Rethinking computer-aided design in the civil engineering curriculum: Impact and lessons learned

Abstract

In response to the removal of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) instruction from the First Year Engineering Program at Texas A&M University, and at the urging of the departmental Industrial Advisory Committee, a visualization course comprised of CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) was developed and instituted in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering beginning in 2014. The CAD component in the prior college-wide course was a combination of mechanical parametric modeling and two-dimensional AutoCAD topics, neither of which satisfied every engineering departmental needs, with some departments opting out of requiring it. The new course is designed to primarily cater to the needs of civil engineers, emphasizing topics that are most relevant to the civil engineering profession. The course has undergone continuous modification in an effort to respond to industry and follow-on course requirements, but has always included training in a variety of CAD packages and visualization techniques. Desired outcomes include increased CAD skills essential in follow-on courses, increased competitiveness for internships, and expertise with industry-standard CAD tools so that newly minted engineers are immediately productive. In order to facilitate the incorporation of these topics into other courses in the curriculum, guest lectures, class project support, open office hours, and instructor assistance were provided so that CAD and BIM are not seen as compartmentalized topics, but tools which can be readily used to solve various civil engineering design problems. This sophomore-level course, mandatory in all specialization tracks (General, Structures, and Transportation), provides a unique foundation to assist in the attainment of visualization and design skills needed further in the curriculum and in industry. Specific course topics include two-dimensional and three-dimensional projection methods, linking files, data extraction, topography and catchments, virtual surfaces, earthwork and grading, surveying and parcels, corridors and intersections, pipe networks, rendering, and animations. Initial results reflect that the course has been successful in student competitiveness and preparation for industry and that student visualization skills have improved, validated by pre- and post-course completion of the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (object rotation) and the DAT for PCA Space Relations Test (3D object from 2D pattern).