Visualisation in civil engineering design projects
Tuominen, Arla (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112830984
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112830984
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis is to introduce the reader to the world of civil engineering visualisation processes. All the examples presented are from various projects across Finland. The goal is to showcase civil engineering projects in a way that is accessible and understandable to everyone, regardless of their background. Detailed examples of common visualisation techniques used in civil engineering today, along with a few less conventional methods, will be provided.
This thesis will address the following questions: How can understandable and realistic visualisations be created for the general public, city officials, and clients when the data produced by engineers is highly technical and requires expertise in multiple fields to interpret? How are visualisations designed to facilitate meaningful conversations between civil engineers and the communities living in the areas affected by these designs? The projects and examples discussed in this thesis are drawn from my experience working at the Finnish civil engineering company, Sitowise.
The empirical part consists of case examples on how visualisations were created for the clients and how the visualisation materials were used. The creation process will provide information on how to create visualisations, using methods such as pictures and videos, and in some projects, even virtual reality and simulations. Explaining the workflow for visualisation projects that can range from simple screenshots of the model to fully interactive, real-time digital twin simulations.
The results of this thesis suggest that visualisations are a key element to allow meaningful collaboration with common people living in the affected areas where the design projects will take hold. Locals can better understand and comment on the design phases in public meetings without previous knowledge of civil engineering in general.
Furthermore, while there are standard practices, the characteristics of visualisations in civil engineering are constantly evolving due to programme developments and advancements in technology. With these developmental trends, it appears that in the future, even AI-assisted visualisations could become part of the standard practices in the field. New technology might even create greater opportunities for more immersive visualisations that allow the public to give feedback for civil engineering designs in a more meaningful way.
This thesis will address the following questions: How can understandable and realistic visualisations be created for the general public, city officials, and clients when the data produced by engineers is highly technical and requires expertise in multiple fields to interpret? How are visualisations designed to facilitate meaningful conversations between civil engineers and the communities living in the areas affected by these designs? The projects and examples discussed in this thesis are drawn from my experience working at the Finnish civil engineering company, Sitowise.
The empirical part consists of case examples on how visualisations were created for the clients and how the visualisation materials were used. The creation process will provide information on how to create visualisations, using methods such as pictures and videos, and in some projects, even virtual reality and simulations. Explaining the workflow for visualisation projects that can range from simple screenshots of the model to fully interactive, real-time digital twin simulations.
The results of this thesis suggest that visualisations are a key element to allow meaningful collaboration with common people living in the affected areas where the design projects will take hold. Locals can better understand and comment on the design phases in public meetings without previous knowledge of civil engineering in general.
Furthermore, while there are standard practices, the characteristics of visualisations in civil engineering are constantly evolving due to programme developments and advancements in technology. With these developmental trends, it appears that in the future, even AI-assisted visualisations could become part of the standard practices in the field. New technology might even create greater opportunities for more immersive visualisations that allow the public to give feedback for civil engineering designs in a more meaningful way.