“Construction” is not simply making a building, but rather it’s about creating the “space” that surrounds us. This is the reason why the construction industry needs experts in a wide variety of fields.
The Construction Tech Group of Samsung C&T’s Engineering & Construction (E&C) Group employs professionals in such fields as concrete, environmental friendliness, noise and vibration, insulation and condensation, and welding. More than 80 percent of the Construction Tech Group’s work is performed on business trips or away from the office, and the members help to identify reasons for technical problems that arise on sites and ways to solve them.
In this article, we’ll meet two expert managers in the Construction Tech Group: Dr. Jung Eun-young, skilled in heat transfer analysis, and Dr. Yeon Kyung-min, a chemist.
Two doctors in the Construction Tech Group
Dr. Jung Eun-young majored in environmental engineering, specializing in the analysis of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) that uses computer arithmetic to visually model the flow of fluids. He’s also well-versed in TRIZ, the Russia-developed theory of inventive problem solving that is used by several global companies.
In studying for his doctorate, Jung taught a class related to fluids at the department of architecture. He came upon the idea that he wanted to work at a construction firm after learning that while materials and structures are taught in architecture courses, fluids are not.
“If you miss a bolt in a machine, it will be a be a big problem, even though not immediately,” Jung explained, adding, “I think all parts are equally important. There’s no single field that isn’t necessary. It’s just that the roles differ.”
Meanwhile, for his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees Dr. Yeon Kyung-min studied chemical engineering, a field focused on analyzing various systems where chemical reactions occur and deducing the optimal conditions suitable for given purposes. Around the time of his graduation, he joined Samsung C&T as it was bolstering its capabilities in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC).
Explained Yeon, “The biggest attraction of the construction industry is, more than anything, adding value over and above mere construction by testing theories and developing customized technologies for each construction project.”
Collaboration of experts and construction sites
On construction sites, abnormal phenomena caused by fluids can often arise. Dr. Jung’s responsibility is to assist with the thorough investigation of fluid-related matters in order to resolve problems. Particularly, Jung provides this support when engineering power plants.
Describing his role, he says, “Every kind of construction project has fluids and flows, so I help sites whenever they need me. I also think a lot about how to solve problems before they arise.”
Jung demonstrates his capabilities by working out the technology needed on site using engineering logic and then developing that necessary technology. He now holds 11 patents and 1 Green Technology certification, including for anchorless hanging technology and rainwater drainage systems.
In 2019, Dr. Yeon received a Samsung Best Paper Award, the only person in Samsung C&T E&C Group to receive this honor. This was for a paper entitled “Rapid hydrotesting of Cryogenic LNG Storage Tanks using Natural Seawater” written on the basis of his on-site experience using his expertise.
Moreover, Yeon assists in various fields using his professional knowledge of chemical engineering in, for example, the assessment and prevention of metal corrosion, the purification of pollutants, the safety management of semiconductor and display manufacturing facilities that use certain chemicals, and in antimicrobial and antiviral materials to respond to COVID-19.
He explains, “From a construction company’s point of view, I have been thinking recently about how to secure the technology to respond to a post-corona world and also how to internalize it.”
In this way, we can see why the Construction Tech Group gathers experts from various fields. Through the active cooperation between this group of experts and construction sites they continually strive to more effectively solve all kinds of issues that arise during construction projects and create new added value, both now and in the future.
