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The Current Status and Future Prospects of Automation in Construction
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The Current Status and Future Prospects of Automation in Construction

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 3784

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Saeed Talebi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering & The Built Environment, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7XG, UK
Interests: digital design, construction and infrastructure; lean design/construction/facility management; digital inspection of infrastructure using 3D scanning; unmanned aerial vehicles; thermal imaging camera; application of machine learning for defect detection; building information modelling (BIM); off-site construction; mass customisation and platform design; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Srinath Perera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Design & Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Interests: construction informatics; blockchain, IoT and digital twins; artificial intelligence techniques; construction management; embodied carbon estimating; project management; public-private partnerships; construction data analytics; disaster management; economics of sustainability; risk management; circular economy; offsite construction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Damilola Ekundayo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering & The Built Environment, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7XG, UK
Interests: digital transformation; construction cost; life cycle cost analysis; sustainability assessment; low carbon building; carbon counting; project management; built environment education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The objective of this Special Issue is to bring together researchers, engineers, practitioners, and professionals to explore the current state of construction automation and its future prospects. The construction industry has long been recognized as an area with significant potential for automation. The rapid development of new technologies and their applications in construction has the potential to revolutionize the industry, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable.

Automation in construction is a fast-growing field, as evidenced by the increasing number of research publications and practical implementations in recent years. This growth is driven by the need to address key challenges such as labor shortages, safety concerns, and environmental impacts, as well as to improve productivity and competitiveness in the global market. Construction automation can contribute to these goals by streamlining processes, reducing human errors, and enhancing collaboration among different stakeholders.

This Special Issue aims to consolidate the existing efforts in construction automation research and practice, showcasing the latest advancements in construction automation technologies, their applications in various construction domains, and the challenges and opportunities they present. By fostering the exchange of knowledge and ideas, this Special Issue will contribute to the advancement of construction automation and promote its adoption in the construction industry, ultimately helping to shape the future of construction.

Topics of Interest:

We invite original research papers, case studies, and review articles that focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Robotics and automation in construction;
  • Digital construction and building information modelling (BIM);
  • Digital twins in construction;
  • Blockchain applications in construction;
  • Artificial intelligence, deep learning and machine learning applications in construction;
  • Autonomous construction equipment and vehicles;
  • Sensor technologies and IoT in construction;
  • 3D printing and additive manufacturing in construction;
  • Drones and unmanned aerial systems for construction monitoring;
  • Augmented and virtual reality applications in construction;
  • Collaborative robots (cobots) and human-robot interaction in construction;
  • Construction automation in sustainable and green building practices;
  • Cybersecurity challenges in construction automation;
  • Legal, ethical, and social implications of construction automation;
  • Economic and environmental impacts of construction automation;
  • Workforce development and education for construction automation.

Dr. Saeed Talebi
Prof. Dr. Srinath Perera
Dr. Damilola Ekundayo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • automation
  • construction
  • artificial intelligence
  • blockchain
  • BIM
  • digital twin

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 380 KiB  
Article
The Relevance of Automation in the Facility Management of Selected High-Rise Buildings in Lagos, Nigeria
by Orayinka Stephen Awosode, David Ojimaojo Ebiloma, Cyril Ayodele Ajayi, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Opeoluwa Akinradewo
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010016 - 20 Dec 2023
Viewed by 650
Abstract
Operators (owners/facility managers) of high-rise buildings are continuously faced with the challenge of finding innovative means of controlling and managing the facilities of high-rise buildings. This is due to consistent change in the nature and functions of building systems. Meanwhile, the use of [...] Read more.
Operators (owners/facility managers) of high-rise buildings are continuously faced with the challenge of finding innovative means of controlling and managing the facilities of high-rise buildings. This is due to consistent change in the nature and functions of building systems. Meanwhile, the use of computerized systems affords building operators the tools and methods that will enhance facility management activities. This study examined the importance of automation to the facility management of high-rise buildings in developing countries, using the case of Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research approach, administering a structured questionnaire to 53 facility managers of identified commercial high-rise buildings in Ikoyi, Lagos Island, and Victoria Island in Nigeria. It also applied regression analysis in determining the significance of automation on facility management activities. The findings of the study revealed that security services are the most automated facility management activity. Results also showed that automation had a positive effect on facility management practice, with R square of 0.66. The study concluded that although automation is seldom used in carrying out facility management activities, it has a positive impact on facility management services, with 66% significance level on facility management activities. It then recommended that steps should be taken by all stakeholders to develop the practice of facility management and research, as well as facility management education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Current Status and Future Prospects of Automation in Construction)
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34 pages, 4165 KiB  
Article
An Integrated Model for Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Multi-Project Scheduling Problems Considering Supply Management with Sustainable Approach in the Construction Industry under Uncertainty Using Evidence Theory and Optimization Algorithms
by Mahyar Ghoroqi, Parviz Ghoddousi, Ahmad Makui, Ali Akbar Shirzadi Javid and Saeed Talebi
Buildings 2023, 13(8), 2023; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13082023 - 08 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 912
Abstract
In this study, the multi-mode resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problems (MMRCMPSPs) considering supply management and sustainable approach in the construction industry under uncertain conditions have been investigated using evidence theory to mathematical modeling and solving by multi-objective optimization algorithms. In this regard, a multi-objective [...] Read more.
In this study, the multi-mode resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problems (MMRCMPSPs) considering supply management and sustainable approach in the construction industry under uncertain conditions have been investigated using evidence theory to mathematical modeling and solving by multi-objective optimization algorithms. In this regard, a multi-objective mathematical model has been proposed, in which the first objective function aims to maximize a weighted selection of projects based on economic, environmental, technical, social, organizational, and competitive factors; the second objective function is focused on maximizing profit, and the third objective function is aimed at minimizing the risk of supply management. Moreover, various components, such as interest rates, carbon penalties, and other implementation limitations and additional constraints, have also been considered in the modeling and mathematical relationships to improve the model’s performance and make it more relevant to real-world conditions and related issues, leading to better practical applications. In the mathematical modeling adopted, the processing time of project activities has been considered uncertain, and the evidence theory has been utilized. This method can provide a flexible and rational approach based on evidence and knowledge in the face of uncertainty. In addition, to solve the proposed multi-objective mathematical model, metaheuristic optimization algorithms, such as the differential evolution (DE) algorithm based on the Pareto archive, have been used, and for evaluating the results, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) has also been employed. Furthermore, the results have been compared based on multi-objective evaluation criteria, such as quality metric (QM), spacing metric (SM), and diversity metric (DM). It is worth noting that to investigate the performance and application of the proposed model, multiple evaluations have been conducted on sample problems with different dimensions, as well as a case study on residential apartment construction projects by a contracting company. In this respect, the answers obtained from solving the model using the multi-objective DE algorithm were better and superior to the NSGA-II algorithm and had a more favorable performance. Generally, the results indicate that using the integrated multi-objective mathematical model in the present research for managing and scheduling multi-mode resource-constrained multi-project problems, especially in the construction industry, can lead to an optimal state consistent with the desired objectives and can significantly improve the progress and completion of projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Current Status and Future Prospects of Automation in Construction)
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23 pages, 639 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Benefits of Virtual Reality Adoption for Successful Construction in a Developing Economy
by Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke, Ahmed Farouk Kineber, Nehal Elshaboury, Damilola Ekundayo and Samuel Ariyo Bello
Buildings 2023, 13(7), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13071665 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1533
Abstract
Existing literature has shown that Virtual Reality (VR) is widely utilized in advanced economies to enhance sustainable construction practices. However, its adoption in developing economies remains limited. To this end, this study aims at exploring the potential benefits of implementing VR technology in [...] Read more.
Existing literature has shown that Virtual Reality (VR) is widely utilized in advanced economies to enhance sustainable construction practices. However, its adoption in developing economies remains limited. To this end, this study aims at exploring the potential benefits of implementing VR technology in a developing country. The study collected information on the beneficial aspects of VR from previous research and conducted questionnaire surveys to gather relevant insights from construction project experts in Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using the Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking According to the Compromise Solution (MARCOS) method and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The MARCOS method revealed that the key potential benefits of VR include improved communication and collaboration, enhanced project performance, risk identification, digitalization, and safety planning. Furthermore, the study conducted an in-depth investigation of the beneficial areas of VR using EFA, which identified six component groups: pre-contract stage planning, post-contract stage planning, quality control and sustainability, design flexibility and reputation, resource management, and risk management and digitalization. The study provides a comprehensive discussion of the advantages of implementing virtual building methods in developing countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Current Status and Future Prospects of Automation in Construction)
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