8 Latest Trends Shaping Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering is all set to witness a major transition in the time to come. Experts believe that the fast pace of technological advancements will be the primary driver of this change. An interesting thing to note here is that a few technologies deemed as sci-fi not too long ago have started making their presence strongly felt in mainstream media. Till sometime back, the primary focus of the civil engineering industry was on smart construction materials that could facilitate the construction of energy-efficient buildings. The focus seems to have shifted considerably what with civil engineers now laying more emphasis on IoT, 3D printing technologies, virtual reality, advanced software, sustainability etc.

In the following paragraphs, we shall look at some of the latest developments in civil engineering, 8 to be precise, that will dominate discussions in this sector in the coming time:

1. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Will Become Mainstream

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two main trends that are most likely to influence civil engineering in the future. These technologies have been there for quite some time but it is only recently that they have started being widely applied in the civil engineering industry. VR and AR help visualize the end result, which makes them a highly interesting prospect for civil engineering. After all, it is hard not to relish the prospect of stepping into planned constructions even before the project kicks off.

2. Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Its Usage in Large-Scale Applications

Large-scale civil engineering projects are increasingly making use of the Cloud technology and Big Data. Also, driving innovation in this domain is the Building Information Modeling (BIM) through which civil engineers create virtual models of their designs using the intelligent 3D modeling process. As the technology offers engineers a chance to visualize how their design will look after completion, it is likely to speed up the process of converting advanced designs into reality.

3. Spike in Demand for Sustainable Designs

Sustainable designs are currently making for one of the major trends in the civil engineering industry. The reason is not hard to decipher as sustainable designs are finding favor with both government and global organizations. Smart materials, smart buildings with embedded sensors, better insulation, and sophisticated PV panels help build highly energy-efficient houses and buildings.

4. Drones Will Become More Prominent

The drone technology is growing at a fast pace and the industry is expected to touch $12 billion by 2021. Civil engineering has a lot of uses for drones. Right from helping take an aerial survey of undergoing constructions to carrying out safety inspections, drones are playing a very important role in the design, development, and completion of civil engineering projects.

5. Advanced Building Materials Will Be Major Influencers

Advanced building materials such as cement composite, self-healing concrete with shifting properties, fiber-reinforced polymer composites, advanced steel etc. that are more adaptable to external conditions are increasingly gaining traction in the civil engineering industry. A UK company developed sidewalks that made use of the kinetic energy produced by the pedestrians walking on it to generate usable energy. State-of-the-art buildings in developed nations are being coated with photocatalytic titanium dioxide to mitigate the effects of air pollutants.

6. Internet of Things (IoT) Will Facilitate Construction of Smart Cities

Internet of Things (IoT) will help engineers determine the health of urban structures by analyzing the data generated by the building management system. Variations in concrete humidity, vibrations, chloride content etc. can be easily recorded through sensors, which will facilitate the building of smart cities.

7. 3D Printing Will Revolutionize Civil Engineering

3D printing, a highly exciting trend, can open a whole new world of opportunities for civil engineers. This technology, which is currently in its nascent stage, is likely to offer simple solutions to highly complex civil engineering projects.

8. Robots Will Take Up Many Civil Engineering Tasks

Civil engineering involves a lot of hazardous work. Robots can easily take over from humans tasks that are risky and perilous in nature. You can hire structural and civil engineers from a different organization for high-quality construction work. You can outsource civil engineering services to India as this fast-developing country has an abundant pool of highly qualified and competent engineers who are well-aware of all the major technological trends that are currently and will in future shape civil engineering around the world.

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Created on Oct 31st 2018 05:59. Viewed 508 times.

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