Utilizing Industry 4.0 on the Construction Site: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

In recent years a step change has been seen in the rate of adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies by manufacturers and industrial organizations alike. This paper discusses the current state of the art in the adoption of industry 4.0 technologies within the construction industry. Increasing complexity in onsite construction projects coupled with the need for higher productivity is leading to increased interest in the potential use of industry 4.0 technologies. This paper discusses the relevance of the following key industry 4.0 technologies to construction: data analytics and artificial intelligence; robotics and automation; buildings information management; sensors and wearables; digital twin and industrial connectivity. Industrial connectivity is a key aspect as it ensures that all Industry 4.0 technologies are interconnected allowing the full benefits to be realized. This paper also presents a research agenda for the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies within the construction sector; a three-phase use of intelligent assets from the point of manufacture up to after build and a four staged R&D process for the implementation of smart wearables in a digital enhanced construction site.

Distributed Manufacturing: A New Digital Framework for Sustainable Modular Construction

“…This paper puts forward a framework for sustainable modular construction utilizing a distributed manufacturing approach. The framework is a result of a state-of-the-art in-depth review of modular and sustainable construction literature along with an extension to the three-phase use of intelligent assets in construction from the work in [50] to recognize the end of life use of materials and disassembly of the building. The new four-phase model is an integral part of the framework and provides a digital thread connecting design all the way through to building asset end of life and reuse.…”

“…The main steps of the methodological approach employed are shown in Figure 1 above. Continuing from the literature review stage, consideration will be given to the existing three-stage model of intelligent asset use in construction [50] and discussion offered on the use of sensor technology to provide assets end of life and recycling guidance to workers involved in buildings demolition/disassembly (detailed in Section 4). The adaptation stage demonstrates how the intelligent assets for the construction model will be adapted to enable sustainable construction, and the model will be integrated into a distributed manufacturing approach (Section 5).…”

“…The collection of data at three stages of manufacturing, on-site assembly/construction, and occupation (building in use) can be seen below in Figure 2. The model in Figure 2 demonstrates the possibilities to utilize a sensor pack consisting of onboard Edge computation and wireless connectivity with an onboard power supply [50] to provide sensing and data sharing between a modular building component and the production line manufacturing it; communication between the modular building component and onsite machinery and workers involved in assembling it into a completed building; and environment sensing within a building when in use to help in the adjust- The model in Figure 2 demonstrates the possibilities to utilize a sensor pack consisting of onboard Edge computation and wireless connectivity with an onboard power supply [50] to provide sensing and data sharing between a modular building component and the production line manufacturing it; communication between the modular building component and onsite machinery and workers involved in assembling it into a completed building; and environment sensing within a building when in use to help in the adjustment of, for example, heating and ventilation levels and the performance of the module (with such data possibly being sent back to the manufacturer for assessment and learning in the development of new products). The sensor pack would be able to provide this three-phase use sensing and intelligent data processing in situ within the modular building component [50].…”

“…Figure 2.A three-phase model of intelligent assets use in construction (taken from the work in[50]). …”

Swarm Robotics: A Perspective on the Latest Reviewed Concepts and Applications

“…Some of the economic interest in swarm robotics comes from the usage of these techniques in strategic areas such as farming and Industry 4.0 [ 142 , 143 , 144 ]. In the context of Industry 4.0, Limeira et al [ 145 ] developed a microrobot platform for experimentation in Industry 4.0.…”