More Like this

1. System Architecture for supporting BIM to Robotic Construction Integration

   McClymonds, A.; Leicht, R.; Asadi, S. (May 2021, Proceedings Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)

   The adoption of robotics into the construction industry has been progressing slower than in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. Current shortfalls in skilled labor, productivity trends, and ongoing safety challenges point to the need for a drastic shift toward adopting robotics. Addressing these shortfalls would be a necessary component of the shift toward industrializing the construction industry. Despite this lag in technology adoption, the interest and development of robotic technology targeting the construction industry has grown in recent years and is ranging from the use of drones for tracking to advances in offsite fabrication. However, the integration into fundamental site construction necessitates reconsidering the information technology infrastructure needed to support detailed task execution information needs in the change from craft labor to robotic operations. This research presents the identification and mapping of the Information Technology (IT) system architecture required to support building information modeling (BIM) to robotic construction. Combining elements of BIM architecture and information exchanges with the needed construction task decomposition is required. These elements are mapped to the robotic system elements vital for mobile robotic operations. In addition to defining the functions and integration required to support the BIM to robotic Construction Workflow, shortcomings in existing infrastructure, notably regarding the ability to decompose construction fabrication and assembly means and methods, are defined. 

   more » « less
2. System Architecture for Supporting BIM to Robotic Construction Integration

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0968-9_18  

   McClymonds, Austin; Leicht, Robert; Asadi, Somayeh (April 2022, Proceedings Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)

   The adoption of robotics into the construction industry has been much slower than in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Current shortfalls in skilled labor, productivity trends, and ongoing safety challenges point to the need for a drastic shift toward the adoption of robotics as a component of a shift toward industrialized construction. Despite this lag, the interest and development of robotic technology targeting construction has grown in recent years, ranging from the use of drones for tracking to use in offsite fabrication. However, the integration into fundamental site construction requires reconsideration of the information technology infrastructure needed to support detailed task execution information needs in the transition from craft labor to robotic operations. This research presents the identification and mapping of the IT System Architecture required to support BIM to Robotic Construction. Combining elements of the Building Information Modeling architecture and information exchanges with the needed construction task decomposition is required. These elements are mapped to the robotic system elements required for mobile robotic operations. In addition to defining the functions and integration required to support the BIM to Robotic Construction Workflow, shortcomings in existing infrastructure, notably regarding the ability to decompose construction fabrication and assembly means and methods are defined. 

   more » « less
3. Development of a parametric modeling method for masonry wall systems to support robotic construction

   McClymonds, A. (June 2023, ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering)

   Turkan, Y. and (Ed.)

   The construction industry has undergone a technological shift. Technology advancements have made robots a topic of discussion in construction. One challenge to overcome is how the robot receives information from designed BIM models. This study describes the methods employed for parametric modeling and generating model content of wall systems in Autodesk Revit added with a Dynamo script. Coordinates are determined for components based on model geometry and dimensions. Once generated, components are placed with the required material based on wall parameters. This research develops a method to add components based on wall materials from a traditionally modeled BIM extracting information such as location, object identifier (ID), type, and orientation which is formatted to transfer to the robot based on the needs of the robotic system as a list of tasks in a comma-separated values (.CSV) file. This study details the development process and early implementation of the Dynamo script. 

   more » « less
4. Exploring the challenges of implementing parametric modeling to support robotic construction

   McClymonds, A. (May 2023, Annual meeting Canadian Society of Civil Engineers)

   Desjardin, S. and (Ed.)

   Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a critical data source for constructing new structures depicting the inner workings of the systems and components in detail. However, current modeling practices are based on traditional construction methods, resulting in insufficient details within the BIM model to support robotic construction for many building systems. The model’s level of development (LOD) needs to be increased to facilitate the changes in data requirements. One method that allows for increased LOD is computational modeling; however, many factors can influence the process. Therefore, this study investigates challenges for implementation to increase the LOD for building to enable robotic construction. Dynamo is used as the computational modeling software in conjunction with Autodesk Revit to accomplish this. A process was created to place various components, such as concrete masonry units (CMUs), in their final design location and extract information utilizing these platforms for masonry construction. However, challenges were met during this process, including material naming conventions, tolerance/specification inputs, wall openings/lintels, and component/material libraries. The challenges presented during the implementation of the Dynamo mirror what the literature shows for supporting technological infrastructure BIM and mobile robot construction. To accomplish this research, an extensive literature review was completed, along with documentation of challenges during the development and implementation of the script. 

   more » « less
5. Examining the Current Applications and Future Trends in Human–Robot Collaboration in the Construction Industry

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-97697-1_33  

   Abraham, Yewande S; Kamaraj, Visveish_Babu Gajendiran; Akanmu, Abiola A; Nnaji, Chukwuma (January 2025, Springer Nature Switzerland)

   In recent years, the construction industry has been undergoing a remarkable transformation with the integration of cutting-edge technologies. One of the important trends in this domain is the emergence of human–robot collaboration (HRC), which has the potential to redefine the traditional standards of construction project execution. Construction automation using emerging technologies such as robots, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) has improved the efficiency of construction processes. Strenuous and repetitive construction activities can be carried out by robots thereby improving productivity, enhancing safety and quality, and addressing workforce shortages. Through a literature review, this study discusses the applications, benefits, and challenges of HRC in the construction industry. Key application areas include material handling and transportation, demolition and deconstruction, prefabrication, quality control, site surveying, and site monitoring. The main challenges encountered in HRC include technological barriers, integration with existing workflows, workforce considerations, and cost. Emerging technologies such as advanced robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), wearable devices, and Internet of Things (IoT) integration will reform the construction industry. These technologies enable robots to possess higher levels of autonomy, interact more seamlessly with humans, and collaborate more effectively. As construction processes evolve, understanding the intricacies of HRC applications and their trajectory within the industry becomes critical for stakeholders aiming to enhance productivity, safety, and overall project outcomes. 

   more » « less