Isuri Amarasinghe
University of Moratuwa | 4th Year Undergraduate
Introduction
The earliest known building technology date back to the year 3600 BC in ancient Mesopotamia, and
structures built in this civilization still remain to this day. Construction techniques have developed and
intertwined over the years from the wall-building techniques by the Chinese to the elaborate building
techniques used in the Middle Ages. With the invention of Portland cement and the production of
concrete, the field of civil engineering took a turn and has evolved into the present-day, where
skyscrapers, bridges and dams are built all over the world. As buildings get higher each day, it is
necessary for new techniques, machinery and material to be developed and used, while providing a
solution to the different issues faced by the industry.
Today, the construction industry is a major contributor to the development of economies in countries
all around the world. However, there are a few main challenges the industry faces. Several researches
have been conducted including by De Silva et al. (2008) and by Shahrabi and Mohommadi (2013) to
identify these issues in the field of civil engineering. These include labour shortage, limited productivity
improvement, issues with safety and very slow rate of adopting new technology. New emerging
technological advancement looks into providing a solution for these issues and further improving the
field of civil engineering.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction sector took a huge blow and projects came to a halt
all over the world. Due to situations similar to this and the rising issue of labour shortage, the industry
is moving towards more digitalized and automated construction technology that can carry out work
even in the absence of manpower. These include use of artificial intelligence, augmented reality and
virtual reality as well as use of drones and other unmanned vehicles.
Another key area in development is on the improvement of project sustainability and to make them
environmentally friendly. According to the 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction,
the construction sector contributes to 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions (United Nations
Environment Programme, 2020). Technology such as green buildings, and new sustainable material
looks into reducing these negative impacts and develop sustainable structural designs.
Apart from the construction aspects, improving project management and productivity is also a trending
topic in the field. With the use of advance modeling and management tools such as Building Information
Modeling and use of digital twins, it is possible to improve the workflow of projects and save time and
resources.
This article looks into a few of the emerging technological advancements in the field of civil engineering
and looks at how some of these technologies have been used in the industry as well as the critical roles
these will play in the future of civil engineering.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning is one emerging technological advancement in the
field of civil engineering and has already been adopted in different systems, including building design
and optimization, construction management technology and road and bridge health detection. By
integrating automated intelligence systems and machine learning to the construction industry, it can
address issues such as lack of man-power and helps build infrastructure in a faster, safer method. One
implementation of AI is the use of robotics to conduct tasks such as bricklaying and screeding
automatically.
According to Bock et. al (2011), Japan is one example of where the concept of automatic building
systems using AI is already being used. Obayashi Corporation’s Automated Building Construction
System (ABCS) is an automated on-site factory that has the ability to conduct automated structural
element positioning, automated welding as well as automated material delivery. Use of automated
systems in the industry means that work can be carried out even in adverse weather conditions in a safe
and efficient manner. The company claims that the time taken for the construction of a 30-storey
building can be reduced by up to 3 months.
Over the last decade with the increase used of technology in construction, the amount of available
project data has grown drastically. However, even with these available data, in terms of construction
safety and productivity there has not been a significance improvement. Artificial Intelligence platforms
such as Smartvid.io can take these data and use it to reduce job-site risks, by safety observation, safety
monitoring and predictive analytics. It can also centralize all visual data in one central location to be
used for claims and dispute resolutions. Technology similar to this can reduce the construction injuries
and risks making projects safer and more efficient.
Use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles that incorporates machine learning are also a trending topic
in real-time road traffic monitoring, remote sensing and civil infrastructure inspection. By processing
images and video data obtained by drones and unmanned aerial vehicles, it is possible to conduct
inspections and monitoring by automatically identifying changes from a reference image.
By using these aerial vehicles and devices, it is possible to conduct air-borne laser scanning using Light
Detection and Ranging, or better known as LiDAR technology. This technology can be used in
surveying and collect data to produce digital terrain models. Time taken for surveying activities,
especially in dangerous locations can be done in an effective and accurate manner.
Along with this, unmanned construction system is another technology which is becoming more
important in the field of civil engineering. One example is the use of autonomous hydraulic excavators
using 3D information for motion planning and control. This machine can be controlled remotely from
up to a 2km distance and can be used for restoration work at disaster recovery sites as well as gives
possibility to work at dangerous locations (Ban, 2002).
With Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, construction projects can be conducted with more
safety, improved workflows and in a faster manner. It enables identification of missing information and
use information the information it collects to identify the next step.
Green Technology for Civil Engineering
With more importance given towards energy efficient and sustainable designs and construction
techniques, over the last few years several technological advancements have made breakthroughs in the
industry. Green buildings where renewable energy such as solar energy, waste reduction measures and
sustainable materials are used are becoming vastly popular and implemented in more countries. One
famous example is the CopenHill sports facility in Denmark, which also acts as a power plant which
generates clean energy for 150,000 nearby homes (The Journal of the American Institute of Architects,
2019). Another is the Pixel Building in Australia, which is a carbon-neutral office building which
generates all of its own power and water on site.
Green insulation, bio-degradable materials, self-powered buildings are becoming the future of the world
of construction and one such immerging technology that integrates greening system is the use of green
walls. These can be used to solve urban environmental challenges including waste water treatment thus,
helps improve the efficiency of green buildings. According to Bankas et al. (2021), the use of green
walls can be extended to treat organic wastewater, which is beyond the capability of the current use of
these walls, which is for graywater treatment. With this technology, it will be possible to conduct
construction using green walls which not only helps improve the aesthetic of the building, but helps
reduce the negative environmental impact in the community.
Green technology is not only limited to buildings, but new technological advancement in road and
bridge construction are being made, including development of roads that harvest energy. Piezoelectric
roads are one such example, where piezoelectric devices are used to harvest the vibrational energy of
roads and walkways and generate electrical energy. A preliminary study has been conducted by Yang
et al. (2018) and concluded that these systems can be used to generate electricity to power street lamps,
and other electrical road facilities which could help reduce the large costs incurred.
With these emerging green technology in the field of civil engineering, it is possible to achieve a
sustainable future which considered the impact of projects on the environment as a main priority.
Technological Advancements in Project Management and Productivity
Apart from the construction aspects, there are several emerging technological advancements in the area
of project management in the field of civil engineering. These look into improving issues such as
construction delays and reducing unnecessary costs in projects. Such advancements include Cloud
based Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twin and asset mapping.
Cloud based Building Information Modeling is a tool used to connect different stakeholders such as
architects, engineers, contractors and clients using one platform and making it possible to process and
store all of the project data in one common point. BIM is an advanced intelligent 3D modeling system
that reflects any change done to the model in a consistent manner. With advancements in cloud
technology this has become more accessible and helps reduce the design and building cost by
establishing proper communication between the stakeholders, so proper information is available at all
times (Namli et al., 2019).
Going one step ahead of Building Information Modelling, the concept of a digital twin is a fast-rising
technological advancement that has the potential to change workflows and increasing the productivity
of projects. A digital twin is a virtual replica of the building that collects real-world information about
the structure using sensors. By the use of wireless sensor, it is possible to generate a digital replica of
an existing infrastructure, which helps reduce the physical inspections needed during construction as
well as improves the safety of the workers and engineers. This technology can be sued to model changes
4
to an infrastructure and monitor the response before altering the physical structure. Research are being
conducted to adopt this method for large scale constructions, where every day there are slight changes
happening to infrastructures. Having a digital twin that reflects the current status of the project will help
improve the quality of the project as well as increase the productivity, giving way to higher quality and
faster construction in the industry.
With all these new data provided by the above-mentioned technologies, it is necessary for a proper data
management system to ensure smooth operation of work. Asset mapping is one such scalable database
which focuses on the operational equipment used for electrical and plumbing work, where it is possible
to check where equipment needs to be installed, and once they are installed to monitor all of them in
real-time in one intuitive map.
With these emerging project management and productivity improving technology, it is possible to
construct any type of infrastructure in a more efficient, economical and optimized method. With the
world moving at a rapid pace with a large amount of data, without this new technology, the construction
industry will no doubt be left behind. Therefore, it is necessary to implement these management tools
and technology into the future of civil engineering.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) is a fast-developing technology which enables users to have a live view of
computer-generated images in the real world. On the other hand, Virtual Reality (VR) focuses on
shutting out the physical world to provide a complete computer-generated simulation. Both these
technologies are being adopted to the field of civil engineering to give a better understanding of the
architectural and structural drawings, and optimizing these designs for better utilization of available
space. These technologies can reduce errors when implementing designs during construction thus helps
reduce overall cost and time taken for projects.
According to Meza et al. (2015), when comparing the understandability and useability of different
project documentation techniques including 2D plans, use of tablet computer and augmented reality, it
was found that AR models had a 20% better rating than 2D models in terms of visualization of
preliminary design and monitoring of the construction process. Augmented reality is a potential tool
that can be adopted in mainstream construction projects in the near future by integrating them along
digital models such as BIM.
Advanced Material and 3D Printing
For the production of every ton of ordinary Portland cement produced, between 0.8 to 1 ton of carbon
dioxide is emitted (Ferdous et al., 2015). Even with these staggering number, the demand for reinforced
concrete in the construction industry is still on the rise and existing material have many problems with
regard to the safety of the infrastructure with time and improper maintenance. New technology helps
research and development in terms of studying and testing new material and components that can be
used in the field of civil engineering. Advanced material that can be used to increase the strength of the
structure, increase the durability are a fast-moving development in the field.
Use of advanced fiber-reinforced polymer structural composites, recycled and environmentally friendly
materials and smart material such as PZT (Lead Zirconate Titanate) are increasingly used in today’s
construction activities. Smart material is especially useful as it can be used as a structural health
monitoring and damage detection technology.
With the development of 3D printing, it is possible to construct lighter structure using less material.
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing technology is a layer-based manufacturing process, and this
technology has already been implemented in the field of civil engineering to print entire buildings
without the use of human labour. A recent example is the construction of the world’s first 3D printed
pedestrian bridge in Spain constructed in 2016 (Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, 2017).
It optimizes the distribution of materials and minimize the amount of waste, making it a potential
technology to be used in the future for large scale projects.
3D printing gives way to use of new materials which are more complex and durable and it has the ability
to allow faster and more accurate construct ruction of structures and components, especially for complex
designs, with less labour requirements and reduced waste. Further studies are being conducted in terms
of 3D printing especially, on connecting different components such as beam-column and wall
connections but this is a technology which no doubt has the potential to be used in an industrial level,
in the near future.
The Future of Civil Engineering
With new technology entering the field at a rapid state, a world where machines can construct a structure
from the design stage to the finishing stage without the need of manpower is not an impossible future.
With this new technology it is possible to complete projects in a safer, faster and more accurate manner,
addressing issues such as labour shortage, construction site risks and delays.
With more and more focus towards more sustainable and eco-friendly designs and constructions, new
emerging technological advances in the field of civil engineering looks towards reducing the waste,
cost and delays of projects, while building stronger and durable structures. Green buildings and new
sustainable material are the future of civil engineering and a key area to look out in the future.
With more technology, more data is produced. The future of civil engineering looks not only to produce
these highly informative data at a higher speed using various technology, but to gather all these data in
one place, analyze it and give the most optimum solution for the user. This paves the way to the
integration of project management and productivity improving technology.
Technological advancement is always evolving, and most of these technologies are still under the
development stage and looks into making them more accessible for general use in the industry. But as
you are reading this the field of civil engineering has already started to shift and a future with
groundbreaking technology that enables faster, safer and efficient projects is not as far off as we think.
References
De Silva, N., Rajakaruna, R.W.D.W.C.A.B., & Bandara, K.A.T.N. (2008), Challenges faced by the
construction industry in Sri Lanka: Perspective of clients and contractors. In Proceedings from
international conference on Building Education and Research (BEAR) (pp. 158-169).
Shahrabi, M.S., & Mohommadi, H. (2013). Investigating different challenges in construction projects.
Management Science Letters (3), pp. 1869-1872. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2013.06.045
Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (2020). 2020 Global status report for buildings and
construction. https://globalabc.org/sites/default/files/inlinefiles/
2020%20Buildings%20GSR_FULL%20REPORT.pdf
Bock, T., Linner, T., & Miura, S. (2011). Robotic high-rise construction of pagoda concept: Innovative
earthquake proof design for the Tokyo sky tree. In Proceedings of CTBUH 2011 World
Conference.
Ban, Y. (2002), Unmanned construction system: Present status and challenges. In Proceedings of the
19th ISARC, Washington, USA (pp. 241-246). https://doi.org/10.22260/ISARC2002/0038
The Journal of the American Institute of Architects (2019). CopenHill: Bjarke Ingels Group
(BIG). https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/copenhill_o
Bankas, O.A., Zhao, Y., Vymazal, J., Yuan, Y., Fu, J., & Wei, T. (2021), Green walls: A form of
constructed wetland in green buildings. Ecological Engineering (169).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106321.
Yang, H., Wang, L., Zhou, B., Wei, Y., & Zhao, Q. (2018). A preliminary study on the highway
piezoelectric power supply system. International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology
(11), pp. 168-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijprt.2017.08.006
Namili, E., Isikdag, U., & Kocakaya, M.N. (2019). Journal of sustainable construction materials and
technologies. https:// doi.org/10.29187/jscmt.2019.36
Meza, S., Turk, Z., & Dolenc, M. (2015). Measuring the potential of augmented reality in civil
engineering, Advances in Engineering Software (90), pp. 1-10.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advengsoft.2015.06.005.
Ferdous, W., Manalo, A., Khennane, A., & Kayali, O. (2015). Geopolymer concrete-filled pultruded
composite beams-Concrete mix design and application. Cem. Concr. Compos (58), pp. 1-13.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2014.12.012
Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (2017). 3D printed bridge. https://iaac.net/project/3dprinted-
bridge/
Biswas, A., Ghosh, A., Kar, A., Mondal, T., Ghosh, B., & Bardhan, P.S. (2021). The impact of COVID-
19 in the construction sector and its remedial measures. Journal of Physics: Conference Series
(1797).