Discover 5 opportunities in construction

3D volumetric construction is one of the most modern building construction techniques in civil engineering today. It is a form of off-site construction in which units are manufactured in a factory and then transported to site for assembly. The method of constructing within a factory setting ensures that the necessary building materials are brought in just in time and the modules can be constructed irrespective of the weather outside.  The products can be transported to site in various states of finish (modules, basic structural blocks or semi finished) ready for assembly in-situ. The basic idea is that as much of the building is constructed off site (in a factory assembly line) and only brought to site for completion.

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza While there are several pyramids on the Giza Plateau near Cairo, Egypt, the largest is the Great Pyramid of Giza. This pyramid, built circa 2600 BCE, is 146 metres tall with a base of 230 metres. It is made of two million blocks of stone with an average weight of 2.3 metric tonnes. One of the greatest engineering mysteries is how such heavy blocks were built into a pyramid shape thousands of years ago. Cranes as we know them today were certainly not around.

When you mention the Internet of Things (IoT) and how it applies to engineering, most people’s thoughts turn to the manufacturing industry. Undoubtedly, the use of internet-enabled devices that link up, communicate and work with each other will revolutionise factory work. It will make assembly line processes more streamlined and cost-efficient. But, there are also plenty of uses for IoT technology in the traditionally, more ‘manual’ environments of construction and infrastructure projects. It’s estimated that IoT will have an economic impact of $6.2 trillion by 2025.

In 2018, the European civil engineering market size valued at about USD 2,004.2 billion, and it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 2.7% by 2025, according to Grand View Research. The rising population in various parts of Europe is a key driver for growth.