B4 - Group 6 - Laser Scanning - Kai Waechter

My group will be basing our research paper on the capabilities of 3D laser scanning and its functions in the construction and structural design industry. Following this, we will break down the applications of laser scanning and focus on what we feel are the most important in line with intelligent building.

We chose this to be our topic because of the heavy focus on BIM in this class. 3D scanning offers an alternative method of generating a 3D model for an existing structure and in a majority of cases, generates an accurate model in less than 2 hours, a process that could take an entire week or more for a skilled BIM software specialist [1].

Another “intelligent” innovation that 3D scanning has brought to the table is how engineers are using it in structural analysis. Laser scanning allows for the technician to essentially map and surface of a structure, and depending on the type of scanner, they can look for heat distribution, cracks, and any number of abnormalities they are looking for [2].

Other applications exist for laser scanning including excavation control (precise dimensioning of excavations), free-form component inspection, and construction progress monitoring [1]. One challenge this technology faces is that it can only scan what it can see. If a surface of the structure if covered, then the laser scanner may not be able to detect it, however, it is clear that this technology offers numerous benefits in the construction and engineering fields and I for one am interesting in seeing what the future holds for such a device. Being able to rapidly scan and model an existing structure is a powerful tool, and like any other intelligent design technology it is likely to continually adapt to the ever demanding engineering environment.

Seeing as this is what everyone else is doing I might as well throw in the outline as well.

1.      Introduction to 3D Laser Scanning

a.      What is laser scanning

b.      How is it used

c.      Why is it important

d.      What makes it “intelligent”

2.      Applications of 3D Laser Scanning

a.      Modeling of 3D Structures

b.      Creating as build models of assets in a fraction of the time it does to do in BIM software

c.      Surveying/Elevation

d.      Structural Analysis (looking for damage)

e.      Highlight importance of its functions for structural analysis (or 3D modeling depending on preference)

3.      Laser Scanning in Structural Analysis

a.      Explain how it has changed the ways structural analysis can be conducted

b.      Go into specific applications

                                                    i.     Heat Mapping

                                                   ii.     Scanning for surface cracks

                                                  iii.     Erosion

                                                  iv.     Abnormalities

4.      Laser Scanning in 3D Modeling

a.      Explain how it takes 3D modeling and approaches it from an intelligent design angle

                                                    i.     Faster processing times/generation of models

                                                   ii.     No need to train someone in BIM software

b.      How 3D laser scanning can be incorporated with BIM software

5.      Discuss limitation of 3D laser scanning

6.      Closing Paragraph

a.      Highlight fundamentals of 3D laser scanning

b.      Talk about the future of where the technology can go

Sources:

[1] http://www.faro.com/products/3d-surveying/laser-scanner-faro-focus-3d/applications

[2] http://www.smartgeometrics.com/about-laser-scanning/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAoby1BRDA-fPXtITt3f0BEiQAPCkqQRYdOIITqznJaIgN9YliGuXHXF--Si5TPCnAEaZoFjcaAnZT8P8HAQ

Comments:

[1] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b4-group-e-swartz.html?showComment=1454382490846#c705495445278708879

[2] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b4-group-c-alexis.html?showComment=1454382986778#c9171514249251103665

B4- Kuzniarowicz Group E

For our final project, my group will be analyzing the applications of 3-D printing technologies in the construction field today in order to write a research paper for the final project. Over recent years, the technologies of 3-D printing have been a new and booming topic in the engineering and research fields. There have not only been advancements in availability and affordability of 3-D printing for the general public, but also the applications in which it can be used. There are a number of different 3-D Printing technologies that are currently being tested and applied to construction projects, such as the United Arab Emirates Innovation Committee’s plan to 3-D print an entire office building. In addition to fully 3-D printed construction projects, the technology is also being utilized in the creation of innovative and sustainable building materials such as concrete, plastic-based, wood-based, and alloy-based bulk materials.  Although the technology is still up and coming, breakthroughs in 3-D printing are continuously occurring. One of these breakthroughs includes the utilization of 3-D printers to create structures for a manned Mars space mission.

The breakthrough technology of 3-D printing has already made, and will continue to make, significant economic and social impacts in the world today. In the field of construction, the use of 3-D printing technologies could significantly decrease the cost associated with materials as well as simplify the overall construction process to make it more efficient.

A general outline for our final project on 3-D building technologies is as follows:

v  Abstract

Ø   An overall summary of the research, discoveries, and conclusions made about 3-D printing

v  Introduction

Ø  History of 3-D Printing

Ø  Background information about 3-D printing in Construction

Ø  Examples of 3-D printing applications

v  Topic 1: 3-D Printing and Building Materials

Ø  Fully 3-D Printed Materials

§  Concrete

Ø  Using Additives in 3-D Printing

§  Wood-based Bulk Materials

§  Plastic-based materials

§  Alloys

§  Other (moon rocks)

v  Topic 2: 3-D printing in Construction

Ø  Printing Methods

Ø  Structural Components

v  Topic 3: Entirely 3-D Printed Structures

Ø  WinSun China Builds 1^st 3-D Printed Villa and Apartment Building

Ø  UAEIC 3-D Printing Office Building

v  Future of 3-D Printing

Ø  Additional Construction Applications

Ø  Growth of Scale of Printing

v  Conclusions

v  References

1)    Win Sun 3-D Printed Villa/Apartment Building

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150118-winsun-builds-world-first-3d-printed-villa-and-tallest-3d-printed-building-in-china.html

2) UAEIC 3-D Printed Office Building:

http://search.proquest.com/docview/1698870470?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=10559

3&4) Printing with Regolith (or other moon rocks)

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20140002630.pdf

http://www.esa.int/Highlights/Lunar_3D_printing

5) 3-D Printing and Rapid Casting (Concrete and Alloys)

http://search.proquest.com/docview/214028287?pq-origsite=summon

6) 4-D Printing of the Future (Future)

http://search.proquest.com/docview/1650538777?pq-origsite=summon

7) 3-D Printing and its applications (Introduction)

http://search.proquest.com/docview/1432214803?pq-origsite=summon

8) Comparing Environmental impacts of 3-D Printing vs. Traditional Machining

http://search.proquest.com/docview/1648113434?pq-origsite=summon

Comments:

Cathlene Farnelli – 3-D Printed Concrete Properties

Cathlene,

You have stated a number of very good considerations on the topic of 3-D printing of concrete but there are many more thanks that you should consider. I would look into some of the fully 3-D printed buildings that are already in existence (WinSun China, and the UAE Innovation committee’s plan to fully print a building) and consider how they use concrete in their design. I would also look into using concrete material as an additive in 3-D printing. My group is also considering 3-D printing applications so I feel that we could help each other out with sources and information. I have attached sources in my post so feel free to take a look.

Kate Flint – Daylighting Technologies in Intelligent Buildings

Kate,

Like you, I also really enjoyed AE 340 (I hope you had Hartnichek) and I feel that this is a very important topic in building design today. I am currently in the AEI senior design competition and daylighting is one of the major considerations we must account for in the design for our 17-story office building. Daylighting is important in every building from hospitals to schools. This topic is very challenging because you do not only have to consider the building automation aspect of the design but also the economic impact of a satisfactory daylighting design. I would do significant research on how daylighting technologies can reduce of and increase the efficiency of a building. The idea for your topic is very general and there is a lot of information that could be included in your final report depending on which route you take. Good Luck!

B4 - "Internet of Things" in Interlligent vs. Sustainable Buildings - Sean Coffey

Project Topic Description:

How the internet of things distinguishes intelligent buildings from sustainable buildings, its uses and limitations.

I decided a project topic that dealt with the comparing how the internet of things concept is and could be applied to intelligent buildings and sustainable buildings for many reasons. Overall I am interested to find out how this evolution is progressing and what is currently happening to make buildings better by embedding technology in them. It will be cool to find out what the future may hold, but also this topic choice will help get a better understanding of what an intelligent building is and how it compares to sustainable building, something that I am already familiar with.

This topic will not necessarily be straightforward. My partner and I will need to research intelligent buildings, sustainable buildings and agree upon definitions for each. Also we will need to do a lot of research into how devices and sensors are being integrated into building to make them smarter. There are a large variety of applications of technology for both building types which will need to be generalized or selectively analyzed to find out which applications are comparable. After that we will need to perform an analysis on how they compare. What makes the implementations different? Do they perform the same task but achieve a different result? The biggest challenge here will be finding sufficient research to back up our conclusions. We should be able to get some good data from researching examples of different examples of intelligent buildings and sustainable buildings, scholarly articles that present reviewed and tests theories of building systems that have been improved by integrating sensors to enable automated building adaptation that is directed to making the building more intelligent or more sustainable.

Comments

@Dianna Vogel
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/01/b4-group-b-dianna-vogel.html?showComment=1454046675441#c1298989061727037337

I am interested to see more of what you end up discovering by modeling Mies Van der Rhoe’s Farnsworth House. I think that you all have made a wise decision to pick a project that lightens your workload and also developing a crucial architectural engineering skill. Our most recent guest lecturer and Mr. Mitchell  have certainly been emphasizing the benefit of learning and becoming confident with Revit. Like them I think this is a great way to prepare yourselves for Senior Design and what better way is there to learn and practice Revit than by recreating an existing building. You may be able to use the structural analysis tools built into Revit to help you with your structural design class deliverables or export the finished design to a program that can do a better structural analysis than Revit. But I am more interested in what you all will find about how the building accomplished its architectural purpose of integrating itself with nature from modeling the building. You may also find that the building was not an optimum design either due to a mistake in its construction or on purpose to make the building more connected with nature. I would bet that you would bind that so much glass in a building in the 1950’s would not be the best choice for a building built in Illinois climate. The use of a lot of glass does not lend itself to good heat retention. There may be other discoveries that you come across that help you to better understand how Mies Van der Rhoe achieved the objective behind the buidling’s design by applying architectural principles. I am interested to hear more about your reflection on recreating the building.

@ Laura Worley

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

Your project topic has also been an interest of mine because of how adaptive facades can make a building come to life in a small way. Just like how the lit facade of Cira Center arguably makes the building more expressive and attractive. I enjoy how the facade changes themes and makes Philly’s skyline a little more artistic.

As you mentioned there are many different types of buildings with adaptive facades and they vary widely in design and purpose. Because of this you and Allison may need to narrow down your topic by focusing on specific types of adaptive building facades. Whatever you chose to do moving forward, I am excited to hear about the building facades you feature in your project.

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.