Want to Master in Civil Design Software’s skills but don't know where to start??? Here are the answers to all your doubts.
22nd September 2021
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Civil Engineering is all approximately designing, building and preserving homes and structures. It offers with each method concerning the production. There are a variety of production tasks like bridges and highways in a distinctly populated U.S. Like India and being a Civil engineer gives lots of possibilities with inside the shape of tasks. Civil engineers are supplied with the best paying jobs. Every year, the range of college students selecting Civil Engineering route maintains going up.

There is also a need to construct buildings without harming our environment and a talented Civil engineer is required for it. It has a lot to do with creativity and people who are passionate about construction opt for Civil Engineering course.

Lately, software program improvement has efficiently contributed in diverse civil engineering disciplines, because it offers engineers with the cap potential to carry out kind of complicated calculations, modeling, drafting, and designing exercise and numerous evaluation tactics for civil engineering infrastructure.

There are many software program to be had this is utilized in Civil Engineering. Due to technological advancement, the quantity of software program serving Civil Engineering and layout wishes is growing tremendously. Here is a listing of civil engineering software program this is exorbitantly utilized by many civil engineers all over the world. Also, locate underneath the exceptional civil engineering software program guides to be found out via way of means of each civil engineer.

Civil Engineering Software’s

  1. Autocad
  2. 3DS MAX
  3. Google Skecthup
  4. Staad Pro
  5. Revit (Architecture)
  6. Revit (Strcuture)
  7. Revit (MEP)
  8. Primavera
  9. MS Projects
  1. Autocad :

AutoCAD is a computer-aided software drafting program. It is used for a number of applications like creating blueprints for buildings, bridges and computer chips to name a few. AutoCAD is 2D and 3D computer aided drafting software application. It is commercial software. Since 1982 it was a desktop application.

  • Easy Edits: Before the age of computers, a designer would have to manually revise designs. You would have to create an entirely new draft or edit the draft you had, which could become messy and difficult to interpret. With AutoCAD, you can easily change and manipulate designs.
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  • Faster Production: You can create a re-useable block library to replicate design parts. Got a window system that works well? Use it again. A manufacturing component that you’ll need over and over? Save it to your block library to increase efficiencies. Saved files can be used and re-used later, which makes the design process faster than if you did it by hand.
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  • Better Accuracy: You can only draw something so small by hand, but AutoCAD allows you to design down to fractions. This creates a more accurate design in all dimensions.

Main features of Autodesk AutoCAD are:

 

  • 3D Modeling and Visualization.
  • Photorealistic Rendering.
  • Solid, Surface and Mesh Modeling.
  • Visual Styles.
  • PDF and DGN Import/Export/Underlay.
  • Section Planes.
  • 3D Scanning and Point Clouds.
  • 3D Navigation.

Who Uses AutoCAD?

As a Civil Engineer, you could use AutoCAD across a variety of industries. In mechanical engineering, you might use it to create manufacturing processes as well as to design motor parts, robots and other innovative objects. In electrical engineering, you might use it to map out electrical systems, and in civil engineering, you might use it as you help to design bridges and roads. Here are other professionals who use AutoCAD:

 

  • Architects: AutoCAD is often used to create blueprints and floor plans for houses and commercial buildings. It also comes with built-in tools that can analyze and remedy weaknesses in a building’s design.
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  • Interior Designers: Similarly, AutoCAD can be used to imagine the interior of a building, whether it’s an eating space for a restaurant or a living space in a home.
  •  
  • Fine Artists: The abilities of AutoCAD are so wide ranging that even artists use it to draft sculptures, wood carvings, engravings, and experimental art pieces.

(2) 3DS MAX

 

3ds MAX is one of the most powerful designing software that provides comprehensive 3D modeling, rendering, animation, and composing solutions for different industries. The software was developed by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. The application is rich in modeling capabilities, has a flexible plugin architecture and can be used on Microsoft Windows Platform.

Why to Learn 3DS MAX?

3ds Max is broadly used by civil engineers and architects for 3D design visualization. 3ds Max helps the designers to render drawings in photo-realistic visualization that are created using AutoCAD or any other CAD software.

CAD software also provides render options but, 3ds Max has additional control feature in rendering settings. Therefore, now a day’s most engineers and architects use CAD software and BIM tools for modeling and 3ds Max software for rendering.

Features of 3DS MAX:

  • 3D Modeling and Texturing
  • 3D Rendering
  • Configurable user Interface
  • Adobe after Effects Interoperability
  • Compositing Integration

 

Architectural and engineering design firms use 3ds Max for developing concept art and revisualization. Educational programs at secondary and tertiary level use 3ds Max in their courses on 3D computer graphics and computer animation. Students in the FIRST competition for 3d animation are known to use 3ds Max.

 

Career in 3DS Max:

  • Animation Jobs.
  • Entertainment/Media/Publishing Jobs.
  • Architecture/Interior Design Jobs.
  • Engineering & Design Jobs.
  • Construction & Engineering Jobs.

(3)  Google Sketch up:

      SketchUp is a 3D modeling computer program for drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film and video game design. It is available as a web-based application, SketchUp Free, and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro.

 

Features of Sketch Up:

 

  • Textures.
  • Lighting effects.
  • 3D models.
  • 2D models.
  • Layer manager.
  • Animations.

The program includes drawing layout functionality, surface rendering, and supports third-party plugins from the Extension Warehouse.

 

  • It’s easy to draw your design because it’s designed to behave like an extension of your hand.
  • Adjust to the lifelike drawings you’ll create fast. That’s because SketchUp is an intuitive, powerful and simple-to-learn 3D drawing tool.
  • SketchUp allows you to render surfaces in an array of "styles". Pick from a variety of architecture that best suits your design and pleases your client.
  • SketchUp makes it easy to integrate with software that furnishes additional capabilities. It also supports third-party "plug-in" programs.  
  • With SketchUp you can place your model within "Google Earth" - right on the actual site!

(4)  Staad Pro :

STAAD or (STAAD.Pro) is a structural analysis and design software application originally developed by Research Engineers International in 1997. In late 2005, Research Engineers International was bought by Bentley Systems. ... It supports over 90 international steel, concrete, timber & aluminum design codes.

 

Staad pro is a structural analysis and designing software used to analyze and design RCC and steel structure according to the relative country code. It is one of the most used software by civil and structural engineers. It helps to automate their tasks by eliminating the tedious and long procedures of manual methods.

 

Simplify your BIM workflow by using a physical model in STAAD.Pro that is automatically converted into the analytical model for your structural analysis. Share synchronized models with confidence for multi-discipline team collaboration and, most importantly, deliver safe, cost-effective designs.

Who uses STAAD pro?

STAAD can be used for analysis and design of all types of structural projects from plants, buildings, and bridges to towers, tunnels, metro stations, water/wastewater treatment plants and more.

(5) Revit Architecture:

Revit Architecture is a powerful building information modeling software for architects, engineers, designers and contractors. ... Wall, floor and roof creation tools and camera views are set up to create presentation sheets of the designs.

Revit is built for BIM. Both Revit and BIM are very important for your future. Revit helps designers design, simulate, visualize and collaborate in order to capitalize on the advantages of the interconnected data within a BIM model.

Features of Revit Architecture:

  • Parametric Modeling. Parametric modeling is an all-inclusive phrase referencing the creation of 3D models from a set of rules. ...
  • Automation. ...
  • Collaboration. ...
  • Coordination. ...
  • Scheduling. ...
  • Energy Analysis. ...
  • Rendering Presentation. ...
  • Construction Documentation.

Revit is used to coordinate all data inputs (including CAD) and produce federated project deliverables. Both programs are often used within the same firm, with BIM and CAD specialists working on different elements of a project.

(6) Revit Structure:

Revit Structure is Autodesk's BIM software solution for structural engineering companies and structural engineers, that provides a feature rich tool set helping to drive efficient design processes in a BIM (Building Information Modelling) environment, or when working with other construction disciplines using Autodesk ..


Revit Structure is Autodesk's BIM software solution for Structural Engineering Firms and Structural Engineers. It includes a Feature-Rich tool set for driving efficient design processes in a BIM (Building Information Modelling) context, as well as when working with other Autodesk construction disciplines.

What will you learn in Revit Structure?

  • Use tools to design to design projects and Create Construction Documentation
  • Create different views to complete model structure
  • Learn how to design and edit your own structure models
  • Build components and perform construction modeling
  • Use Presentation tools to present models  
  • Use analysis results for automatically updating designed models

Revit Structure can be used to model foundation and sub-and super structures Using this Software’s create detailed 3D models for concrete RCC ,steel and wooden structures. This Model provide in –depth Information regarding a structures’, Foundation its beams, Columns, pillars, etc. Further, with Revit Structure prepare detailed shop drawing documents and extract BBS, Connect steel design workflows and create accurate steel and concrete designs.

(7) REVIT MEP:

Autodesk Revit MEP is a building information modeling (BIM) software created by Autodesk for professionals who work in MEP engineering. MEP stands for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing which are the three engineering disciplines that are addressed by Revit MEP. The software is powerful enough to leverage dynamic information in intelligent models. The software is used to streamline the engineering design process making product design and development more efficient.

Course Objectives

The course will help students and professionals to leverage Revit MEP to develop Revit MEP design, product simulation, design communication, tooling creation, and much more. The course will help the candidates master the technology enhancing their skills and productivity to a greater level.

Role in the Industry:

  • It helps to reduce risk and develop better quality MEP systems.
  • The software fast tracks the design and construction of the project by enhanced visualizations.
  • It streamlines the engineering design process using a single model for better design communication.
  • The software will help in building element energy analysis, structural analytical modeling, duct
  • The HVAC/electrical design helps to see the room color-fill plans visually.

Revit MEP is used across several industries internationally. The application is used as a powerful engineering model to create, document and print parametric models. Having being used across the construction industry, MEP certified professionals are high in demand.

(8) Primavera:

Oracle Primavera P6 is a project, program and portfolio management tool that is used for planning, managing and executing your project work. It is designed to handle large and small projects in a number of diverse industries, such as construction, manufacturing, energy, and IT. It’s been doing so for more than 30 years in projects across the globe.

Primavera P6 can trace its origins to 1983 when it was first established under the name Primavera Systems. In the next 15 years, it would rapidly gain in popularity. By the late 90’s, advancements in server technology drove the company to split Primavera systems into two versions of the software: a desktop application (which is preferred by contractors, suppliers and manufacturing companies) and a web-based enterprise option.

Who Uses Primavera P6?

P6 is used by project managers who are in charge of delivering a project, program or portfolio of projects.

It’s not only used by project managers, though. Any project professional can benefit from P6, such as engineers, schedulers and others who are instrumental in planning, management and reporting on the project. Whoever uses the software, it is usually recommended that they take a training course. The tool is built to help manage complex projects and therefore using it can be complicated as well.

Primavera P6 Features

  • Timelines
  • Risk Management
  • Information Dashboard
  • Reporting & Analytics
  • Resource Analysis & Allocation
  • Calendar & Activity Views
  • Portfolio & Program Management
  • Contact Management

(9) MS Projects:

Microsoft Project is a project management software product, developed and sold by Microsoft. It is designed to assist a project manager in developing a plan, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and analyzing workloads.

Microsoft Project was the company’s third Microsoft Windows-based application, and within a couple of years of its introduction it became the dominant PC-based project management software.

Uses of Microsoft Projects

  • Improved estimation
  • Greater Control
  • Easier tracking
  • Better collaboration
  • Measuring results and comparing projects

 

Benefits of MS Projects:

 

  • Balanced resource management
  • Pipeline forecasting 
  • Improved team collaboration
  • Real-time project budget management
  • Solid up-to-the-minute reporting
  • Effective internal & external communication
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction

Career Opportunity in Civil Engineering:

  • Construction manager
  • Geotechnical engineer. ...
  • Environmental engineer. ...
  • Public Health engineer. ...
  • Transportation engineer. ...
  • Urban planning engineer.

Civil Engineer Skills:

  • CAD and AutoCAD proficiency
  • Design skills
  • Site development
  • Database design
  • Planning
  • Conceptual skills
  • Legal compliance
  • Drafting, LISP
  • Problem solving

Summary:

There are many software available which are used in Civil Engineering. Due to the Technological Revolution, the number of software serving Civil Engineering needs are increasing manifold.

Keep in mind that the software that a particular engineer uses depends on the kinds of projects they are involved in as well as their specialization. Engineers also use different software programs as they progress in their careers. At the beginning of their careers, civil engineers may be using a lot of technical software. However, senior engineers often move into a project management role. This type of work may require using Microsoft Excel more often.

Are you looking for a fulfilling career in Civil Engineering? Check out BIT’s available civil engineering Designing courses here!!!