A Virtual Reality Tool in Civil Engineering Education

The usual academic and commercial CAD systems in construction design, only allow the visualization of the final stage of the project, namely, as building three-dimensional (3D) models and walk-through (by its inside and outside). Current computer tools and models are not able to follow changes in the geometry of a building or structure during the construction process. A Virtual Reality technology application in the construction-training domain is described. A prototype was developed. It serves as a didactic tool for civil engineering students of disciplines concerned with building’s construction. Geometric Modelling and Virtual Reality techniques are used on the visual simulation of construction processes and to define user-friendly interfaces in order to access construction information, which could prove useful to civil engineering professionals. The construction of a double brick wall is the case studied. The wall is defined as a 3D geometric model formed with the several components needed to construct it. Using the wall’s virtual model it is possible to show, in an interactive way, the sequence of the construction process and observe, from any point of view, the configurations in detail of the building components. This is a didactic application in the construction processes domain of great interest to civil engineering students. So, using the developed virtual model, allows students to learn about construction planning of a specific situation in the space provided by the virtual environment. This communication is then oriented to teaching construction techniques by means of virtual environments. It is expected that the implementation of the prototype will be able to contribute to support teaching disciplines concerned with Civil Engineering. Another objective in creating these kind of virtual applications is to show in which way new technologies afford fresh perspectives for the development of new tools in the training of construction processes.