B7 - Group D - Ayon

This course gave me insight not only on the newest technological advances in the construction and design industries, but also made me look at things differently. After looking at the key term Professor Mitchell introduced at the beginning of the course (BIM, database, sensors, 3D printing, etc.) you see there is much more there to an intelligent building. The importance of these key terms goes beyond simple definition understating, therefore we were required to do several class projects and write blogs to further enhance out knowledge.

Through the weekly blogs, we were given a specific topic and we had to analyze this topic in relation to BIM, always looking for limitations and advantages. Providing sources was an excellent way to go out of the box, in my opinion, since it made us look for current applications of that topic and compare it to the future. I personally felt curious after writing a blog about robotics, therefore I decided to do my research paper on that.

Also, we had larger projects to complete through the term allowing us to put into practice the definitions we had learned about the key terms. For instance, creating a database using Microsoft Access made me look at the importance of databases and more importantly, how they work. It was a challenging task for me since it was the first time I was creating a database, but it made realize and understand the importance of applying this in the real world. A construction project would run easier and smoother with this application, as not only material properties and specifics would be in the database, but also cost information, schedule, constriction plans, and even contractors information.

Taking these course made me realize there is more out there than simple sketched done through AutoCAD, that there is a whole intelligent world created with the intend to facilitate the job of the engineers, architects and designers. In the future, I hope to get further knowledge on these applications and put them into practice. Technology is something that will keep changing through the years, and us as Engineers need to be able to adapt to what is new out there and willing to implement these new technologies to our work.    

B5 - Group D - Maria Ayon

Uses of Databases in Design Offices 

Databases are used for different purposes depending on the various design tasks. They are not only required for generating models, but also they provide important information such as the material and element information which a designer would need in order to facilitate the design task. Material selection is always a difficult task when a construction budget is provided.

In structural design offices, the databases will hold all the information concerning the design members and materials, as well as information concerning safety. When designing for a new structure, all the properties of a certain material will be stored in the database, facilitating the material selection process to the engineers. Also, environmental information of a specific location is also provided, such as weather conditions, wind speed and precipitation level. This will allow for engineers to design for a location knowing how the structure will be affected by external conditions year round.

In architectural design offices, as mentioned in class before, BIM software needs a database to perform accordingly. When using Revit for instance, the database provides information of every element and material available, from metal’s failure values, to window’s dimension, properties and R-values. If the database does not provide an element the designer specifically wants, new element packages can be simply uploaded to the database. From these, schedules can be easily generated specifying the material, properties, manufacturer, and even color selection of a specific element. This not only helps the designer maintain organization, but BIM allows for the designers to have all the information enclosed in one area. In addition, with the BIM database, designers are also provided with a very close cost estimation based on the materials used, and construction schedules can also be generated.

In HVAC design offices, the database is used mainly for the purpose of an adequate HVAC selection. An example of an HVAC database would be EQuest. This works by the user providing a specific location and specifying the characteristics of the building (size, materials used and its R-values, its fenestration and shading systems, etc.) in order to get the most accurate outputs of the building. This output number will allow the designer to select the most suitable HVAC system for that specific building.

Sources:

http://www.aconex.com/blogs/2014/01/global-state-of-bim-construction-market-data.html

http://continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com/article.php?upgrade=new&L=12&C=838

Comments:

Janet Tran Comment

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B4 - Group D - Maria Ayon

Robots have been around for many years with the purpose of completing tasks in almost every discipline, including housekeeping, space exploration, delivery services, medicine, care-taking, etc. Most recently, robots have been introduced to the construction industry with the purpose of making the construction process more efficient, as well as proving safety. I chose to do a research paper to study these robots and see what their impact is the industry as well as the impact they might have in the future.

Powered machines have been around since the industrial revolution, facilitating tasks of construction workers. Nowadays, new technologies are allowing for these machines to run without a human operator. Its purpose is not to eliminate all man power from construction sites, but to decrease the construction time of a building, allowing for a better efficiency and cost. For instance, robot SAM (Semi-Automated Mason), built by Construction Robotics, is a brick laying robot, which made his debut in the construction world in 2015. SAM needs a crew of three, including a mason and a tender, in order to apply mortar to the brick, setting it and moving along a face predetermined by a laser. Although the robot is not able to operate on its own, with the help of its crew, it is capable of laying a brick every 20 to 25 seconds. Scott Peters, cofounder of Construction Robotics says that SAM’s purpose is to leverage human’s jobs, not replace them, where a mason can lay 300-500 bricks per day, while SAM can lay about 800-1,200 bricks per day. This will not only decrease construction time in the field, but it will also decrease construction errors. A door opening designed to be located a certain distance from the corner of the building may not be exactly be placed there in reality. Robots have been designed to perfectly built by the use of sensors and coding.

In the future, with the combination of 3D printers and robotic fabrication, buildings could be constructed faster, saving money. Led by BIM, these models will be able to mold, assemble, weld, polish the metallic structure. This will allow to design for more complex-shaped structures easier. This is an idea that is been looking into, yet not elaborated. This may come as a challenge to developers of these great robotic ideas since their main purpose is to reducing cost and time, yet they may not be accounting for the numerous amounts of jobs robots might take over.

Sources:

http://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/23/robotic-construction-3d-printing-future-wolf-d-prix-interview/

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/540916/robots-lay-three-times-as-many-bricks-as-construction-workers/

http://www.construction-robotics.com/

Comments:

Sam Joyce Comment

Maq Alqallaf Comment