Blog 1—The Influence of BIM Technology and 3D Printing on Future Construction Industry

BIM (Building Information Modeling) technology is a data tool used in engineering design, construction, and management. The advantage of BIM technology is that it can be used throughout the life cycle of a building. It saves a large amount of information such as design data, construction information, and maintenance information in the information base.

3D printing is a kind of rapid prototyping technology. It is a technique for constructing objects by layer-by-layer printing based on digital model files. The advantages of 3D printing technology are manufacturing complex items without increasing costs, product diversification without increasing costs, zero time delivery, and accurate physical reproduction. At present, 3D printing technology is no longer unfamiliar, and it has become a reality to form a building by printing. Therefore, in the face of new technologies, we need to discuss changes in project management.

With the development of modern technology, the construction industry applies these technologies to real life. At present, a very important feature of the new technologies commonly used in the construction field is that it can be expanded under a single environment. Nowadays, in the construction industry, the application of BIM new technology and 3D printing technology in the construction field is gradually becoming the norm for designers and builders, involving single buildings, architectural complexes, and even urban planning and design. So for the future of construction industry, we need the new technologies. It is more beneficial to strengthen the impact of BIM and 3D printing technology applications on the future.

The BIM design is based on the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standard and is modeled with the existing standard model's logical structure. Models built is efficient, easy to export, and easier to adapt to other building software. The BIM model construction needs to be completed in four parts: the calculation result model, the structural component model, the material information model and the attribute definition model.

1. Structure construction model. The basic components of the building, including the walls, columns, beams, etc. in the building, through the construction of the model to make the elements organically associated;

2. Calculation results model. The computer-calculated internal mechanical performance analysis results and the architectural structure design analysis results are correlated and combined to realize the optimal design of the structural construction;

3. Material information model. Construct a model of information about the concrete and reinforcement materials used in the building;

4. Attribute definition models. This part of the model establishes the dynamic attribute parameters of the building structure and provides an extensible interface for the model's re-expansion, which is the key to the dynamic adjustment of the entire building structure model.

As for structures, 3D printing technology has advantages:

1. 3D printing buildings can save time. When 3D printing technology is applied to the architectural design model, the building model can be directly operated at various levels, and the elements are automatically generated without the need to waste time copying. A tens of stories high building, ordinary construction, it takes about six months to one year to complete the construction. The current 3D printer can print 10 200 square meters of buildings in 24 hours.

2. 3D printing building materials have better strength. The 3D printed building materials have high strength and light weight, and have a great advantage compared with traditional building materials. Because of the hollow "Z" shape structure, a triangular stable support is produced, and the seismic effect is better.

3. 3D printing buildings are more environmentally friendly. Compared to the waste of resources in traditional manufacturing and the destruction of the environment, 3D printing technologies can completely avoid these problems. The materials for 3D printing come from construction waste, industrial waste, etc., and the waste is used. Because there is no transportation of sand, stones, cement and other materials in the process, it will not generate dust and pollute the environment. And no cutting is required, one molding.

Therefore, I believe that this technology represents a new trend in manufacturing development. Applying this technology to buildings will shorten the manufacturing time, increase efficiency, and strengthen economic and management levels.

The impact of new technologies in the construction sector on the future is important. In the future, it is an information age, the main features of the information age will infiltrate into all aspects of future architecture, including BIM, engineering progress management, building data collection and so on. Therefore, we need to develop our BIM technology and 3D printing technology in the construction industry. What we should pay a attention is that we must implement sustainable development and humanization while implementing new technologies. Building energy conservation must not only be implemented in specific construction, but also to implement the final building during using.

Reference:

[1] Yi Wei Daniel Tay, “3D printing trends in building and construction industry: a review” Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 14 May. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1080/17452759.2017.1326724.

[2] Rebekka Volk, Julian Stengel and Frank Schultmann, “Building Information Modeling (BIM) for existing buildings — Literature review and future needs” Automation in Construction, 10 March. 2014, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2013.10.023

[3] Geert De Schuttera and Karel Lesagea, “Vision of 3D printing with concrete — Technical, economic and environmental potentials” Cement and Concrete Research, 10 October. 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.06.001

 

Comment:

Nick Maloney,

 I am very interested in the second paragraph of your blog mentioning the 3D printing robot. So I understand the advantages of more 3D printing robots, easy to operate and high efficiency. As far as I know, science robotic has launched MIT's latest research, 3D printing, to build robots, which was planned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Mediated Matter lab. The mobile robot took 13.5 hours and was completely independent. It built a dome with a diameter of 14.6 meters. Known as the "Digital Construction Channel", this robot has a crawler-type mobile chassis, a large 4-DOF hydraulic cantilever, and a 6-degree-of-freedom Kuka robotic arm at the top of the cantilever. Ability to replace welding, excavation and printing.

Gabriel Grajewski,

The AI you mentioned in the blog has a negative impact on the employment of people in developing countries. I think it totally makes sense. After AI develops to a certain stage, it will inevitably replace some ordinary productivity, thus affecting the employment rate. In addition, I also believe that under the impetus of market demand, a number of smart companion industries with artificial intelligence "personification" as a selling point must be promoted. Human society is a social society, paying attention to emotional and ethical relationships. In the future, human activities and entertainment will be diversified, but it is important that family and friendship are indelible. When the conditions are met, the orphans or independent children who have lost their loved ones must have a highly anthropomorphic partner who can accompany themselves. Emotional delivery must be different from traditional moral values or subversive. This is a question worth exploring.

Blas Andres Rodriguez Vieira,

In this blog, you have done a good job of BIM's discussion of the future architecture. It shows the characteristics and advantages of the current technology, the development status and the problems that BIM technology may encounter in practical application. However, this blog lacks a discussion of AI technology. If you can briefly introduce the characteristics and current status of AI technology and combine it with BIM technology to analyze their impact on the future construction industry, I believe it will be better.