The Impact of Digital Engineering on Construction Project Management

This thesis investigates the transformative impact of digital engineering on construction project management. It explores various technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), laser scanning, point cloud technology, and blockchain. The research delves into how these digital approaches enhance different phases of project management, from planning and design to execution and quality control. The study highlights the benefits of these technologies, including improved field productivity, enhanced safety monitoring, design and performance management, and seamless back-office integration. The thesis emphasizes the importance of BIM and VR in project management, providing an in-depth analysis of their applications. Moreover, the thesis discusses potential challenges and benefits of adopting digital engineering technologies, offering recommendations for successful implementation. The research methodology includes data collection, analysis, and interpretation, with a focus on ethical considerations and expected outcomes. This thesis aims to provide insights into the effective utilization of digital engineering approaches to improve the efficiency and outcomes of complex construction projects.

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Running head: Digital engineering in construction
The Impact of Digital Engineering on Project Management
Name of Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Abstract
Technology in the current age is at the peak; yet there are ongoing innovations, which
are fascinating every field. Regardless of the type and size of the industry, every single
industry is moving towards digitization for gathering competitive benefits. Construction
industry is always identified as the complicated industry and managing the construction
projects are definitely complex activity. Nevertheless, the advanced technological aspect of
different digital engineering approaches is continuously enhancing the construction projects
and helping the project managers to provide promising outcomes to the clients. Building
information modelling (BIM), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), 3D or laser
scanning, point cloud, blockchain are the important digital engineering approaches that are
adding value to the construction projects by helping the project managers and engineers in
every phase of the project management lifecycle.
This research will focus on the importance and impact of these digital engineering
approaches in case of management of the construction projects. Beginning with the project
planning, to designing, executing, integrating the back office activities, performing quality
control activities, these approach are way beneficial than the traditional project management
approaches. Additionally, it is also beneficial in forecasting the project cost as well as the
project outcome in the initial stage of the project management. Providing one effective
collaborative working environment, in which the project managers, engineers and
stakeholders can view the complete project progress, this phenomenon is simplifying the
project risk, thereby modernizing the final outcome.

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Acknowledgement
I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my committee chair Professor
_________, who has the attitude and the substance of a genius: he continually and
convincingly conveyed a spirit of adventure in regard to research and scholarship, and an
excitement in regard to teaching. Without his guidance and persistent help this dissertation
would not have been possible.
I would like to thank my committee members, Professor _______ and Professor
_______, whose work demonstrated to me that the understanding and applying the
importance of several digital engineering practices can enhance the construction project
management.
In addition, a thank you to Professor _________, who introduced me to Linguistics,
and whose enthusiasm for the “underlying structures” had lasting effect. I thank the
University of _______ for permission to include copyrighted pictures as a part of my
dissertation I would also like to thank to _______ Foundation for their financial support
granted through predoctoral fellowship.

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Table of Contents
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................6
Introduction............................................................................................................................6
Background of the research....................................................................................................7
Thesis statement...................................................................................................................10
Research aim and objectives................................................................................................10
Research questions...............................................................................................................11
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................12
Importance of digital engineering in project management..................................................12
Role of digital engineering technologies in enhancing the project management.................14
Improved Field productivity............................................................................................14
Safety monitoring.............................................................................................................14
Quality..............................................................................................................................15
Design management.........................................................................................................15
Performance management................................................................................................15
Back office integration.....................................................................................................16
Evaluation of performance change due to different digital engineering technologies.........16
Virtual reality in construction..........................................................................................17
Building information technology in construction............................................................20
3D or laser scanning and point cloud in construction......................................................24
Block chain in construction..............................................................................................26

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AI in construction.............................................................................................................27
Potential challenges and benefits of adoption of digital engineering technology in
construction projects............................................................................................................33
Recommendations................................................................................................................35
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................37
Research Methods and techniques.......................................................................................37
Data collection method........................................................................................................37
Data Analysis and Interpretation..........................................................................................38
Research Instruments...........................................................................................................38
Sampling..............................................................................................................................39
Ethical Issues........................................................................................................................39
Timeline of the research...........................................................................................................40
Expected outcome....................................................................................................................40
Reference..................................................................................................................................42
Appendix A..............................................................................................................................50

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List of figures
Fig 1: VR in construction.........................................................................................................20
Fig 2: Building information technology...................................................................................24
Fig 3: 3D or Laser scanning in construction............................................................................26
Fig 4: Block chain in construction...........................................................................................27
Fig 5: AI in construction..........................................................................................................28

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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Starting from simulation, 3D model to drawing, the use of advanced technology in
engineering has helped it in creating a digitized environment. Beyond than creating the
models, the concept of digital engineering explains unlocking of several technological
innovations, simulating as well as creating the platform and data for numerous project
collaboration and management. Moreover, the concept of digital engineering provides the
facility of integrating the data for carrying out several operational functions, for delivering
efficient project to the clients (Caneparo and Cerrato 2014). However, the same when applied
to the initial stage of the project management, it not only facilitates efficient project design
but also beneficial in understanding and eliminating the present and future project issues.
Critically, the discussed concept upholds the capacity of thinking beyond the delivery phase,
by creating a better understanding of the project life cycle. As a whole, digital engineering
can be explained as the art of creating, capturing integrating as we’ll as communicating the
project data by applying several digital skills to create a successful project (Agarwal,
Chandrasekaran and Sridhar 2016). Digital engineering combines several technologies such
as automated integration, virtual reality, point cloud technology, building information
modelling (BIM) laser scanning, block chain and many others.
Using virtual reality in the project management can be beneficial in visualizing the
scheduling changes in the project execution. Meanwhile, using cloud approach to the project
management can also modernize the particular approach. Especially, using the cloud
distribution model software as a service (SaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
facilitate the project communication and implementation. On the other hand the Building

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Information Modelling (BIM) is one improvised project management tool that facilities the
project management by integrating the project delivery process. Several technical aspects of
BIM such as, clash detection, constructability, 4D, 5D modelling, modified analysis, quantity
take off and several others enhances the project management activity (Bosché et al. 2015).
Unlike this, utilization of AI, while carrying out the project management activities will
helpful in providing effective training to the machine for object identification and problem
solving. This thesis is going to emphasize the importance of digital engineering in managing
the project. The use of the above discussed technologies, especially the application of BIM
and VR in case of project management is going to be discussed here.
Background of the research
Digital engineering approach has become a game changer in enhancing the project
management. Several researches have been conducted regarding improving the project
related activities using the digital engineering approach (Ibem and Laryea 2014). Laser
scanning or 3D scanning is one fresh tool of the digital engineering that focuses on
modernizing the construction projects. The 3D provides opportunities to the project manager
for checking and identifying the project issues and solving them (Smith 2014). However, for
enabling the 3D scanning, all the 3D scanned data need to be aligned with the necessary
design drawings in form of short timeframe (Oesterreich and Teuteberg 2016). Moreover, the
3D modelling while combined with the point cloud and laser scanner, improves the storing
and accessing of the information in the physical space. Point cloud can be identified as the
collection of several data points that are defined by a particular coordinate system (Kim, Son
and Kim 2013). In the 3D coordinate, the point cloud might be explained as the shape of
different physical systems.
According to Sampaio and Martins (2014), the point clouds can successfully nullify
the project risks by identifying the same in the early stage. 3D scanning as well as point

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cloud technology are also beneficial in measuring the quantities of project activities
conducted within a certain time intervals. In addition to that, the 3D scanning when combined
with the point cloud technology in case of managing the complex construction projects,
enhances the work speed and also helps the project managers to achieve appropriate project
data, which in return improves the skills of the project manager. However, another efficient
method of carrying out the project activities can be the involvement of Artificial intelligence.
As opined by Zhang and Arditi (2013), while carrying out the construction projects, AI is
simplifying the project managers’ job by aligning the structural designs, specifying the
drawing needs of the construction, creating structural frames for different buildings as well as
providing idea related to the project plan (Aibinu and Venkatesh 2013). However, the
construction projects mostly face the over budget issues; yet, implementation of AI, can also
helpful in managing the project cost. The project managers are taking advantages from AI by
forecasting on the cost overrun. The major risks of any type of construction project mainly
add the cost risk, time, safety and quality (Jiao et al. 2013). The bigger the project, the greater
is the risk, as there are multiple contractors, stakeholders are associated with the construction
project, and the chances of risk are also higher here. In managing the project risks, the
machine learning or AI has played an important role. The project managers can monitor and
evaluate the project risk in the initial stage so that the further project work will get simpler.
AI can efficiently prioritize the project risks as well as other issues automatically.
However, the use of VR and BIM in managing the complex projects, especially the
construction projects can gather more accurateness and profitability to the projects. As opined
by Bosché et al. (2015), the concept of building information modelling (BIM) has brought
dramatic changes to the construction world. BIM can be identified as the new revolution of
information manipulation and storage system, which is majorly beneficial for the construction
projects. In contrast to the traditional computer aided design (CAD), BIM adds the inclusion

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of several functionalities inside the project management schematic (Keskin, Ozorhon and
Koseoglu 2019). BIM are identified as the advanced version of the 3D models that provides
the improved architecture, design along with professional project plans that modifies the
project outcomes. 3D models are taking into considerations of architecture, electrical, and
other project plans. Furthermore, BIM also ensure the project success by simplifying the
project cost estimation and time in the planning stage of a particular project (Pedro, Le and
Park 2015).
Like BIM, virtual reality (VR) is another revolutionary technology of digital
engineering that can fit into managing the construction projects. Virtual Reality allows users
an immersive experience, one where they are actually a part of the environment. Using VR
technology, the project managers will able to experiment with different project scenarios
without focusing on the real-world outcomes, monitoring the project progress viewing the
charts and designs in the real-life proportions (Sacks, Perlman and Barak 2013). Apart from
that, utilizing the interactive features of this technology, the client and stakeholders related to
the project can also get into the project activities by identify issues and providing necessary
feedback, before the final outcome. This technology, while combined with the cloud
technologies can be beneficial in accessing the project data remotely and provide facilities to
the managers, designers and engineers to perform together (Li et al. 2018). One major
advantages of adopting the BIM while undertaking the construction projects, can be
simplification of the risk management. The project issues and risk s can be identified in the
initial stages, so that the chance of further modification, changes and bigger issues can be
avoided. The VR digital engineering approach while combined with the intelligent machines,
can add great value to the project works (Le, Pedro and Park, 2015). The project managers,
using this technology, can have a real time view and access to the ongoing project activities
and changes. In addition, the stakeholders, contractors, managers and the clients can keep

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track to the project activities and progress anytime, anywhere, by enhancing the two way
project management communication.
The vital intention behind selecting this research topic is to gather knowledge about
the use of different digital engineering approaches such as AI, VR, BIM and point cloud in
case of managing the complex construction projects. In addition, the paper will critically
analyse the topic by discussing about the issues, challenges as well as the advantages of
applying digital engineering in managing the construction projects.
Thesis statement
This paper will discuss the appropriate utilization and facilities of these technologies
so that the project management process can be simplified. The final outcome of this research
will provide understandings regarding the discussed digital engineering approaches to the
project managers and will helpful in simplifying their work.
Research aim and objectives
The aim of conducting this research is to discuss the role of digital engineering in
managing the construction projects and explain how the project managers can get benefits
from these technologies. Below the research objectives are given, focusing on which the
entire research work will be proceed.
 To discuss the importance and role of digital engineering in managing the
construction projects
 To evaluate the performance changes of the project managers after adopting digital
engineering technologies, which are VR, BIM point cloud and laser in managing the
Australian construction projects.
 To examine the potential benefits and challenges of implementation of digital
engineering approach in the construction project management.

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 To suggest some recommendations for enhancing the usefulness of these digital
engineering technologies for simplifying and improving the project managers’ work.
Research questions
This research will address the following research questions;
1. How the implementation of digital engineering does affects the project management
of the Australian based construction industries?
2. What is the impact of different digital engineering technologies such as, VR, BIM,
point cloud and laser scanning in managing the complex construction projects?
3. What are the potential challenges and benefits faced by the project managers while
adopting these technologies in construction project management?
4. What recommendations can be provided to the project managers to avoid the potential
challenges of the discussed digital engineering technologies for improving the project
management process?