. However, if the communication fails or the data is not received in a timely manner, fatal incidents can occur. ● Workplace Health and Safety It is important to establish a workplace culture that quickly adheres to safety regulations and best practices for risk management. Digital onboarding can be used by site teams to verify that personnel have completed safety training programmes using wireless cameras and QR code scanning. Monitoring high-risk areas and personnel and providing timely warnings can assist ensure a safe work environment. A network of sensors installed in high-risk regions can monitor environmental factors such as the quality of the air, temperature, or noise levels. Real-time alerts to workers in high-risk situations can reduce the amount of falls and being struck by machinery or other items, which can lead to numerous accidents and deaths. It also includes wearables, which can measure employees' vital signs and notify them in the event of weariness, as well as sensors in safety equipment (hardhats, boots, harnesses, etc.), which can identify whether workers are using them correctly. The 5G network can ensure that everyone is up to date on the newest procedures and prevent unauthorized personnel or visitors from entering the site. ● Management of Construction Projects Sensor networks, IP cameras, and drones capable of capturing 4K video can be utilized to track the maturity of the concrete, the location of machines and equipment, and the weather. All this data will enable more informed decision-making, which will reduce time and costs while enhancing productivity and quality of the final product as well as avoiding future difficulties. When it comes to the setting of concrete, for example, a short waiting period might lead to later issues in the construction, such as cracks. On the other hand, waiting too long would lead to waste of time and money on the project. Consider the power of deploying smart sensors attached to rebar and embedded in concrete aggregate to transmit data to cloud computers, where it can be analyzed quickly and in depth. Thus, experts may assess if concrete is correctly placed and monitor the setting of concrete at any stage over time, enhancing safety and highlighting potential maintenance issues. The supply chain can also be improved by having more control over existing resources and the current status of work. As a result, material orders can be placed on time, and delays in the initial planning of jobs can be avoided. It is also possible to keep valuables like materials and equipment safe by installing surveillance cameras. Conclusion The World Economic Forum and others have recognised 5G as the key to unlocking a fourth industrial revolution because of its transformative potential. Even if we don't know properly how that will play out, just as we didn't know what the first personal computers built 40 years ago, 5G will bring the connectivity and power to achieve things that have never been possible before, whether on a construction site or elsewhere. References https://blackandmcdonald.com/the-5g-revolution-is-coming-but-are-commercial-construction-companies-ready/ https://blogs.oracle.com/oracle-communications/post/how-will-5g-support-the-construction-and-engineering-industry#:~:text=Its%20capability%20to%20enable%20a,day%2Dto%2Dday%20work. http://constructionexec.com/article/the-promise-and-potential-of-5g-in-construction https://www.machinedesign.com/automation-iiot/article/21836924/how-5g-will-transform-construction-machines Mendoza, J.; de-la-Bandera, I.; Álvarez-Merino, C.S.; Khatib, E.J.; Alonso, J.; Casalderrey-Díaz, S.; Barco, R. 5G for Construction: Use Cases and Solutions. Electronics 2021, 10, 1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/ electronics10141713

  • GFRC Wall Panels | Insulating Panels For Energy Efficiency

    GFRC wall panels, or glass fiber-reinforced concrete panels, are an innovative type of construction material. Unlike traditional concrete, GFRC is much lighter in weight and can be easily molded into various shapes and sizes. Additionally, GFRC is extremely resistant to fire and weathering, making it an ideal choice for both indoor and outdoor applications. Because of its many benefits, GFRC is increasingly being used in commercial and residential construction projects. For example, GFRC panels can be used to create beautiful exterior cladding or stunning interior accent walls. In addition, GFRC is also an excellent material for creating furniture, countertops, and other architectural elements. With its limitless potential, GFRC is sure to revolutionize the world of construction. There are a lot of discussions these days about energy efficiency and its importance for both homeowners and businesses. One way to improve the energy efficiency of your property is to install insulation panels. If you are interested in learning more about installing insulation panels, read on! In this blog post, we will discuss GFRC wall panes - what they are, how they work, and why they are a good choice for insulating your property. GFRC Wall Panels Is Made Of Fiberglass, Which Is An Insulator. Fiberglass is a strong, lightweight material that has a wide range of applications, from insulation to boat hulls. It is made by combining glass fibers with a resin, typically polyester or epoxy. The resulting material is extremely strong and resistant to heat and corrosion. Fiberglass is often used as an alternative to steel or aluminum in construction and manufacturing applications. It is also commonly used in the automotive industry, for everything from body panels to engine parts. Thanks to its strength and durability, fiberglass is an ideal material for many different applications. GFRC wall panels is made of fiberglass, which is an excellent insulator. It is used in many industries because it does not conduct heat or electricity. This makes it ideal for applications where heat or electricity needs to be controlled. Fiberglass is also very strong and durable, making it an ideal material for wall panels. GFRC wall panels are made by combining fiberglass with resin, which creates a strong and sturdy panel. The panels are then reinforced with metal or other materials. This makes them extremely strong and resistant to damage. GFRC wall panels are an excellent choice for any application where strength and durability are required. GFRC Wall Panel Is Reinforced With A Plastic Mesh That Helps It Hold Its Shape And Prevents The Spread Of Fire. Plastic mesh is a material made from very fine plastic fibers that are woven together to form a fabric. It is often used in applications where a strong, lightweight material is needed, such as in filters, screens, Reinforcement (composites), Protection, and Drainage. Plastic mesh is also used in the agricultural industry as Bird netting, Garden fencing, and Fruit cages. The most common type of plastic mesh is polyethylene (PE) mesh, which is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers. Other types of plastic mesh include: nylon polypropylene (PP) polyester (PET). GFRC Wall Panels are an innovative product that offers a number of benefits over traditional wall materials. The panels are made from a reinforced plastic mesh that helps them hold their shape and prevents the spread of fire. In addition, the panels are easy to install and require no special tools or skills. They are also lightweight and durable, making them an ideal choice for both commercial and residential applications. GFRC Wall Panels offer a number of advantages over traditional wall materials, making them an ideal choice for any project. GFRC Wall Panel Does Not Corrode Or Rust, Making It A Good Choice For Coastal Climates. Corrosion is a natural process that occurs when metal is exposed to oxygen and moisture. The resulting chemical reaction produces rust, which can weaken the metal and cause it to deteriorate. Coastal regions are particularly susceptible to corrosion due to the high levels of salt in the air and water. When the saltwater spray comes into contact with metal, it accelerates the corrosion process. In addition, the salty air can promote the formation of rust on metal surfaces. As a result, coastal regions are often plagued by corroded buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. While there are some coatings that can protect the metal from corrosion, the best way to prevent this type of damage is to avoid exposure to saltwater and saltair. Anyone who has lived near the ocean knows that the salt air can be tough on building materials. Wood quickly begins to show signs of wear, while metal fixtures can develop rust and corrosion. This is why GFRC wall panels are an excellent choice for coastal applications. Unlike other materials, GFRC does not corrode or rust when exposed to salt air. In addition, the risk of mold and mildew growth is significantly reduced. As a result, GFRC wall panels provide an attractive and durable solution for coastal construction projects. The GFRC Wall Panels Are Available In A Range Of Colors And Textures To Match Any Home's Exterior Design. The GFRC wall panels are available in a range of colors and textures to match any home's exterior design. The panels are made of glass fiber-reinforced concrete, which is an extremely durable material that is resistant to weathering, impact, and abrasion. The panels can be installed quickly and easily, and they will provide years of trouble-free performance. In addition, the panels are available in a variety of thicknesses to meet the needs of any project. Whether you're looking for a classic look or a contemporary design, the GFRC wall panel can help you achieve the perfect look for your home. The Installation Of The GFRC Wall Panels Is Simple And Can Be Done By A Homeowner Without Professional Help. GFRC wall panels are a great way to add texture and interest to any room. Made from glass-fiber reinforced concrete, they are strong and durable, yet lightweight and easy to install. In most cases, the panels can be attached directly to the existing wall surface using construction adhesive or screws. If you're looking for a more creative way to use GFRC wall panels, consider installing them as wainscoting or creating an accent wall. Either way, you'll be amazed at the transformation that GFRC wall panels can make in your home. In Summary GFRC Wall Pane is an excellent choice for a home's exterior siding. Its durability and fire resistance make it a safe investment, while its range of colors and textures allows homeowners to choose the perfect look for their home. Thanks to its easy installation, GFRC Wall Pane can be installed by anyone without professional help.

  • Identifying Sustainable Opportunities in the Construction Industry

    SUMMARY 1. The type of project: buildings vs other civil engineering infrastructure 2. The procurement route of a project 3. The client’s appraisal process 4. The size of the project 5. The location of the project 6. The project partners/stakeholders 1. The type of project: buildings vs other civil engineering infrastructure The priority and size of the project differ, and one can be chosen over the other based on the overall benefits it provides Sustainable metrics for evaluating the project sustainability, eg. A building assessment could be done to assess the energy savings and efficiency of the building to keep heat whereas a rail or highway could be considered as the emissions per km of road or track created from the project In buildings, the most significant carbon is operational (stages B1-B3) whereas on a highway it is the end-user carbon of cars using the motorway the majority of emissions (B6) Emissions against the objectives of design are different as getting from A to B in infrastructure there are different options such as motorway or rail whereas in buildings is the same systems There are different system boundaries and functional units of measurement which are hard to compare to each other using just an LCA as they are completely different projects Recommended: ISO-1040 Life cycle assessment (LCA) framework explained 2. The procurement route of a project & 3. The client’s appraisal process Educate employees about their role in ensuring successful sustainability outcomes Link project sustainability objectives to individual and team performance through key performance indicators and a focus on continuous improvement Use life cycle and the whole of life costing to test the long-term value of decisions Inception stage: Guided public involvement in decisions Provisions to inform travelers (eg. railway infrastructure) Design with resilience against natural and man-made hazards in mind The method of construction chosen should try to minimize construction disturbance noise and dust Combined use of infrastructure will enhance overall benefits (eg bridge and green area sidewalk) Select a location with minimizes disruption and maximizes benefits The asset under construction should improve transport links and the provision of integrated foot and cycle provision The solution should be planned with the whole serviceable life (e.g. weathering steel could be selected as it has a low maintenance cost for steel bridge designs) Build-in maintenance provisions including access and upgrading facility Detailed geotechnical investigations will facilitate efficient design for foundations hence reducing cost and carbon emissions Early contractor involvement can have a lot of benefits and reduce construction anomalies and mistakes Building for wildlife such as green bridges Factor sustainability considerations into decision-making 4. The size of the project Small projects have a smaller impact on their surrounding environment as their output of emissions is low compared to mega projects which affect the area due to the vast amount of environmental impact they have Smaller projects can work independently and hence in a situation of failure a system of small projects will not have a big impact whereas a big project going offline will cause big disruption eg. A power plant will cause a lot of disruption to a lot of people 5. The location of the project Involve local communities affected by the operations in order to best meet their needs and enhance their benefits Regeneration of location of the project economically and socially Location availability of materials to be transported to site as if it is located in a remote area the transportation emissions will be high hence materials should be sourced locally Job availability in the project, such as workers to be going on-site Prevent damage or restore past damage to the environment (e.g. toxic spills) 6. The project partners/stakeholders Minimize waste (from the contractor and sub-contractors on the project) The earlier the designers and engineers are involved in the project the better the outcome will be as the implementation of sustainable solutions have to be carried out at the concept/inception stage before changes become too expensive Select materials that come from renewable sources and look for alternatives to those with significant environmental impact Have the development of staff and the transfer of knowledge as priorities, so that the experience gained moves beyond individuals to future projects and the infrastructure industry more generally Have management objectives, processes, and people in place to ensure that sustainability issues are managed, measured, and reported in a transparent way Recommended: Circular Economy in the Construction Industry Design stage: A sustainable approach to materials: efficiency, responsible local sourcing, design to minimize impacts, end of life material considerations (use recycled materials). Choose materials based on cost, environmental impact, and durability Try reducing the raw materials and use the energy of assets to picking correct design decisions Use structural form with direct force transfer Strategies to minimize waste such as the use of water on site Material and design: avoid overdesign but not at the expense of future-proofing, minimize transport distances and consider the size of the members/elements to be delivered to the site Construction stage: Early contractor involvement: o Ease of access o Protection from groundwater pollution o More efficient site waste management plan o Close site supervision o Good survey information o Good information for estimating and ordering materials Initial design stage o Provision of access for maintenance o Defined emergency procedures o Provision for replacement of elements o Design to allow replacement, widening, or strengthening while maintaining the structure in service o Minimise future maintenance requirements While in use: o Provide inspections that determine the structural adequacy of remaining life so unnecessary maintenance is avoided o Use less conservative analysis methods o Regular preventive maintenance o Innovative repair or strengthening options Adopt measures to optimize energy and water use efficiency and effectiveness End of life: Design for deconstruction, demolition, and recycling/reuse of materials/components

  • Key Principles of Asset Management in Infrastructure

    Definition of Asset Management: “systematic and coordinated activities and practices through which an organization optimally and sustainably manages its assets and asset systems, their associated performance, risks and expenditures over their life cycles for the purpose of achieving its organizational strategic plan” The Key Principles of Asset Management Holistic: multi-disciplinarity rather than a compartmentalized approach, looking at combined implications of managing all aspects of the problem, the combination of different asset types, the functional interdependencies and contributions of assets within asset systems, and the different asset life cycle phases and activities that need to be considered. Look at the big picture of assets. · Example: a rail infrastructure line from A to B may have bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, and other structures, hence maintenance regimes should be carried out in the locations of the line where multiple repairs are required hence looking at the interdependencies of improving the network Systematic: methodical approach leading to consistent, repeatable, and auditable decisions. An effective management system that decisions making is done with data considered and decisions could be made again on the same parameters of data. · Example: collect water linkage data of pipes or stress cycles on bridges and be able to accurately make decisions on when the asset needs repair Systemic: considering asset system rather than individual assets in isolation (asset system optimization through sustainable performance and risks instead of just improving one asset but improving the whole system. · Example: look how improving a number of bridges, eg increasing the capacity can improve traffic flow of a motorway instead of thinking just of individual assets as a motorway is a long dependent network, depending on many assets to function properly. Risk-based: considering risks in decision-making and liabilities when making decisions Optimal: best value between completing factors (proportionality of performance/cost/risk – which are not directly proportional) optimizing the long and short term of the life cycle of assets. As if cost is increased risk is reduced but an optimal solution for those three should be made. Sustainable: considering the long-term consequences of short-term activities to ensure there are addictive provisions for requirements such as economic, system performance, or social responsibility Integrated: combination and coordination of the above attributes – interdependencies of all assets in the asset system and the above aspects should be coordinated to deliver the best value through the asset management Importance of asset information systems: Combination of data of physical assets used to inform decisions, such as replacement and maintenance regimes Location Condition Probability Consequences of failure Constraints Business priorities Regulatory requirements What information is included: · Asset register (type of asset, age, capacity, drawings, photographs) · GIS (location, spatial, connectivity, interdependencies) · Work management systems (historical information of previous inspections) · Logistics systems · Shutdown/outage management systems · Demand management systems (demand forecast of assets in the future) · Decision support tools (investment strategy systems of how much money to spend) · Condition monitoring systems (stress sensors) · Mobile working devices (reduces paperwork, fast information transfer) Asset management system components as per ISO 55000 Context of the organization · Understanding the needs and expectations of stakeholders such as criteria for asset management decision making, requirements for recording financial and non-financial information · Determining the scope of the asset management system, defining the asset portfolio covered in the scope of the asset management system · Continuously improve the asset management system Leadership · Ensuring that asset management policy and the SAMP are established with compatibility with the organization's objectives · Integration of SAMP to organization business processes · Promoting continual improvement · Policy, provide a framework for setting asset management objectives · Organisational roles, responsibilities, and authorities Planning · Actions to address risks and opportunities for the asset management system, by preventing, or reducing undesired effects · Asset management objectives · Planning to achieve asset management objectives Support · Resources · Competence · Awareness · Communication, when, whom, and how to communicate · Information requirements, roles, and responsibilities · Documented information (control of documented info) Operation · Operational planning and control · Management of change · Outsourcing Performance evaluation · Monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation · Internal audit · Management review Improvement · Nonconformity and corrective action · Preventive action · Continual improvement

  • Challenges and Benefits of implementing sustainability on a Project and Organisation level

    Quick Take Implementing sustainability on a project level could be verified by acquiring a building certificate such as LEED or BREEAM which requires you to follow sustainability practices. Project level Challenges: Be trying to acquire a sustainability certificate Extra costs and time are required on the project to optimize the design for improved sustainability High Resource use: Software subscriptions and extra man-hours are required as whole life assessment is complicated as a lot of topics and a lot of data should be analyzed and collected to be able to acquire a certificate that is complex in nature Challenge of passing the sustainable certification A long-term benefit of social impact but costs is high in capital cost Hard, more expensive, and time-consuming to educate stakeholders and supply chain to be more sustainable to bring the overall impact of the project lower Finding sustainable materials is hard to find based on the geographical location of the project, if it is a developing country is hard to find sustainable material Higher risk and uncertainty of the results as innovative solutions/nonstandardized methods of design are used Ensuring financial viability against sustainability implementation could be a barrier to acquiring financing for the project Site availability such as sun available to implement solar panels for energy savings however environment the asset is being built in has limitations on the level and things possible to be done to reduce the environmental impact Benefits: Encourages decision-making at the concept stage of a project which promotes sustainability Increase of financial profits from revenues as a higher standard of the final product The high social reputation of the developer of the asset demonstrates a commitment to sustainability as a company Sell expertise of knowledge of sustainable development to win future work Is recognized by global standards by acquiring the certificates such as BREEAM Decrease whole life costs Less waste on-site and reduced operational costs as well as energy savings of energy loss from buildings Automation that can increase the efficiency of material selection with sustainability in mind can also reduce simultaneously costs Projects are more resilience for future weather events as sustainability principles will be implemented in the design and more resilient construction of the asset will be implemented The project becomes more attractive and can get planning permission easier if it is a sustainable project Attracts more people to leave in that project if it is a residential building Brings a positive impact to the environment compared to other more heavy-impact projects Organizational level Challenges: Common sense of objectives and collaboration is hard as people want to implement sustainability but not always to the extent of level that everyone agrees Increase of overall costs as it requires extra thinking meaning extra billable hours Behavioral change of people, such as time is required to train people to change perspective and start thinking more sustainably Innovative new solutions may be hard for regulatory and standards and may increase the risk to the company to implementing these new solutions Automations may be hard to implement in company systems such as automated calculation of carbon emissions of options, however, REVIT and BIM extensions can be optimized to do so but require expertise and a trained workforce Politically need to change the viewpoint of sustainability as the majority of big meaningful projects are carried out by the public and they provide the majority of funding and direction of new developments Benefits: Reputational boost as ESG proactive corporation and cares about sustainability Increase profitability through sustainability however it should be pointed out that pushing sustainability too hard may increase costs, this is a debate Implementing sustainability will introduce new innovative solutions as engineers and designers need to think outside the box More attractive to investors and attract funding internationally as sustainable developments are something everyone wants to be associated with

  • What course to choose at university, structural engineering with architecture or civil ?

    Quick Take Answer 1 by Andrew Johnson Credentials: B.Sc in Civil Engineering & Structural Engineering, University of New Brunswick Graduated 2009 & Creative Structural Engineer at Johnson Engineering Solution Limited Depending on where you work, you can do both afterward, however honestly I would choose structural as the solution, as mastering it, with the assistance of others is easier, than mastering architecture afterward. The micro vs macro of building something. Once you understand that everything is built up of systems and that each system is a connection of nodes of sequences of events with given or variable probabilities it’s useful to understand this, and finite element analysis is where you need to get your brain focused and trained on what works and what doesn’t for different situations, and passing the exam means that you can do the math by hand. By the time of your exam, you’ll be trained to do, it if you are putting your effort into it. So recommend structural, with lots of English communication and other languages so that you can trace back the origin of each word, their root history provides for an interesting cultural understanding such that different economics of understanding were used, where today we used a more globally refined and, the calling that you are undertaking is important, as once you know wrong and right, sitting back and doing nothing becomes much more difficult. So moving forward and helping those around you be the better version of themselves, is what you're going to be able to help with. My experience, the youngest 12-year-old, son of two engineers that started a family engineering company. They used some of my college funds to start the company, so I am a shareholder. Since that point I've worked on resolving building-related problems, typical workload is 40 to 100 ongoing projects in various stages as time management means that they don’t all need answers at one time. So from a real-life point of view, take your university and apply yourself, and find the life tricks that enable you to be better, without short or long-term risk. Structural engineering is about removing risk, and if you can’t manage it, architecture is about providing a reason to have risk. (You can work both sides of your brain, I think, please refer to an expert for that, I’m not one of the mind or body.) Hope this helps. (Structural!!!-more math the better, the harder the better, make it easy!) everything worthwhile starts out hard! Answer 2 by Leo Hopkins Credentials: BEng in Engineering, The Open UniversityGraduated 2011 That depends on what you want to ultimately do. Architecture is generally based on aesthetics and so if artistry interests you then go for a course that includes that. An architect needs to have a basic grasp of structural engineering so that (s)he is able to design structures in selected materials that conform to safety standards by being within stress/strain tolerances. However, once an architect had done their bit, the civil engineer will step in to ensure the building is also built safely and on time, and within budget; there may be some overlap of responsibilities between an engineer and a project manager. A civil engineer will also check in on the progress of the building work and take on any reports back from the construction company and act upon construction-in-flight information. If it’s ‘pure engineering’ you’re looking to get into the study of civil engineering & mathematics. Answer 3 by Steven Thomas Credentials: BS (Chi Epsilon)in Civil and Environmental Engineering & Structural Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison I tend to agree with the others for the most part. I have heard of a major called Architectural Engineering. I have always considered this to be an oxymoron. I once knew a professor of Architectural Engineering named Dale Perry from U. Texas. He was on the opposite side of a lawsuit that I was part of. His testimony indicated that he was sadly lacking in simple concepts of structural analysis. The jury seemed to agree. Architects get a lot of credit for the things that are done by structural engineers. This is due to a general misunderstanding among the public of what the two professions do. Most people are unaware that architects are not involved in any aspect of bridge design. Mastery of structural engineering requires a lot of education in demanding subjects and a great deal of experience in the field. I don’t know the extent to which architects study structural engineering. However, it seems to me that time constraints would require more focus on one than the other. I have never been involved with a project for which structural engineering was performed by the architect. The more common practice now is for the architect to subcontract the structural engineering to a structural consulting firm. A possible exception would be the prescriptive design requirements in the code which generally do not pertain to major structures. I think if you’re going to be a structural engineer you should go all in and become familiar with tall building and bridge design among other challenging structures. A Ph.D. in structures is never a bad idea if you can swing it. My best friend was an architect God bless him. I miss him a lot despite his chosen profession. To get your question answered, submit it to SI Civil Engineering 👇 What is the difference between structural engineering and civil engineering? Answer by Haider Ali Credentials: Master's in Structural Engineering, Oklahoma State University Structural engineering is a branch of civil engineering that specializes in the structural design of various types of structures like buildings, bridges, culverts, tunnels, etc. The main focus of structural engineers is to run analyses of the structures or structural components under consideration and design them to resist the potential loads that will act on them. Generally speaking, there are two objectives that structural engineers need to accomplish with their design. 1. That the structure is safe for use and can withstand the different loads acting on it without collapsing. This is called the strength design of the structure/structural component. 2. The structure is pleasant and comfortable for the people to use/inhabit. For example, making sure that there are no huge cracks (not dangerous but worrisome), and there are no undue vibrations or sway in the buildings which make the inhabitants uncomfortable and make them feel unsafe. This is called the service design.

  • Uses and Benefits of the six high-level use categories of BIM

    Summary Uses: Gather: determine the current state of assets, survey and capture information Generate: create, author, model, and specify information Analyze: evaluate, examine, simulate, forecast, and validate the information Communicate: uniformly exchange information between parties involved. Generate reports and documents Produce: support procurement management, offsite prefabrication, and construction logistics Manage: hand over full data and specifications. Use a basis of asset management data preserved for new projects Benefits: Gather: structured up to date, reliable and complete information available for all project partners and stakeholders Generate: basis to uniformly develop, store, use and reuse new information used multiple times in other processes Analyze: makes possible the integrated prediction of performance at each stage Communicate: reduced miscommunication and failure costs because of the use of a common data environment (CDE) Produce: Improve productivity and on-site safety Manage: no interpretation of as-built documents reduces as-built survey needs, provides data for changes and new projects Building Information Modeling (BIM) helps create and manage information models in a custom data environment that contains both graphical and non-graphical information. The information associated with the 3D Model increases as the project progresses increases. The simplest way to explain BIM dimensions is that they are further details or pieces of information added to a model to help the project team better understand the model. They are the specific ways in which different data types are integrated into an information model. You get a better picture of the project by adding more dimensions of details, such as how it will be organized, its cost, and how it should be maintained. It should be noted that BIM Dimensions are different from the BIM Level of Development. The level of development standards shows the extent to which a 3D model’s geometry, specs, and associated information can be relied on by the team members. On the other hand, BIM Dimensions are details or further information stored within a model, like its cost, time, and other factors. This article will shed light on what it means to add different dimensions of data to a BIM model, how it works in practice, and what benefits can be anticipated. continue reading... Gather Uses Capture and collect capture survey data as BIM, capture condition data, capture results from IoT sensors Quantify: use of BIM models for quantity take off for cost estimations and forecasting, increase detail and accuracy through the lifecycle Monitor/observe/measure: produce real-time performance data to support decision making, during construction monitor progress, in operation integrate with BIM data with sensors Qualify/follow/track/identify: use of BIM objects to characterize and identify the status of systems, components, and elements through the life cycle Benefits Capture/collect: o Information directly available as data at start up for re-use in follow up processes o Avoid redundancy and create preconditions for quality Quantity: o Ability to determine most of the quantities automatically (for carbon emissions as well as for cost and material quantity) o Can be linked to cost data to produce cost estimates o Impact of changes visible Monitor/observe/measure: o Real time data is available to control project delivery o Real-time data is available for asset and performance management Qualify/follow/track/identify o All information collected during an object’s life cycle is structured and can be consulted at any time. o Collected information can be used for wider linked analysis. o Can use IoT sensors results for real-time updates Generate Uses Create, author and edit Specify: record functional requirements and technical specifications for all parts of an asset, validate technical specifications against functional requirements Arrange/configure/layout: determine location, specification and relationships between objects, track through life cycle stages, draft WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), adjust layout Size/ engineer/model: determine size and scale of facility and objects, a geometrical cross section of rail, capacity of the crane Benefits Create/author/edit: o Structured information related to digital twin facilities information exchange throughout the life of assets o By specifying functional requirements it is possible to systematically validate and verify technical solutions Arrange: o Understand dependencies between objects and reduce knock on effects o Use object type libraries Size/engineer: o Space occupancy is coordinated consistently across the lifecycle avoiding physical and temporal clashes o Link to rules and codes o Use for partial validation Analyze Uses Examine/simulate/evaluate Coordinate/detect/avoid (lean engineering): coordinate activities of each discipline in a common digital environment (CDE), combine and tune designs from different disciplines in CDE, perform clash prevention Forecast/simulate/predict prediction and performance analyses, structural and flow analyses, cost/energy, consumption/planning/construction sequencing/traffic flow, and safety audits Validate/check/confirm: chosen solution meets demands, the facility meets standards, rules, and regulations Benefits Examine: o Facilitates methodical assessment of objects o Makes possible the integrated prediction of performance at each stage Coordinate: o Ensure everything fits first time o Provides efficient project coordination process o Supports lean engineering Forecast: o Facilitates optimisation of construction process and operational performance at low cost o Control financial and technical risks Validate: o Linking rules and codes to objects provides validation through the process o Can be extended to automate validation Communicate Uses Exchange/generate reports: uniformly exchange object information between parties involved, generate reports and documents Visualize/review: stakeholders’ future user's local residents can have realistic future views, and project partners can easily review such as identify the risks of doing work on-site, stakeholder management, decision making Exchange: avoiding translation, using Open exchange format between users Document/draw/report: produce drawings from data, produce reports from data, communicate with construction workers and with authorities Archive: build database as a digital project archive Benefits Reduce miscommunication and failure costs because of the use of CDE Visualize: o Ensure everything fits first time o Provide efficient project coordination process o Supports lean engineering Exchange: o Software independent data exchange Document: o All documents produced consist of CDE data o Production of paper documents will reduce as will costs Archive o Reuse of data from digital twin o Audit trail Produce Uses Construction activities: support procurement management, offisite prefabrication, construction logistics Fabricate/manufacture: control factory machinery, prototype virtually Assemble/prefabricate simulate construction sequencing, support logistics/production and delivery of material, offsite manufacturing Machine control: BIM data mapping on site location of objects, GPS automating earthworks control Regulate: optimize operations, work with IoT to report and automate operations Benefits Improve productivity Fabricate o Improves construction efficiency o Improves onsite safety Regulate o Optimisation of performance o Apply building regulations o Report environmental conditions Assemble o Reduce need to make adjustments on site o Less construction time required Machine control o Partially automating construction site o Increase efficiency Manage Uses Validate handover of operational information Hand over full data and specification Use as the basis of asset management Data preserved for new projects Re-purpose assets Regulate: o Optimise performance by capturing BIM information o Predict risks and failures from BIM data o Link to sensor data for condition monitoring, frost detection, flood warning o Provides a basis for automated operation o Link to other data such as environmental or facilities owned by other operators Benefits Optimized asset performance Mitigate against operational problems Monitor risk Merge with other data -weather, usage, etc No interpretation of as-built documents Reduces as-built survey needs Reduces cost Provides data for changes and new projects Further Reading: Enabling an Ecosystem of Digital Twins by Building SMART.pdf

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