Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Multi-dimensional Construction Visualizations with Examples: Suggested Topics for Graduate Course

Abstract

Construction industry in today’s world is becoming enormously complex as project sizes are increasing and project duration are decreasing. At the same time designers are conceptualizing ever-complex designs, which no longer can easily be comprehended by 2D drawings. Classroom use of Information Technology (IT) for teaching science, engineering and technology has increased dramatically in recent years and has proved to be very effective in various situations. Using multidimensional (n-D) visualizations, animations, virtual reality and walkthrough of various structures in virtual environment students receive the understanding that is absent from the traditional “chalk-board” approach. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate with examples various design and construction visualization techniques including image visualization, virtual reality, design animation, walk-through, time-space relationship visualization in 4D (3D+Schedule), time-space-cost relationship visualization in 5D (3D+Schedule+Cost), and Time-Space-Activity Conflict Detection using 4D Visualization in Multi-Storied Construction Project. The techniques demonstrated through virtual models can potentially be valuable course contents for graduate course for construction education and research.

Introduction and Background

Today’s information technology (IT) has proven an untapped resource for architectural/ construction engineering and technology classrooms. As the modern-day student becomes more personified with an obsession for the interactivity of computer games, it has become vital that the classroom offer an engaging method of teaching and learning. Although the classical architectural/construction engineering classroom is highly dependent on the instructor, developing students’ critical thinking skills become a challenging task for even the most inspired educators. Nonetheless, these skills are a continual necessity for students’ plan to venture into the architectural/construction engineering professions.

Haque1 is of the view that traditional lecture format teaching methods sometimes fall short of conveying the complex analysis and design principles that need to be mastered in structural design. However when the theories are exemplified in a virtual environment with multimedia, animation, interaction, and manipulated image visualization techniques in a virtual reality environment, students' conceptual understanding are enhanced.

Visualization has always been an important aspect in the construction industry and construction education has always laid stress on that aspect. Design professionals and educators used drawing as a practical tool for seeing, thinking and understanding their ideas, and for communicating them to others. In education, drawing was often woven tightly into curriculum and it was expected to play a major role in developing students’ visual abilities.2

Fritsch and Kada3 are of the view that the increased interest in the consumer market has led to the remarkable progress in game-engine industry. These powerful software packages are

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Haque, M. (2010, June), Multi Dimensional Construction Visualizations With Examples: Suggested Topics For Graduate Course Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--16042