B6 - Class Reflection

Prior to taking AE 410/510, I was aware of Revit and databases as a concept, but I did not have a good understanding of what those systems were capable of.  Dynamo and grasshopper were also great software to get exposed to, as they allowed me to see where design firms in the architectural engineering and construction (AEC) industry is moving towards.  These, along with emerging technologies like robots, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, can expedite construction projects and ultimately save money.

How this class exposed me to the Revit software I believe will significantly help me in the future.  At my job as a consulting engineer in the AEC industry, I am involved on some of Philadelphia’s largest and most forward-thinking design teams.  BIM360, as mentioned in this class, is one of the databases that I have been using, and on the same project, Revit is also being used.  Using these two software together has been extremely helpful, where Revit is being used in the design process and communication between various trades for coordination.  Then, BIM360 is being used to track problems with a system once it is installed on site.  Similar methods to issue tracking and design can be created using different software, but this concept is extremely helpful for projects with an integrated project delivery (IPD) method.  Dynamo and grasshopper are also clearly helpful to the design process, although for the specific career path that I am working towards, I do not believe they will be applicable.

Databases I believe are more applicable to my future career.  Occasionally there will be a project with hundreds or thousands of different buildings where data for each one must be collected.  Alternatively, there may be a single building, but thousands of photos that can be categorized by location in the building or what type of work is being photographed.  Larger projects like the second one mentioned can take years, or decades to complete, and with photos being taken daily, this can add up very quickly.  Towards the end of said project, finding specific photos can be difficult, but utilizing databases and queries, it could be possible to find specific photos much faster, saving time, and making the overall process less arduous.

Comment 1 Kunlun Ren:

Kunlun, it is great that you were able to get the opportunity to learn Revit and Microsoft Access.  I was in a similar situation where I have been putting off learning Revit and other software for years now, even though I knew I could learn it and that it would be helpful.  This was because I was either always too busy, and I knew that it was not an immediate concern, meaning I could learn it later.  I liked that this course forced me to learn the software, although I also wish that Revit were taught earlier in the AE curriculum at Drexel to help with junior design and senior design.

Comment 2 Harvin Bhandal:

Harvin, good points bringing up the novice level assignments versus the experienced ones.  I loved how Professor Mitchell allowed us to decide every assignment what level we were at, and be graded fairly and accordingly to our skill level.  Students who have used Revit over their co-ops obviously were more experienced with the software, and could complete the experienced task, while students like me who are not as familiar with Revit could do the novice level assignment.  The same can be said about databases.  This also allowed everyone in the class to learn more about databases and Revit, since everyone was able to expand into new areas of the software that they were unfamiliar with before.

Comment 3 Richard Kimball:

Richard, that is really cool that you have been teaching yourself to code and learn databases on your own.  I have also been meaning to begin watching videos online to teach myself specifically how to learn the command prompt on a computer, as I believe mass file edits are a common task that I will be given.  Learning the syntax and commands involved with the command prompt will help me streamline these processes, and save significant amounts of time.  Like you, I also want to learn databases and coding, and this class has been a great jumpstart to me gaining that knowledge.

B5 - Relational Database Theory

Relational database theory is a new concept that has the ability to revolutionize the computing industry, making computers more powerful, have higher storage, and run faster than currently available models.  This theory uses tables (called relation or base relvar) to store data in rows (called records or tuples) and columns (called attribute or field).  The system works by storing different types of data in different tables, and for each table to have a column for a relationship value to a different table.  For example, if there are two tables, and table 1 identifies each of its rows as “P-1”, “P-2”, P-3”, etc., then table 2 can have a column that has those same identifiers to relate the two tables together.  This way, data can be organized into a single, massive array where everything can be referenced quickly.  This is much faster than the existing systems in solid state drives and hard drives where there are layers to their memories, which have to be sifted through before collecting the requested data.

Relational database theory was developed based off of the relational model of data, which was developed by E. F. Codd in 1970 [1].  Since that time, the related technology has been developed to be able to handle and apply this memory storage and processing system.  Hewlett-Packard spoke in 2014 about developing this technology and integrating it into commercially available computers that “…could offer six times the performance requiring 80 times less power.  [They] expect that the first prototype that HP is working on will have 150 compute nodes with 157 petabytes of addressable memory.” [2]. This was estimated to be complete by approximately 2016.  Compared to commercially available computers today, which typically can only handle 1 terabyte of storage memory, HP’s prototype can handle 157,000 times more data, and should still be able to run faster than current computers.  As stated, this technology has the ability to revolutionize the computing industry, as well as many other industries like construction who are moving towards larger file sizes, more complex softwares, and requiring high processing speeds to handle these new advancements in construction.

Citation:

[1] “Relational Database.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_database.

[2] Jackson, Joab. “HP's Radical New Machine Could Start Computing by 2016.” PCWorld, PCWorld, 31 Oct. 2014, www.pcworld.com/article/2842252/hps-radical-new-machine-could-start-computing-by-2016.html.

Comment 1 Julie Handsted Anderson:

Julie, you’re explanation of relational database theory is much more condensed than mine, and I think you did a much better job of explaining it haha.  The image that you inserted in your blog post helps to understand the theory significantly, and I appreciate it.  I think the effects that this will have on the computing industry will significantly help the construction industry as computers become more powerful.  15 Years ago, we used floppy disks with about 200 megabytes of memory, and that was all that was needed.  Today, we are looking at files that are 5 gigabytes.  15 Years from now, we will probably be looking at 250 gigabyte files, which is the size of a single hard drive in computers today.  These developments in computing power are important and necessary to continue growing society.

Comment 2 Richard Kimball:

Richard, learning about normalization of tables in the relational database theory was a great learning experience that I did not come across in my research.  Getting that in depth into this research has clearly provided you an extra level of understanding on the subject matter.  If most databases aim to reach 3NF, you mentioned that some databases require a higher level of normalization.  Are there any that require to reach 6NF, as the maximum level?  I would be interested to learn which databases require this, and what their primary uses are.  Also, I am curious about the same topic, but for 1NF.  Why would a database strive for the most basic level, when the norm is 3NF?

Comment 3 Albert Hanan:

Albert, you gave a very nice synopsis of what relational database theory is, and its history.  I was unaware that Amazon Aurora uses this theory, and that there were also added security benefits to using this system as opposed to a NOSQL system.  Being 5 times faster is a huge benefit to a corporation as large as Amazon, as I would believe a processing speed that fast would be a necessity, as opposed to just being something nice to have for them.  I believe that as the world moves more towards larger databases and more storage requirements, this type of technology will become more and more necessary to continue the development of the world at the speed it is currently moving, and for each individual industry, including construction.

Blog post 5: Rational databases theory

Rational databases are relationships between data which is represented in tables. It is a way to structure and organize data. This theory was developed by E.F Codd in 1970 and have been used since then to manage databases.  A table characterizes one entity type where the rows represent each types and the columns represent the value for the type. The row has its own unique key which is called a primary key. By linking the key with other keys from other tables it is possible for the data to be related with other types. This creates a relationship between other tables and creates specific data. It could be a useful information in a building project where you would like to get information about e.g. the different door which are used in different rooms. A table would then describe the doors with an ID number, name of the door, and material. An other table would describe the rooms in the building also with an ID number, name of the room and size of the room.  Each table could have information about all the doors in the project where many of them has the same name and material but the ID is the unique key. The same is for the rooms where the ID for the room is the unique key. A new table with only the ID numbers of the doors and the rooms can then show the connection between the doors and the rooms. It can then tell how many of a specific door is in a specific room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvrpuBAMddw

https://aws.amazon.com/relational-database/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_database

Blas Andres Rodriguez Vieira: Your post made it easy for my to understand what SLQ is and why it is important. It is interesting how you in the end of your post describes how important it is for almost all business to be able to understand the language of the databases because almost very thing becomes digital and we therefore store more and more data.

Tyler Madden: Interesting how the databases can be used in the construction business to improve effectivity and thereby save more. In the company where I work we sometime makes databases of tables when we are doing inspections of a lot of buildings where we have a specific ID for each building and then we can put in data for the roof, walls, foundation etc. It is a very easy way to get collect all the information we have for each building. And a easy way to get the information further to the owner of the building to tell them how the conditions is of all the e.gs roofs at all the buildings.

Weiyi Tang: Well described how the data in the design phase. It made think of how the simulation programs for energy and indoor climate actually works with the different input data we use.

B5 - Relational Database Theory

Relational database theory is the theory behind the relational model which is applied to design relational database. A database model is “a type of data model that determines the logical structure of a database and fundamentally determines in which manner data can be stored, organized and manipulated”. The relational database is one of the most popular examples of a database model which uses a table-based format. The theory of it is firstly proposed by E. F. Codd in 1969 when he tried to find an approach to “satisfy the widest possible ranges of users and uses”.

A database is defined by Wikipedia as “A structured collection of records or data” and can also be understood as “an organized, machine-readable collection of symbols.” When these machine-readable symbols are organized into a collection of relations, it becomes a relational database. Here, many people use the word “table” as an alternative to “relation” as this model using columns and rows of tables to organize data. Note that the SQL also uses table instead of relation. However, every relation can be considered as a table, not every table is a relation. There can be multiple tables represent one relation in many cases. In tables of relational database, there must be “a column or group of columns, called primary key, to uniquely identify each row”. That means each row in a table has its own unique key. When people want to link different tables, they can add a column for the unique key of the linked row. This column is called foreign keys. Primary keys and foreign keys give people a way to tie different tables together so the tables can communicate when people need to perform some specific commands. “The primary keys within a database are used to define the relationships among the tables. When a PK migrates to another table, it becomes a foreign key in the other table.” Usually, people call these rows as records or tuples and call these columns as attributes. In codding format, a set of attributes is also called the head and a set of tuples is called the body. So a relation is “a set consisting of two elements: a head and a body. We can represent a relation as {Head, Body}.”

There are two integrity rules for relational database. First is the row must be distinct. Otherwise, the system will not know which row is correct when it collects information from database. Second is that the column values cannot be repeating groups or arrays. When each row in a table is different, we can use a unique column which is the primary key mentioned above to represent that table.

Sources:
[1] The Java™ Tutorials, https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/jdbc/overview/database.html
[2] Hugh Darwen, "An introduction to relational database",  2010, from
https://dvikan.no/ntnu-studentserver/kompendier/an-introduction-to-relational-database-theory.pdf
[3] Relational Database Theory. Retrieved February 12, 2019, from http://archive.oreilly.com/oreillyschool/courses/phpsql2/phpsql203.html
[4] Relational Database - Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 12, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_database

Commons:
Weiyi Tang, I like the picture you use. It clearly shows where the database can be applied in a practical case. And the example you used in Linux also help me a lot to understand how can database being used.

Jenny Fretta, you clearly explained what is object oriented database and even point out its advantages. Your example used in the blog represents the most important advantage of object oriented database which is saving space and time for processing while reducing the risk of information delay.

Yicheng Li, I learned a brief history of SQL and its characteristics. And I agree that SQL helps people manage and store large databases more easily and more reliably. Great introduction.

B4 - Term project

For this term project Nana and I will look into how 3D printing of houses can be a part of the sustainable development in the building industry. We will have a special focus on how the building technology of a 3D printed house is compared to a traditional masonry house. The 3D printed houses we have looked at is built of one massive wall which have made us think of how the heat and moist is transferred through the wall is and what consequences it will have for the building. In many articles it is written that 3D printing of houses can be more sustainable because of less material used and it is faster to build the house, but if heat is transferred through the wall and moist damages the house it will not be more sustainable because more energy will be used in the operation stage of the house. We have earlier work with life cycle assessments and will therefore look at the project with that perspective.  

1.    Introduction and problem statement (1/2 pg.)

·      How is 3D printing of houses implemented in the building industry today?

·       Which building technology problems can occur from 3D printed houses?

·       Can 3D printing be a way to develop a more sustainable building industry?

2.    Results – The construction process of 3D printed houses (1 pg.)

·       The wall build up

·       Material

·       Time

·       Labor

3.    Discussion (1.5 pg.)

·       Building technology

o    Heat and moist transfer

o   Comparison to a tradition masonry wall

·       Building LCA

o   Material

o   Economic

o   Time

4.    Conclusion (1/2 pg.)

5.    References

·       https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-inside-race-perfect-3d-printed

·       https://www.3dnatives.com/en/3d-printed-house-companies-120220184/                

·       https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/dubai-company-ready-to-3d-print-your-house-says-19-year-old-founder-1.47402

·       https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1876610217346969/1-s2.0-S1876610217346969-main.pdf?_tid=df186325-0045-4a8c-b529-1c309df08a13&acdnat=1549384067_ca255cf08c1776a9009a1e525266cd5d

Aaron Goldberg: It really sounds like an exciting project. I like that you are looking at the 3D-printing with an critical perspective of the construction and that you compare it with the traditional manufacturing. I think it is very important to look at the 3D printing with a life cycle perspective and consider all the process and consequences of it.

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.

Blog Post Week 5 - 3-D Printed Steel

I am working on a project with Kyle Breiman that is called “Constructability and Engineering Properties of 3-D Printed Steel Comparing Traditional Manufacturing and Construction Methods”.  We will be examining the engineering properties and constructability of 3-D printed steel as compared to steel that is manufactured using traditional means.  The engineering properties that this project will look at include fire protection rating, localized climate effects on the steel’s molecular structure, compressive strength, tensile strength, and its brittle or ductile nature.  The hypothesis that Kyle and I have created states that we do not believe that there will be much difference in these engineering properties of steel, regardless of manufacturing method, although analyzing this information is extremely important in the event that our hypothesis proves wrong.  The constructability implications that 3-D printers have on an on-going construction project include primarily logistical concerns.  3-D printers, being fairly large, may cause concerns for providing raw material to the 3-D printer, allowing the physical space that the 3-D printer requires to complete its work, and the cost of manufacturing 3-D printed steel as compared to traditional methods.  The cost to produce steel in today’s construction industry is a known value that varies depending on the shape and size of the steel, and must be compared to if it were produced using a 3-D printer.  The final constructability concern is ensuring that the one 3-D printer that a construction job purchases or rents is able to manufacture all of the steel shapes and sizes that a job needs.  Most likely, if a 3-D printer is unable to be flexible enough to manufacture all of the pieces, then it may not be worth its cost. 

To show the information that we will research, Kyle and I will develop a paper that will show our findings about 3-D printed steel, the results of its engineering properties today, and where it will move towards the future (expected values once the technology is fully developed), and the results of its constructability concerns as this technology is integrated to ongoing construction projects to save time, money, improve overall efficiency, and reduce the overall time of project schedules.

Comment 1 – Richard Kimball:

Richard, learning Dynamo is a great task to undertake, and I believe that it will help you significantly as you grow your professional career after Drexel.  For most people, building a Revit model with an HVAC system could be their entire project, but good job working towards the extra goal of including Dynamo in your project.  I am also interested in learning how Dynamo works, and how I could apply it to my job after college, so I will be very interested in seeing how your project develops towards the end of the term, and also how your presentation will show its abilities.

Comment 2 – Kunlun Ren:

Ren, tackling BIM in a specific industry is a good idea that I don’t think I considered.  Each industry has extremely varied requirements in terms of building design.  Healthcare especially has strict HVAC requirements, structural requirements (with large pieces of equipment like MRI machines), and plumbing requirements for human waste, body fluids, and unique chemicals.  Typical plumbing systems would not need to handle large quantities of these fluids typically, and are not designed for them.  Seeing how BIM can be applied to a specialized industry like healthcare is a great idea, and I am looking forward to seeing your presentation.

Comment 3 – Albert Hanan:

Albert, building an in-depth Revit model, and applying Dynamo script to it is an ambitious project to pursue.  I know that there is another group that is working in Dynamo (I believe Richard Kimball in group A), and they may have some input if you are still looking for help (although they are also self-teaching how to use Dynamo).  Like a lot of the class, I have been very interested in Dynamo ever since it was introduced to our class in week 2, although I am not the best at learning how to code.  I am looking forward to your presentation in a few weeks as you develop your project, as I have been learning how to use Revit in the past few weeks for both this class and senior design, and I would like to see more about what Dynamo has the capability to do.

B4 - Applications and Benefits of BIM in healthcare building design -Individule project

Applications and Benefits of BIM in healthcare building design

1      Introduction

Background of BIM application in building design

The importance of applying BIM in healthcare building design

BIM can help architects and contractors to improve their production efficiency and reduce the risk of human error remarkably. “In fact, all buildings benefit from BIM, however, it is believed that healthcare is the segment that can benefit the most out of BIM services (Bhushan Avsatthi).” “Usually an office building consists of four moving parts, whereas a hospital generally consists of 50 or 100 moving parts (Bhushan Avsatthi).” This makes BIM become more essential for collaborating multiple processes of design and construction.

The trend of healthcare design

“A wave of green building design and sustainability has swept across the construction industry, and it is now becoming more aware of the fact that their contribution will prove to be significant in shaping the future of energy worldwide (Bhushan Avsatthi).”

2      What is BIM

2.1     The definition of BIM

2.2     Current application of BIM in architecture industry

3      Current applications of BIM in healthcare design processes

3.1     Site analysis and Layout plan

3.2     Building conceptual design

3.3     Indoor environment quality analysis

3.4     Envelope design and analysis

3.5     Construction drawings production

4      Benefits of applying BIM in healthcare design (including a comparison between BIM supported and traditional design method)

4.1     Visualization

4.2     Efficiency improvement

4.3     Complexity organization

4.4     Multiple software collaboration

5      Challenges and prospects of BIM application in healthcare building design

5.1     Longer design cycles

5.2     Complexity of application process (especially for developing countries due to the immature technology)

5.3     Data loses during software communication

6      Conclusion

Comment:

Yicheng Li

I am sure that through this project, you can be proficient in modeling in Revit and I believe this will help you a lot in your future works. From the floor plan, I can tell it is a very typical layout of the two-level house in the U.S. The only thing I might concern is the materials of each element of the house. And maybe you can try to create new families with specific features that you need. As a novice of Revit, the model you already did looks pretty. I am sure that your final output will be great. Good luck!

Albert Hanan 

Your project sounds exciting.to me. I am looking forward to see your final model and especially the document of your progress. As I new user of Revit, I. unfortunately. can not give you more suggestions on using Revit and Dynamo. But I think your collaboration of multiple software is a smart way to build the BIM and will be very helpful after you are proficient in them. Good luck!

Weiyi Tang 

I find your topic is very interesting. With the developments of AI and robotics, houses have changed a lot and will keep changing with new technologies progress. From the lectures of AE510, we have learned that there are so many emerging technologies including AI supported design, robotic construction, smart home, etc., that have pushed the AEC industry to a new age. And through your research, I believe we can have a better understanding of the prospect of the AEC industry.

B3 - Implementation of BIM in 10 years

From the speech, “The Future of BIM Will Not Be BIM—and It's Coming Faster than You Think”, we watched on YouTube in last class and through the discussion within our group, we believe that there will be a bright future for AEC industry. However, it is hard to predict that how soon that future will come.

Bill Allen introduced many interesting application cases of BIM in today’s AEC industry. From the video, it’s easy to conclude that the BIM has and will improve the accuracy and efficiency of almost every process of construction activity. He emphasized some applications of BIM and other parametric design software such as grasshopper in architecture design. Along with my own experience in architecture design, I believe there will be more and more buildings, especially large-scale public buildings, designed in this way. Because parametric design can not only improve the design efficiency but also provide the visualization of design logic. It helps designers and architects to explain some certain design details and the logical reason behind them. It is quite common that after the completion of building design, the first party will doubt and argue about some design details of that building with architects. Thanks to the parametric tools, now architects can defend their ideas more convincedly and also can adjust design according to the owner requirement easily.

However, innovation and development are often based on the need for economic efficiency. Nowadays, almost all architects and engineers know that BIM is good. It can help people cooperate better, it can decrease the risk of human error, etc.. But from my own experience, there are still so many architects, engineers, builders do not know how to use BIM tools like Revit. Most of them are still relying on the AutoCAD or Sketchup. This fact makes it hard for firms to revolute their working mode due to the cost of training workers, upgrading working tools, etc.. And in fact, for many small projects like a house or a traditional apartment building, it is not worth for these firm to apply BIM. There are already a bunch of references for floor plans, details, standards for construction. They can complete the job even faster than using BIM tools.

Comments:

To Bhandal,

I agree with your points. I also doubt that the wide application of BIM in every field will come later than 10 years. Just as you said, to use BIM, every stakeholder have to be on board. But from the current situation that many firms are still relying on the 2-D tools, it is hard to say that the bright future can come in 10 years.

To Nana,

I agree that 10 years is too short to let the ambition come true. And I also agree that complementation relies on our generation who already learned those techniques and will or already on work in this field. In 20 years, I would say, after these young architects and engineers becoming senior workers, the wide application of BIM will come true.

To Weiyi,

I like the analogy you used between the parametric modeling assistant and food delivery apps. Exactly, techniques today are saving a bunch of time for people and make it very convenient from daily life to work. But there are still problems such as cost and time consideration. And the techniques like parametric design or 3D printing are still under developing. People need more time to refine and improve these techniques. Just as what you said,  "Haste makes waste, so nothing should go in a rush."

B3 - The future of BIM in the AEC industry

The video that we all watched in class from Autodesk University, “The Future of BIM Will Not Be BIM – and It’s Coming Faster than You Think” [1], gave in an-depth look into how BIM developed, what it is capable of today, and what it will be capable of the near future.  The question is, how far away is “the near future”, and also what industries will it affect in what timeframe?  In class, Dr. Mitchell mentioned that he would like us to speculate 10 years into the future, and to see what role BIM will have in the AEC industry in that time; However, I believe it will take longer than 10 years.  As was clearly shown in the video in class, some architects and designers are already using BIM modeling in conjunction with visual coding softwares to compare design models for optimization.  I believe that this is most helpful for them because they are designing systems from scratch with no framework to guide them.  In the AEC industry, though, typically engineers are given a basic design (usually in the form of DD level drawings) to begin their design work on for their particular system.  Often, this basic design will be enough to limit an engineer’s design to a handful of options on larger decisions like duct runs, pipe risers, and column locations.  Because of this, I do not believe that this level of BIM modeling will become integrated into the AEC industry within the next 10 years.  I think that first, it will get more integrated in the baseline design and architecture industries more heavily, and following that, once it is better understood and easier to integrate, the AEC industry will more-so “adopt” it, rather than get it integrated.  The difference in “adopting” and “integrating” in my mind, is that only small areas of the AEC industry will utilize this level of BIM modeling, and it will also be almost fully developed by the time the AEC industry really begins to use it to its full potential.  That is adopting, because it will already exist, and will not permeate through the industry as heavily as the architecture industry.  I also believe that if this were to happen, it will take more than 10 years, as it will be closer to 20 years.

[1] Allen, Bill. “The Future of BIM Will Not Be BIM—and It's Coming Faster than You Think.” YouTube, uploaded by Autodesk University, 23 November 2016,   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq6yKyauu-o

Comment 1 – Gabriel Grajewski:

Gabe, I completely agree that I think it will take more than 10 years for the AEC industry to utilize BIM modeling that was shown in the video to its full potential. You bring up a good point that higher mathematics knowledge will be required to use this type of modeling. I would imagine that future engineers would gain those knowledge in college, prior to becoming an engineer. If this is the case, then I can absolutely see how this would take more than 10 years. First the industry would need to show a need for this type of work to be done (which is may already be doing), then the universities need to recognize this need, and adjust their curriculums accordingly. Finally, new students need to enroll in those universities, and complete the coursework, and then become profession engineers, which is about a 9 year task on its own (college = 4 years, P.E. = 5 years). If this is the course that the industry will take, then I agree that it will definitely take more than 10 years.

Comment 2 – Albert Hanan:

Albert, I had the same prediction in my post of about 20 years before the AEC industry adopts advanced BIM modeling like what was shown in the video in class.  My experience I think is similar to yours, where I worked for a small engineering firm, and followed that up by working for two mid-sized firms.  The smaller firm still used physical stick sets, which pre-dates AutoCAD, while the mid-sized firms were moving towards integrating Revit into their projects.  It is interesting to see that both smaller firms like I worked for, and also larger ones like you worked for (Jacobs Engineering) are still roughly in the same area.  It makes me think that the AEC industry evolution into BIM is independent from company or industry size, but rather the interests of a particular company's management team.

Comment 3 – Harvin Bhandal:

Harvin, I mostly agree with your time-frame, although I think that there is a good chance that it will take longer than 15 years.  You also posed a new perspective that I did not consider, being that all stakeholders must agree to this method as opposed to traditional engineering methods.  Mostly all people that are experienced and high enough in their respective companies to be a stakeholder are fairly set in their ways, know what they are paying for when signing the contract, and may be hesitant to risk a project they are paying for on a new method that has not been fully vetted by the industry.  As stated in the video, mostly larger projects with more resources and larger companies will utilize this technology first, as they have the extra space in their budgets to train their employees and pay for the software, which should also impact higher leveled stakeholders.  This will hopefully trickle down into smaller projects over the course of, what I believe, to be 20 years.

Group A - Week 3 discussion post

In general, we believe that while this technology is already extremely useful for designers, in particular, architects, it is going to take some time to be developed among architectural engineers. We believe that initially, automative technologies will augment engineering processes in small ways to speed up the drawing phases of modeling and accelerate repetitive processes. As these technologies become more utilized by the industry, we see them being utilized for bigger new projects that have unique challenges--not for small everyday projects. In the future, perhaps these technologies can be used to help make decisions such as material choice, geometry, etc. as they relate to life-cycle costs of structures.

Blog 2: Chapter 2

I read chapter 2 of the BIM handbook which discusses BIM Tools and Parametric Modeling.  This chapter dives into the history of BIM, different BIM softwares and their utilizations including converting 2-D drawings to 3-D, and the various means used to identify similar components of a BIM software to compare different softwares.  Giving names to all of these components like tools, platforms, and environments, and the parts of history that went towards developing BIM softwares really helped me understand what goes into the software from an engineering perspective, and the players that contribute funds to the development and research of this type of software. 

My personal experience with AutoCAD has allowed me to begin learning AutoLISP, the coding language behind AutoCAD, which was mentioned in this chapter of the textbook.  This knowledge and experience was being put to use while reading through this chapter as I could identify specific exercises that I completed at work with the specific terms that the BIM handbook used.  In addition to this, section  2.3.6 raises some commonly asked questions, including one specifically that I, and many of my colleagues have asked in recent years: “Why Can’t Different Parametric Modelers Exchange Their Models?”.  In other words, or as I would actually ask the questions: “Why can I not export my model from one software to another?”.  Finally, I am able to understand, as explained in this section, that BIM softwares are able to define object behavior at the foundation of an object’s definition, and different softwares identify this behavior differently.  This behavior includes how 3-D objects interact with each other when, for example, a wall sits on-top of a concrete slab.  Although on the surface every software might represent this interaction the same way, the behind-the-scenes behavior of that interaction happens differently in different softwares.  This is why when converting models or files between softwares that are compatible, everyone is always wary of “glitches” or issues in the software during the conversion.  The model may get messed up, but only because the background behaviors of the objects differs for each BIM software.

This was just one of the topics that really resonated with my understanding of the softwares, and I am glad to finally have a better understanding of this phenomenon.  The background information that this chapter explains has provided me with a much better understanding of these softwares, and the interactions between them.

Works Cited:

[1] Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.

Response 1: Richard Kimball

Richard, I think that your conclusion at the end of your post to find a compromise between the systems or methods being chosen between is the best means to an end of creating the work product.  In the beginning of chapter 2, Eastman explains that when deciding between the two different modeling methods for defining objects, it was clear that they should be combined to create what is known as BIM modeling today.  Linking these ideas together, grabbing the best parts of each method is the best way for us to move forward in BIM modeling, and in the AEC industry.

Response 2: Kunlun Ren

Kunlun Ren, that was a great summary of the chapter that really highlighted each of the main points from the main sections.  Although many engineers and architects that use BIM stop learning about it once they know how to use the software itself, I believe that it is very important to understand how BIM came to exist, and also the parts and pieces that are running behind the scenes.  Understanding the difference between tools, platforms, and environments can give a drafter a much better understanding of what it is they are doing, and also how to optimize and improve their methods.

Response 3: Harvin Bhandal

Harvin, I like how you discuss the definition of an object’s behavior and how it interacts with other objects in a BIM software.  Like you said, each object in a BIM software interacts with other adjacent objects, and follows the pre-set rules of that particular software, although each software has its own set of rules to follow.  This is important to note as everyone who has used more than one software has noticed that everything works differently to get to the same work product.  Understanding why these differences in softwares exist, and realizing why and how some softwares are better than others for specific tasks can help to improve efficiency and help the engineer or architect understand the topic better.

Blog 2 - Chapter 2 - Kunlun Ren

Chapter 2 starts with the history of the evolution of the parametric modeling from 2D to 3D. The author introduces a brief history of two initial forms of early 3D models which are the boundary representation approach (B-rep) and the alternative approach, the constructive solid geometry (CSG), and how the two forms finally were combined together. Then this chapter delves into explaining the characteristics of or the “technologies” applied in the parametric modeling system. There are three degrees of parametric modeling. At the simplest level is parametric solid modeling which is defined as “complex shapes or assemblies defined by a few parameters”. The second degree is parametric assemblies which represent that the assembly models can updates to the shapes when parameters are changed. The most important technology for parametric modeling is full parametric modeling which “allows the parameters defining one shape to be linked through rules to the parameters of another shape”.

The author also introduces some applications of building information modeling as tools of parametric modeling systems in both building design and construction. Many companies and associations are making efforts to develop more objects behavior rules and layouts to expand the families of BIM objects. The user-defined parametric object is also mentioned in this chapter as an expanding set in BIM design applications. It allows the BIM tools to be applied in the real world when there are more limitations. Some other advantages and developing directions of parametric modeling and BIM tools are discussed such as the relational structures, drawing generation, object management, etc..

The last part of this chapter introduces BIM as organizations which include tools, platforms, and environments. BIM tools can be considered as the smallest unit in BIM organizations. It allows users to complete one specific task such as drawings production, energy analysis, error detection, etc.. BIM platform can be treated as a stage on where tools can be organized together to achieve the data generation and analysis. BIM environment has the largest scale in the BIM organization. It combines multiple platforms and tools and is usually used as a communication tool between the people who use different platforms and tools. Several products of BIM tools, platforms and environments are also introduced in this chapter. And Revit, as the leader of the BIM market, is emphasized.

Citation:

Eastman, Teicholz, et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011.

Comments:

To Sean,
Your point of the importance of interoperability on the BIM is very interesting and I totally agree that the interoperability will play a critic role in BIM's future. From your blog, I know that it achieves the possibility of communication between different BIM tools. And it can save lots of time to unify the models' information and decrease the risk of human errors. Just like what you said in the last part, I believe with more groups efforts on building the model resources, BIM will help people save more time.

To Weiyi,
I can't agree more with you that the IPD is a very efficient way for cooperation between architects and engineers. From your blog, I learned that the evolution of cooperation process from the very traditional way, Design-Bid-Build, to Design-Build Delivery, and finally to the Integrated Project Delivery. People are making the building activities more and more efficient from both actual and potential aspects.

To Jenny,
Your point about the necessity of using BIM for the owners and facility managers is very interesting. I agree that BIM should be applied a wholelife of a building to achieve the maximum cost and time-saving. With the help of BIM, the owners and facility managers can rapidly react to feild situations or make smarter choices without facing problems in the field. And BIM also helps the owners forecast their profits and decrease the finacial risk.

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.