Thomas Sisson - Blog Post 1

BIM – Three Tech Trends Shifting the BIM Industry in 2016

(AECbytes Viewpoint #80 – July 21, 2016)

[Dennis Williams]

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has solidified itself as a staple for building design and construction. It provides fast and powerful design of all building systems at the same time and in the same place. The biggest draw for BIM however is its room for growth when integrated with other technology. In the article referenced, three emerging technologies are proving the most effective at enhancing BIM are the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud data storage, and augmented reality. The IoT is allowing for more automation within a building. A series of sensors within the building allow for real time modeling of energy use, which can then be used to control the various building systems to optimize energy efficiency. Construction can also be modeled using “Smart Equipment” which has been described as self-maintaining tools and equipment which can also streamline the construction process with constantly updating adjustable settings. All of this can be done using cloud storage to track changes and allow all parties to view the current state of the building from anywhere. In addition to this, cloud storage also gives all parties the ability to view any construction documents and keep track of the progress. This boosts collaboration and reduces time spent transferring documents. Augmented reality is starting to be used in place of virtual reality because it allows anyone to view a building within its environment. Concepts, walk-throughs, and presentations will be done with an actual 3D model existing in front of the person viewing it. This eliminates guesswork and errors that would stem from misunderstandings.

<http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/2016/issue_80.html>

3D Printing – Video

(LafargeHolcim – March 21, 2017)

[Cedric de Meeus]

In this video, Cedric de Meeus discusses the use of 3D printing in construction and the many benefits that it can provide. Although what he describes as the "Additive Process" (the process of adding layer upon layer of a material to a structure) is flexible, the biggest uses of it could very well be the printing of formwork for concrete. Simply printing concrete can result in visible layers as a result of the printing process which has an unfinished look. Formwork, however, can allow for various intricate shapes to be printed as a form, which can then be filled with concrete. Another benefit of this process is the allowable addition of structural supports within the poured concrete, most common being reinforcing steel bars. This can push the boundaries of conventional concrete to be used in projects that are more architecturally complex in shape. This also eliminates the need for a very specific skilled labor in a project which can reduce a project's cost, while also speeding along the process. The video showcases a variety of different shapes that have been accomplished using the processes discussed, which includes various curves and smooth shapes. 

 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SALDzeupps>

Structures – Gravity-Defying 3D Printer to Print Bridge over…

(MX3D – June 19, 2015)

[Michelle Starr]

Another exploration into 3D printing deals more with our perception of a building or bridge structure, instead of just pushing the boundaries of a 3D printer. For this project, MX3D is hoping to showcase the flexibility of 3D printers by creating a fully printed steel bridge over an Amsterdam canal. This is structurally a major challenge since to this point 3D printers have issues creating floating standalone structures without scaffolding. To print a bridge over a canal is a major leap forward since the material being used to print with must be flexible enough to print in space without any supporting material, but strong enough to hold it’s, and the printer’s, weight during the process. Steel printing is a very new technology too, so even though steel is viewed as a go to structural material the viability of printed steel leaves a lot to be determined. That is what MX3D wants to achieve. By creating a fully supported bridge, MX3D can prove that modern 3D printing will be viable throughout the entire building process, rather than for niche plastic parts for tools and envelopes. Although the idea was proposed in June of 2015, the project is well underway and further research shows that the bridge is expected to be completed in June of 2018.

<http://www.cnet.com/news/gravity-defying-3d-printer-to-print-bridge-over-water-in-amsterdam/>

Future – Busting the Myths about A.I. Invading Our Lives

(Tech We’re Using  - Techno Skeptic -  Dec 13, 2017)

[Cade Metz]

This article features a series of popular, albeit sometimes ridiculous, questions revolving around artificial intelligence. The idea is that many things are being blown out of proportion, the keys being the many drawbacks of current machine learning and virtual reality. For this article, however, it should be noted what this means for building and construction purposes. The main point that should be noted is that currently there is no immediate threat for most construction and design jobs to be taken over by artificial intelligence, especially for engineers. While A.I. has been completed for things like strategy games, personal assistants (i.e. Siri, Google Assistant), and recognition of patterns in images and speech, it still has a long way to go. The author wants to make it clear that the capability to do the jobs of engineers is a very long way off, but not impossible. With that in mind, it is important to consider that machine learning can eventually identify patterns in anything, and can do so over millions of iterations per second. This means that eventually it will be possible for a program to be able to design a complete structural, HVAC, and MEP system for any building design. This program would be able to automatically create a comprehensive performance based design that is up to code, and optimizes energy efficiency and construction time. When this will be possible is still the biggest question, and the author was not able to narrow down an expected time for A.I this powerful, but it is fully expected that almost every job in the future will be replaceable by computers.

<https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/technology/personaltech/busting-myths-ai.html>

Comments:
Kerry M-
I  stumbled across the shadow-less skyscraper article at some point, and I also found it pretty incredible. As you said, it isn't really just about this one specific design being done, but about what is now possible given the growing computer technologies. I would like to see this one specific building constructed, however, because I feel standing around it would be an unreal experience. Other possible designs such as maximizing solar energy potential and the use of wind as potential energy could prove to be very good uses of this technology.

Chris T-
I agree that security can be a very tough subject with this technology. It has been my opinion that no technology is 100% safe, since the production of that technology must be done by many programmers, some which can leave backdoors either intentionally or not in software. Now, however, I do think these issues can be solved by intense security vetting of programs that store this kind of date through A.I. that looks specifically for vulnerabilities.

Shuyuan Z-
I had never heard of the GAN strategy specifically before, but your coverage of it is very interesting. Even though you mentioned how it could be used for something as "simple" as an apple, the uses for what could be possible with this strategy could easily fall within the construction field. Using this kind of technology to quickly design housing to follow a certain style, and include all building systems may allow us to construct cheap and effective housing for underdeveloped areas, and even has potential for disaster relief and prevention.