There are few professions more suited to extended reality (XR) than civil engineering.

Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries require huge amounts of collaboration, planning and management, as well as the ability to visualise large projects and problem-solve using a variety of methods and technologies. XR presents a plethora of effective solutions for civil engineers within education, conservation, construction assessment, site layout and maintenance, to name just a few fields.

Statista estimated that, by this year, $35 million will have been spent on XR investment in AEC industries with civil engineering experiencing a compound annual growth rate (in the UK) of around 5.9%. There is no better time to begin investing in XR solutions as market share increases, projects become more complex and the technology advances. (It's no wonder they're calling it the fourth industrial revolution.) 

Let's take a look at these technologies and what they can do for civil engineering and AEC industries.

XR and building information modelling (BIM)

Virtual reality (VR) has caused a paradigm shift in architectural and structural planning. Virtual environments using BIM offer engineers, architects and designers the ability to prototype and edit ideas with 3D modelling, enabling remote collaboration and quick executive reviews that speed up project timelines.

Virtual tours of construction layouts are now an everyday part of AEC workflows. Clients benefit from this technology enormously as VR visualisations have advanced rapidly over recent years.

Improving site inspections and condition assessment with XR

One of the challenges for large AEC projects can be establishing strong lines of communication between all the parties involved. This is especially important when performing structural inspections or initial design reviews (IDRs).

Creating virtual reproductions of structures in which multiple users can communicate around proposed criteria has been proven to fortify lines of communication and improve the quality of inspections.

VR and the metaverse

Creating dynamic and collaborative workflows can be challenging on big projects. Organising meeting spaces with multiple project partners can be time-consuming and costly as clients, managers and engineers on large operations often stretch across cities, countries and even continents. Using VR and metaverse platforms, you centralise project data while creating collaborative digital workspaces in spite of geographical differences. 

Augmented reality (AR) for on-site applications

AR can be applied to AEC projects in several ways. Like VR, AR can work with BIM, helping stakeholders visualise and understand the ideas and concepts of a building project. With AR this can be done on-site, overlaying the BIM onto the actual construction site.

BIM applications in VR contain many intangibles like the real-world environment and the social world around the site. With augmented reality, these intangibles can be made visible and issues can be identified faster. 

This has the corollary of reducing errors in the design and construction phase of the project, providing valuable insights into specific layout issues and environmental factors. 

XR connects frontline workers to expertise

XR can help civil engineers and inspectors oversee projects like never before. On the frontline, construction workers equipped with assisted reality (aR) headsets can be the eyes and ears for project managers and engineers needing up-to-the-minute feedback on construction site issues. 

For example, take the mōziware cimō – one of the aR glasses in our product range. With the cimō, workers can stream first-person "see-what-I-see" videos from the site for remote inspections. This can be useful for hazardous sites in which authorisation and health and safety are an issue. With cimō, you can simply connect to a worker on-site from any desktop, tablet or phone.

This is a core feature of the cimō – the ability to empower and connect your workforce with technology that enhances workflow and fosters collaboration across site and desk. This can be extremely useful for structural maintenance. 

Expertise can be scarce when you need it most – especially with a skills gap crisis looming overhead. Sometimes, planning goes out the window, and problems need troubleshooting in the moment. With the cimō, you can safeguard your project against unforeseen issues by keeping your frontline connected with expertise at all times. 

Guidance can be provided with video collaboration software like SimplyVideo. Using in-video annotations a civil engineer can provide accurate and detailed annotations during the stream or on photos that can be accessed on a central cloud.

Deliver innovative training and education

These core features of XR can be adapted and scaled for training and onboarding purposes. Using aR devices, educating the next generation of civil engineers or construction workers is transformed into a two-way process. 

One mentor can assist multiple trainees across multiple sites and monitor their progress with POV video. This is an important feature that can help maximise limited expertise within your business at a time when skills are most valued and most needed. 

Of course, construction sites are dangerous places that require training and a high level of health and safety awareness. Lack of adherence to the safety regulations on a site can jeopardise the project and, worse, risk lives. That's why important inroads have been made using XR to improve safety awareness and create informed workers. 

With VR, workers can engage in realistic workplace environments replete with all the pitfalls and faultlines associated with a real-life construction site. Just like a driving theory test in which the user must identify risks and respond accordingly, these simulations test the spatial awareness of the user while allowing them to learn from their mistakes. (Thankfully these simulations can be repeated!)

Since the technology is so advanced and readily accessible, VR training poses a genuine cost benefit to businesses and end users. But the benefits don't stop there. Studies have shown that VR training actually improves knowledge retention and accuracy while reinforcing best practices. 

Are you ready to invest in extended reality? Take a look at our exciting new offer with SimplyVideo. Buy a mōziware cimō today and get a SimplyVideo subscription as part of the bundle. It's everything you need to start exploring the new possibilities of XR.