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Arup and PKPM jointly release first commercial intelligent structural design software in China

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Jerman Cheung Jerman Cheung East Asia Press Office,Hong Kong
3 March 2023

Global built environment consultant Arup and leading Chinese software provider PKPM jointly launched a software named PKPM-AID (Arup Intelligent Design) – the first commercial intelligent structural design software in China’s building industry.

The software was formally released in Beijing with a technical forum on 16 February. More than 10,000 engineers and industry practitioner from across the country joined the event and were impressed with the tool’s key features, application and performance in real project cases.

PKPM-AID combines Arup’s industry-leading structural optimisation expertise with the mature analysis and design capacity of PKPM, resulting in a powerful tool that identifies the ‘fittest’ design efficiently with the criteria defined by engineers. It uses AI-enhanced computational algorithms that Arup has developed over the past 20 years with applications in hundreds of projects including long-span structures and iconic tall buildings of different shapes and types.

“

We are proud to have co-developed the pioneering tool with PKPM and make it available in the China market to the industry practitioners and partners. It will further drive the digital transformation of the construction industry, helping China achieve its high quality and sustainable development. ” Arup Beijing office leader - Peng Liu Liu Peng Arup Fellow and Director, Beijing Office Leader

From structural irregularities to cost-effectiveness of structural stiffness and optimal strength design of members, PKPM-AID solves time-consuming design problems for engineers in a short time. It finds out the best solution to realise the design intent while ensuring safety and functionality of the development. 

Compared with the traditional, manual trial-and-error procedure and other time-consuming general algorithms, this integrated computational intelligent design workflow significantly enhances the design quality and efficiency and reduces the total material usage, thus reducing both embedded and operational carbon emissions.

Arup and PKPM jointly release first commercial intelligent structural design software in China ©PKPM Arup and PKPM jointly release first commercial intelligent structural design software in China ©PKPM
©PKPM