Building Tomorrow: The Future of Civil Engineering
by James P. Outreach & PR ExecutiveThe future
is approaching us at an accelerating pace, with technology and innovations
shaping the way we think, act, and interact with the world around us. We’re
becoming accustomed to fast processors and rapidly growing cities. But their
integration has been limited by innovation in the civil engineering sector.
Of course,
budgeting and time constraints have limited new approaches to create
environments that are symbiotic with smart technology. But with significant
investment being poured into public construction, civil engineering now has the
opportunity to create a bright future for everyone. Here, we look at how civil
engineers will build the future.
Smart cities
Technological
development and civil engineering have sustained a close relationship in their
ability to continue fresh approaches to cities. But the future of
civil engineering will utilise technological integration rather than its use in
construction alone.
The United
Nations believes that 68 per cent of the world population will
live in a city by 2050. This demonstrates the need for cities that
can sustain a high population safely. For this reason, experts expect anticipate that future cities will be
integrated with technology to match their growing needs. So how will our
cities become smart?
Artificial
intelligence will be responsible for most transport usage in smart cities. Driverless
cars will be connected to each other, traffic lights, and parking locations to
measure how to deal with congestion on our roads and increase efficiency in
cities while increasing safety for pedestrians.
Waste in
cities can also be approached with technology, indicating when a collection is needed as opposed to a regular
schedule. In the long run, this may have more economic benefits, especially
for taxpayers.
Cities,
councils, and nations may embrace this technological transformation by allowing
important information to be placed in the hands of the public. Licenses and IDs
may be accessed on mobile phones. People could have the ability to
control their town — reserving a bench in the park or requesting a public
transport pickup.
Of course,
civil engineering must facilitate these changes. When roads are constructed, do
they consider the use of driverless vehicles? When a building is created,
can smart waste facilities be included in the building’s
infrastructure? Reclaimed land for park use can also present civil
engineers the unique opportunity to create more than a natural reserve in city
centres, with smart use being a focus of their construction.
Sustainability first
The changing
attitudes of the public do not only shape how civil engineers are constructing
buildings, but which materials are used in the process. Certainly, the
past five years has created a deep perception of the need for sustainable
practices in every aspect of our lives. Never has this been more important
for the construction industry, where reports indicate that they
contribute 32 per cent of landfill waste in the
UK.
For this
reason, sustainability is
at the forefront of the future of civil engineering. This practice is
increasingly used around the world, where buildings are deconstructed as
opposed to demolished to save reusable materials, while other items are
recycled and integrated into the construction process. For example, recycled
plastic made from discarded bottles and bags that may end up
in a landfill can be used as insulation or protection for structural
steelwork. This technique is already being employed on
bridges, where structural integrity is essential. Recognising the strength of
steel and the protective properties of recycled plastic demonstrates how
sustainable strategies should be used will be essential going forward in
construction.
A connected world
Advancements
in civil engineering are not only helping to create infrastructure within and
between the cities of the future but are showing signs of connecting the wider
world. While infrastructure such as the Eurotunnel was
considered groundbreaking for its grand engineering feat, one that
seemed inconceivable before it was attempted, the future of international
connection belongs to bridges.
Already,
engineers across the globe have connected countries through bridges. The
Rainbow International Bridge connects the Unites States and Canada over the
Niagara River, and the New Europe Bridge connects Bulgaria and Romania over
Danube River. However, new engineering capabilities are now connecting
countries separated by seas.
In 2018,
Chinese President Xi Jingping opened a
bridge that connected Hong Kong to Macau, securing
the bond between the mainland nation and the Special Administrative Region. At
34 miles, it’s the largest sea-crossing bridge ever constructed. This bridge
creates a metaphorical connection between these regions as well as a
physical one, emphasising their ties.
In the
future, some engineers are looking ahead to see how similar bridges can help
connect the British Isles. While the Prince of Wales Bridge exists to create
more links between England and Wales over the River Severn, we should expect
bridges to connect Northern Ireland to the UK mainland at some point. The idea
has a mythical origin in the Giant’s Causeway, but realistic proposals have
been made to connect the island of Ireland to the UK since 1799.
Only in
February 2020 has UK Government officials began looking into the
potential type of crossing that could be constructed over
the Irish Sea. It’s been estimated to cost between £15 billion to £20 billion.
While a significant investment, the UK hopes that such a bridge could benefit
trade relations with the Republic of Ireland. It would also allow a more
physical union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to be created.
With more
aspects of our lives moving online, it’s easy to forget the
importance of the physical world. Whether you’re experiencing the
engineering prowess of a sea bridge, enjoying smart technology in a public
park, or navigating yourself across an autonomous city, the process of creating
experiences for the future begins with civil engineers and creating a vision of
what can be created going forward.
Sources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X18305865
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Construction_waste
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-45937924
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-49661019
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Created on Feb 22nd 2021 08:45. Viewed 432 times.