Application of Agile Development and Innovative Technology in the Structural Engineering

Abstract

Structural engineering and its broader ecosystem Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry are now, more than ever, facing a new level of challenges: project complexities, compressed schedules, cost pressures and sustainability requirements. However, the project delivery approaches and processes have changed very little over the past few decades. The chronic problems such as a lack of system thinking, prioritizing short-term cost outcomes, and poor communication between stakeholders are magnified in such an environment. In addition, unforeseen design changes with rigid planning and coordination strategies further create costly ripple effects. To combat these common challenges, there is an urgent need for a transformation of project delivery, from methodologies to processes and tools.

This work navigates the solution search into the technology landscapes and identifies the potential of deploying agile and advanced computational tools in the structural engineering. It begins with reviewing the current state of structural engineering and discussing the potential enhancements of adopting other project management methods and bringing new technologies to the field. Major differences between traditional and agile project delivery are analyzed using system dynamics methods. A case study was performed to demonstrate that agile development leads a promising direction for the industry. To maximize the benefits of implementing agility in the real-world projects, this thesis also investigates the use of advanced computational tools in combination. Lastly, this thesis concludes by summarizing practical frameworks for project delivery in the structural engineering and outlining key areas for future work.