Every year National Technology Day celebrates how innovation transforms the world and shapes the future.
Civil engineering and construction are no different, with the widespread use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) the process of designing our 21st-century infrastructure has been transformed, but this wasn’t always the case.
The first drawing was completed in 1994 for a benched retaining structure, the anchor systems are still in use today 30 years later! This draft, including all images and annotations were drawn by hand.
The second drawing is a present-day example of slope stabilisation that has been drawn using computer software, revealing a greater level of detail and complexity than the previous, even allowing for sophisticated modelling of soil properties.
The third image uses 3D Modelling through a collaborative approach, allowing all parties to view complex models and information about the project, in this case, to assess anchor drivability head height concerns beneath the bridge deck to support the abutment wall.
