4 ECTS credits
110 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4023629ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
While other industrial sectors have highly benefited from digitalization to improve their productivity while reducing their environmental footprint and increase their positive impact on society in general, the construction sector still lags behind. However, in recent years, plenty of scientific and technological breakthroughs have been accomplished, and gained a maturity level sufficient to be used in real-life applications. During the next decade, the construction industry will have to significantly accelerate its digital transformation in order to keep up with the ever-growing demands in terms of sustainability, safety, costs, and delays.
This course aims to give the students an introduction to these challenges.
To fully understand the roadmap that the Architectural Engineering & Construction (AEC) industry must follow, it is fundamental to start by learning the basics of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and why the constant hardware and software evolutions of the last decades have changed the way engineers should address technical and organizational issues.
After this ICT review, a strong emphasis will be put on how computers can help civil and architectural engineers in their specific tasks. First, numerical simulations, designed to mimic the actual behaviour of physical phenomena (structural analysis of bridges by finite element analysis, wind flow calculations around buildings, etc.), will be reviewed. Then, the central topic of Building Information Modeling (BIM) will be covered, and illustrated for design, execution, and maintenance of (new or renovated) constructions.
Apart from BIM, additional technologies can also help to automate processes, like 3D printing, Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR/VR), etc.
Last but not least: the digital revolution that the construction sector is facing will not succeed if the human factor is not taken into account. Ensuring that all stakeholders adopt novel (but sometimes risky) new processes, or even new ways of thinking, must be thoroughly thought of, in the light of change management theories.
This course will include guest lectures.
The course contributes to the following program outcomes:
The student understands the position of digitalization in the design and construction process, in particular through BIM (Building Information Modelling) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools and methods.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
The final grade is made of an invidivual project (50% of the grade) and a group project (50% of the grade).
Limited use of generative AI is allowed for this evaluation.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Civil Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Civil Engineering: Standaard traject (BRUFACE)