Key terms in construction technology, artificial intelligence, and the built environment — a reference for project teams exploring AI-driven workflows.
Computer systems capable of performing tasks — recognising patterns, generating text, interpreting drawings — that normally require human judgement. In construction, AI increasingly automates document review, quantity takeoffs and design checks.
A drawing revised after construction to reflect exactly what was built, including any deviations from the original design.
A sequence of tasks — document extraction, checking, reporting — carried out by software with little or no manual intervention. See how Civils.ai automates AI-driven engineering workflows.
An itemised list of materials, labour and quantities required for a construction project, used for pricing and tendering.
A digital process for creating and managing information for a built asset across its lifecycle, using a 3D model enriched with data on geometry, materials, cost and scheduling.
A record of the soil and rock strata encountered during a ground investigation, including depths, descriptions and test results, used to assess subsurface conditions.
A formally agreed amendment to the scope, cost or schedule of a construction contract after work has commenced.
The process of identifying where building elements — structural, mechanical, electrical — physically collide within a coordinated model.
The process of converting a 3D point cloud, captured by laser scanning or photogrammetry, into a structured BIM model.
A field of AI that enables software to interpret and extract information from images or video, such as recognising symbols and dimensions on a scanned construction drawing.
An assessment of a design's practicality to build, checking for sequencing, access and coordination issues before construction begins.
A scheduling technique that identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks in a project, determining the minimum possible project duration.
An earthworks calculation comparing existing and proposed ground levels to determine how much material must be excavated (cut) or imported (fill) to achieve a design grade. See how Civils.ai handles earthworks & subsurface takeoffs.
A traditional project delivery method where design is completed first, then contractors bid on the fixed design, followed by construction.
The use of digital tools, data and automation — BIM, drones, AI — to plan, design and deliver construction projects.
A live, data-connected digital replica of a physical asset — a building, tunnel, or site — that updates as the real-world asset changes, used for monitoring, simulation and predictive maintenance.
Construction activities involving the moving, shaping or stabilising of ground, including excavation, grading, cut and fill, and compaction.
A drawing showing existing and proposed ground levels across a site, used to plan drainage, earthworks and finished surface levels.
A construction professional responsible for calculating the likely cost of a project, based on quantities, labour rates and material prices.
A detailed drawing used by a manufacturer or subcontractor to produce a specific building component off-site, such as steelwork or ductwork.
AI models that create new content — text, images, designs — based on patterns learned from training data, rather than simply classifying or retrieving existing information.
The branch of civil engineering concerned with the behaviour of soil and rock, underpinning the design of foundations, retaining walls, slopes and tunnels. Related: earthworks & subsurface takeoffs.
Software used to capture, store, analyse and display spatial and geographic data, commonly used in site selection, infrastructure planning and environmental assessment.
An open, vendor-neutral file format for exchanging BIM data between different software applications.
An AI model trained on vast amounts of text to understand and generate human language — the technology underlying tools like ChatGPT and AI-powered document search.
A remote-sensing method that measures distance by timing a reflected laser pulse, used to generate point clouds for surveying, earthworks and topographic mapping.
A subset of AI in which systems learn patterns from data and improve their performance on a task without being explicitly programmed for every scenario.
The building services disciplines covering heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical power, lighting and plumbing systems.
A method of building in which sections or entire units are manufactured off-site in a factory, then transported and assembled on site.
A machine learning model loosely inspired by the structure of the brain, made up of layers of interconnected nodes, used for tasks such as image recognition and language processing.
Technology that converts scanned or photographed text — a PDF drawing title block, a scanned specification — into machine-readable, searchable text.
The technique of capturing 3D measurements and models from overlapping photographs, commonly used for site surveys and progress monitoring.
A large set of 3D coordinate points captured by a laser scanner or photogrammetry, representing the surface of a physical space or object, commonly used to document as-built conditions.
The use of historical data, statistics and machine learning to forecast future outcomes, such as project delays, cost overruns or equipment failure.
The practice of crafting inputs to an AI model, particularly a large language model, to reliably produce accurate and useful outputs.
A list of minor defects or outstanding items identified near the end of a project that must be resolved before final handover.
The process of measuring and counting materials, areas, lengths and elevations from construction drawings to price and plan a project. See how Civils.ai automates quantity takeoffs from PDF drawings.
The process of recording the physical state of a site or asset using tools such as laser scanning, photogrammetry or drones, to create an accurate digital record.
A structure designed to hold back soil or rock at a slope steeper than it would naturally maintain, commonly used in earthworks, roads and foundations.
An AI technique that combines a large language model with a search step over a specific set of documents, so answers are grounded in relevant source material rather than the model's general training data alone.
A formal written query raised by a contractor or design team to clarify ambiguous, missing or conflicting information in project drawings or specifications.
A document defining the specific tasks, deliverables and boundaries of work to be performed under a contract.
A detailed drawing prepared by a contractor, supplier or fabricator showing how a specific element will be manufactured and installed.
A programme of ground exploration — boreholes, trial pits, laboratory testing — carried out to assess ground conditions before design and construction.
The resistance of a natural or engineered slope to sliding or collapse, assessed through geotechnical analysis of soil strength, geometry and water conditions.
A system for categorising soil types — clay, sand, silt, gravel — based on grain size and properties, used to inform geotechnical design.
The written document accompanying drawings that defines required materials, workmanship and quality standards for a project, often cross-checked against contract terms and codes of practice. See specs & contract checking.
A drawing showing the load-bearing elements of a building or structure — foundations, beams, columns, slabs — and how they are sized and connected.
The natural or prepared ground surface that lies beneath a road, foundation or pavement structure, providing the base for construction above it.
Documentation — product data, samples, shop drawings — submitted by a contractor for review and approval before materials are procured or installed.
Software used to measure quantities — areas, lengths, counts — directly from digital construction drawings, replacing manual measurement with a scale ruler.
A survey recording the existing natural and built features of a site, including ground levels, vegetation and structures, used as a baseline for design.
A large mechanised excavation machine used to bore tunnels through soil or rock with a circular cross-section, commonly used for transport, utility and mining tunnels.
A structured review process aimed at achieving a project's required function at the lowest overall cost, without compromising quality or performance.
A documented instruction that changes the scope, cost or programme of a construction contract, formalising work that differs from the original agreement.
Ready to put these tools to work on your next project?
See Civils.ai plans