What is the need for IT in Civil Engineering?
Civil
Engineering has a multi-physics character, and is often very complex
due to modeling uncertainties, stochastic variations of data, etc.
Instabilities in both the physical problem and in numerical analysis
procedures are real problems to overcome. Need for optimization is
obvious.
Laboriousness
of hand calculations and the lack of adequate design time leave the
engineer with little opportunity to exhaustively explore and compare
design alternatives. Thus it may take several projects over a long
period of time before he gains sufficient experience and begins to get a
feel for the impact that a given change will have on the final design.
Also,
the accuracy required in the analysis & interpretation of field
data by conventional methods have found to be wanting in various
respects. Traditional hand methods generally do not lend themselves
readily to obtaining information such as exploring the various
conditions and parameters, verifying the correctness of the model,
soundness of the design concept in a timely manner.
On
the other hand, by taking advantage of the speed of computer analysis,
the engineer can explore a greater number of design options in a short
period of time, allowing him to make immediate comparisons and see the
impact of each
decision.
He is able to go through the design process many more times than was
previously possible. In this way he can begin to develop engineering
judgment and a sense of structural behavior over the course of a single
project, rather than having to await the accumulative experience of
several projects.
How does IT help in Design & Modeling?
IT
can help engineers to produce better designs that are almost impossible
to produce manually and to eliminate dubious options during the
conceptual design phase. The biggest contribution of computers to the
design process is soft prototyping - the process of creating a 3D
computer model of a design that can be subjected to computer-based
testing.
CAD
CAD
systems permit the rapid generation of models of proposed designs as
wire-frames. The computer memory stores details of all the geometric
data to define each part of the frame. From the dimensions of the
components, the computer will calculate surface areas, volumes, weights
for different materials, center of gravity, moments of inertia and radii
of gyration; it can also use the applicable value for stress and other
calculations, which are necessary part of design.
T-Beam Design
The solid modeling created in CAD can be transferred to a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) program, which will then verify whether the suggested design will be capable of supporting the expected loads.
Auto Cad
AutoCAD
is an interactive drawing system designed to permit a user to construct
or edit a drawing on a graphics display screen. Within the AutoCAD
development environment, you can design realistic, accurate,
two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional models. AutoCAD is used
extensively in fields ranging from architecture and mechanical design to
plant design, mapping and 3D Modeling.
CAD Model
AutoCAD
is a detailed civil drawing environment with data extraction tools
developed specifically for assisting in manufacturing. There is also a
complete dimensioning mode that automatically defines dimensions simply
by picking endpoints, angles, radii, or diameters. AutoCAD also has a
rich set of commands for working in three dimensions such as changing
your viewpoint, adding multiple view ports for different perspectives,
giving various tools for creating 3D geometries and a sophisticated
rendering engine.
Autodesk Architectural Desktop.
Designing
with lines, arcs, and circles will get you where you want to go. But
architectural objects can get you there even faster. Autodesk
Architectural Desktop software’s intelligent architectural objects-such
as stairs, curtain walls, and roofs-behave according to real-world
properties, so they automatically update whenever you make a design
change. Use these objects in 2D or 3D to create a single building model.
This building model is your single data set from which you generate all
project documents: scheduling information, elevations, plans, and
sections. All information throughout the building model is dynamically
linked, so you’re creating the data only once-which cuts cycle time and
reduces the potential for costly errors.
Virtual Reality Modeling Language
VRML
(Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is an international standard for
describing 3-D shapes and scenery on the World Wide Web. VRML technology
has very broad applicability, including web-based entertainment,
distributed visualization, 3-D user interfaces to remote web resources,
3-D collaborative environments, interactive simulations for education,
virtual museums, virtual retail spaces, and more. VRML is a key
technology shaping the future of the web
VRML: Residential Area
3D Visualization & Animation Techniques
This
module provides a variety of visual techniques, such as digital images,
3D graphics, and animation. In Geographical Interchange Format (GIF)
animations, several frames are displayed in a rapid succession, which
creates the illusion of movement.
Theory Behind Shear Reinforcement
Above
figure shows a few GIF frames for shear failure animation. A series of
frames were created and displayed in a rapid succession (using 0.25 to
0.5 second intervals) to create the illusion of beam shear crack
propagation. This shear failure animation helps us to understand the
theory behind the use of shear reinforcement (stirrups) in a reinforced
concrete beam.
GIF Frames of Concrete Beam
What is the role of IT in Surveying?
It
often happens that an engineering project such as a dam, tunnel,
highway, etc have to be placed on a site which is not favourable. It is
therefore essential that engineers should have proper knowledge of the
site conditions. In fact all field surveys begin with preparation of
topographic base maps showing elevation contours for which surveys are
carried out in difficult terrain using equipments that are not only
tedious to use but also cumbersome to carry.
But
with the advent of IT sector several softwares have helped to carry out
these surveying works and finalizing the site or alignment with more
comfort such as aerial surveys, satellite imageries, etc.
Geographical Information System
GIS
is a "computer system for capturing, managing, integrating,
manipulating, analysing and displaying data which is spatially
referenced to the Earth."
In
broad terms, a Geographic Information System could be defined as a set
of principles and techniques employed to achieve one (or both) of the
following objectives:
First,
finding suitable locations that have the relevant attributes. For
example, finding a suitable location where an airport, a commercial
forest or a retail outlet can be established.
Second,
querying the geographical attributes of a specified location. For
example, examining the roads in a particular locality, to check road
density or find the shortest path, and so on.
3D-GIS visualization of tunnel
Remote Sensing
Remote
sensing is the study of phenomena sensed from air or satellites. The
use of remote sensing provides engineers with an opportunity to
interpret data as seen from space. This facility is particularly useful
in surveying very large areas at relatively little cost. Remote sensing
is therefore widely used in such locations as the arctic zones, deserts,
forested areas, marshlands and mountainous regions, where small-scale
maps of an adequate quality can be reproduced relatively cheaply from
satellite images. In general, remote sensing is suitable for studying
extensive areas with difficult or inhospitable terrain, or where
conventional surveys may be very costly.
How does IT help in Project Management?
Successful
Construction Project Management is not only critical to the success of
the project engineer, construction manager and the contractor, but
reduces overall costs to the owner. Modern construction presumes an
in-depth understanding of the theory and techniques associated with
computer-based planning, analysis and control. There are practical
oriented, construction project-planning, management and control IT tools
emphasizing network-based tools, time-money analysis and standard
quantitative and qualitative techniques.
PRIMAVERA: Personalized Retrieval and Indexing of Media Assets in Virtual Environments for Real-time Access - is the guide to professional management of business repository and of management applications
The PRIMAVERA system comprises:
- Project Management
- Dissemination of results, conversation with other projects, and standardization
- Exploitation of the project results
- General system design, specification of the interfaces, and system integration
- Development of Advanced indexing and retrieval techniques
- Development of User Profile generation and management
- Development of new User interfaces and visual interaction paradigms
How can IT help in maintenance?
Information
Technology has also found applications in post commission period of the
project. IT can provide easy access to various statistics, drawing
& various other data concerning the project. Self check tools can
identify the problems in various systems like fire fighting, air
conditioning & can automatically inform concerned service provider.
IT can also help in prompt reporting of problem & its rectification.
