Progress is inevitable and fighting it always comes from a place of uncertainty…
The evolution in Construction is bound to happen. Think of it this way, there was a time, blocks of stones were placed on wooden sleds and dragged from the quarries to building sites. Today, we are moving from manual form of labour and to the integration of machines and robots in construction. Existence of ‘ancient’ techniques is a testimony that advancement into higher technology (that is generally unfamiliar) is not necessarily your enemy.
The construction industry has managed to develop highly productive systems without the adoption of robots, unlike the automotive manufacturing industry. Just like in the automotive industry, robots and automation will free the human labour element and transform productivity into higher value tasks and less of the manual repetitive tasks, in the construction industry. Automation and robots provide a huge leap growth in terms of labour productivity and to the investor, it allows a possibility of up to 40 % decrease in labour cost. Additionally, embracing autonomous equipment and technology offers increased safety in construction, an environment with numerous hazards and risks even to the seasoned construction workers. It reduces the risk associated with handling heavy equipment in unpredictable site conditions.
For example, in a study conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, it was highlighted that most injuries in construction sites were as a result of being hit by falling objects (17%), injuries from falling from heights (15%) injuries as result of operating motor vehicles or light machines (13%) and lifting heavy objects (11%).
Partially autonomous machines and robots are more common today worldwide. In Japan, robots have been incorporated in building consistently over the years. Some of these have been controlled remotely and used in tasks such as concreting, handling and positioning large scale components to the external facade of a building, plasterwork and painting. An example is Shimizu Corporation. The company has made huge strides towards creating a ‘Smart Site” and developing robots that can handle welding, ceiling installation, and transportation without human intervention. These machines are deployed into the construction of high-rise buildings where human and machinery traffic is typically higher. However, due to the built-in self-positioning sensors, laser scanners, cameras and thermal inspection systems, there is guarantee safety and reduced accidents.
In other incidences, Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are strong components in this endeavour towards increased safety and productivity at the site. These machines are pre-programmed to perform repetitive tasks and move to eliminate inefficiencies that come with human-based performances. Data acquisition via UAVs requires development of flight planning software that automates setting up the flight plan.
On a higher level, constant research and development is pushing partially autonomous systems towards being fully independent of human control by inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The future of autonomous construction is equipping these intelligent vehicles with the techniques to assess their environment with high sensory prowess, then analyse this information make sensible and logical decisions, and communicate the same to a central point. A great example is the use of autonomous earth movers in excavation and quarry works, much like the company Built Robotics.
Virtual reality (VR) simulators have proven to be a good option in training equipment operators. Majority of the current training is theoretical and that which is practical does not fully simulate the risky circumstances that could happen while operating equipment on site. It generally focuses on developing motor skills. VR technology has the potential to impact the training of apprentices with virtual mockups and interactions with a simulation of the construction site.
Robots are an untapped potential as a means of transportation, assembly, especially in handling heavy and risky tasks in unfavourable conditions or inaccessible locations. Moving forward, it is exciting to watch robotics experts work together with construction professionals to achieve autonomy in construction.
