CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
SCOPE
ROBOT SWARM CONSTRUCTION
CARBON NANOTUBES
SMART CONCRETE
AEROGEL
DRONES-ADVANCED MAPPING
3D-PRINTING
PLASTIC ROADS
HOLOGRAPHIC COMPUTERS
CONTACTLESS SECURITY CARDS
ROAD PRINTER & SOLAR PAINT
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
THE ACT OF BUILDING IS A BASIC COMPONENT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY. FOR
CENTURIES, HUMANS HAVE CREATED STRUCTURES, BEGINNING WITH THE
SIMPLEST OF HUTS TO THE MOST MODERN OF SKYSCRAPERS. ALL ALONG THE
WAY, CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES ARE ADVANCED
CIVIL ENGINEERING HAS ALWAYS READILY ADOPTED NEW TECHNOLOGIES,
USING INNOVATIONS LIKE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS TO BUILD BRIDGES AND GPS
TO PLOT NEW ROADS. AND AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, WE CAN
EXPECT THAT THE CIVIL ENGINEERING FIELD WILL ONLY KEEP INCORPORATING
THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY IN INCREASINGLY CREATIVE WAYS. NEW
TECHNOLOGIES MAKES WORK EASIER, FASTER.
SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES
THESE TECHNIQUES ARE SUSTAINABLE
WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS, CONSUMES VERY LESS TIME, DURABLE
ALL THIS TECHNIQUES INVOLVES USE OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCE
WHICH IS RENEWABLE
EASES THE CONSTRUCTION WORK AND THERE IS LOT OF SCOPE FOR FUTURE
THESE TECHNIQUES ALSO USES RECYCLED MATERIALS TO CREATE NEW THINGS
THESE TECHNIQUES CAN USED IN PLACE WHERE HUMAN CANT ACCESS LIKE
DANGEROUS PLACES WITHOUT MAN SUPERVISION.
ROBOT SWARM CONSTRUCTION
TERMITES CAN BUILD LARGE STRUCTURES DESPITE HAVING NO CENTRAL
SUPERVISION
GETTING INSPIRATION FROM THESE, RESEARCHERS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DEVELOPED A SWARM OF DRONES WHICH CAN BUILD STRUCTURES BY
FOLLOWING AN INITIAL DESIGN.
4 WHEELED ROBOTS CAN BUILD BRICK LIKE WALLS BY LIFTING EACH BRICK
AND LAYING THEM IN REQUIRED POSITION AND THEY HAVE SENSORS TO SENSE
OTHER ROBOTS , SO THAT THEY WONT COLLIDE WITH EACH OTHER.
THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN BE USED IN BUILDING SPACE STATIONS ON MARS AND
IN CONSTRUCTION OF DEEP UNDERWATER GAS PIPELINES
THIS TECHNOLOGY IS BEEN EXPERIMENTED IN BUILDING UNDULATING BRICK
TOWERS
CARBON NANOTUBES
A NANOMETRE IS 1 BILLIONTH OF METER,USING CODING EDGE TECHNIQUES LIKE
ELECTRON BEAM SPECTROGRAPHY,ENGINEERS ARE CREATED TUBES OF CARBON WITH
WALLS 1NM THICK.
THEY HAVE HIGHEST STRENGTH TO WEIGHT RATIO OF ANY MATERIAL ON EARTH AND CAN
BE STRETCHED TO MILLION TIMES LONGER THAN THEIR THICKNESS.
THEY ARE VERY LIGHT AND STRONG, SO CAN BE EMBEDDED INTO OTHER BUILDING
MATERIALS LIKE METALS ,CONCRETE , WOOD AND GLASS INCREASE TENSILE STRENGTH.
LOT OF RESEARCH WORK IS GOING ON IN MONITORING STRESSES INSIDE BUILDING
MATERIALS AND IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL FRACTURES AND CRACKS BEFORE THEY OCCUR.
SELF HEALING CONCRETE
CONCRETE IS MOST WIDELY USED MATERIAL ON EARTH, I.E. SECOND MOST
USED AFTER WATER, BUT IT IS SUBJECTED TO CRACKING , STRESSES,
DETERIORATION UNDER EXTREME HEAT AND COLD CONDITIONS.
THE ONLY WAY TO FIX CONCRETE WAS TO PATCH IT OR REINFORCE IT. BUT
IN 2010 A GRADUATE STUDENT & PROFESSOR AT RHODE ISLAND CREATED A
NEW TYPE OF SMART CONCRETE THAT HEALS IT OWN CRACKS.2 UM
THE CONCRETE MIXES EMBEDDED WITH TINY CAPSULES OF SODIUM
SILICATE, WHEN THE CRACK FORMS THE CAPSULES RUPTURE & RELEASE
THE GEL LIKE HEALING AGENT THAT HARDENS TO FILLING THE VOIDS
OTHER RESEARCHERS HAVE USED BACTERIA/ EMEBBED GLASS
CAPILLARIES OR POLYMER MICRO CAPSULE TO ACHIEVE SIMILAR
RESULTS.
THIS CONCRETE NOT ONLY MAKES STRUCTURE SAFE, BUT ALSO CUTDOWN
GREEN HOUSE GASES AND MAKES IT SUSTAINABLE.
PERMEABLE ROADS
PERMEABLE PAVEMENT (ALSO KNOWN AS PERVIOUS OR POROUS CONCRETE) IS A
SPECIFIC TYPE OF PAVEMENT WITH A HIGH POROSITY THAT ALLOWS RAINWATER TO
PASS THROUGH IT INTO THE GROUND BELOW.
THROUGH THIS MOVEMENT, PERVIOUS CONCRETE MIMICS THE NATURAL PROCESS
THAT OCCURS ON THE GROUND'S SURFACE, CONSEQUENTLY REDUCING RUNOFF
AND RETURNING WATER TO UNDERGROUND AQUIFERS. IT ALSO TRAPS SUSPENDED
SOLIDS AND POLLUTANTS, KEEPING THEM FROM POLLUTING THE WATER STREAM.
PERVIOUS CONCRETE HAS MANY APPLICATIONS, MOST COMMONLY : LOW-VOLUME
PAVEMENTS, RESIDENTIAL ROADS AND DRIVE WAYS ,SIDEWALKS , PARKING LOTS,
LOW-WATER BRIDGES, WELL LININGS , SWIMMING POOL DECKS.
THE CONCEPT WAS PROPOSED IN THE 1960S IN HOPES OF REDUCING FLOODS,
RAISING WATER TABLES, AND REPLENISHING AQUIFERS, WHILE A DECADE LATER
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) BEGAN TESTING IT TO
DETERMINE ITS COST AND EFFICIENCY.
WATER AND AGGREGATE ARE ADDED IN SPECIFIC AMOUNTS TO ATTAIN
PERVIOUS CONCRETE WITH A HIGH AIR CONTENT AND JUST ENOUGH
CEMENTITIOUS PASTE TO COAT PARTICLES AND INTERCONNECT VOIDS. THE
LOW CEMENT AND HIGH AIR CONTENT RESULTS IN REDUCED STRENGTH,
HINDERING PERVIOUS CONCRETE FROM BEING USED ON HIGHWAYS, CERTAIN
STREETS, OR HEAVY LOADING AREAS.
PERMEABLE PAVING CAN BE ONE PART OF BUILDING GREEN PARKING LOTS,
WHICH CAN ALSO INCLUDE RAIN GARDENS, ART, TREES, SOLAR COVERS, AND
OTHER CREATIVE ELEMENTS.
AEROGEL
AEROGEL IS A SYNTHETIC POROUS ULTRALIGHT MATERIAL DERIVED FROM A GEL, IN
WHICH THE LIQUID COMPONENT OF THE GEL HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A GAS (90% OF
AIR)
AERO GEL IS A SOLID WITH THE LOWEST KNOWN DENSITY. IT STANDS UP TO 2000 TIME'S
GREATER LOAD THAN ITS OWN WEIGHT. IT HAS EXTREMELY LOW THERMAL
CONDUCTIVITY; THE MATERIAL IS VERY SUITABLE TO LIMIT THE HEAT LOSSES OF
BUILDINGS. ITS MELTING TEMPERATURE IS 1200 °C, WELL DAMPENS VIBRATION AND
SOUND. AERO GEL IS THE ONLY COMPOUND WITH SIGNIFICANT THERMAL INSULATION
CAPABILITIES.
IT IS THE LEAST DENSE MATERIAL ON THE EARTH. A FOAM LIKE MATERIAL WHICH HELD
ITS SHAPE DESPITE BEING ALMOST AS LIGHT AS AIR.
DUE TO THEIR TRANSLUCENT NATURE THEY ARE NICKNAMED "FROZEN SMOKE". THE
CERAMIC FOAM STRUCTURE IS THE WORLD'S BEST THERMAL INSULATOR AS IT ALMOST
CANCELS OUT THE THREE METHODS OF HEAT TRANSFER (CONVECTION, CONDUCTION
AND RADIATION).
NASA USED AN AEROGEL TO TRAP SPACE DUST PARTICLES ABOARD THE
STARDUST SPACECRAFT. THE PARTICLES VAPORIZE ON IMPACT WITH SOLIDS
AND PASS THROUGH GASES, BUT CAN BE TRAPPED IN AEROGELS. NASA ALSO
USED AEROGEL FOR THERMAL INSULATION OF THE MARS ROVER AND SPACE
SUITS
AEROGEL CONCRETE IS ALSO AVAILABLE WHICH IS MADE FROM AEROGEL
GRANULATE, GYPSUM, CEMENT AND CAN BE USED FOR FOUNDRY APPLICATIONS,
STRUCTURAL PANEL.
DRONES: ADVANCED MAPPING AND SCANNING CAPACITIES FOR
MORE ACCURATE VISUALIZATIONS
CIVIL ENGINEERING IS RIPE WITH APPLICATIONS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES, WHICH
CAN AID IN SCANNING AND MAPPING WORK SITES AS WELL AS CAPTURING PHOTOS AND
VIDEOS FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES. UAVS OFTEN REPRESENT A COST-SAVING MEASURE
FOR BUSINESSES THAT NEED AERIAL MAPPING, AS A DRONE DOESN'T REQUIRE A PILOT, BUT
RATHER, A PROGRAMMER. UAVS ARE ALSO EASY TO PROGRAM TO FLY MULTIPLE TIMES
AROUND THE SAME WORKSITE, WHICH MEANS IN THE FUTURE, FIRMS WILL BE ABLE TO
CAPTURE A VARIETY OF IMAGES AND VIDEOS WHILE THE PROJECT IS BEING COMPLETED -
AND THAT WILL ENABLE FIRMS TO BETTER MANAGE PROJECT PROGRESS.
UAVS WILL ALSO REVOLUTIONIZE CIVIL ENGINEERING THROUGH THE USE OF PHOTO
SCANNING, AN IMAGE CAPTURE PROCESS THAT USES PHOTOS (RATHER THAN LASERS) TO
CAPTURE IMAGES. PHOTO SCANNING CAPTURES NOT JUST THE GROUND SURFACE, BUT ALSO
BUILDINGS, PLANTS, BENCHES, AND OTHER NEARBY STRUCTURES - AND REPRESENTS THEM
IN THREE DIMENSIONS. WITH THESE ADVANCED CAPABILITIES, DRONES WILL ALLOW FOR
MORE ACCURATE AND MORE INTERACTIVE 3D REPRESENTATIONS OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
PROJECTS.
3D PRINTING
3D PRINTING IS GAINING A LOT OF GROUND NOT JUST AMONG HOBBYISTS, BUT ALSO IN
BUSINESS - AND WITH 3D PRINTERS COMING DOWN IN PRICE EACH YEAR, IT'S NOT LONG
BEFORE WE'LL SEE THEM USED IN CIVIL ENGINEERING. 3D PRINTING OFFERS BENEFITS
FOR BOTH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, ESSENTIALLY TYING THE TWO PROCESSES
TOGETHER. WITH 3D PRINTING, IT'S EASY TO DESIGN CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES
AND THEN BUILD THEM USING NEARLY ANY KIND OF MATERIAL IMAGINABLE. IN FACT,
3D PRINTERS ARE ALREADY IN USE IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN EUROPE. DUTCH
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HEIJMANS- MOST WELL KNOWN FOR ITS "SMART HIGHWAY"
AND ITS GLOWING BICYCLE PATHS, WHICH USE LUMINESCENT PAINT TO CLEARLY MARK
ROAD LANES AT NIGHT - HAS CREATED THE WORLD'S FIRST 3D- PRINTED BRIDGE IN
COLLABORATION WITH START UP MX3D AND DESIGNER JORIS LAAR MAN . THE BRIDGE,
WHICH WAS FIRST DESIGNED IN OCTOBER 2015, WILL SPAN ACROSS THE OUDEZ IJDS
ACHTERBURGWAL CANAL & IT IS COMPLETED IN 2017.
MX3D'S 3D PRINTER, ISN'T LIKE THOSE THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY SEEN.
RATHER THAN A DESKTOP 3D PRINTER, MX3D'S TECHNOLOGY CONSISTS OF A SET
OF LARGE MECHANICAL ARMS THAT HOLD A TORCH-LIKE TOOL FOR WELDING.
THESE ROBOT ARMS BUILD 3D OBJECTS IN AN OPEN WAREHOUSE SPACE RATHER
THAN INSIDE A BOX AS MOST 3D PRINTERS DO. THE ARMS CAN ALSO PRINT IN
ALL DIRECTIONS, UNLIKE TYPICAL 3D PRINTERS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR MUCH
MORE CREATIVITY AND VARIABILITY IN THE DESIGN STAGE. HEIJMANS
INNOVATION MANAGER SAYS THAT 3D PRINTING JOINS DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION INTO A SINGLE PROCESS, RATHER THAN TWO SEPARATE
PROCESSES AS HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN SEEN IN CONSTRUCTION. VANDER
VEN NOTES THAT THIS CHANGE WILL REQUIRE SITE MANAGERS AND
DESIGNERS TO START LOOKING AT THE DESIGN PROCESS IN A NEW WAY.
PLASTICROAD
IMPROVING THE DURABILITY AND LIFESPAN OF OUR ROADS
PLASTIC IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY RECYCLED PRODUCTS, WITH PLASTIC MATERIALS
OFTEN BEING RECYCLED INTO BOTTLES, BAGS, TOYS, CONTAINERS, AND MUCH MORE. BUT
NOW, A DUTCH COMPANY IS ATTEMPTING TO RECYCLE PLASTIC INTO SOMETHING MUCH
LARGER: ROADS. VOLKER WESSELS IS A DUTCH CONSTRUCTION FIRM THAT IS PREPARING TO
BUILD A PLASTIC ROAD IN ROTTERDAM. WHILE VOLKWERWESSELS PLASTIC ROAD IS STILL
ONLY A CONCEPT, IT'S BECOMING QUITE POPULAR IN HOLLAND, WHERE 96 MILLION TONS OF
CARBON DIOXIDE ARE RELEASED INTO THE AIR THROUGH ROAD BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE
ALONE. VOLKER WESSELS EXPECTS THAT ITS PLASTIC ROAD WILL REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS WHILE MAKING ROADS STRONGER AND INCREASING THEIR LIFESPAN.
THE PLASTIC ROAD ALSO ALLOWS FOR EASY INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES, AS THE ROAD IS
HOLLOW, WHICH ENABLES CITY PLANNERS TO RUN PIPES AND WIRES INSIDE THE ROAD ITSELF.
CIVIL ENGINEERS SAY THE ROAD'S HOLLOW CAVITIES MAY ALSO BE USEFUL IN DRAINING
FLOODWATER IN THE EVENT OF RAINSTORMS.
HOLOGRAPHIC COMPUTERS
THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN WEARABLE TECH IS HERE, AND IT'S GOING TO
FOREVER CHANGE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION
PROCESSES IN THE CIVIL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY.
HOLOLENS IS A MIXED REALITY HEADSET THAT LAYERS 3D HOLOGRAMS OVER
PHYSICAL WORLD IMAGES IN ORDER TO CONVEY HELPFUL INFORMATION TO
THE WEARER. USING THE HOLOLENS, CIVIL ENGINEERS CAN SEE DIGITAL INPUT
DRAWN OVER PHYSICAL OBJECTS, SHARE THAT INPUT WITH COLLABORATORS
VIA SKYPE, FINE-TUNE DESIGNS IN 3D, AND EXPLORE DESIGNS IN REAL TIME.
CURRENTLY, BUSINESSES IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRIES ARE PILOTING THE HOLOLENS AND DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE NEW
PROCESSES THAT LEVERAGE 3D HOLOGRAPHIC MODELS TO IMPROVE THE
DESIGN PHASE.
CONTACTLESS SECURITY CARDS
IMPROVING ON RFID TO BOOST SECURITY SITE.
SECURITY IS ALWAYS A PRIORITY, AND WITH TECHNOLOGY EVOLVING, SITE MANAGERS
NEED MORE AND MORE SECURITY MEASURES AT THEIR DISPOSAL. THE NEXT BIG THING
IN SITE SECURITY IS CONTACTLESS SECURITY CARDS. THESE CARDS CAN BE
PROGRAMMED WITH INDIVIDUAL PROFILE INFORMATION TO UNIQUELY IDENTIFY EACH
CARDHOLDER, AND CAN GIVE USERS ACCESS TO SECURE OFFICES, SECURE PARKING,
AND EVEN COMPUTER NETWORKS. THE GREAT ADVANTAGE THAT THESE SMART CARDS
OFFER IS THAT SECURITY BECOMES MUCH EASIER TO MANAGE. EMPLOYEES CAN
CHECK THEMSELVES INTO AND OUT OF THE WORKSITE WITH JUST A SWIPE OF A CARD,
AND MANAGERS HAVE A TURNKEY SECURITY SOLUTION THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE THEIR
CONSTANT PRESENCE.
DISADVANTAGE IS CARDS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE LOST OR STOLEN AND THERE IS
POSSIBILITY OF HACKING
ROAD PRINTER
PAVED ROADS ARE SUITABLE FOR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE, THEY ARE EASY TO
MAINTAIN AND REPAIR
ROAD PAVING IS A SLOW PROCESS, BUT THIS MACHINE(ROAD PRINTER) SPEEDS
IT UP BY MULTIPLE TIMES.
SOLAR PAINT
SOLAR PANELS ARE BIG AND CHUNKY, YET THEY ARE
NOT THAT POWERFUL.
COMPANIES ARE DEVELOPING SPRAY ON SOLAR CELLS
USING NANO PARTICLES OF ZINC AND PHOSPHORUS.
SOLAR PAINT, ALSO KNOWN AS PAINT-ON SOLAR OR
PAINTABLE SOLAR, WORKS THE SAME AS ANY OTHER
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL BY COLLECTING THE ENERGY
FROM THE SUNLIGHT AND CONVERTING IT TO
ELECTRICITY. THE BASIC IDEA IS THAT BILLIONS OF
TINY PIECES OF LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL ARE
SUSPENDED IN A FLEXIBLE LIQUID, LIKE AN INK OR
PAINT, WHICH CAN BE SPRAYED ON TO VARIOUS
SHAPES AND SIZES.
IN 2014, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO EXPERIMENTED WITH A SOLAR PAINT MADE
OF TINY DOTS KNOWN AS COLLOIDAL QUANTUM DOTS.
ADVANTAGES
MOST OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE SUSTAINABLE, VERY LESS CARBON EMISSION.
ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES USE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES WHICH ARE MOSTLY
RENEWABLE.
THESE TECHNOLOGIES EASES THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS, VERY FAST AND LONG LASTING
ROBOT SWARM TECHNOLOGY CAN BE USED IN PLACES WHERE ACCESS FOR MANPOWER IS
DIFFICULT
SMART CONCRETE(SELF HEALING & PERMEABLE) REDUCES WATER LOGGING, RUNOFF
PROBLEM SAND PROBLEM OF REPAIRS.
AEROGEL IS ENERGY EFFICIENT WONDER MATERIAL WHICH CAN BE FUTURE
CONSTRUCTION BUILDING MATERIAL.
DRONES HAD MADE SURVEYING EASIER, WIDER , FASTER
PLASTIC ROADS USES RECYCLED PLASTIC, WHICH SOLVES PROBLEM OF DISPAOSING IT.
DISAVANTAGES
AS THIS TECHNOLOGIES ARE NEW AND NOT WIDELY USED, THE COST IS ALSO HIGH.
THESE TECHNOGIES REQUIRES SKILLED LABOUR TO IMPLEMENT THEM
THE PRIMARY DISADVANTAGE OF DRONE USE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING IS THE INITIAL
CAPITAL EXPENSE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE DRONES AND TRAIN PILOTS, HOWEVER, THE
COST IS EXPECTED TO DECLINE OVER TIME.
3D PRINTERS ARE LIMITED IN THE KINDS OF MATERIALS THEY CAN PRINT 3D PRINTERS
ALSO POSE A THREAT TO MANUFACTURING JOBS, AND TRAINING STAFF TO USE 3D
PRINTERS MAY REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL INVESTMENT
THE ROAD'S COMPONENTS ARE ALSO SOMEWHAT VOLATILE, AND EXPOSURE TO CHLORINE
WILL CAUSE THE ROAD TO GIVE OFF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE - A COLORLESS GAS THAT,
WHEN EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY, TURNS INTO HYDROCHLORIC ACID. WHEN IT
BECOMES SUFFICIENTLY CONCENTRATED, HYDROCHLORIC ACID FORMS AN ACIDIC MIST
THAT CAN CAUSE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO HUMAN TISSUE
HOLOLENS DOES COME WITH CERTAIN DISADVANTAGES. THE HEADSET COULD SERVE AS A
WORKPLACE DISTRACTION THAT HINDERS PRODUCTIVITY
CONCLUSION
ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES GIVES NEW DIMENSION TO CIVIL ENGINEERING AND
NEW POSSIBILITIES, RATHER THAN FOLLOWING THE SAME OLD TRADITIONAL
METHODS.
NOW A DAYS, EVERYWHERE THE TREND IS SUSTAINABILITY, WE CAN SEE THAT, ALL
THESE TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ONE OR THE
OTHER WAY.
THERE IS EXTINCTION OF THE NON-RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY USED FROM
DECADES, THERE IS NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND SOURCE, THESE
TECHNOLOGIES ARE GREAT MOVE TOWARDS THAT.
THESE GIVES CHANCE TO DEVELOP CIVIL ENGINEERING BY USING OTHER INTER
DISCIPLINARY BRANCHES LIKE NANOTECHNOLOGY,INFORMATION,MICROBIOLOGY
ETC.