8 Civil Engineering Trends You Should Keep An Eye On

All professional areas are subject to changes, in general, continuous, which leads to increases in certain market sectors and losses in others.

The engineers and other professionals associated with this field are also part of this reality, which creates the need to be informed about what changes in its segment. From this perspective, we will address the trends in civil engineering.

Several factors can influence what is becoming a trend in a professional area. Among them are technological development, changes in the market and changes in consumer behavior.

In view of the scope of civil engineering and its different application sectors, we will show you the 8 main trends in this field so that you can follow them. Check it out now!

1. Sustainability

Sustainable development, that is, the search for a balance between environmental preservation and socioeconomic growth, is one of the pillars of the current market, a condition that requires civil engineering to create and practice sustainability actions.

In this scenario, the area has been looking for alternatives to prepare and execute projects in a way that does not harm, but rather preserves the environment. Taking into account that concrete is one of the main responsible for the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), the use of recycled material in the works is a viable option.

This is because such use, in general, is able to reduce emissions, while not interfering in the quality and safety of buildings, in addition to offering advantages in terms of cost-benefit ratios.

2. Building automation systems

Civil construction without technological innovation is unthinkable today. This mandatory connection requires that special attention be given to the resources that optimize buildings, whether in construction or operation.

It is in this sense that precision in the development and integration of building automation systems is an important trend in the field, which is growing rapidly.

Precise automation devices are ideal for minimizing human errors and errors, reducing operating costs and carrying out scheduled maintenance, which are fundamental actions in terms of safety and economy.

Although it seems a little distant today, the idea of controlling lights and elevators, for example, over the internet, with recent technological advances, this reality is already very close.

3. Use of renewable energy

This trend is also the result of concern with sustainability, but it also has an economic bias that makes a lot of difference. It is about using renewable energy sources in the enterprise.

This can be done in two ways, separate or combined: promoting energy generation during construction or creating structures on the construction site that enable generation for future occupants.

In the first case, the installation of solar panels on the construction site is provided, in order to produce the energy that will be consumed during the duration of the work on site.

The second possibility, which depends on the client's interest, concerns the provision of adequate infrastructure for the installation of these panels in the enterprise for the owner's enjoyment.

4. Application of augmented reality

The use of augmented reality - visualization of a virtual item in 3D, from a reality object that has a reference mark - allows the experience of viewing rooms or an entire building in real size before the work begins.

It is a technological tool that sharpens the professional's creativity and imagination, allowing him to make projections and apply them in the enterprise.

The use of this tool has grown considerably in civil engineering during the past few years. In addition to its imaginative function, augmented reality allows virtual machines to be created and models created with a higher level of precision, creations that help professionals to visualize the projects they are assembling before they even leave the plant.

5. New materials

Based on technological innovations and market demands, the materials used in the context of civil engineering are constantly improved, which tends to generate civil engineering trends in this aspect of the area as well.

Currently, the concern with sustainable development, as well as the continuous search for efficient raw materials with low extraction costs, are decisive factors to determine what is a trend.

Woolen bricks, solar tiles, sustainable concrete and triple-glazed windows are part of the rising material in the field of civil engineering. In addition to these items, the isolation of paper, made mainly from recycled material, is a technology whose use has been increasingly used in works of all types and sizes.

6. Use of applications

Another trend in civil construction linked to technology is the use of specialized applications in the area. These devices can have multiple functions useful to professional daily life, in order to assist in monitoring changes in a plant, allow the monitoring of the scale of employees and even enable communication at the construction site.

7. 3D printing

3D technology is not only used in augmented reality, it is also important for the process of projection and physical modeling of projects. In addition to being possible to print an entire residence, as has already been done by professionals in Russia , this type of resource is capable of making the projected beam molds physical, which facilitates the execution of the project.

8. Engineering software

Computer programs developed to facilitate the creation and management of structural projects are indispensable in the area of civil engineering. They are equipped with tools for the calculations necessary for all stages of the project, as well as functions that enable the completion of the final drawings and the anticipation of detecting possible interferences for the development of the project.

As one of the main trends in civil engineering, software is fundamental for the technical and financial execution of a work. An example is BIM ( Building Information Modeling or, in Portuguese, Building Information Modeling ) technology.

It is able to gather all the data related to the project in a single environment, which can be accessed by all the professionals who are involved, which saves time and reduces costs.

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