Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry

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 (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 4294

Special Issue Editors

IAARC Board Member, Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: construction automation and robotics; BIM applications; smart construction systems; construction safety; construction productivity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
IAARC Board Member, School of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental System Engineering, College of Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Natural Science Campus 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: smart construction; construction robotics; BIM-based maintenance; rapid prototyping; reverse engineering; construction IoT; BIM big data
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue, “Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry”, is very pertinent in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is expected to enhance the image of the construction industry and fulfill the role of replacement or assistance of insufficiently skilled workers. In addition, it is emerging as a cutting-edge technology that can improve the quality, efficiency, productivity, and safety of construction projects. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to share ideas and achievements in the field of construction automation and robotics, which have recently been under researched and developed around the world. This Special Issue covers the original research and review studies, including but not limited to:

  • automated construction system;
  • construction robotics;
  • smart construction equipment;
  • modular construction/OSC (off-site construction) ;
  • 3D printing technology;
  • construction simulation;
  • digital twin/MR/AR/VR;
  • AI/machine learning/deep learning;
  • CNN/ANN;
  • computer vision.

Prof. Dr. Junbok Lee
Prof. Dr. Soonwook Kwon
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

  • construction automation
  • construction robots
  • smart construction
  • modular construction
  • 3D printing
  • construction simulation
  • digital twin
  • artificial intelligence
  • deep learning
  • CNN

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 3092 KiB  
Article
Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins in Construction: A Systematic and Quantitative Review Using Text Mining
by Jisoo Park, Jae-Kang Lee, Min-Jae Son, Chaeyeon Yu, Jaesung Lee and Sungjin Kim
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030702 - 06 Mar 2024
Viewed by 566
Abstract
The construction industry has been trying to enhance the level of digitalization and autonomy by adopting various communication and information technologies (ICT), e.g., augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), robotics, drones, or building information modeling (BIM). However, improvement of the safety and productivity [...] Read more.
The construction industry has been trying to enhance the level of digitalization and autonomy by adopting various communication and information technologies (ICT), e.g., augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), robotics, drones, or building information modeling (BIM). However, improvement of the safety and productivity in their domains is still a struggle. One of the main reasons for failing to accelerate their digital transformation is ignoring the deep understanding of the concept of digital twin, its usage, and the potential benefits of digital twins in the construction industry. Therefore, this paper investigated the impacts and potentials of digital twins on the construction industry through a quantitative systematic review assisted by the text mining method. The study presented the potential usability of digital twins, leading and core technologies, and applications, revealing their benefits and potential for optimizing project planning, execution, and management process. Through this comprehensive literature review, this study elucidated the distinctive features, advantages, and immense potential that digital twins bring to the construction field. The findings highlight the transformative impact of digital twins, providing critical insights for their broader adoption and groundbreaking applications in the industry. By addressing the challenges of adopting this technology, the article provided valuable insights for advancing research and the broad implementation of digital twins in the sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry)
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5978 KiB  
Article
Augmented Reality-Based BIM Data Compatibility Verification Method for FAB Digital Twin implementation
by Jinwoo Song, Sanghyeon Park, Kyuhyup Lee, Jinhyun Bae, Soonwook Kwon, Chung-Suk Cho and Suwan Chung
Buildings 2023, 13(11), 2683; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13112683 - 24 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 885
Abstract
With the advancement of state-of-the-art technologies, the semiconductor industry plays a key role as an essential component in the manufacture of various electronic products. Since the manufacturing of a semiconductor goes through very sophisticated and complex processes, efficient and accurate work and management [...] Read more.
With the advancement of state-of-the-art technologies, the semiconductor industry plays a key role as an essential component in the manufacture of various electronic products. Since the manufacturing of a semiconductor goes through very sophisticated and complex processes, efficient and accurate work and management are essential in the design, construction, and operation stages of the semiconductor fabrication (FAB) plant. Recently, the combined application of building information modeling (BIM) and augmented reality (AR) technology has gained increased attention in this semiconductor FAB industry as an advanced way to improve work efficiency and accuracy while eliminating other related problems, such as human errors. Despite the perceived benefits of combined use of BIM and AR, many technical problems still exist when integrating the target test model and the 3D virtual object model using BIM data and existing AR visualization technology, due to the unique characteristics of the FAB sites. To solve these problems, this study proposed an AR-based real-time BIM data compatibility verification method for future FAB digital twin implementation and demonstrated that it could be converted into a system and applied to actual FAB sites. As a result of the development and verification of this system, the proposed AR-based real-time BIM data compatibility verification system enables the accurate fitting of the AR model and actual object through AR tracking and anchoring technology considering the characteristics of FAB sites. After the fitting, the system was able to maintain compatibility, even when the camera moved and the marker moved away from the screen. By expanding the effective distance of compatibility between the AR model and the actual object, it was possible to increase the AR application range between the 3D virtual object model and the test target model and to improve the compatibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 10079 KiB  
Article
Object Detection and Distance Measurement Algorithm for Collision Avoidance of Precast Concrete Installation during Crane Lifting Process
by Yik Pong Yong, Seo Joon Lee, Young Hee Chang, Kyu Hyup Lee, Soon Wook Kwon, Chung Suk Cho and Su Wan Chung
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2551; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102551 - 09 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1077
Abstract
In the construction industry, the process of carrying heavy loads from one location to another by means of a crane is inevitable. This reliance on cranes to carry heavy loads is more obvious when it comes to high-rise building construction. Depending on the [...] Read more.
In the construction industry, the process of carrying heavy loads from one location to another by means of a crane is inevitable. This reliance on cranes to carry heavy loads is more obvious when it comes to high-rise building construction. Depending on the conditions and requirements on-site, various types of construction lifting equipment (i.e., cranes) are being used. As off-site construction (OSC) is gaining more traction recently, cranes are becoming more important throughout the construction project as precast concrete (PC) members are major components of OSC calling for lifting work. As a result of the increased use of cranes on construction sites, concerns about construction safety as well as the effectiveness of existing load collision prevention systems are attracting more attention from various parties involved. Besides the inherent risks associated with heavy load lifting, the unpredictable movement of on-site workers around the crane operation area, along with the presence of blind spots that obstruct the crane operator’s field-of-view (FOV), further increase the accident probability during crane operation. As such, the need for a more reliable and improved collision avoidance system that prevents lifted loads from hitting other structures and workers is paramount. This study introduces the application of deep learning-based object detection and distance measurement sensors integrated in a complementary way to achieve the stated need. Specifically, the object detection technique was used with the application of an Internet Protocol (IP) camera to detect the workers within the crane operation radius, whereas ultrasonic sensors were used to measure the distance of surrounding obstacles. Both applications were designed to work concurrently so as to prevent potential collisions during crane lifting operations. The field testing and evaluation of the integrated system showed promising results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 552 KiB  
Review
The State of the Art in Digital Construction of Clay Buildings: Reviews of Existing Practices and Recommendations for Future Development
by Xunzhi Yin, Chong Guo, Bo Sun, Honggang Chen, Hui Wang and An Li
Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2381; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092381 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1345
Abstract
Under the trend of digitization and global carbon reductions, clay construction has increasingly attracted attention due to advantages such as an excellent thermal performance, low carbon emissions, and high cost-effectiveness. In this article, an in-depth investigation is conducted into the potential, challenges, and [...] Read more.
Under the trend of digitization and global carbon reductions, clay construction has increasingly attracted attention due to advantages such as an excellent thermal performance, low carbon emissions, and high cost-effectiveness. In this article, an in-depth investigation is conducted into the potential, challenges, and future in the development of digital manufacturing technologies for clay architecture, especially 3D printing, robotic construction, and prefabrication systems. It is revealed through a review that digital clay construction is under rapid development and likely to provide a viable solution to achieving global carbon neutrality, which is conducive to addressing various regional issues. The key findings from this review are as follows. Firstly, as a flexible, precise, and low-carbon industrial solution, 3D printing lays a foundation for the extensive research on materials, equipment, and algorithm optimization. Secondly, the use of machine construction methods such as modern rammed earth technology and drone spraying is effective in improving efficiency and lowering costs. Lastly, the prefabricated building system shows its potential in renewing and developing the rammed earth architecture culture. These findings indicate a massive potential of digital clay construction to support sustainability efforts in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Robotics and Automation in the Construction Industry)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop