construction topics for research papers

173 Construction Research Topics & Essay Examples

Are you looking for current construction research topics? StudyCorgi has compiled a list of research topics in the construction industry for you! Here, you’ll find hot topics in construction management, safety, building materials, technology, and other construction-related civil engineering ideas. Feel free to use these titles for your essays, presentations, research papers, projects, or even as a starting point in your dissertation research.

🏆 Best Construction Topics for Research Papers

✍️ construction essay topics for college, 👍 good construction research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot construction topics, 🎓 most interesting construction essay examples, 💡 current construction article topics, 📌 easy construction essay topics.

• The Social Construction of Gender
• The Social Construction of Gender Roles
• Assessing Learning and Test Construction
• Childhood: The Concept of Social Construction
• Stakeholder Management in Construction Projects
• Silver Fiddle Construction Project Risk Management
• Wood as a Construction Material: History, Properties, Use
• Renata SA Construction Company’s Project Management Renata SA is one of the prominent construction companies based in the European Union. It is proficient in handling both private and public construction projects.
• Postmodern Feminism and Its Theory of Gender as Social Construction Post modern feminists argue that there are no natural building blocks between genders. It is the society that structures human being in a particular way to keep differences.
• Construction of Wembley’s Stadium: Project Management Methodologies Association for Project Management is a framework application that might have significant contributions to the success of Wembley’s Stadium construction.
• Environmental Impact of the Football Stadium Construction The construction of Football Stadium in the district of Tipner, Portsmouth, UK is a great challenge for the site’s environments and ecological situation.
• A Business Plan for a Home Construction Company This paper is a personal business plan for a small company constructing various buildings for disadvantaged individuals, it will also discuss the key strategies for its foundation.
• Social Construction of Serial Killers Serial killing is a homicide category occurring when an offender murders more than three victims unknown to the criminal.
• Risk Management in Healthcare Construction Projects A risk is any occurrence that has the potential to alter the progress of a project significantly. A risk may be positive or negative.
• Motivation and Performance in UAE Construction Industry One of the most important revelations in the research was that workers and managers in the UAE construction industry were not motivated.
• Soil Mechanics in Construction Engineering Soil mechanics is a relatively new discipline in civil engineering, which entails the study of the engineering properties of soil relative to the design of various engineering structures.
• Construction Industry Disputes in the UAE There is still very little literature in the UAE on the negotiation strategies and how the same impacts on the outcomes in the dispute resolution.
• Saudi Marine Construction Projects and Risks The Saudi Arabian marine construction works revolve around the establishment of ports and harbors. The ports must be constructed to facilitate tourist arrival.
• Construction and Operation of the London Eye The current assignment examines the construction and operation processes of the London Eye and provides a comprehensive analysis of the project.
• Social Construction of Gender and Sexual Dichotomy Gender is usually divided into two sexes, namely male and female, in modern society. Traditionally, gender is determined by various physiological features, such as genitalia.
• Speech Defending the Construction of Bicycle Lanes The purpose of my appeal to the city authorities and the local community is to build bicycle lanes and to create new bicycle routes.
• Tunnel Design and Construction The paper concerns the many significant advances in technology that have facilitated tremendous growth in the tunneling industry.
• A New Building Construction Project Analysis The management of AXBC PLC needs to allot more time for constructing a new building as the analysis has clearly shown that the management may be overly optimistic.
• Project for the Construction of a New Cottage Town The project is devoted to the building of the new cottage town in the country and is aimed at the satisfaction of citizens’ needs and providing them with a new wonderful way of life.
• Construction Waste Management Managing construction waste is often a difficult process because its poor implementation could lead to unintended consequences for contractors, clients, and the public.
• Dubai Construction Cost and Its Political Factors This research paper determines how political factors affect the construction industry in Dubai and what can be done to lower these costs.
• Schedule Delay Analysis in Construction Projects Within a construction environment, it is rather common that both the contractor and employer are worried about the time for performance.
• Use of Modern Construction Materials Concrete is an architectural material composed of a strong, noncorrosive particle material called aggregates, typically sand and pebbles.
• Drug Dependency: Construction of a Rehabilitation Center Creating a program that would act as a foundation to help drug addicts recover from drug usage would help lessen drug dependency.
• GPS Surveying and Laser Total Station Surveying Within Construction This essay intends to establish the main differences between GPS surveying and Laser total station surveying within the construction and single out their respective applications.
• The Construction Industry in Australia. The construction industry in Australia commands some significant linkages with other key sectors, and this has led to its major impact on the economy.
• R&B Construction Company: Organizational Culture One of the essential factors in an organization’s success is its culture which are the values, beliefs, and visions that unite an organization.
• Engineering, Procurement and Construction Strategy Saudi Arabia boasts one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. The resource is characterized by high price fluctuations that impact the government’s budget.
• Achieving Success in Construction Project Management The effective implementation of construction programs depends on many factors, among which the management of construction organizations can be identified.
• Concrete as a Construction Material Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials on Earth, so a more detailed analysis of concrete was taken to realize its pros and cons for construction purposes.
• Construction of Fertilizer Blending Plants in Nigeria: Cost and Schedule Impact Delving deeper into the development of the project under analysis, one will realize that a unique impediment was encountered as OCP Africa started expanding its services.
• Fundamentals of Building Construction Foundations are the basis for any construction object, and it is essential for any project to determine the most fitting type of foundation.
• Construction Management and Law in United Kingdom: An Analysis The essay discusses the current legal requirements for constructing a building in the UK and details various legal procedures involved in handling the building projects in the UK.
• The Study of the Construction Methods for Firefighters The study of the construction methods allows the fire officers to predict the effects of the demolition and possible way to preserve the construction in a better condition.
• Construction Companies and Ethics Many construction companies do not have an ethical program at all. It is important that people in the company undergo training in order to understand the ethical standards that have been set.
• Sexual Orientation as a Social Construction and Reality Even if sexual orientation, gender roles, and sex are all socially constructed, it does not mean that they are not real.
• Race as a Social Construction in the US The idea of the social construction of race is the basis on which modern theory refutes the initial assumptions used to justify the American practice of slavery.
• Truss Construction Shop Workplace Incident This paper analyzes the incident that occurred in the Truss Construction Shop when a worker was injured while performing his work with the help of a machine.
• Social Construction of Technologies: Tablet Computer This paper is aimed at discussing the development of such a technology as the tablet computer. In particular, it is necessary to apply such a concept as social construction.
• Lobby Café Construction Project Evaluation The report aimed to analyze three aspects of the Lobby Café Construction project: external factors, stakeholder analysis, and assessment of corporate social responsibility.
• Construction Project Management and Communication As a project manager, I will communicate with the necessary stakeholders and develop a construction project for the client who purchased the property five years ago.
• Construction Materials and Building Codes Platform framing system is commonly used in the building industry because the building that is made using this method is always durable and have high structural integrity.
• Evaluating Performance of Public Construction Projects in Abuja, Nigeria The purpose of the paper is to provide an in-depth inquiry into the need for a stakeholder performance evaluation framework for public construction projects in Abuja Nigeria.
• Top Ten Construction Site Hazards. In the construction industry, the laborers and site workers are liable to face innumerable dangers and risks of health and safety each day.
• Generational Differences in Galliford Try Construction Industry The study illuminates how various challenges affect the company and aligns them with theories such as transformational, authentic, servant leadership and leader-member exchange (LMX).
• Authentic Leadership in the Construction Industry This paper seeks to examine the concept of authentic leadership and why it can become the best option for improving management and supervision in the construction industry.
• Role of Tribes in the Construction of Identity Sine tribes create a sense of belonging by reinforcing the significance of the marker of social hierarchy and the importance of compliance with set traditions.
• Investment Strategy: Construction of Portfolio The report selects four best-performing equities based on evaluation taste from ten promising stocks listed in New York Stock Exchange.
• Societal and Gender Construction Affecting Incidents of Domestic Violence The paper intends to explore how societal and gender construction can affect the incidences of domestic violence.
• The Social Construction of Aging The social construction of age states that aging occurs because people explain in their mind and physical stages that the body changes are the aging symptoms.
• Construction of the Sense of Meaning and Identity The most contributing factors to the construction of human sense of meaning and identity are relational processes between person and group, as well as different social processes.
• Family, Work, and Social Construction of Intimacy The paper examines various aspects of family life and the real problems of families. The work-family relationship may sometimes result in work-family conflict.
• Cultural Rift in the UAE Construction Industry This paper will explore cultural differences and organizational cultures in the UAE. It will also explore ways of harmonizing the two to minimize conflicts.
• Construction Company’s Operational Risk Management This work presents an operational risk assessment connected to standard masonry techniques and procedures in the development of five-story apartment blocks.
• Canadian Housing and Construction Statistics Growth for housing starts, completions, and under construction was negatively affected by the economic downturn in 2008 with only 187,923 units registered.
• Construction Company’s Staff’s Quality Performance The purpose of the study is the identification of the links between the application of the diversity-related strategies, the motivation of the employees, and the staff’s rates.
• “The Construction of Homosexuality” a Book by David Greenberg The book, The Construction of Homosexuality by David Greenberg presents the reflection of the author on historical timeline of the struggle by homosexuals to get their rights.
• Aspects of Social Construction The paper states that social construction examines how people learn about their surroundings and the world in general, which influences some changes.
• The Social Construction of Reality SOLO taxonomy should be considered a valuable analytical instrument in terms of application to the complex challenges of the modern era.
• Construction: Characteristics and Reliability of Piles and Props The construction requires a solid and water-resistant system. The secant pile wall provides this opportunity and increased alignment flexibility in construction
• Why to Learn Construction and Engineering Skills Basic construction and engineering skills can enable a person to successfully engage in the work of their own house and be able to start a new technical career.
• The Construction Management Position Observation Construction projects constantly need modifications, and in this sense, construction management is the key to the stability of the entire procedure.
• Towards Green Construction: Timber as Material Timber appears to be a beneficial option for the construction of a variety of buildings. Its cost efficiency is evident in the construction process.
• The Aircraft Runways Construction The construction of aircraft runways must be constructed by individual runway design, based on the direction of the winds and aeronautical paths, and immediate terrain.
• Development Plan at Olive Construction Company Olive Construction Company was founded in 2019 to tap into the booming construction industry in Miami Dade County.
• Construction of Knowledge in Society Knowledge is constructed by society facing informational cascades and being disinformed. As a result, people lose confidence in particular institutions.
• Civil Rights Movement and Construction of US Racism Racism is associated with slurs, Islamophobia, police brutality, and Donald Trump. This list signals that racism today is a more insidious, politicized form of discrimination.
• The Influence of the Gospel on the Construction of the Christian Worldview The paper considers the essentials of the Gospel that influence the construction of the Christian worldview and form a behavioral framework.
• Progressivism and Its Role in American Social Construction Progressivism arose as political development, its center thought was that administration played a significant part in monetary guidelines and colonial government assistance.
• Social Construction of Race and Gender in the United States and Brazil Being able to categorize the general population into specific groups based on certain characteristics is vital for understanding how people see themselves and others.
• Social Construction of Gender. Sociology in Modules Sociobiology entails the scientific study of social behavior’s biological bases among humans and even animals. It assumes that such behavior arises from the evolution.
• Power Suburbs and the Construction of Race by Nicolaides & Wiese Becky M. Nicolaides and Andrew Wiese discuss suburbanization and its effects on racial segregation in postwar America.
• Foodmart vs. Masterpiece Construction Dispute: Contract Formation The subcontracting of Masterpiece construction in the renovation of Foodmart’s Main Street store is valid and the former has the right to delegate its duties of the contract.
• Construction Management: Organizations, Cash Flow & Controls on Site This paper discusses organizations, cash flow, and controls on-site: types of organizations, project cash flows, certification programs, cost control as a management tool.
• Water Cooling Tower Construction Site’s Problems The paper highlights three major problems at the construction site. They are security, scheduling, and safety problems.
• Critical Path Method in Construction Practice The critical path method has a significant role to play in managing resources on construction projects by relating time and money.
• The Deployment of WLAN (WI-FI) on Open Area Construction Projects This paper sets out to illustrate that implementation of mobile communication technologies in the construction industry is not only technologically and economically feasible.
• Economic Environment for a Construction Firm The construction industry is plagued by a lot of difficulties in the UK and other parts of the world. This study mainly focuses on economic conditions affecting construction firms.
• Race: Genetic or Social Construction One of the most challenging questions the community faces today is the following: whether races were created by nature or society or not.
• Gender Construction and Heterosexism Homophobia, or the aversion for people who have same-sex preferences, are categorized under personal, interpersonal, institutional and societal.
• Shortage of Skilled Workers in Middle East Construction Industry The construction industry in the Middle East has been facing the risk of rising labour costs and labour shortages, which in turn is squeezing up the smaller contractors.
• Construction Law. Negligence, Tort and Duty of Care The cases Chapman v. Hearse and Voli v IngleWoodshire Council are both legal cases that were tried in the High Court of Australia in the years 1961 and 1963 respectively.
• Shortage of Skilled Workers and Its Impacts in Middle East Construction Industry Presently there is a huge shortage of structural and civil engineers, project managers, safety managers, on-site supervisors and tradesman, like welders and fitters.
• Construction. The Hines Group and Babcock & Brown The Hines Group and Babcock & Brown provide the highest standards of security of workers and the best organization of the material delivery, storage, and usage.
• The Range of Regulations Applicable to Health and Safety in Construction The regulatory systems have done more good than bad in the general growth of safety conditions for workers in the European Union.
• Carillion Construction Company’s Story of Decline This report analyses the Carillion company’s performance, identifies some causes for its decline, and discusses the roles of the directors and auditors in it.
• “Uncoupling: The Social Construction of Divorce” by Robboy et al. This paper aims to analyze the article “Uncoupling: The Social Construction of Divorce” by Robboy et al. and summarize the main ideas from it.
• Ethics: Tellico Dam Construction vs. Snail Darter Fish The argument against the Tellico dam construction concerns the role of the snail darter in the ecological system of the Little Mississippi River.
• Poverty and Homelessness: Dimensions and Constructions With the growth of the economy and the failure of employment, the number of people living in poverty and without shelter increases.
• Portfolio Construction: Choosing a Suitable Investment Option Investing in trustworthy and promising ventures so that the specified goal can be achieved can be viewed as the secondary objective of the project.
• Risk Management of Construction Megaprojects Long-term projects can be considered an integral part of the modern world. At the same time, the management of projects is a complex task because of many issues and obstacles.
• Gray Construction Company’s Business Communication Gray Construction is a family-owned construction company that, by utilizing the system of open forums, tries to increase the success of business-related communications.
• Quality Improvement in the Construction Industry’ Context Focusing on quality improvement is essential in the context of a multicultural corporation. The introduction of the Six Sigma DMAIC framework was tested as a possible tool.
• Madina Azahra Palace Construction Medina Azahara means the City of Flowers and it represents the ruins of the fortified Arab Muslim medieval palace in Spain. The palace was built in 929 by Abd al-Rahman.
• Construction of the America’s Great Wall The paper highlights some of the reasons why the Great Wall was a bad idea. The government realized that the control act did not give the expected results.
• Social Community Constructions, Expected Social Conduct, and Economic Structures Within the Society This paper outlines social community constructions, expected social conduct, and economic structures within the society.
• Intermediate Institutions and Technology Transfer in Developing Countries: Construction Industry in Ghana
• Building for the Future: The Potential Importance of the Construction Industry in Welsh Economic Development Policy
• Global Construction Equipment Market Industry Analysis
• Waste Processing Plants Construction in Saudi Arabia
• Investigation Into Waste Management on Construction Sites in South Western Nigeria
• Waste Processing Plants Construction in India
• Improving Health and Safety on Construction in Romania
• Channel Tunnel Construction: Project Management
• Indonesia Residential Construction: Market Update
• Improving Higher Education for Construction Management
• Worker’s Attitudes Towards Safety in the Construction Field
• Case Studies About Australian Construction Firms
• Chinese Culture and Successful Implementation of Partnering in Singapore’s Construction Industry
• Iowa River Bridge Steel Method Construction
• Civil Engineering: Bridge Construction Issues
• Good Research Paper About Planning of Construction of Tall Buildings
• Transforming Municipal Solid Waste Into Construction Materials
• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Plants Construction in India to 2019
• Building Information Modelling Analysis Construction
• Ethical Case Study Bhopal Disaster Construction
• Global Market for Agricultural and Construction Equipment
• Ireland Industrial Construction: Market Update
• Incorporating the Lean Cell Process Into Repair Stations Construction
• Environmental Impacts From Dam Construction
• Improving Construction Site Safety
• Internet Marketing Strategy for Small Construction Firms
• Cdm Baseline Construction for Vietnam National Electricity Grid
• Analyzing the Malaysian Construction Industry
• Building Plan Commission, Construction, and Alterations
• Commercial Bank Lending Practices and the Development of Black-Owned Construction Companies
• Industry Research- Construction, Homebuilding
• Housing Demand and Residential Construction in Thailand
• Establishing Quantitative Indicators for Measuring the Partnering Performance of Construction Projects in Hong Kong
• Establishing the Association Between Collaborative Working and Construction Project Performance Based on Client and Contractor Perceptions
• Institutional Capacity for Climate Change Responses: An Examination of Construction and Pathways in Mexico City and Santiago
• Innovative Construction Technology for Affordable Mass Housing in Tanzania, East Africa
• Collaboration Environments for Small and Medium-Sized Architecture, Engineering and Construction Enterprises
• Total Quality Management and the Learning Organization: A Dialogue for Change in Construction
• Client-Led Strategies for Construction Supply Chain Improvement
• Indian Construction Industry and Risk Assessment Construction
• Analyzing the Drivers for Early Contractor Involvement Adoption by Construction Clients
• International Construction: Floor Packaging Method
• How Dilation Was Used in the Construction of the Pyramids of Egypt
• Workplace Injuries and Fatalities in the UK Industry Construction
• Close Entanglements: Aligning the Construction and Finance Industries
• Interaction Between the Economic Growth and the Construction Industry
• Germany’s Construction Industry: Stabilization on the Horizon
• Welfare Facilities During Construction Work
• The Ethical Issue, or Issues, Affecting the Construction Industry Today
• Whether the Construction Industry Is the Pillar Industry in Hong Kong?
• United Kingdom Residential Construction: Market Update
• Issues, Problems and Risks in Construction Projects and Ways of Mitigating Them
• Good Faith and Co-operation Under Construction Contracts in UK
• Health and Safety Considerations for the Construction
• Worker Flows, Entry and Productivity in the New Zealand Construction Industry
• Building Methods and Policies That Govern the Construction
• Building Construction Types for People in the Fire Service Field
• Ziggurats Their Construction and Uses in Ancient Mesopotamia Irrigation Systems
• Greece Industrial Construction: Market Update
• Business E-solutions for Small Construction Companies
• Architect E.j Lennox’s American Courthouse Construction
• Houston and the Global Market for Engineering and Construction
• Waste Minimizing and Recycling in Construction
• Understanding the Divergence Between Output and Employment in the UK Construction Industry
• Information Technology and the Construction Contractor
• Capital Structure and Return on Capital Employed of Construction Companies in Nigeria
• Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Sharing, and Innovation Performance: Evidence From the Chinese Construction Industry
• Workflow Software for Building and Construction Companies
• German Construction Industry: New Residential Construction at Cyclical Peak – Public Construction Gaining Ground
• Transaction-Related Issues and Construction Project Performance
• Chinese Urban Residential Construction to 2040
• Work Health and Safety, Competitive Advantage, and Organisational Performance in Small Construction Firms

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 173 Construction Research Topics & Essay Examples. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/construction-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "173 Construction Research Topics & Essay Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/construction-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "173 Construction Research Topics & Essay Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/construction-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Construction were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on December 27, 2023 .

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102 Construction Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Construction is a vast field that encompasses various aspects, ranging from building structures to project management. If you are studying construction or related disciplines, you may find yourself in need of essay topics to explore and analyze. To assist you in your academic journey, we have compiled 102 construction essay topic ideas and examples. Whether you need to write a research paper, argumentative essay, or any other type of construction-related essay, these topics will provide you with ample inspiration.

• The impact of climate change on construction practices.
• The role of sustainable materials in green building.
• The challenges of implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects.
• The advantages and disadvantages of prefabricated construction methods.
• The impact of robotics and automation on construction industry jobs.
• The importance of safety regulations in the construction industry.
• The impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry.
• The role of construction project management software in improving efficiency.
• The ethical considerations in construction project bidding processes.
• The role of architects in the construction industry.
• The future of construction: exploring innovative technologies.
• The impact of urbanization on construction practices.
• The challenges of managing construction projects in developing countries.
• The role of government regulations in sustainable construction practices.
• The use of drones in construction site monitoring and surveying.
• The impact of globalization on the construction industry.
• The importance of effective communication in construction projects.
• The challenges of constructing earthquake-resistant buildings.
• The role of construction industry apprenticeships in fostering skilled workers.
• The impact of social media on construction marketing strategies.
• The use of virtual reality (VR) in architectural design and visualization.
• The role of construction industry trade unions in protecting workers' rights.
• The challenges of implementing green building certification systems.
• The impact of Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) on energy efficiency in buildings.
• The role of construction waste management in sustainable construction practices.
• The challenges of managing construction projects with limited resources.
• The importance of risk management in construction projects.
• The impact of cultural diversity on construction project teams.
• The advantages and disadvantages of public-private partnerships in construction projects.
• The role of construction industry associations in promoting professionalism.
• The challenges of incorporating renewable energy sources in construction projects.
• The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in construction site monitoring.
• The importance of quality control in construction projects.
• The role of Building Control in ensuring compliance with regulations.
• The challenges of constructing environmentally friendly infrastructure.
• The impact of population growth on urban construction.
• The role of Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) in assessing building performance.
• The importance of sustainable water management in construction projects.
• The challenges of constructing in remote and harsh environments.
• The impact of modular construction on affordable housing.
• The role of construction industry certifications in career development.
• The challenges of integrating renewable energy systems in existing buildings.
• The importance of inclusive design in construction projects.
• The impact of cultural heritage preservation on construction practices.
• The role of construction industry research and development in innovation.
• The challenges of managing construction projects with tight deadlines.
• The importance of stakeholder engagement in construction projects.
• The impact of building codes on construction practices.
• The role of construction industry training programs in addressing skills shortages.
• The challenges of sustainable transportation infrastructure construction.
• The impact of Building Performance Simulation (BPS) on energy-efficient design.
• The importance of construction project risk assessment and mitigation.
• The role of construction industry collaborations in fostering innovation.
• The challenges of sustainable materials sourcing in construction projects.
• The impact of building envelope design on energy performance.
• The role of construction industry standards in ensuring quality.
• The importance of effective project scheduling in construction management.
• The challenges of constructing in areas prone to natural disasters.
• The impact of building information exchange platforms on project coordination.
• The role of construction industry mentorship programs in developing future leaders.
• The challenges of integrating smart technologies in buildings.
• The importance of construction project cost estimation and control.
• The impact of construction site waste management on environmental sustainability.
• The role of construction industry collaboration platforms in streamlining communication.
• The challenges of constructing tall buildings and skyscrapers.
• The importance of construction project documentation and record-keeping.
• The impact of mass timber construction on sustainable building practices.
• The role of construction industry professional ethics in decision-making.
• The challenges of constructing in areas with limited infrastructure.
• The importance of building information handover in facility management.
• The impact of construction industry mergers and acquisitions on competition.
• The role of construction industry insurance in risk management.
• The challenges of constructing in areas with extreme climates.
• The importance of construction project procurement strategies.
• The impact of 3D printing in construction.
• The role of construction industry research centers in advancing knowledge.
• The challenges of constructing in historic and heritage sites.
• The importance of construction project quality assurance and control.
• The impact of off-site construction on project timelines.
• The role of construction industry digitalization in improving productivity.
• The challenges of constructing sustainable healthcare facilities.
• The importance of value engineering in construction projects.
• The impact of construction industry globalization on labor rights.
• The role of construction industry sustainability certifications in market differentiation.
• The challenges of constructing in areas with limited access to resources.
• The importance of construction project dispute resolution mechanisms.
• The impact of construction site noise pollution on worker health.
• The role of construction industry software in project collaboration.
• The challenges of constructing in areas with unstable soil conditions.
• The importance of construction project change management.
• The impact of construction industry gender diversity on organizational performance.
• The role of construction industry professional associations in knowledge sharing.
• The challenges of constructing sustainable educational facilities.
• The importance of construction project value management.
• The impact of construction site safety culture on accident prevention.
• The role of construction industry sustainability reports in corporate social responsibility.
• The challenges of constructing in areas with limited access to utilities.
• The importance of construction project procurement ethics.
• The impact of construction industry workforce aging on skills shortages.
• The role of construction industry innovation hubs in fostering creativity.
• The challenges of constructing sustainable sports facilities.
• The importance of construction project lessons learned and knowledge transfer.

These 102 construction essay topics cover a wide range of subjects within the field. Whether you are interested in sustainability, technology, project management, or any other aspect of construction, you are sure to find a topic that piques your interest. Remember to conduct thorough research and analyze different perspectives to develop a well-rounded essay. Good luck with your construction-related academic endeavors!

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55 Construction Management Topics & Essay Examples

Looking for interesting construction management topics? Look no further! This list contains writing ideas related to all things construction industry: building materials, newest technology, and more. With our construction management research topics, you’re sure to get an A+!

🏆 Best Construction Management Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

✅ interesting topics to write about construction management, 🔍 good essay topics on construction management.

• Villa Construction Project Management The project I have chosen is the construction of a villa. The aim of the project is to construct a villa and have it ready for use within three months.
• Evolution of Construction Management From 1960s to Today Thus, the basic features of management within the scope of construction were visible already throughout the undertakings of the first people.
• The UK Construction Industry’s Risk Management The construction industry is a major generator of waste, and accounts for 50% of the waste deposited in a typical landfill.
• House Construction Project Management The construction project is the basis of project scheduling and cost control. The project will increase the product portfolio of the company.
• SWOT and Construction Management In another study that concentrated on the Azzaro Construction Project, contractors were asked to detail the relevance SWOT had on the effectiveness of the project. In the study of the Azzaro construction project, the contractors […]
• Exposition for the Application to Master in Construction and Real Estate Management at HTW Berlin Countries around the world have realized that the best way of managing the competitiveness of the market is to successfully government and private projects completed in time and as per the expectations.
• Software Tools in Construction: Design and Management of Projects Application of software is relevant in simulation and visualization of project scope, schemes projection, and monitoring of changes in plan in terms of cost and design.
• JP Phentar: Construction Project Management Tools Due to the unique nature of the project, there is a need for the establishment of an effective managerial framework. One of the most crucial aspects of the construction project is the quality of work.
• Procurement Opportunities in Construction Management The choice between the four types of procurement available in the construction industry leads to a sharp rise in the quality of the result.
• Robotics in Construction Management: Impacts and Barriers The assessment of the economic feasibility of the robotization of individual construction processes is based on cost analysis and the calculation of payback.
• Integrating Building Information Management (BIM) Into Construction Supply Chain Management The events are part of the whole production process, starting with the inception of the facility and all materials involved, to the end users and products delivered at the last phase.
• Construction Project Management Strategic Issues The task of the project managers is to oversee the activities of the project until its completion. The money would be used to purchase equipment that would be used in the whole project and pay […]
• Caspian Construction PLC: Security Management It will be the duty of the contracted local firm to carry out all the duties concerning the provision of security within the site.
• The U.S. Housing Construction Sector Risks Management The probability of the occurrence of the risk measures the degree of certainty within which the risk may occur. The consequences associated with the risk describe the seriousness of the effects of the occurrence of […]
• Rules of Negotiation in Construction Contract Management When the term negotiation is mentioned various aspect comes into play such as the venue, when or the time for negotiation, aggression in the push of the agenda, the role played among many other issues. […]
• Improving the Construction Management Process
• Construction Business and Law: Construction Management
• Linking Construction Management and Construction Project Management
• Construction Industry: The Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) System
• Overview of Contemporary Construction Management Changes
• Construction Management and Economics: New Directions
• Unresolved Conflict Between Two Construction Management Paradigms for Contingency Project Environments
• Construction Management and Economics: The Epistemology of a Multidisciplinary Design Science
• Improving Higher Education for Construction Management
• Construction Management and Property for Environmental Analysis
• Powerful Construction Management Software Solutions
• Project and Construction Management Guidelines
• Correlation Between Quantity Surveying and Construction Management
• Sustainable Construction Management: Introduction of the Operational Context Space
• Systems Principles for Construction Management
• Tacit and Explicit Knowledge in Construction Management
• The Baby and the Bathwater: Research Methods in Construction Management
• Overview of the Contract Construction Management Law
• Thinking About Materiality: Value of a Construction Management and Engineering View
• Total Quality Management and the Learning Organization: Dialogue for Change in Construction
• Linking Construction Project Management and Business Management
• Applying the Project Management in the Construction Industry
• Importance of Risk Management in Construction
• Project Management Issues in Construction Sites Environment
• Importance of Facility Management in the Construction Industry
• Construction Management Safety Program: Safe Driving
• Importance of Quality Management in the Construction Industry
• Overview of the Importance of Construction Management
• Precautionary Construction Management for Sustainability
• Elements of Cost Overruns, Delays, and Risk Involved in Construction Management
• Construction Management With Focus on Life-Time Health
• Application of Automation for Construction Management
• Construction Management and Process Design Around Construction Robots on the Construction Site
• Risk Management as the Key in Construction Management
• Roles of BIM in Construction Management
• Use of Building Information Model to Improve Construction Management in the UK
• Is Construction Management Education Irrelevant?
• The Effect of Socio-Economic Cultures on Local Construction Management
• The Role of Social Media in Construction Management
• Construction Management: Common Issues in Construction Projects
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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200+ Ideal Construction Dissertation Topics for Student in 2024

Table of Contents

Construction is a large sector that includes many different sorts of construction and civil engineering employment. Carpentry, constructing roads, bridge building, and home design are all jobs in the construction business. This economic sector is one of the biggest in the world since it builds the infrastructure for cities, communities, and even nations.

The Importance of Research in the Field of Construction

There is a long history of research on project design, planning, and execution in the construction sector. In this field of study, traditional research techniques are combined with human research techniques from the social sciences. The scientific field may have a significant impact on the construction industry. It offers a fantastic chance to raise business performance and transform people’s lives in the sector. Additionally, it can help decision-makers and leaders in the sector understand where we are, where we’re going, and any potential risks or opportunities.

Purpose of the Dissertation

The purpose of a dissertation shows what the study will perform, which should be consistent with the problem description. The purpose also covers the methods you’ll use for your research and the kind of assessments you’ll draw.

Research Objectives and Questions

Writing the Research Questions and Hypotheses is the study’s most crucial step in achieving its goals. But your research questions make clear what your dissertation’s specific goals are. In other words, the reader will know exactly what you plan to try to address (or answer) during the dissertation process when they read your research questions.

Literature Review

A literature review is an in-depth analysis and study of the previous writings on the topic you have chosen. The literature evaluation is crucial because it establishes the groundwork for the investigation. It may make up a sizeable chunk of the final content, depending on the specific criteria of the dissertation.

Overview of the Existing literature on construction Management

Over the past two decades, the construction industry has been compelled to give the notion of “performance” a lot more consideration due to increased rivalry, consumer demands, and greater quality requirements in the global market. As a result, the field of construction management has produced a sizable body of literature on performance and performance measurement.

Construct Your Paper Well with Our Construction Dissertation Example

Now it’s time to get your hands on the blueprint to success with our extensive selection of construction dissertation examples. From innovative methodologies to in-depth case studies, our curated collection provides invaluable guidance for students and professionals alike. You can refer to these examples to harness the expertise of leading scholars to facelift your papers.

Check This Construction Dissertation Topics Example

Key Theories, Concepts, and Frameworks Relevant to the Dissertation Topic

There are a few basic theories that help to manage a project. Three theories underpin our understanding of construction management:

The quality of the project is a major concept that influences a project’s success in the literature (Wanberg et al., 2013; Romeo et al., 2014). According to Arditi and Gunaydin (1997), the concept is defined as conforming to a project’s statutory, aesthetic, and functional standards.

A framework for evaluating quality is required for construction projects to help clients choose quality-oriented companies that deliver higher quality goods and processes on time and within budget (Idrus and Sodangi, 2010; Dina et al., 2010). In managing quality, some organisations put special emphasis on things like training, leadership, and benchmarking, while others take a comprehensive approach to quality elements, according to Porter and Parker (1993).

Analysis of Previous Studies and Their Findings

Researchers in the construction industry frequently oversimplify the client’s involvement in the construction management process. This is partly due to researchers’ predisposition to utilise “broadcast” survey methods, which only really penetrate the client’s reality to a very shallow degree. Access to crucial data necessitates a new arrangement between the researcher and the client. It is stated that construction management researchers must adopt a sound methodological approach that considers both ontological and epistemological points of view if they are to address the issues that the construction industry faces effectively. Only then, it is said, will we completely comprehend the phenomena that affect organisational and project performance in the construction industry.

Identification of Research Gaps and limitations

Construction management research has some restrictions as the survey’s results are solely based on the opinions of architects and contractors. More respondent types, such as owners of construction projects and policy makers, would have improved the study’s conclusions.

The main conclusions might be different if a subsequent empirical investigation took into account small businesses and respondents at various levels. Additionally, this study used a single, knowledgeable respondent from each sampled company because a company-wide emphasis is necessary for the implementation of quality management to be successful. Future research should use different approaches, such as case studies.

Methodology

Research approach.

This type of quantitative research method is used, usually done by interviewing the construction managers, engineers and labours. The term “quantitative research” refers to the methodical gathering and analysis of data from various respondents that is based on numerical numbers. After gathering the data, it is analysed using various mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to produce the results.

Data Collection Methods

A systematic methodology is used in quantitative research to collect and interpret data in a consistent way using techniques like experiments, surveys, and statistical modelling. Here, questionnaires were administered through structured one-on-one interviews with architects and contractors.

Sampling Techniques and Sample Size Determination

Simple random sampling is used in these types of research, where the researcher precisely defines the population from which the sample is chosen. A framework for population inclusion and exclusion must be provided. Every member of a population has an equal chance of being chosen as a responder when using simple random sampling.

Data Analysis Methods

In the context of the construction sector, delays and hazards were identified, evaluated, and prioritised using statistical analysis using the relative relevance index and fuzzy ranking. The most significant risk, which creates a long-term issue for every building project, was determined. New dangers were discovered throughout the tendering process. All parties involved in the construction sector are expected to use the study’s findings as a manual to evaluate potential delays and risks in their construction processes and take steps to mitigate them.

 Findings and Discussion

The results reveal that architects and contractors agree that customer happiness, human resource management, and construction-specific characteristics are the most critical elements determining quality. The results also imply that strategic planning, ongoing improvement, and resources are the least crucial elements. Additionally, a conceptual framework encapsulating the primary quality characteristics is created.

Presentation and Analysis of the Collected Data

The researchers used A census sampling strategy, “where the sample size equals the population size.” To address the research topics, this study used a variety of statistical methods and processes. Cronbach’s coefficient was used for this test, and descriptive statistics and reliability analysis were used to evaluate the internal consistency of the questions.

Interpretation of the Findings in Relation to the Research Objectives

Researchers found that in order to achieve the goal of continuous improvement, contractors should focus more on the factors of strategic planning, human resource management, and leadership before turning their attention to the factors of process management, market focus, customer, analysis, measurement, and knowledge management.

Discussion of the Implications of the Findings for the Construction Industry

The means, techniques, methods, procedures of construction, and sequences, as well as safety measures and programs throughout the construction process, are all under the constructor’s control. The main elements that determine quality in the construction process are project needs. According to a review of the literature on quality elements in construction, not all of the criteria are as frequent and important as one another, but they all work well together.

Comparison and Integration of the Findings With the Existing Literature

Studies emphasised the elements influencing construction quality. Each study has helped to clarify some elements influencing quality. However, there aren’t many published books that thoroughly discuss the elements, especially influencing the standard of construction around the globe. Researchers continue to have varied opinions about which of the various aspects affecting quality should be highlighted the most.

Summary of the Research Objectives and key findings

According to the findings of this study, quality can be described as how closely a project complies with its specifications and meets the demands of the owner, the designer, the builder, and any applicable regulatory bodies.

Contributions to the Field of Construction Management

The research’s conclusions have ramifications for decision-makers in the construction sector, including contractors, architects, and owners. The current findings should serve as the foundation for future plans and prospective innovations aimed at improving quality in the building industry.

Limitations of the Study

There are several limitations to the current study. The survey’s results are solely based on the opinions of architects and contractors. The findings of this study have significant ramifications for various levels of management at construction firms. To preserve a balanced and integrated quality strategy, managers can focus on the highest aspects and catch up with their lowest significant factors by knowing the quality factors.

Recommendations for Future Research

If more owners of construction projects and policymakers were included as respondents, the study’s conclusions would be more accurate. The scope of the future study should include additional project kinds, such as public initiatives.

Now that you have an idea about what to include in the construction management dissertation, here is an extensive list of topics curated to spoil you with choice.

Construction Engineering Dissertation Topics:-

• Making use of renewable energy sources to build sustainable dwellings
• Visualising a positive future; sustainability and its effects on societies.
• Sustainable development using concrete’s inherent qualities; evaluation of current research and innovations.
• The building industry’s use of management and lean manufacturing techniques
• Should construction safety practises and laws be revised or remodelled in light of recent trends in accidents and the function of laws?
• A study of the effects of cutting-edge technologies on the construction sector
• Procurement methods; evaluations of the best procurement tactics for the construction sector
• Building management, emphasising best practices in contemporary building projects
• Using technology to create zero-carbon buildings, zero-carbon structures
• Determining the best practices for waste reduction in construction projects
• How demolition might be modelled to build new structures; Waste in Construction
• Timber, steel, or concrete: assessments of construction materials? Investigation of materials to determine the best use of materials
• Creating efficient ventilation systems for high-rise structures
• Investigation into the economic and employment crisis brought on by the coronavirus.
• Describe how Covid-19 has affected the UK or any other country of your choice’s construction engineering.

 Eco-Friendly and Environment-Safe Construction Dissertation Topics:-

• The role of environmentally friendly building practises in enhancing life on Earth 2. A critical examination of the reasons why people are switching to modular homes
• The use of sun-cooling methods in contemporary architecture
• The adoption of photovoltaic technology in the construction industry and its impact on the world at large
• What part does waste management play in the building industry?
• How can space be created for new projects when every convenient location is fully utilised?
• The function of “green technology” in contemporary architecture
• How sustainable development affects the building sector
• How important is pollution control in the building industry?
• The harm that was utilising low-quality materials causes to the environment
• Building Green: Environmental Management Perspectives in Construction
• Simulating the flow of rainwater over unsaturated green roof substrates
• The significance of eco-friendly building practises and waste reduction
• Are the client’s design preferences influenced by the environmental evaluation methods?
• Does the ideology of conservation in buildings affect how conservationists actually make decisions?

Risk Management in Construction Projects Dissertation Topics:- 

• Earthquake risk management: Pay attention to potential obstacles and advantages.
• Sustainable risk management: an analysis of the actual data.
• A thorough review of risk management in the construction industry
• Global comparison of industrialised and developing nations’ approaches to geotechnical risk management
• Researching the rules and norms related to the field of risk management.
• Researching the connection between risk management and consumer safety.
• A futuristic examination of the field of risk management: a survey of empirical data
• Security risk management for smart grids: a brand-new area to research
• SME risk management: concentrate on the effective methods.
• A correlational analysis of risk management and population health
• Researching the relationship between performance assessment and supply chain risk management.
• A survey of the literature on a worldwide catastrophe risk management system
• Being aware of the connection between risk analysis and risk management.
• Enterprise risk management: concentrate on possible obstacles and remedies.
• Focus on X countries in relation to corporate governance and risk management.

 Technology-Related Construction Dissertation Topics :-

• A critical review of cost control in the construction of buildings, roads, and bridges
• The many building methods and technology utilised to build airports, harbours, and train terminals
• BIM’s (Business Information Modelling) impact on the building industry
• The significance of robotics and automation in modern infrastructure
• Emphasising the value of information systems used in construction management and how they affect the progress of the construction.
• Examining the function of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in managing building projects
• How technology is affecting how building projects are managed
• Using drones to inspect construction sites
• 3D printing’s effects on the building sector
• Using virtual reality to supervise building projects
• A survey of the literature on a worldwide catastrophe risk management system.

 Dissertation Topics For Modern Structural Design:-

• To examine high-durability materials for earthquake-proof structures and their integration with current systems
• To develop and test structural designs for very sensitive environments that are blast resistant to military standards.
• To assess the use of recycled plastic waste in brick production and the related economic factors
• To assess the usage of graphene in the production of high-quality, affordable steel and its application in offshore design
• To develop affordable dams to address seasonal flooding issues in Pakistan and lessen their environmental impacts.
• Using six different methods, you may assess the asphalt content and the state of the road.
• Structural issues with the underground city train system and how spatial stress analysis can be used to solve them
• Advanced risk assessment techniques are being developed to analyse the stability of dynamic and complex structures utilising simulation models.
• An Indonesian port called Patimban Seaport serves as a case study for the significant arrangements needed to develop megastructures in coastal settings.
• Use of concrete made from Oobleck for the construction of highly resistant structures and its financial effects.
• An investigation into the traditional methods for assessing the condition of the asphalt and roads
• An original examination of the evolution of structural engineering in the information era
• A thorough examination of the part structural engineers plays in advancing medical treatments and technologies.
• A review of third zone engineering’s networking principle
• An examination of the application of uncertainty quantification and geo-mechanical inverse modelling in structural engineering

Sustainable Construction and Architectural Dissertation Topics:-

• Investigating the financial effects of green technology
• How do local, state, and federal politics influence the sustainability of the environment?
• How sustainable is the environment now and in the years to come?
• Low-end consumers using green energy
• How green technology may impact business operations
• How much of a contribution does green technology make to environmental sustainability?
• Global environmental sustainability frameworks and green technology
• Using green technology in poor nations
• What role do policies have in a nation’s adoption of green technology?
• Green technology and environmental sustainability incentives
• What functions do NGOs play in green technology and environmental sustainability?
• Green thinking with real impact on sustainability
• A comprehensive strategy for environmental sustainability
• Is it possible to strike a balance between green technology and lifestyle?
• How do businesses view green energy and environmental sustainability?

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics on Construction:-

• Remote sensing application research to support the growth of sustainable business
• Research to explore and create water treatment methods
• Research to examine sustainable construction technologies and materials
• Sustainable engineering research: new goals for construction projects
• Analysis of granular material micromechanics.
• Research into converting a manufacturing facility into a sustainable business.
• Investigation of the link between sustainability and learning organisation.
• Research to examine the effects of sustainability concepts on organisational development and growth.
• Research to ensure sustainable heat conservation generated by compressors within a manufacturing site.
• Studying and creating waste reduction strategies to implement sustainable concepts
• Concrete properties are being researched in order to achieve sustainability.
• Lean manufacturing and sustainable manufacturing: Research into their Interaction.
• Studies on sustainability’s effects on learning organisations
• Use of renewable energy sources in the construction of sustainable homes.
• Cold-formed steel structures with seismic design for residential applications

Where to Get the Best Construction Dissertation Help?

If you are unsure of your topic, it is easy to become disheartened and seek professional construction dissertation help with writing. You’ll have to dedicate a set amount of time to researching and writing your construction dissertation with a writing tutor. Writing can be repetitive, hard, and uninteresting. There is no justification for going it alone. Let us assist you in getting the necessary construction dissertation writing assistance! We, at MyAssignmenthelp.com , can assist you if producing a dissertation for construction is challenging for you.

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Construction Technology Research Paper Topics

This list of construction technology research paper topics  provides the list of 18 potential topics for research papers and an overview article on the history of construction technology.

1. Building Acoustics

An important element in a properly functioning building is correct building acoustics. Achieving a low level of background noise in a classroom, for example, will ensure that the teacher’s voice is audible; the sounds of an orchestra will be optimal in a concert hall with proper acoustics. The systematic study of room acoustics began at the end of the nineteenth century, and consequently a scientific understanding of building acoustic design is almost entirely a twentieth century phenomenon.

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The means to achieve low noise levels in buildings were developed during the twentieth century. One of the greatest differences between old and new auditoriums is the low noise levels achieved in those built from the mid-twentieth century onward. Noise from external sources can enter a room through vibration paths (structure-borne transmission) or can pass directly into the building through adjacent walls (airborne transmission). Where very low noise or vibration levels are needed in auditoriums, recording studios, and operating theaters, vibration isolation (springs and resilient materials) are used, as are physical breaks in vibration paths. Airborne noise is reduced by the use of constructions such as double partitions separated by air gaps containing absorbent materials. The failure to achieve the desired background noise levels is often due simply to poor workmanship.

The biggest influence that electronics has had on building acoustics has been the computer. Sophisticated computer-based instrumentation has allowed accurate measurement of building acoustics. Computer-based prediction models have enabled the improved understanding and design of acoustic technologies, from building elements to the whole rooms. Much of the mathematics used by acoustic engineers was developed in the nineteenth century, but this has only been exploitable at the end of the twentieth century using computers. There was also increased interest in virtual acoustic prototypes, which would allow building acoustics to be listened to in virtual environments, allowing nonacoustic experts to more readily understand the principles of good acoustic design.

2. Building Designs for Energy Conservation

In most countries in the twentieth century, the energy consumed in buildings represented a substantial proportion of nationwide energy consumption. In higher latitude regions, the majority of this energy demand has historically been energy for homes to provide space heating, followed by energy for hot water, for powering appliances, and for lighting. In nondomestic buildings in these regions the demand has historically been dominated by electricity for lighting, appliances, and ventilation and cooling. While space and water heating can be the largest proportion of household energy consumption, electricity consumption can be as important in terms of upstream CO2 emissions if it is generated in a fossil fuel electricity generating station. Architects, builders, and engineers have struggled to balance the demand for energy, particularly in the industrialized countries that are heavily energy dependent, with environmental and cost concerns. The oil crisis of 1973, following an embargo of oil directed primarily against the U.S. by Middle Eastern oil-producing companies, and the OPEC oil crisis of 1979 was the end of the era of cheap energy. Energy conservation emerged as a concern for both designers and consumers, particularly in countries solely dependent on imported oil. The government in Korea, for example, asked people to ‘‘think poor,’’ reduced the number and size of electric light bulbs in government and corporate buildings, and discouraged the use of elevators, air conditioning, and street lighting. Later policies supported use and development of energy conservation technologies. In the U.S. and also in Japan, large-scale research and development funding resulted in building guidelines and technologies for energy conservation.

3. Concrete Bridges

A complex interplay between societal change, the development of the internal combustion engine, and the impact of World War I, led to an explosion in the number of road vehicles in the immediate postwar years—and a totally inadequate nineteenth century legacy of roads to accommodate them. Following the first International Road Congress in 1923, vast and expensive road-building programs were undertaken in the U.S. and Europe, particularly in Germany, during the 1930s. After World War II highway construction continued to grow in an attempt to keep pace with the popularity of the car for private transport. Concrete—strong in compression but weak in tension—is not particularly satisfactory as a running surface. It can easily crack, unlike tarmac, though in the 1960s its use as a surface did become widespread. Otherwise, however, concrete became omnipresent in twentieth century road construction, and in the myriad of bridges, large and small, associated with highway networks.

4. Concrete Shells

Of all the developments in the structural engineering of buildings in the last century, the concrete shell was surely the most spectacular. It provided the means of covering vast areas with a shell of reinforced concrete just a few centimeters thick. Like most developments in building engineering, the origins of shell structures have many strands. Roman engineers constructed domes and barrel vault roofs made of brick or concrete spanning of up to 40 meters, but these were relatively thick— over a meter at their thinnest part. In Gothic cathedrals, at up to 20 meters, spans were more modest but they were often much thinner—as little as 200 millimeters. There were also vernacular precedents, most prominently the thin tile vaults widely used in Catalonia from the seventeenth century which, made using quick-setting gypsum mortar, had the advantage that they could be built without the need for a supporting structure during construction. The idea was exported to the U.S. and patented in the late nineteenth century by Guastavino who used them in many hundreds of buildings, including a spectacular roof at the Pennsylvania Railway station.

5. Construction Equipment

Although the focus of much twentieth century construction work was on road building, there was foundation work for buildings of all sizes, as well as civil engineering projects such as dams. The horse-drawn graders and scrapers used for leveling work on these undertakings during the first decades of the century had changed little from their nineteenth century origins. The first entirely new machine to appear was a tractor, which moved on crawler tracks and was used for towing earthmovers. It evolved from a wheeled, gasoline-powered agricultural tractor designed by Benjamin Holt in 1908 for use on the soft farmland of California.

The hydraulically operated excavator—a descendant of the steam shovel and the succeeding power shovel—was introduced in Germany in 1954. Up to that time, the control functions of power shovels were through cables. The industry’s embrace of the excavator with components roughly analogous to the human arm and hand and a fluidity of movement to match was so thorough that power shovels were no longer used as a construction tool.

Of the many versatile machines developed during the early 1950s, the wheeled loader—also known as a front-end loader, bucket loader, or tractor shovel—was an immediate and widespread success. The nimble and highly maneuverable rubber-tired tractor with front-mounted hydraulically controlled bucket could be used to dig, lift, and quickly fill waiting dump trucks. The versatility and value of these machines increased tremendously in the mid-1950s when JCB in Britain and Case in the U.S. marketed factory-made units in which tractor loaders were joined with the boom, dipperstick, and bucket of the backhoe. The loader or backhoe became the most widely used tool on small-scale building projects.

For thousands of years, dam and water storage technologies have allowed civilizations to flourish in parts of the world where dry climates would otherwise limit human settlement. As early as 3000 BC, civilizations along the Tigris, Euphrates, Ganges, and Nile Rivers constructed earth and stone dams across these large rivers. These structures allowed them to store water for agriculture and create complex societies on that basis.

A dam consists of a mass of earth, timber, rock, concrete, or any combination of these materials that obstructs the flow of water. A dam can either divert water or store it in a reservoir, the artificial body of water that a dam creates. Diversion dams (weirs) raise the elevation of a river and divert water into a canal for transport to a mill, power plant, or irrigated field. Storage dams impound water in a reservoir.

There are three major types of dams—gravity, arch, and buttress. Gravity dams rely for stability on their weight to resist the hydrostatic, or water, pressure exerted by the reservoir. Arch dams, built along arcs that curve upstream into reservoirs, are most commonly found in narrow canyons with hard rock foundations. The arch dam transmits the horizontal water thrust to the abutments. Multiple arch dams consist of a number of single arches supported by buttresses. Like gravity dams, buttress dams rely on gravity for stability, but require less material than standard gravity structures. They resist hydrostatic loads by using the same engineering principles of the flying buttresses that braced the high walls of Gothic cathedrals.

7. Experimental Stress Analysis

This branch of technology deals with the means of measuring strains in materials under load and, from these strains, inferring the stresses actually endured by the material. The fundamental idea underlying the design of all components of structures and machines that must carry loads is that the stress in the material should be less than, or equal to, a certain prescribed level.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to measure stress directly. Stress values inside a material must be calculated using mathematical models of both the structure and properties of the material of which it is made. When fundamental material properties such as strength and stiffness (Young’s modulus) are experimentally tested, the structure is kept very simple—a wire for tests in tension or a supported beam for tests in bending. Measurements of load and the extension or deflection of these structures are then used to calculate internal stresses for simple tension or compression and for simple bending theory in the case of beams. Modern high-speed computers have enabled more complex mathematical models and have rendered complicated structures amenable to theory.

8. Fire Engineering

The term ‘‘fire engineering’’ has gained growing acceptance in the construction industry only since the 1980s. However, the need for buildings that protected both the occupants and the structures themselves in case of fire has existed for 2000 years. Various modeling techniques, together with a full risk analysis of a fire situation, are now collectively called ‘‘fire engineering’’ and represent what has been, perhaps, a quiet revolution in building design. Yet without it, we would not have the dramatic, exposed-steel structures that are now a relatively common sight. The Pompidou Center in Paris, conceived in the early 1970s, was one of the first such buildings (Figure 6). The ability to model the fire load and the structural response to this load allowed the design engineers to adopt the unusual idea of achieving fire resistance by filling the main columns with water which, in a fire, would be pumped around to remove heat from the steel to prevent it heating up too quickly. More common nowadays are the many buildings in which exposed steel can be used in a rather understated way, and the fire engineering approach to design can mean that the need for applied fire protection can be avoided altogether.

9. Long Span and Suspension Bridges

From the beginning of the twentieth century, bridge spans in excess of 300 meters became increasingly common. Depending on considerations of location, use, and loading—not to mention aesthetic and engineering aspiration—these could be suspension, arch, or cantilever structures. When spans of 1000 meters or more began to be contemplated from around 1930 however, a suspension bridge was the only answer. The breakthrough structure was New York’s George Washington Bridge; its clear span of 1067 meters almost doubled that of the previous record-holder, the 564-meter Ambassador Bridge in Detroit completed only two years earlier. Nonetheless, within a few years the leading edge of enterprise had passed to the West Coast, with the simultaneous construction of the San Francisco Bay Bridge complex (twin 704-meter suspension spans plus a tunnel and a cantilever), and the 1280-meterspan Golden Gate Bridge, opened in 1937.

10. Oil Rigs

Although historical accounts exist that describe oil and natural gas drilling techniques in ancient Mesopotamia and China, modern oil rig drilling has its roots primarily in salt-boring technology. By AD 350, China was constructing salt drilling wells that ran as deep as 900 meters into the ground. In the nineteenth century, Europe and the U.S. began importing this salt drilling technology from China. George Bissell, an American entrepreneur, realized that salt-boring techniques could be applied to the drilling for oil. Bissell and other investors hired Edwin Drake to construct and oversee rigs designed for oil drilling. Their venture proved successful when on 27 August 1859, Drake struck oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania.

11. Power Tools and Hand-Held Tools

While the basic hand tools—hammers, saws, planes, and wrenches—used in construction during the twentieth century changed little from those available for generations, there was a revolution in power tools. Developments in power technology led to the mechanization of tools of all types. Coupled with efforts to use new materials that made tools both lighter and more manageable, construction work became more efficient and cost effective.

How tools were used and their impact on the user, led to changes in the design of many handles, grips, and triggers. Concern for the overall weight of tools led to a greater use of plastics and alloys. The distribution of weight within tools led to some overall redesigns in which centers of gravity were repositioned for better balance. The 1990s was a period during which the ergonomics of hand and power tools were scrutinized.

12. Prefabricated Buildings

Prefabricated buildings are assembled from components manufactured in factories. They differ in several ways from ‘‘stick-built’’ structures which are fabricated entirely on site. Typically, prefabricated components are mass produced out of the weather on indoor assembly lines. This method insures that parts can be replicated countless times with little or no variation. Economies of volume reduce costs, and precision measuring and cutting by stationary machine tools lessens waste. As work takes place on assembly lines, it is subject to constant inspection and quality control. Component assemblies made in immovable fixtures and forms further ensure that the finished work is precise and true. Thus, the quality of buildings made from parts fabricated on assembly lines has far greater chance of being accurate and uniform than those made in the field.

13. Reinforced Concrete

Reinforced concrete was in its infancy at the opening of the twentieth century, but it was very quickly adopted worldwide as an economic and versatile construction material. Employing fairly basic materials—sand, crushed stone or gravel, cement, and steel—it found use in all the existing aspects of construction, including buildings, roads, bridges, dams, reservoirs, and docks. It also served the century’s new applications, such as air raid shelters and the pressure vessels of nuclear reactors. By the end of the twentieth century, concrete in its various forms—plain, reinforced, and prestressed— was probably the most widely used construction material in the world.

14. Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers are the world’s tallest buildings. One-hundred-eighty- and 200-meter-high buildings that were considered to be exceptionally tall in 1910 were overshadowed by skyscrapers of more than 300 meters in a matter of 20 years. Advances in construction techniques enabled engineers to build ever-taller structures throughout the twentieth century. However, the principle reasons for erecting exceptionally tall buildings changed little over time. Densely populated cities with escalating land values called for maximum utilization of available space, and tall buildings are one of the most economical means of assembling large numbers of workers in one place. While the majority of skyscrapers were built for the profits they could generate, other reasons included self-aggrandizement, prestige, image, and recognition.

15. Steel Bridges

Though techniques for smelting steel had been known in principle since antiquity, only from the mid-nineteenth century did its large-scale production as a practical structural material become a reality. Stronger than wrought iron and more ductile than cast iron, its superior qualities were exploited in three great steel bridges, each in a different structural system, built between 1870 and 1890. The triple-arch St. Louis Bridge in Missouri, with its two levels for road and rail, the suspension Brooklyn Bridge in New York, and the double-cantilever Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland neatly prefigured the resourcefulness with which twentieth century bridge engineers would continue to exploit the material in long-span structures. With growing understanding of the structural potential of steel, and improvements in its tensile strength and other properties, bridges continued to progressively increase in span.

16. Timber Engineering

Timber engineering is the technology of creating wood products not found in nature. Manufactured lumber has characteristics superior to those found in its individual components. Glued layers of hardwoods or veneers were used for decoration by the ancient Egyptians. The first plywood made from layers of softwood was developed in the early twentieth century. In 1905, the directors of Portland, Oregon’s Lewis & Clark Exposition asked the Portland Manufacturing Company to devise for display some new and unusual wood product. To bring attention to the region’s rich timber resources, the company manufactured the first Douglas fir plywood.

Appeal for the product was immediate and worldwide in scope. Mills everywhere produced thin rectangular sheets of the lightweight wood product. Assembled so that the grain of each ply alternated direction by 90 degrees, it was strong, warp resistant, dimensionally stable, and did not split. It was useful in such applications as door panels, drawer bottoms, crates, trunks, and partitions. If the material had one shortcoming, it was the tendency to delaminate when exposed to dampness. Adhesives were not waterproof and early plywood was limited to interior or protected exterior use.

17. Tunnels and Tunneling

The history of tunnel construction goes back to the ancient civilizations of the Incas, Babylonians, Persians, and Egyptians, and therefore considerable experience in the construction of tunnels had already been gained worldwide by the beginning of the twentieth century. Tunnels were constructed to allow transportation through barriers (mountains, underground or underwater). In a country such as Switzerland or Canada, of which substantial parts are mountainous, tunnels were crucial for the development of a transportation infrastructure, and by the end of the nineteenth century the number of railway tunnels had greatly increased.

The optional methods for constructing tunnels increased in the twentieth century. The development of new methods and the improvement of existing ones were stimulated by the rapid increase of car traffic and the need for roads, for which new tunnels were needed. The choice for a particular way in a certain situation depends on the sort of material through which the tunnel is to be constructed. The most important difference is between hard rock and soft material. Besides that, the length and diameter of the tunnel has an influence on this choice. For allowing a sophisticated choice, geologic investigations into the behavior of the ground mass and the ground water are needed in an early stage of the tunnel project.

18. Vertical Transportation

Despite the popular concept that the elevator was born at the Crystal Palace Exposition, it actually originated in New York City in 1853 when inventor Elisha Graves Otis first successfully demonstrated his revolutionary new concept—the elevator safety gear or break—which was to allow passengers to travel with safety. The true modern passenger elevator was conceived due to a catastrophic event in 1871 known as the Great Chicago Fire, when a three-day fire razed the city to a desolated wilderness on the plains of Illinois. This fateful day on the 8 October 1871 pinpoints exactly the beginning of the modern elevator.

Construction Technology and Constructed World

That what might be constructed is not just products, processes, or systems, but a whole world, is an idea of unique twentieth century provenance. Although its most prominent manifestations are undoubtedly in relation to technology, during the 1900s the concept of construction increasingly became the basis for interpretations of art, architecture, psychology, education, economics, politics, ethics, knowledge, and even mathematics. From the vantage point of such a comprehensive if eclectic constructivism, all of human history is prefatory to an ethos of world fabrication that has been influenced by and in turn influences contemporary technology.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the overwhelming prominence of human construction in the twentieth century—from consumer goods through buildings to cities, from macroscale projects such as the U.S. Interstate Highway system and the European Channel Tunnel to genetic engineering and nanoscale mechanics, also including the unintended anthropogenic impacts on global biodiversity and climate—there exists no systematic overview of the world as an artifact. Instead, the (intentional and unintentional) complexity of the constructed world has thus far been conceived only piecemeal through a plurality of analytic and reflective approaches, among them history, architecture, urban planning, product design, and a diversity of related issues.

The history of such humanoid constructions courses over a million-year trajectory in which artifice remained subordinate initially to direct relations with nature (in hunting and gathering cultures) and then to social organization (in the rise of those axial civilizations characterized by farming and literacy in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India). This broad distinction between artifice subordinate into natural and social milieux remains defensible even when qualified by the evidence for large-scale human terraforming, perhaps unintentional, prior to the development of literacy.

Mythological assessments of human construction include the stories of Abel and Cain (Genesis 4), the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), Prometheus, Icarus, and more. Philosophical efforts to assess the relationship began with Plato’s critique of techne practiced independently of wisdom (Gorgias) and Aristotle’s implicit distinction between cultivation and construction. For Aristotle, the primary technai are those that cultivate nature, thereby helping her bring forth more fruitfully that which she is in principle able to bring forth on her own: the arts of agriculture, medicine, and education. Of real but subordinate interest are the constructive arts that produce artifacts such as structures, roads, and ships. Indeed, one way to frame the trajectory of human history over the last 5000 years is from cultivation to construction.

Certainly modernity arose in the fifteenth century in part as a conscious attempt to privilege constructive invention over cultivation. Francis Bacon, among others, called not just for the cultivation of nature but its systematic transformation, and cited as paradigmatic inventions to be imitated the printing press, gunpowder, and the compass. Galileo Galilei and others likewise proposed an augmentation of the human senses by means of the telescope, microscope, and related scientific instruments. It is the new commitment to inventive reconstruction in both the laboratory and the world that formed the basis for an historical emergence two centuries later of the Industrial Revolution. Indeed, the twentieth century in particular has witnessed the instrumentalization of the human sensorium that began in the laboratory and went public to alter the means of communication in commerce, politics, and entertainment (telephone, motion pictures, radio, television, and the Internet).

This historically unprecedented degree of technical mediation by means of tools, machines, and information technologies undermines all efforts to apply to the twentieth century the characterization of previous epochs by reference to the distinctive material substrates (Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc.). Although proposals have been made to describe the 1900s as the age of electricity, the atomic age, or the computer age, in truth it is more accurate to define the century not in terms of some specific technology but simply as the technological age—with diverse and ever-diversifying technologies serving as multiple means of world construction.

Even more reflective of the distinctive twentieth century consciousness of the world as construction is the effort to complement retrospect with prospect to forecast what will happen next: technological change, if not progress. Futurology, with roots in prophetic sociology and science fiction, has nevertheless proved largely ineffectual. Relying more on trend analysis and imagination, it fails to engage the constructors themselves or to bring under effective economic or political directives the operative means operative for shaping the future.

Architecture

Efforts to go beyond futurology to develop a systematic analysis of the constructive elements in human affairs that might engage political and economic power grew out of the tradition of reflective building that finds classic expression in De Architectura by Vitruvius (circa 90–20 BC). Originally architecture designated the art of the master builder of the primary structures of the city (temples, palaces, monuments) and the layout of urban spaces in a manner that would reflect cultural ideals about the cosmic place and relations of humans. According to architectural historian Vincent Scully (1991) human builders have two basic options: to imitate natural forms or to oppose them. Compare, for instance, the architecture of indigenous peoples of the southwestern U.S., whose horizontal and earth-toned pueblos blend into a landscape defined by geological sedimentation and erosion, with the vertical thrust of those archetypical twentieth century buildings known as skyscrapers that dominate the cityscapes of Chicago or New York. On the ground, likewise, the modern city is laid out not to conform with a typology and the variegated paths of animal ambulance but as a block grid that extends into an instrumentally surveyed countryside, imposing simplification and legibility over the complex and intimate contours of rivers and mountains. Indeed, as Mumford (1961) states, as the constructed world became more and more extensive, the ‘‘city that was, symbolically, a world’’ was superceded by ‘‘a world that has become, in many practical aspects, a city.’’

Twentieth century transformations in the architecture of the constructed world have been driven by changes in materials, energy, transport and communication, and the commodities of peace and war. The first three achieved during the mid-1900s the apotheosis of developments with roots in the Industrial Revolution. Traditional construction materials such as wood and brick first became standardized and mass produced (e.g., dimensioned lumber), and then superceded as structural elements by iron, steel, and reinforced concrete; coal as an industrial energy source was complemented by oil, gas, and then nuclear power, with energy distribution and end-use itself accumulating from the mechanical and chemical to the electrical and electronic; alongside pre-twentieth century boats and railroads there moved with increasing speed and numbers the inventions of automobiles and airplanes, while communication networks competed with those of transportation to make human world construction a dynamic planet-covering web. The 1960s images of the earth from space, with lighted continents and pollution plumes, visually defined the paradox of multiple-scale human dominance and its responsibilities—even, some argued, its limits.

Focusing first on the static aspects of this dominance, structural engineer David Billington (1983) has analyzed the influence of the new materials of steel and reinforced concrete on structures. For Billington, twentieth century structures are defined by the intersection of three factors: efficiency, (i.e., the scientifically guided pursuit of minimal materials use); economy, the market-monitored effort to reduce monetary cost; and the understated achievement of elegance through maximum symbolic expression (given the least amount of materials and cost). In structures of spare democratic utility such as bridges, tall buildings, and free-spanning roofs over industrial workplaces and warehouses, aircraft hangers, and sports complexes, architectural engineers came into their own.

Structural designers give form to objects that are of relatively large scale and of single use, and . . . see forms as the means of controlling the forces of nature to be resisted. Architectural designers . . . give form to objects that are of relatively small scale and of complex human use, and . . . see forms as the means of controlling the spaces to be used by people [D. Billington, 1983, p. 14].

Bridges can be designed by engineers without architects; houses by architects without engineers. The engineered integration of efficiency and economy is realized in an esthetic of structural simplicity and thinness, as illustrated by the prestressed concrete bridges of Robert Maillart in Switzerland, the exposed steel tube x-bracing of Fazlur Kahn’s John Hancock Center in Chicago, and the ribbed-concrete dome of the Palazzetto dello Sport by Pier Luigi Nervi in Rome.

Unlike structural engineering, early twentieth century architecture was less able to achieve an esthetic integration of science and democratic commerce, in part because it had to contend with well-established traditions of symbolic expression of the built world: the political iconography of Greek and Roman columns, the religious expression of the church spire, the solid facade of the bank, the decoration of Victorian domesticity. As the world-city emerged, architecture found itself caught in a cross-fire between scientific rationalism, industrial commercialism, and poetic romanticism— unclear which way to turn. The fundamental choice appeared to be between acceptance of technology or opposition to it. The winning synthesis was to take the scientifically rationalized artifact, that is, the machine, as an ideal for commercial exploitation and esthetic adaptation. In the architectural profession—itself now internally split into engineer, architect, and construction worker—this synthesis became a search for ways to design buildings that organized space in such a way as to parse human interactions into appropriate routines and to reduce resistance to their rapid interactions while minimizing the labor of construction of buildings for assembly lines, business offices, and large urban populations. The uniquely twentieth century architecture of these ubiquitous constructions, so named by a 1932 exhibition at the New York City Museum of Modern Art, was an ‘‘International Style’’ whose principles were an emphasis on ‘‘volume rather than mass,’’ ‘‘regularity rather than axial symmetry,’’ and the proscription of all ‘‘arbitrary applied decoration.’’ This style, also known as modernism, was the first truly original building form since the rise of twelfth century Gothic.

The international style rejects the building patterns of premodern cultures (Greek, Roman, Gothic) in favor of shapes grounded in the efficient use of new materials and energies. Although steel and concrete were used initially to imitate Roman columns and Gothic arches, just as electric lights were first made to look like candles or gas lamps, in short order both became a flexible means for the design of indeterminate space and openness instead of determinate mass and enclosure. Geometric simplicity stripped of all ornamentation and standardized in modular forms at all levels, from structural members to external facade and finishing elements, contributed both to ease of construction and functional utilization.

Two leaders of this international modernism were Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. Gropius, as the director of the Bauhaus in Germany, an engineering and product design school of great influence, eagerly embraced the machine esthetic in both buildings and their furnishings. Le Corbusier likewise condemned traditional building, redefined the house as ‘‘a machine for living in,’’ and promoted the construction of whole cities of high-rise concrete apartment houses in repeating blocks connected by open roadways. The high-rise building made possible by the steel frame and electric elevator became a progressively simplified form, as illustrated by the now destroyed World Trade Center towers in New York and the Sears Tower in Chicago, emblematic of that modernist international architecture that dominated the first half of the twentieth century.

Without wholly rejecting the international style, the second half of the century nevertheless witnessed a rising attraction of more complex and interesting architectural spaces—an attraction most visually manifest in a postmodern ironic complexity that playfully revived traditional forms layered over the retained modernist structural elements. The popularity of postmodernism had, however, a counterpoint in the discovery and defense of vernacular architecture.

Urban Planning

As indicated, the constructed world consists not just of structures designed by architects but of cities, including urban and suburban systems, linked with transportation and communication networks across landscapes constructed for farming, recreation, and preservation. Although architecture classically included issues of city design, urban planning has in the twentieth century become an independent profession, due to the manner of engineering and construction work.

At the beginning of the century, urban planner Ebenezer Howard proposed a vision of the garden city at odds with what would emerge as the international style. For Howard the problem of increased urban population was not to be solved simply by efficient modular housing inspired by the standardization and interchangeability of parts and machine construction, but by recognizing what he called the ‘‘twin magnets’’ of the town and the country. The benefits of towns are high wages, sociability, and culture, yet at the cost of high prices and congestion. The countryside is the source of natural beauty and quiet, at the risk of boredom and lack of aspirations.

But neither the Town magnet nor the Country magnet represents the full plan and purpose of nature . . . . Town and country must be married, and out of this joyous union will spring a new hope, a new life, and new civilization [E. Howard 1965 [1902], p. 48].

This utopian vision became a major basis for criticism of the rationalist esthetic of high modernist architecture. Whole new small, mixed-use towns exhibiting an interweave of superblocks with narrower loop streets and cul-de-sacs instead of the repeating box grid were actually constructed in, for instance, Letchworth and Welwyn, England, and Radburn, New Jersey. Such experiments failed to live up to their promises of creating truly selfsustaining communities, as they became enclosed by larger suburban sprawl. Other influences of the garden city ideal can nevertheless be found in landscape architecture and the design of major urban parks, not to mention the construction of state and national parks and forests in both the U.S. and Europe, and eventually throughout the world.

The most practical innovation of early twentieth century urban planning was, however, the establishment of zoning laws that allowed for the political regulation of building practices. By the middle of the century architects and city planners were increasingly working together, with efforts also being made to enhance democratic participation in urban planning. The more grandiose schemes of Le Corbusier (who proposed a rebuilding of Paris) or Robert Moses (the New York state and city official who controlled its park and transportation development for more than 30 years), were moderated by local interests. Between them, social critics such as Jane Jacobs (1961) and urban planners such as Constantive Doxiadis (1963) brought realism and a more inclusive or interdisciplinary holism to thinking about the constructed world on the larger scale. The last half of the century also witnessed a new awakening of efforts among planners to take the natural environment into account in urban planning. Here the work of Ian McHarg (1969) exercised formative influence.

Product Design

Parallel to the architectural development of a machine esthetic at the level of structures, in tension with the organic ideals of urban planners, the commodities of peace and war were undergoing their own constructive transformations. Tools (dependent on human energy and guidance) were increasingly complemented if not replaced by machines (driven by nonhuman energy but still directed by human agents) and eventually semiautonomous machines (requiring only indirect human guidance via feedback systems or programs), with the tools to machines transition continuing from the nineteenth century and dominating during the first half of the twentieth, and the rise of automation highlighting the second half. Distinctive of the century as a whole was the construction of a new type of household commodity— the electrical appliance—and then the electronic tool-machine represented most popularly by radios, televisions, and computers.

Prior to the rise of modern technology, the design of artifacts serving daily life was embedded in the craft of making—a virtually universal activity. Almost everyone was an artisan in the home, workshop, or field, and thus at one and the same time a person who conceived, fabricated, and used the indigenous basics of material culture. People ‘‘designed’’ things in the course of constructing them, so that making seldom involved any substantial moment of thinking through or planning beforehand, but proceeded as intuitive cut-and-try fabrication, guided by indigenous materials, traditions, and community. What has come to be called consumer product testing took place right in the making and immediate using by the maker, with the result that the commodities from regimes of craft production typically exhibit a certain practical artistic quality and honesty.

The Industrial Revolution’s replacement of human power with coal- and steam-driven prime movers, its gearing of power into repetitive motion, and the required divisions of labor in manufacture, brought forth two needs: (1) the need for the designer as standard pattern maker so that artifacts could be mass produced; and (2) a need for the designer as style giver so that they could be mass marketed. Such a separation of design from construction and use could not help but open the door to a qualitative decline in the commodities produced, in reaction to which there emerged diverse efforts to reintroduce ‘‘art’’ into the new regime of industrial production; that is, to reunite what had been separated.

In the early stages, various arts and crafts movements sought to revive aspects of preindustrial modes of production, but at the beginning of the twentieth century the industrial design movement took a different approach, applying to quotidian commodities the principles being pursued in modernist architecture. Indeed, Gropius at the Bauhaus promoted modernist, technological simplification both in buildings and in streamlined furniture (see the famous Marcel Breuer chair). As one leading historian of product design has summarized the movement:

By the end of the Second World War, the practice of styling mechanical and electrical goods to make them appear clean, crisp, geometrical and, above all, modern, had become commonplace. Cars, electric razors, radios, food-mixers, typewriters, cameras, washing-machines, and so on, were all given body-shells reflecting the machine esthetic of efficiency and functionalism [P. Sparke 1986, pp. 49–50].

In the last half of the century, however, in product design as in architecture, questions arose about notions of rational objectivity and universality, especially in a market dependent on advertising. The psychological requirements of the mass consumer were granted increasing legitimacy, so that expendability and playful symbolism began to replace stricter rationalisms. In counterpoint to a culture of waste and simulacra however, designers such as Victor Papanek called first for a new applied realism (1971) and then respect for the ecological imperative (1995) in product design. The question of sustainability emerged in relation to both human markets and the natural environment.

In summary, the constructed world is a historical phenomenon that has during the twentieth century emerged on three levels: the intermediate level of buildings or structures (architecture), the largescale level of cities and landscapes (urban planning), and the small-scale level of consumer goods (product design). There are nevertheless other levels of and perspectives on construction that have been passed over here: the microlevel construction in biotechnology and genetic engineering and nanoscale engineering design, politics and warfare (construction through destruction), the economics of globalization, information technology and the construction of the networked world, and the multiple media-based transformation of life and leisure. There also remains the need for a broadly based, general understanding of construction that would unite such levels and approaches.

References:

• Billington, D.P. The Tower and the Bridge: The New Art of Structural Engineering. Basic Books, New York, 1983.
• Howard, E. Garden Cities of To-Morrow. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1965. First published 1902.
• Sparke, P. An Introduction to Design and Culture in the Twentieth Century. Allen & Unwin, London, 1986.

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Construction Engineering Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On August 18, 2023

Introduction

The development in construction engineering has significantly influenced the way our society has grown over the last few decades. Recent research in sustainable construction has been much emphasized in the civil engineering industry. The world is now moving towards systems that are considered adaptable, sustainable, viable, and environmentally friendly.

Many developed countries, including the United Kingdom, have developed pathways towards this future in Vision 2030 and even 2050. There are various exciting research opportunities for students when selecting their construction engineering dissertation topic .

To help you get started with brainstorming for construction engineering topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest topics that can be used for writing your construction engineering dissertation.

These topics have been developed by PhD-qualified writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the topic,  research question ,  aim and objectives ,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation examples  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of  dissertation topics for 2022 here.

2022 Construction Engineering Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the impact of virtual reality on enhancing customer experience and decreasing on-site visits to construction projects.

Research Aim: The aim is to evaluate the impact of virtual reality on enhancing customer experience and decreasing on-site visits to construction projects

Objectives:

• To understand the significance of incorporating VR in the UK construction projects
• To analyse the effect of VR on enhancing customer experience
• To examine the impact of VR on reducing the number of on-site visits

Topic 2: The incorporation of AI in UK based construction projects to forecast costs accurately and mitigate safety and productivity issues

Research Aim: The aim focuses on to examine how the incorporation of AI in the UK construction projects can help in forecasting costs accurately and mitigating safety and productivity issues

• To explore the significance of incorporating AI in construction projects
• To evaluate how forecasting of costs can be done accurately with the incorporation of AI in the UK construction projects
• To understand how safety and productivity issues can be mitigated effectively with the integration of AI in the UK construction projects

Topic 3: The impact of workforce restrictions and supply chain disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic on the growth of the UK construction sector

Research Aim: The research aim concentrates on to explore the impact of workforce restrictions and supply chain disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic on the growth of the UK construction sector

• To evaluate the different impacts of coronavirus pandemic on the UK construction sector
• To determine how supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic has influenced the growth of the UK construction sector
• To examine how workforce restrictions due to this pandemic have impacted the growth of the UK construction sector

Topic 4: The importance of five elements of Business Information Modeling and how these elements of BIM are minimising operation costs and increasing the productivity in UK construction projects

Research Aim: The aim is to evaluate the importance of five elements of Business Information Modeling and how these elements of BIM are minimising operation costs and increasing the productivity in the UK construction projects

Objectives :

• To understand the Business Information Modeling and its five elements
• To determine how these elements of BIM are minimising operation costs in the UK based construction projects
• To examine how these elements of BIM are increasing the productivity  in the UK based construction projects

Topic 5: An examination of different ways through which a site waste management plan in the UK construction projects helps in using recyclable products and mitigating contamination

Research Aim: The research aim explores different ways through which a site waste management plan in the UK construction projects helps in using recyclable products and mitigating contamination

• To examine the importance of the site waste management plan in the UK construction projects
• To determine how an efficient site waste management plan can help in recycling waste products
• To evaluate how an efficient site waste management plan can aid in mitigating contamination

Covid-19 Civil Engineering Research Topics

Construction engineering after coronavirus: identify the consequences of covid-19 on construction engineering in the uk or any country of your choice..

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the impacts of Coronavirus on construction engineering in the selected country.

Research to study the damage caused to the construction projects due to the lack of workers on site.

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the damage caused to construction projects as the workers are staying away from the sites. What measures are taken to complete these projects and recover the loss?

Contractors and Builders after Covid-19: business industry, tender opportunities, and planning to continue business.

Research Aim: This research aims at identifying the conditions faced by contractors and builders. What is their plan to deal with the COVID-19 crisis? How did it affect the business industry and tender opportunities?

Cite Operating Procedures: research the various safety measures for workers, contractors, and engineers working on construction sites.

Research Aim: This research is conducted to know about various safety measures taken by the government and private organisations for workers, contractors, and engineers working on construction sites.

Investigate how civil engineers are working from home: Identify whether remote working can be a long-lasting solution to recover the loss caused by Covid-19.

Research Aim: Remote working has emerged as a ray of hope for mechanical engineers amid this pandemic. This research will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of remote working and also answer the question of whether it is a long-lasting solution or not.

Research to study the economic and labour crisis as a result of Coronavirus.

Research Aim: This research will focus on the financial loss and labour crisis caused due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research to study the disruption of the supply chain, shortage of contractors, workers, and material, cancellation of contracts due to COVID-19

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the disruption of the supply chain, shortage of contractors, workers, and material, cancellation of contracts due to COVID-19.

Research to throw the light on the future of the construction Industry after the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This research will predict how the construction industry will transform after the COVID-19 pandemic. What challenges it may face, and what could be the possible ways to meet those challenges?

• Utilization of renewable energy resources in the development of sustainable homes
• Sustainability and its impact on societies; Visualizing a constructive future.
• Achieving sustainability from properties of concrete; Analyses of the recent research and developments.
• The lean manufacturing techniques and the role of management in construction
• Construction Safety; is there a need to revise or re-model the practices/legislations, reviewing the accidental trends and role of legislations?
• Multilingual safety in construction; reviewing the current industrial practices and the need to improve, highlighting the actual issues of migrant workers in the construction industry
• Analysis of the impact of the latest technology in the construction Industry
• The role of Business Information Modelling (BIM) in the Construction Industry; assessment of practices, management, and productivity through such computer-aided tools
• Procurement techniques; analyses of the most suited procurement strategies in the construction industry
• Is there a need for an integrated model that can replace all other management tools? Review of how the construction industry can be revolutionized through the use of state of the art computer-aided techniques
• Construction Management; highlighting the best practices in the modern construction projects
• Zero carbon structures; use of technology to develop zero carbon buildings
• Waste minimization in construction projects; identifying the best practices
• Use of Waste in constructions; how demolition can be modelled to construct new structures
• Construction materials analyses; timber, steel, or concrete? Investigation of materials for optimum material’s utilization
• Design of Effective ventilation systems in high rise buildings

 Also Read:   Mechanical Engineering Dissertation Topics

Note: Some of these topics may require students to undertake primary research, which includes developing questionnaires, survey forms, and interviews, whilst others are based on desk-based research.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service , which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

Important Notes:

As a construction engineering student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment on existing construction engineering theories – i.e., to add value and interest in your research topic.

The field of construction engineering is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like  civil engineering , chemical engineering , mechanical engineering , engineering and more. That is why it is imperative to create a construction engineering dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best construction engineering dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalising your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Take a look at some of our sample construction engineering dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Dissertation on Construction Engineering

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic in light of the research questions to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down of the topic, and key terms can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology: The  data collection  and  analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes  research design, research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and  data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis: Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs , charts, and   tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and  Conclusion: The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to link the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References:  This should be completed in accordance with your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices: Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the  dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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ResearchProspect is a  UK based academic writing service that provides help with  Dissertation Proposal Writing ,  PhD Proposal Writing ,  Dissertation Writing ,  Dissertation Editing, and Improvement .

Our team of writers is highly qualified. They are experts in their respective fields. They have been working in the industry for a long time, thus are aware of the issues and trends of the industry they are working in.

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How to find dissertation topics about construction engineering.

For construction engineering dissertation topics:

• Investigate emerging technologies.
• Explore sustainability challenges.
• Analyze project management techniques.
• Consider safety innovations.
• Examine cost-effective practices.
• Consult experts and industry sources.

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If you are a student of sports law at a university, you are familiar with the tension that comes with writing a dissertation due to the difficulty of choosing a topic.

Here is a list of sports dissertation topics to help you choose the one studies any one as per your requirements.

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