Software for Civil, Structural and Architectural Excellence - An Overview

The global meltdown has not been able to challenge the Infrastructure industry, as severely as the other industries, like someone said good humouredly "We do need houses, roads and highways to live, commute and transport goods." The software industry that caters to the Civil Engineering and allied industries, has surely made IT, a sustainable business!

The IT industry has infused, computer driven operations, into every element of Infrastructure, allowing total synergy of good quality materials, state-of-the-art construction methods, simplified and user-friendly software for designs that are universal, affordable, and amazingly accurate.

Several internationally focused companies have developed a global Analysis & Design platform that allows you to verify and optimize your structures, and rapidly create all the necessary drawings, without having to re-input data. This enhances efficiency and results in productivity-leap!

It is interesting to note drastically different views by experts from different fields of specialization.

Dr CS Viswanatha, Chairman, Civil-Aid Technoclinic Bangalore—equipped with PhD in Concrete Structures, seven- teen long years of teaching Structural Engineering, coupled with over 3 decades of experience in Structural Engineering Consultancy, he has mixed views on computeri- zation of Civil, structural and architectural operations. He is considered an authority in structural Engineering.

Says Dr, "In the last decade, we have gradually changed over from manual drafting to computer aided drafting. On similar lines there is a change over in the field of survey, estimates and related areas. There is a clear shift from manual workouts to computer solutions in these areas."

He admits the significant role played by software in construction. "In my opinion, it is the design field that is getting the maximum benefits from the latest range of software products."