B5, Group B - Palma

SQL stands for “Structured Query Language”, and is a method of communication with a database¹. According to ANSI, SQL is the typical method of communicating with relational database management systems. A relational database management system, or RDBMS, is a database which allows you to create and maintain information in a table format, where rows, columns, or entries can have some relation or dependency on one another. Some more well-known RDBMS are Oracle, IBM’s DB2, and Microsoft’s SQL server².

First about the reason for SQL; originally, DBMS were used primarily by programmers in order to maintain and create data. In order to create a system which output some answer (for example, a total revenue or production capacity), a programmer would have to develop new software that often was not worth the trouble.

SQL is one of many “query languages” developed to solve this problem. When a user is requesting something from a database, this is called a “query”. As such, query languages were developed in order to allow the user to efficiently request from the database in a customized manner. For SQL, database management systems follow a particular process at the creation of a query. The system must first break up the input statement, checking syntax, then validates the statement, ensuring all relevant tables or entries exist. The system then creates an access plan to retrieve the data, and optimizes this plan. Once optimized, the system performs the access plan to retrieve the answer for the request³.

This process is used on the data retrieval side of SQL. As mentioned before, however, SQL is also used for the creation and updating of databases. SQL has standard commands, such as “Select”, “Insert”, “Update”, “Delete”, “Create”, and “Drop” that allow the user management for most purposes when working with the database.

“Embedded SQL” is the first technique for sending SQL statements to a DBMS. Here, SQL is used as a sublanguage, hosted by some other programming language which contains variables or statements³. Furthermore, embedded SQL can be broken up into static and dynamic SQL. Static SQL queries consist of requests that do not change when the database is accessed⁴. Conversely, dynamic SQL queries are a flexible form that allow for queries where data access cannot be pre-determined. For example, if the database is located elsewhere, then although the request can be entered, there is no way of validating the statement, as mentioned in the process before⁵.

References

1 - http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

2 - http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/relational-database-management-system

3 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms713599(v=vs.85).aspx

4 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms712349(v=vs.85).aspx

5 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms709342(v=vs.85).aspx

Comment to Dianna Vogel

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-dianna-vogel.html?showComment=1454944655909#c6765232892333845012

Nice part about the importance of SQL. As mentioned, SQL is relatively old, and compared to other programming languages, has been around for quite some time. That being said, I don't see it disappearing any time soon. SQL is an efficient and logical method for working with databases. Even with newer programs, optimal languages for this form of work will likely always have some basis from SQL; it's probably not going away unless databases do, which certainly won't happen.

Comment to Bryan Cummings

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-cummings.html?showComment=1454945117088#c1043703076217096240

I liked that you related this back to BIM. Take Revit for example (since I know it fairly well). The amount of libraries and commands that are likely based of something like this, or very similar, is huge. You mentioned how most systems have their own proprietary languages built in to use with SQL; I also discussed this a bit in my post, where systems use embedded SQL.

 

B4: Group B - Alex Palma

For my term project, I am working with Danielle Beynon and Dianna Vogel to create a Revit model of the Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois. By making a Revit model incorporating all primary building systems, including architectural, structural, and mechanical, we can expand our knowledge in both Revit and BIM. All members of the group are of a structural concentration, and prior to this, we have only had significant experience with creating architectural models in Revit.

A short piece about the project topic itself; the Farnsworth House was designed by Mies van der Rohe. It was constructed in Plano, Illinois in 1951, as a weekend retreat for Edith Farnsworth, and has since changed ownership to the National Trust for Historic Preservation¹. The structure is a simplistic design using steel framing elevated off the ground through extended columns, along with large glass panels for a lightweight façade and appearance. Van der Rohe attempted to make the structure appear as one large, uninterrupted piece, and as such, he attempts to keep consist structural member sizing throughout, even if over-designing. 

We have had the opportunity in class to read and discuss the concept of “Intelligent” building design, and as such, we chose a project that gives us the opportunity to use software based around this. Instead of simply drafting plans, elevations, and relevant documents in a drafting software such as AutoCAD, we can use Revit to model systems throughout the building and how they operate in conjunction with one another. For this project, my goal is to learn more about how to model mechanical systems in Revit and how Revit recognizes clashes and conflicts between separate systems, as well as resolution techniques for common clashes.

Outside of implementing the various systems into our model, our design will have to accommodate multiple components not stocked in the Revit libraries. Connections between members, such as the beam, column, or corner connections, all include components which are unique to the design and will need to be created for this instance. To do this, we will have to develop our knowledge of families in Revit, which we have learned in the past assignment, and use it to accurately model these components.

References:

1) http://farnsworthhouse.org/ 

Comments

Cathlene,

3D printed structural material is still coming along, so hopefully you'll be able to find enough research about it! I'd be interested in seeing, as you mentioned, the anisotropy of concrete formed in layers, and how significant the effect would be. I'm sure it would have to do with the type of concrete and more importantly the time between pouring layers, and there's probably research already done on this topic since it's integral to the structural performance.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b4-3d-printed-concrete-properties.html?showComment=1454339948174#c2097122995757274726

Bryan,

Nice topic! A lot different than most of the other topics from the class. Using Matlab is likely a good choice for a project like this; I'd be interested in seeing how you model a sensor (or rather, sensor-like behavior) in Matlab. Depending on the parameters you establish, it might also be difficult to create a numerical or programmed "value" for these properties, so I really look forward to your end product.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b4-group-b-cummings.html?showComment=1454340425523#c5263001556707361011

 

B4: Group B - Dianna Vogel

I am working on a Revit project with Alex Palma and Danielle Beynon. Using Revit we plan to model the architectural, structural, and MEP systems of the Farnsworth House, and have them completely linked to each other. The Farnsworth House is located in Plano, Illinois and is currently owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. [1] It was originally built in 1951 by Mies Van der Rohe for Dr. Edith Farnsworth as a weekend retreat. Mies Van der Rohe strived for integration with nature, seen by the prominence of glass throughout the building (as seen in Figure 1). This structure was chosen by our group because it is the same house we are analyzing in our structural design class. Thus, we have all the structural and architectural documentation necessary to recreate an accurate model. It was chosen for our structural design class due to the beautiful minimalistic design.

Figure 1. Farnsworth House

Creating a model in Revit is, at its core, intelligent building design. Part of Professor Mitchell's definition for an intelligent building is ""Intelligence" requires the use of adaptive computer technology". [2] This leads right into the use of BIM, and more specifically Revit, to model a building. Revit becomes more adaptive each year with new abilities to customize the structure depending on the needs of the company or the specific project. This can be done by creating new families that may directly match what is trying to be created, compared to what Revit already offers. This allows companies to create their 3D model with unique structural, architectural, or interior components. Currently, my group members and I are trying to determine what families would be important to create for the Farnsworth house. One of the key components that Revit does not supply are the brackets that connect from the columns to the panes of glass (as seen in Figure 2). [3] These connections are too crucial to be left out of the model, thus it is beneficial that Revit can be customized to provide what we need.

Figure 2. Column Detail

There will be many challenges to face during our project. A main component is the incorporation of the three types of models (architectural, structural, and MEP) into one functioning system, with no clashes. Personally, I have seen the process done before during my co-op, but was only involved enough to learn how complicated the process can become. Furthermore, no one in our group has a background, or concentration, in MEP. Thus, it will be a very strong learning process to understand all the different components, how they interconnect, and how to model them in Revit. Finally, Professor Mitchell asked in class if we were planning on performing an energy analysis on the Farnsworth house. I have never done this before, so it would be very interesting, but I believe it will only be accomplished if we are successful with implementing the MEP model in a timely manner. I look forward to our project and increasing the depth of my Revit knowledge.

Citations

[1] http://farnsworthhouse.org/

[2] http://ae510ay2013-2.postach.io/post/intelligent-building-professor-mitchells-definition

[3] http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/il0990.sheet.00001a/

Comments
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/as-i-haveprogressed-through-my.html?showComment=1454177551352#c6505760332188799298

Comment to James,

I really enjoy the outlook you have on your project. It is important to understand the concepts we use every day in our work. I am taking the same approach with my group’s project. I hope to understand the underlying concept behind using Revit to incorporate different types of models into one functioning unit. I look forward to hearing about what you and Bryan learn in your quest into sensors. This is an important concept for many of the environmental reasons you hit on. The pollution in certain areas of the world is getting to the point that sensors will need to become more advanced in order to detect and react the environment around them. The challenges you mentioned do include a lot of new concepts to learn, but they sound very interesting and will be useful down the road.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b4-group-b-cummings.html

Comment to Bryan,

It is good to see that you and James have a stage process on how you are going to approach your project. It is important to perform a sensitivity analysis on the Matlab model when it is being created. Furthermore, all the uncertain parameters need to be established before the model is created, otherwise it may be unclear what the model is reacting to. The programming for the creation of an accurate model will not be simple and it is going to be very interesting how you tackle this task.

  

 

Group B: Question 2

BIM Improve Buildings vs. It will make no difference or degrade them

Possible degradation?

If people begin to rely on programs, such as Revit, for structural design or analysis without completing the necessary thought and hand calculations supporting the model. The resulting building could degrade or not have the structural strength necessary to withstand day-to-day use.

No Improvement?

The modeling process will be streamlined; however, it may not add any features to the building itself.

Improvement?

BIM could potentially improve the building if it is connected with 3D printing, thus more complex shapes could be created. Furthermore, BIM software could be used for energy analysis and the design improved.

B3: Group B - Alex Palma

BIM and applications such as Revit use a very advantageous structure for engineering firms; the ability to coordinate information from various disciplines into one product pre-production is invaluable. Errors and conflicts can be identified, and it is easy to adjust the model and see how all systems are affected. However, like all other applications, Revit and BIM have their disadvantages.

The first one is on the backend of the programs; programs like Revit are based around one database and file. All information is stored in the same model, which makes the files massive. Firms currently using programs with a more distributed file system, where many pieces are created and then brought together to represent the entire system, likely need to upgrade their hardware and data management tools in order to handle the change in file size. Computers that can handle 3D drafting programs aren’t necessarily going to be as efficient working with a program like Revit. On top of this, Revit isn’t compatible with OSX systems, so Windows must be used. Although I can’t name many firms using OSX over Windows, this can be an issue for the private user.

The second is the amount of information necessary for design work in the early stages of a project, sometimes not yet available. Not necessarily a disadvantage, but more of an encountered issue on some projects, BIM applications require information in the beginning of projects that isn’t always available. It then makes up for this later on, when the information is of use in the model itself.

With many software packages, there are countless smaller disadvantages or obstacles to overcome when introducing the program. Switching to a new program costs time and money, and training is almost required to ensure adequate productivity and less frustration for the user. Revit, due to the size and capability of the program, requires fast hardware; namely, as much RAM as possible, and a quality graphics card, as Revit is selective for these. File size is massive, and Revit has scalability issues where in can only be used up to a certain point; once buildings and designs become too large, Revit modeling will encounter issues. Every program has inherent disadvantages such as these simply due to their structure,and although Revit and other BIM applications such as ArchiCAD have flaws that should be addressed, this doesn’t take away from the massive advantages in design and construction that they also provide.

Works Cited

http://www.cms.bgu.tum.de/publications/theses/dimov_2014_ritter.pdf

http://www.trustitllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Trust_Autodesk-Revit1.pdf

http://cadonia.com.au/which-bim-software-is-better-archicad-or-revit/

Comment to Dianna Vogel:
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b3-dianna-vogel-current-issues-with.html#comment-form

I also discussed file size and scalability issues in Revit in my post as well. I used Bentley products on co-op previously, and although I can't say for Bentley's primary BIM application, Bentley Systems, I've never seen them used for full cities like mentioned the other day. That's not to say it doesn't have the capability I suppose, but the structure of Revit does limit it in this aspect. That being said, Revit isn't meant for full-city applications (imagine the file size of a Revit model of Center City Philadelphia). I feel Revit, like every other program, has its' own niche of building applications; using BIM, that niche is simply much wider than for other programs, as it can coordinate such a wide variety of information.

 Comment to Bryan Cummings:
ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b3-group-b-cummings.html?showComment=1453662613419#c9115796233580736886

I really liked that you brought in a legal complication here; this wasn't something I had thought of before. On top of this, I agree with the frustration of transitioning to a new program. Suddenly transitioning to an (almost) all-encompassing program that intertwines disciplines is likely a difficult move, and although the advantages are evident, there is an upfront "cost" for a move like this. For firms that use Revit, I'm sure collaboration between disciplines gets more and more efficient as the users become more aware of Revit's possibilities. However, the initial jump likely leaves the user feeling unsure of exactly how to apply these new tools.

B2, Group B - Alex Palma

Chapter 3 of the BIM Handbook discusses interoperability, a key component in an efficient, more painless workflow¹. The chapter was dense in its’ technicality but discussed key practices for the cohesion of software and systems in building modeling. Many aspects of interoperability were brought up; my blog discusses a current BIM server application, XML files as a common language, and how each relate to interoperability within models and files. 

One topic discussed was the many BIM servers used in current practices. One of the mentioned servers was ProjectWise (Bentley ProjectWise Integration Server), which I used throughout my last co-op. ProjectWise used read-write transactions to manage and edit data at the file level. That is, files across the database can only be accessed for edits one at a time. Also incorporating ProjectWise Navigator for more seamless inclusion of the data’s native file format into the database, ProjectWise is an extremely robust program, having the ability to host thousands of files in countless formats. On the other hand, ProjectWise works at the file level, which means that data can only be managed in ProjectWise to this extent. Below this, at object or object instances, data must be accessed explicitly in its’ file, and written back to the server once edited. Alongside this, as files can only be accessed by one user at a time, this limits interoperability between users; a Cloud-like server hosting multiple users who can collaborate on files together at the same time would be ideal.

Chapter 3 of the reading also discussed, among many other file formats, XML files. XML files are used similarly to DXF files, which were also discussed; these formats allow for the export and import of data between various modeling programs. A program may not be able to access a CAD model's native DWG or DGN format, but can read the data if it is introduced as a DXF. This type of file usage is the key component of this entire chapter in my opinion, as moving data between programs and software is often a nightmare. XML files are used frequently in model development and production; for example, when many projects are started, surveys are taken to develop site information. This data can be exported as a LandXML, and imported into your preferred CAD program as contours and elevation information for the model. XML files are not limited to early-stage applications for projects either, as the handbook also discusses DWF and 3D PDF files as XML format. These formats allow for 3D visual mapping of the model.

Works Cited

1)      Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide To Building Information Modeling For Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers And Contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 17 Jan. 2016.

Comments
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b2-dianna-vogel-interoperability.html#comment-form

To Dianna Vogel - Prior to reading both your post and the reading itself, I hadn't heard of IFC or Express. The inclusion of aspects like concrete reinforcement in properties in the model is huge, but there's a lot more that can be done here before the BIM end of the model is truly comprehensive. The handbooks read were from multiple years ago, so it would be interesting to see current stages and applications of these properties. My post was about the same chapter, but discussed a couple different topics about software and file applications, so I enjoyed reading this.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b2-group-b-cummings.html#comment-form

To Bryan Cummings - The last paragraph was a nice expansion on current stages of software and model interoperability, and I completely agree with it. First, as you said, the technology is still in development, and the pieces that have been explored the most are simply those that have the most applications. It will take more time (and interest in BIM) to fill in the gaps, but I can't imagine more and more comprehensive uses of BIM are far behind. Secondly, the rift between the software designers and the engineers is apparent. It's much smaller than it once was, but new software often gets brought out before the engineering application can notice flaws or holes. Larger companies often have a software group tailor downloaded programs to their own needs, but this kind of development only creates ease of functionality for users; expansion of the base products is what helps push new applications of the software forward.