B6 - Course Reflection

As the term comes to an end, there are many things to reflect upon regarding this class. As a civil engineering major, I was a little intimidated going into this class. However, after a couple of weeks I realized that Dr. Mitchell does a great job explaining the different topics and takes it one step at a time. I thought this class was very thought-provoking, with a lot of discussions of not only what the future technology is, but the ethics behind it as well. It was interesting to ponder the future of augmented reality and its limitless potential. 

For the BIM and Database assignment, it was a great idea to have different submissions related to your experience in each topic. I was a complete beginner in these topics before AE 510 so the assignments for the novice tier were great introductory projects for me to work on Revit and Access. While they may have been "simpler" assignments than the experienced level ones, I still learned a ton and still had some challenges doing them, which I mentioned in the reflection papers. 

I found that the guest lecturers spoke with very relevant topics, and it was great to hear about the same principles Dr. Mitchell mentions during class from a different perspective. As someone who is always searching for more efficient methods of completing tasks, the topic of automation really resonated with me. I thought  about how drastically these technologies such as Dynamo could expedite certain processes. I believe there are always ways to improve a system, and this class showed me some of the technology people are creating to shift how the CAE industry works. 

My biggest takeaway of this class is that the type of technology I originally thought was decades away, or that was only true in science fiction movies is actually apparent today. We were shown lots of videos of robots, augmented reality and BIM implemented in today's world. It's crazy to think of how far this industry is advancing and the unique methods people are developing to benefit society. Overall, this class had very thought provoking assignments, was not too difficult as long as you put in the work, and inspired me to learn about new cutting-edge technologies.



Comments on others:


Robert Borelli

Your post was great to read, particularly as you are a computer engineering student. I agree with you that the assignments in this class were very informative and straight forward. Dr Mitchell really put the time in to this course to ensure we all had the proper resources to learn the content. When you mentioned your surprise with the use of software and databases in building designs, it really is funny how all fields of STEM work together.

Matt Mullen:

I agree and I wish we spent more time specifically exploring BIM and its capabilities in this class. A simple dynamo assignment (potentially as extra credit) would further my understanding of the subject and could be useful in the future for me if I never need to automate a process in Revit.

Alec Silverstone:

It's great that you still found value in this course even though you don't plan on directly using this information in the future. I agree that one of the overall takeaways of this course was to be aware of the ever-changing technologies and to search for innovative ways of completing tasks.

B5 - Relational Database Theory

The use of databases is relevant in nearly every industry. The ability to store enormous amounts of data in database is useful in many ways such as being able to find (manually or electronically) any piece of data and its associated properties in an organized manner.

One model used to create databases is the Relational Model. This model was created by E.F. Codd, an IBM programmer, in 1970 [1]. Instead of traditionally organizing data sets in a hierarchical form, Codd proposed using tables instead. The tables consists of both rows and columns. Tables are referred to as relations, whereas rows are known as tuples and columns are attributes. Each tuple represents a different element, or a unique key to represent different instances of data entries. One analogy to describe how a relational database works is to define a relation as a set with two elements; a head and body. The head then contains the different attributes such as {ID, email} and the body shows the tuples such as {1, bob@msn.com} [3].

A relational database is usually maintained by SQL ( Structured Query Language) [2]. To access data, queries use operators such as select, project and join. Select identifies tuples (rows), project is for columns (attributes) and join is a combination of both [2]. Its main advantage over traditional organizing systems is that it reduces redundant data by its ability for users to filter and queue for the exact data they need [1]. Another advantage is that new entries can be put in without having to modify the entire database. The mathematical operators within each attribute help to make the organization more practical and efficient. However, one disadvantage to using a relational database is that it may take time to set up (still faster than manually inputting a large amount of data) and is highly variable in the way its programmed.

A relational database is a great innovation that has been used almost everywhere since its inception in the 1970s. It helps companies store huge amounts of data and retrieve necessary information with the use of queries. Companies, such as Microsoft are actively working on new and improved database organization systems, such as graph databasing to make the process work through “large analytical work loads” [4].

[1] Biscobing, J. (2018, May). relational database. In TechTarget. Retrieved from https://searchdatamanagement.techtarget.com/definition/relational-database

[2 ]Wikipedia contributors. (2018, December 7). Relational database. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:16, February 12, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Relational_database&oldid=872459713

[3] Relational Database Theory (2014). In O'Reilly Media. Retrieved from http://archive.oreilly.com/oreillyschool/courses/phpsql2/phpsql203.html

[4] Martin, A. J. (2017, February 20). Love lambda, love Microsoft's Graph Engine. But you fly alone. In The Register. Retrieved from https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/02/20/microsoft_graph_database_the_big_difference/

Comments on Others

Weiyi, I really like that you inputted a picture in your post. Databases are somewhat of an abstract concept - and it can get cumbersome to describe through text alone. Use of images really puts what you are trying to convey in a concise and understandable manner. I originally thought of databases as mainly useful for housing information such that you’d find in a phone book. However, your post shows its capabilities in office buildings, with the capability to estimate energy saving potentials.

Jenny, you did a great job in explaining what an object oriented database is and what its used for. I think the use of object oriented databases could speed up the manner that engineering drawing files are transferred from person to person. From experience, I know that takes a while. Also, with its emphasis on using a visual aid, I think it would be more intuitive to utilize over other types of databases.

Tyler, I can totally see the importance of databases in construction industry. As one of my coops was in a construction consulting firm, there is truly a lot of information that needs to be kept track of. Businesses that have a database system that is carefully curated and maintained tend to be more organized.

B4 - Outine and Feedback

Our topic is about the use of 3D printing in developing construction materials. First, we intend of doing research on current production methods for the main materials. 3D printing is a growing field and due to recent advancements, high performance materials have been produced through these means. The main focus of this project is to examine the feasibility of using these 3d printed materials as structural components for buildings, bridges homes and other structures. There are many promising advantages of using 3d printed materials. A main benefit is the ability to be more flexible with designs, as designers are able to print complex geometries which would have been difficult to fabricate otherwise. 3D printing is generally more expensive than conventional methods, but its efficiency may outweigh the costs. This is something we look to discuss in our paper as well.

The main construction materials, steel and concrete will be thoroughly discussed. There are several different methods for printing these materials and it will be interesting to compare its properties from traditionally formed members. Other, less common materials will be looked into as well, such as binding sands and ceramics. I look forward to learning the different advantages and disadvantages of each method and begin to formulate ideas on how to improve these processes. 

3D printing is only in its early stages, and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet to how it can be involved in the construction industry. As 3D printing/additive manufacturing methods become quicker, easier, and overall cheaper than traditional fabrication methods, it may become an industry standard. Its capabilities are very promising, as large scale printers have already shown to produce high strength materials.

In the world today, 3D printing has been utilized for making homes in less-developed areas. I think utilizing 3d printing in this way is a great way to get the ball rolling on this type of technology, as it both gives a chance to develop real 3d printed structures while simultaneously helping those in need. It works well in these remote areas because since the material can be fabricated on site, there is little need for transport. The components can also be made all exactly the same and parts are able to be interchanged accordingly. This is just one example of the potential impact that 3D printing can have in the construction industry.

Comments on others:

Albert: I really like how you are tying in this project with your junior design project. With the amount of time you guys are putting into that project, along with the knowledge we are learning in AE510, I think you can really make something special. It’s great that you are going beyond the project requirements from 391 and utilizing dynamo to help make the process more automated. Unfortunately, I have no experience myself with dynamo but I was thinking maybe you could use it to help with clash detection in your design. 

Ren: I never really thought about the potential benefits for BIM in a healthcare building model. However, with the amount of complex systems required for those buildings, there is definitely a huge opportunity for BIM to simplify the design process. Your outline is well-structured, and I look forward to learning about the specific processes that BIM can simplify.

Christian: I too was surprised to hear that companies were already actively pursuing Augmented reality (AR) technology and being on the forefront of this change. When learning about AR being used in the CAE industry, I thought we were a few years out at least. Even though contractors are used to using the 2-D plans (which will presumably be created from a BIM model), I think it would do nothing but help them to be able to view the project in a 3D format, using AR software and tools. I wonder if these 2-D plans will ever become obsolete entirely as contractors begin to become more familiar with 3-D layouts.

B3 - Implementation of BIM technology within the next 10 years

From the Autodesk University lecture, Bill Allen discusses the future of BIM in the AEC industry and how these changes will occur within the next 10 years, which is sooner that most expect. As a quick summary, the changes he is referring to are increased use of automation during iterative design. Through manipulation platforms such as grasshopper or rhino, designers could cut down time over some of these iterative processes and have it be done through automation. This, in theory, would save companies tons of money and time.

As evidence from the lecture and from our guest speaker the other week, certain companies are already implementing this technology and are putting themselves on the forefront of this “revolution”. Through this information alone, it is easy to believe that this type of technology would be accepted as an industry standard within the next decade. However, it appears that the companies that are actively pushing the use of these design tools are large firms that have enough resources to allocate to certain departments for training and execution. Most firms still rely on 2-D drawings for design through microstation and autocad, and it has been working well. In my experience, a lot of the senior engineers at the company I co-oped at were not even very familiar with using these CAD softwares let alone being able to use Revit or visual programming languages. They would rely on the more “tech-savvy” employees to produce the drawings while they would review and make edits to them. What this says to me is while there are new methods that would theoretically work better than traditional or old fashioned methods, there is still a large gap in the industry and people are hesitant to learn new things when they don’t have to. Since the old methods are still proven to be working effectively, why would a company (specifically smaller firms) put in the time and money into teaching employees these new methods when both clients and workers are more comfortable using traditional ways?

Overall, as automated technology continues to expand and become even more efficient, firms will have no choice but to make the switch in order to keep up. As the generation that did learn this methodology early in their careers moves on to higher level/senior positions, it will then become an industry standard. While the technology Bill Allen presented in his talk will ultimately change the AEC industry and affect firms everywhere, I think his prediction of complete integration within the next 10 years is a bit optimistic. All stakeholders in a project would have to be on board for this new methodology to be implemented and it seems unrealistic given their comfort of using traditional methods for the past several decades. My estimation is it will take around 15-25 years rather than 10.


Comments on others

To Nick Maloney:

You post was very well-put and you described the limitations that will slow down the implementation of these powerful tools. I couldn’t agree more that economic factors would be a huge hindrance for many firms to add these tools to the company repertoire. For smaller firms, and with smaller projects, it is typically not necessary to even use some of these tools Mr. Allen presented. In these instances, it seems like it would be a “waste” of money for these firms. Operation and training costs would take up alot of time and money at first, and full integration would definitely be a long, slow process.


To Hailey Ihlow

Your personal experience relates to this topic perfectly. It was interesting to hear that your company also is seemingly preparing its employees for the eventual switch by introducing some of these design tools during lunch and learns. I wonder if they will soon have a more aggressive training approach and make it a requirement for certain teams. It’s definitely a great example of the methods that companies are using to start making the transition to using this technology.

To Albert Hanan

I agree that there is an increased time frame for these changes than as Allen describes. We share the sentiment that the newer generation of industry leaders would pave the way for these changes, as those who currently practice traditional methods will retire. The mentality that many principals have (which may not necessarily be a bad mentality at all), is that there’s no point to fix what isn’t broken.

B2: Chapter 2: BIM Tools and Parametric Modeling - Harvin Bhandal

In chapter 2 of the BIM Handbook, Eastman delves into different BIM tools and aspects of parametric modeling. He begins with the evolution of parametric modeling and its shift from 2D drafting to 3D modeling using computer softwares. The chapter discusses the importance of both predefined and user-defined rules in the BIM process. An object’s behavior is defined as “how [it] updates itself as its context changes” (in relation to defined rules). Each parametric object has certain attributes which makes it a lot more efficient to create and modify geometries. For example, a building element, such as a wall or door, is first defined by a class or family with rules that govern its parameters. As better put by Eastman, “Designing a building that contains a hundred thousand or more objects would be impractical without a system that allows for effective low-level automatic design editing”. 

In BIM application, the predefined objects and rules are mostly correspondent to existing design standards. For example, the standard practice for steel design is based from the AISC handbook. Eastman discusses certain scenarios where the industry standards cannot be used in the design model, and a designer has to create new objects. These scenarios include specific design conditions, aesthetic criteria, and new technology that has not been standardized yet. 

The chapter also compares different BIM platforms and discusses each of their strengths and weaknesses. Revit is the market leader in BIM software, and it is known for having user-friendly interfaces along with many useful development tools and libraries. As of now, I have no experience with Revit and I was a little apprehensive about having to use it in this class. However, this chapter emphasizes that the use of BIM platforms exist to make design tasks a lot less time-consuming and less error-prone. BIM has the capability to detect design clashes, which can alert the designer where changes need to be made. While Eastman states that often times it takes months to use a BIM design application proficiently, they are still very powerful tools and is necessary to use in many design scenarios. As the models are rendered in 3D, all parties involved in the project will have an easier time understanding certain components that may be difficult to interpret from a 2D drawing. Since the publication of this book in 2011, it appears that BIM has been growing as predicted and has had huge impacts on the ACE industry, saving both time and money for everyone involved.

Sources: 

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=bc728db5-ac2a-463a-be02-b1d1edcfc78a@pdc-v-sessmgr02&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_71&rid=0

Comments to others:

To Alec Silverstone:

Alec, you present very good points and I agree that contractors should be involved, or at least informed of the design process. By providing contractors access to the BIM models, they will be able to get a better understanding of the project and see it in a 3D view. It also definitely would save time and prevent any issues by BIM’s ability to detect clashes. While it would be ideal that a contractor is involved in the design process, unfortunately I feel like many times that does not happen. During my first co-op, I worked at a construction claims consulting firm, and it was apparent that a lot of the issues that contractors encountered during the construction process (which invevitably caused the project to be delayed) was due to unclear designs and miscommunication. I think BIM has the potential to lower the frequency of these issues and make for a smoother construction process, especially if contractors are involved. 

To Christian Tait:

Christian, you highlighted a major issue that business and money can hinder the development of using BIM across different platforms. During my co-op, I always found it frustrating that it was not as intuitive to use files from AutoCAD and Microstation in tandem. While it's obvious that a company would only operate within its best intesest; ie making the most money, it is frustrating as a user that many programs do not work well together. Even though companies would claim there is no reason to have to interchange between programs, clients may have special requests for certain platforms to be used. Furthermore, users may be more familiar and proficient operating under a certain platform.

To Albert Hanan:

Albert, you did a great job discussing the evolution of parametric modeling and how it evolved into today’s uses. As I discussed in my post, the development of 3D modeling was a huge advancement and expanded the limits for design. The combination of the two classic modeling methods to produce the modern method truly shows how it is important to understand a product’s history in order to improve it. In this case, the best aspects from the CSG and B-rep method were combined to make modern parametric modeling both modifiable and easy to use. 

Blog 1, Week 2: AI,Computer,Software, Future: Harvin Bhandal

As discussed in class, we are currently in the midst of a technological revolution. Previous industrial revolutions saw the emergence of steam engines, electricity and computers and now, the use of artificial intelligence in everyday life is imminent. Most technology now uses some form of AI and its use in the future is extremely promising, as the software is able to adapt and deeply learn in specific domains. Most of its applications boasts an increase in efficiency and cost. For example, an autonomous car, when working perfectly can improve traffic safety and costs.

One concern about application of AI technology in society is the risk of decreasing jobs, as it is believed that autonomous machines can perform better than humans in virtually every facet.. However, the TIME article by Kai-Fu Lee suggests otherwise. Lee states that at least 4 job types are completely safe from the AI revolution: creative jobs (inventor, scientist), strategic jobs (executives), jobs that will be created by AI, and jobs of compassion (nursery, doctors, etc). While job security in these sectors will be safe, there are still other risks that AI poses such as privacy. As we have already seen with Facebook and other companies, AI can be used and manipulated to leak information about users such as personal details and logistics to unwanted parties [1]. These are real concerns, and I believe that they will keep happening until governments all over the world can agree on best practices to use AI on and enforce them.

In “What Tech WIll Look like in 2039”, most interviewees predict that use of AI and Augmented Reality will exponentially increase in 20 years time. One interesting take by Freeman Dyson expressed his idea of “hacking biology”. Dyson equates everything on Earth, even life itself to code, and something people will be able to change and manipulate using technology. Advancement in gene modification and synthetic biology are all just different forms of programming [3]

Software that utilizes AI technology definitely holds a promising position in the future. I believe that use of this technology should be regulated to ensure that it benefits society and is not used maliciously. Rajen Sheth, director of Google’s machine learning team, agrees with this idea as well, and google recently published “AI Principles” which essentially serve as a “constitution” for implementing AI [3]. The principles themselves state that they will be updated as technology advances and holds its number one value to be socially beneficial. [2]

[1]Lee, Kai-Fu. “Artificial Intelligence Is Powerful. How To Protect Workers.” Time, Time, 11 Jan. 2019, time.com/5501056/artificial-intelligence-protect-workers/.

[2] Pichai, Sundar. “AI at Google: our principles.” 7 Jun. 2018.
https://www.blog.google/technology/ai/ai-principles/


[3] “What Tech Will Look Like in 2019.” PCMag, 3 Jan. 2019. https://www.evernote.com/pub/aengineer/ae-510#st=p&x=software&n=e1854797-c0a4-495f-aa29-0972989fb917

Comments:

To Nick Maloney

Nick, I agree that the construction sector is in no means neglected by the advancements in AI technology and additive manufacturing. On paper, they do seem like a match made in heaven. It is apparent, however that automating many of these processes which previously required skilled individuals would cause a reduction in jobs, which you have addressed. An article from TIME that I read stated that there would be a great number of new jobs that would be generated by the AI revolution so I wonder what types of new jobs would fall in the construction industry. I think it would be hard to determine until the technology has been implemented and is effects have been documented. Overall, I think you brought up really valid points and it is very true that labor unions may dictate the progress that these advancements are made.

To Nana Lin Rasmussen

Nana, I learned a whole lot about the direction the 3d printing industry is going from reading your post. I initially thought the developments for 3d printing other objects other than plastic was quite far away, but it was interesting to learn that concrete and metal 3d printing have been worked on for years already, and are in the process of being implemented. The idea of using 3d printing to build affordable housing is such a great humanitarian deed and it’s always nice to see developers using their technology to benefit society. I also think that the increase in this technology could open up more jobs and influence people to learn 3d modeling programs.

To Alec Silverstone

Alec, this was a great read and you presented very interesting takes. It made me wonder exactly if there were any studies done to show how many people in fact were connected to the internet. According to Wikipedia, approximately 55% of the world’s population is connected to the internet. That is a substantial amount of people and that number is sure to grow. In terms of data collection and privacy infringement, I agree with what you said that it is simply something we have to accept with the coming technology. In fact, certain companies collecting data could make for a more user-friendly experience when using their platforms. For example, how Amazon or YouTube can tailor their home pages based on the things you like. However, this definitely could become an issue if certain private info, such as bank accounts are easily-retrieved.

Introduction/Intelligent Buildings

My name is Harvin Bhandal. I am a junior in the BS/MS program pursuing civil and structural engineering.  I am from Rockland County, New York, which is located just north of New York City.

My hometown of Rockland County

Being in close proximity to New York City growing up and now Philadelphia at Drexel has allowed me to develop a deep interest in structures and engineering from these urban settings. For my co-op this past year, I worked at Transystems, a transportation and structural engineering firm. I worked in the bridge department and got hands-on experience performing structural evaluations on many different bridges in the Philadelphia area. I also had a fair share of design experience as well which as worthwhile. AE510 is my first architectural engineering course and I look forward to learning more about structures in terms of buildings as opposed to bridges. In my free time, I enjoy being active and love playing sports such as basketball and volleyball. Below is a picture of me on a recent trip to London this past winter break.

Me at Trafalgar Square, London  

To me, an intelligent building is one that uses technology in many different aspects of its life cycle to improve the building's efficiency, cost, or human comfort.

Dummy Post - Student Names

This is here to allow me to make your last names as labels.