B6: Course Reflection

One of the most important facets to remaining viable in a field driven by technology is the ability to react to changes in a dynamic field. Despite the fact that the AEC industry has typically been a slow-adopter of technology, it appears that these changes are coming and will drastically alter the way that design professionals approach their day to day work. Because of that, there is a pressing need for a prospective engineer to be aware of what could possibly be coming down the road in order to be well-equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that come with them.

This is where the AE 510 course stepped it. It had the ability of exposing me to new and old aspects of technology in the building industry, all the while projecting what the industry may look like in the future. Some of these technologies I was aware of, including BIM, the need interoperability in software and other aspects of design, and basic mechanism behind more novel methods of production such as 3D printing, sensor controls, and AI integration. Other aspects were new to me. The extent of robotics integration was especially jarring to see, as was the complexity of databases that controlled advanced BIM software. Admittedly, some topics felt at first glance as if they were overly ambitious and perhaps impractical. That said, knowing what research is currently focused on gives premontions for what may eventually become reality over the course of my career as cost and other hurdles are mitigated.

The benefit of this class was the variety that we saw, though there was a drawback in terms of the lack of depth in which we were able to explore certain topics. The variety was helpful in that it prepared us for the variety of careers that can come from an AE degree. Additionally, at this stage of my life I can not anticipate whether certain jobs or projects will require me to be conversational in some of these topics. It is useful to have a breadth of reference points for this purpose. The class also provided a springboard for looking at different research opportunities on your own. In my case, I was able to integrate faculty research into the topic of point cloud modeling to expedite modeling to structures using photogrammetry techniques. It fostered interest in different sensing technologies and the opportunities that exist with them. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it also reinforced the idea that each technology has with it limitations that must be accounted for in design and in the evaluation of any product. Such an idea will help to ground interactions with vendors and clients who may have separate agendas.

Sean,

I agree with your point about the guest lecturers. It was very enlightening to see how some of the concepts that we were learning about in class were actually being applied. I thought it was also interesting to note the pace of changes in certain areas, and how they differed across industries.

Christian,

I think your conclusion about the practicality of the course is a good one. I think the choice in not diving too deep into any subject left us in a spot where we knew enough to be aware of what was going on in terms of technology implementation in the construction industry, but not enough to apply it very well.

Matt,

Your mention of Kayleigh’s lecture was a common one throughout these blog responses. Her introduction to Dynamo was an eye opening one that left me thinking about how the traditional roles of engineers will be changing over the course of our careers. I think that equipping yourself with literacy in programming is a valuable tool that will help you be adaptable and able to take advantage of changes in the industry.

B5 - What is SQL and why is it important?

In order to understand the capabilities and potential applications of many of the software packages that are being utilized in design firms today, a user must first analyze the mechanisms that operate behind the interface. In many cases, these processes are predicated on a series of relational databases. The structure of a relational database is such that information is stored in tabular format which links certain parameter values together by row. These rows are typically keyed and have the capability of being able to communicate both with information stored in a similar table or even in adjacent tables.

Structured Query Language, or SQL, is the key to unlocking the potential of relational databases.

With SQL, programs are able to communicate with the data stored in tables. These communication processes include searching for particular data or reorganizing data in a specific manner. While other languages exist for performing similar functions, SQL has been recognized by the American National Standards Institute and therefore is the most widely used in the industry. Some companies that use this include Oracle, the Microsoft SQL Server, and Amazon Web Service, all of which are relied upon by numerous institutions for operations. 

SQL is both a highly impactful and highly flexible framework within which programmers can work to create powerful tools for users. Typical commands include “select”, “insert”, “update”, “delete” and create, allowing for a very simple and approachable base from which these tools can be created. However, SQL also allows for the creation of proprietary syntax and extensions that can perform highly specialized functions in an efficient manner. This is because relational databases can be constructed in such a way that items can be retrieved quickly by SQL and equally as efficiently translated to a format that appears on the program’s “front end”.

SQL is important because programs, especially some of the highly sophisticated BIM examples that have been shown in this course, rely on a massive amount of data in order to perform their intended functions. While data storage formats (databases) are important and fully necessary, this stored data is useless if it is unable to be retrieved and manipulated. SQL fills this void and gives programmers the middleman necessary to put this data to use.

Sources:

“Indiana University Indiana University Indiana University.” What Are the AT and Baby AT Form Factors?, kb.iu.edu/d/ahux.

“What Is a Relational Database? – Amazon Web Services (AWS).” Amazon, Amazon, aws.amazon.com/relational-database/.

Comments:

Christian,

You mentioned Moore’s law in reference to the growth and establishment of SQL as the industry standard. This is interesting because I had only really heard of this law in reference to processing power in computers, so it was enlightening to hear it applied to other situations.

Yicheng,

I really enjoyed the way in which you organized your post, clearly defining the characteristics and advantages of SQL. Can you also think of some drawbacks with SQL? Are there ways that the industry could improve on this to create faster, more powerful software?

Alec,

I agree with your statement that there are many possibilities for database implementation in the AEC industry. It will be interesting to see the rate at which this is adopted given the traditionally slow-moving nature of this industry.

B4 - Project Outline

Introduction

1. AE 391 project description
1. Programmatic elements
2. Base class requirements
3. Clear definition of the ways in which this project was an extension
2. Background on team members’ previous Revit experiences
3. Motivations for project choice
1. Further Revit expertise
2. Exposure to non-structural Revit disciplines
3. Introduction to BIM management techniques (file sharing, linking files/views)
4. Introduction to Dynamo to automate tasks

Summary of Modeling Timeline

1. Architectural model
1. Daylighting/location
2. Topomap
3. Rendering
4. Stair creation
5. Roof development
6. Scheduling/occupancy for life safety design
7. Sheet creation/annotation capabilities and limitations
2. Structural model
1. Interoperability with RAM (?)
2. Full modelling of structural systems
3. Custom family modeling of girder/truss elements (?)
4. Column scheduling
5. Automated beam systems to expedite modeling for short window
3. Mechanical model
1. HVAC System
2. Plumbing
3. Potential incorporation of  Dynamo 

Dynamo Introduction

1. Lynda tutorials
2. Identification of potential uses
1. Dimensioning
1. Solve missing dimensions upon relinking files
2. Scheduling
1. Export to Excel for report/presentation
3. Automation of repetitive tasks within MEP
3. Walking through challenges and development process

Reflection

1. Points of growth
2. Possible changes if redone
3. BIM as a tool to expedite design on a condensed timeline
4. How to go further with the building
   

Our AE 510 project is an extension of the work that we are performing in our Junior Design (AE 391) course during Winter Term. Our building will function as the new home for the CAEE department and the Architectural and Interior Design programs within the College of Media, Arts, and Design. There are also commercial and retail components within the program that have been fulfilled. The site is adjacent to Main Building at the current location of Lot F.

The motivation behind this process was to implement some of the tools and processes that are being covered in AE 510 to enhance our AE 391 project. The format of Junior Design allows for our group to explore BIM applications in preliminary Architectural, Structural, and Mechanical designs and realize its immense value in coordination of these disciplines. Because of this, we will be fully modeling our systems in Revit, which far exceeds the requirements for the course. We view this as an opportunity to extend our basic BIM knowledge and begin to explore the ways in which it can expedite design using real problems come across in our project.

As seen in the outline above, our report will consist of first and overview of our building’s program and our approach to the project. We will then go over the ways in which we implemented Revit/Formit interoperability in massing design, including energy simulation and daylighting capabilities that exist within these programs. In the structural design phase of the project, we will explore interoperability possibilities between Bentley’s RAM software package and Autodesk’s Revit to learn about the advantages and hurdles that still exist in this realm. The system will be designed and integrated using the architectural program as a guide, simulating real-world design. Additionally, we will be applying BIM coordination and management techniques to streamline workflows and perform our tasks most efficiently. This includes the process of linking files and coordinating views/underlays properly. The final stage is a mechanical design, during which we will employ some of the simulation processes explained previously to inform our design. Because our group includes structural engineers, we will be relying on Revit’s calculation tools most heavily in this section. An underlying theme of our project will also be staying aware of opportunities to implement Dynamo scripts to automate mundane design processes and help us produce a finished product under a condensed timeline.

Comments on other projects:

Kyle,

I am intrigued to hear about your findings on 3D printed steel members. With some of the more abstract forms being created using advanced modeling techniques (some of which we have been showed in class) it will be necessary to have the fabrication techniques that can keep up with these ambition design ideas. I am especially interested in your evaluation of these techniques’ feasibility in terms of being implemented into real-world projects

Hanyan,

I think it is interesting that you are choosing to focus your research on BIM in residential development. In a time when so much residential construction is dominated by large builders, the opportunities for BIM implementation in residential design are likely considerable in boutique scenarios.

Adam,

I am excited to hear a BIM perspective that is focused on construction management. I think that a lot of the applications that we are hearing about in this class are focused in the design sphere and how this will help to optimize/expedite the work of engineers and architects. However, as we learned about in the Whiting Turner presentation last week, BIM’s capabilities can be equally if not more helpful on the construction side.  

B2 - Advantages and Challenges for Interoperability in BIM

Chapter 3 of the BIM Handbook was centered on the topic of interoperability. Eastman began the chapter by defining this idea broadly as “the ability to pass data between applications.” Essentially, it encompasses the ability of different programs and processes to translates data across the defined levels of tools, platforms, and environments within BIM. When this version was published, these ideas were still largely in development. Eastman claims that “extracting the stick and node model for a structural analysis and determining the relevant loads is not yet a common automated translation”, but during my co-op experience I have seen that REVIT’s family properties have become robust enough to take not only standard members but also custom trusses or girders and convert them into usable STAAD models, greatly improving efficiency in design. Platform to platform (REVIT to Structureworks for example) provide the most amount of hurdles because of the amount of data and properties used to describe objects, as well as the economic consequences to each of these companies for creating pathways to communicate with each other. These programs are each looking for different properties with unique syntax to describe the same objects that populate models. The National BIM Standard is working to standardize these processes in order to allow data to be exchanged easier between programs.

Eastman makes a point of identifying the streamlining of workflow as the next great leap for the construction industry. He proposes the idea of BIM repositories that function as a storage area for the actual objects that define a building (not the file types that are unique to applications). This automates exchanges and allow different stakeholders to pull down relevant information into their respective analysis software. In the near future, this is expected to be industry standard in project management. In the design stage, interoperability can lead to streamlining as well. Auto-fixing of systems in response to clash detection and auto-communicating between model, takeoff, and estimating services can free engineers from these tedious tasks.

However, the ushering in of interoperability has presented some issues as well that will need to be resolved before full implementation can occur. In a BIM repository scenario, the master model must be entirely complete, containing all of the data relevant to the different disciplines (down to structural connections, with complexity and precision adequate enough to be useful to Finite Element Models and other such processes). The ability to auto-update all models with a change made in one automatically to prevent confusion. Even in a situation where auto-updates occur, these can often have ripple effects that could go unnoticed and provide significant issues to a particular disciplines design (the movement of mechanical equipment changing the loading on a particular bay for example, leading to a scenario where perhaps members are not sized appropriately). It will also be necessary for designers to be involved in the process of developing interoperability tools – expertise is necessary for identifying and defining the parameters relevant for one program relative to another, as well as when these definitions can change (an exterior wall contains structural properties, as well as an assembly with a specified R value that impacts building energy performance).

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.

Comments:

Alec,
I enjoyed your qualification of BIM as  "bridge" that connects contractors to the design team. I think in addition to the practical cost-saving benefits of including contractors (to a degree) in the design process, there is also value in establishing trust between the project stakeholders as well. If everyone is included in the room from the outset, there will be a much deeper understanding of each party's interests and priorities, reducing the amount of frustration that can occur when the building actually goes under construction.

Harvin,
I think your chapter is really vital to understanding a lot of the benefits (and challenges) that exist with BIM software. Having an idea of the mechanics of BIM software (inputs, outputs, properties, etc.) can help to envision the various ways that BIM can be applied for different members of the project team. Your post was helpful to read in conjunction with the chapter that I was assigned to read on interoperability because many of the roadblocks that exist in that sphere revolve around differences in BIM programming structure. Focusing on streamlining the syntax and properties of objects in the BIM environments is a necessary step to improving project efficiency as a whole.

Christian,
I think that your reactions to Chapter 3 of Eastman were very similar to mine. It is interesting that you noted that many of the manual inputs to BIM will ultimately be automated with the advent of more robust interoperability capabilities. One of the recurring themes that I have thought about since the lecture that was given in class week is the impact that this will happen for traditional job roles in the industry. It appears that many of the responsibilities given to entry level engineers at firms prior to them gaining necessary experience to undertake their own projects will soon be automated. I think that this will make the transition from college to the workforce a much more intimidating one, and that a separate infrastructure (perhaps a stronger, defined mentorship program) will need to be developed to take its place.