< PreviousWritten by Robert HoshowskyIf ever there was an industry poised for automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, it is construction. Despite being one of the biggest sectors of the world’s economy, and expected to grow to US$24,334.9 billion by 2021, the construction industry continues to be impacted by a des-perate shortage of skilled workers, low pro-ductivity, and the wastage of costly materials.While manufacturing and agriculture are embracing robotics, automation, and AI to produce product and accomplish their work with greater efficiency and enhanced safety, construction lags behind in these technolo-gies. The industry itself is not entirely at fault.For decades, many high school students about to graduate were discouraged from entering the ‘3Ds’ – trades viewed as ‘dirty, dangerous and demeaning,’ such as welding, plumbing, carpentry, assembly, and similar. Increasingly they were steered toward white collar careers. And with schools across North America shuttering shop classes, an entire generation of young men and women were never exposed to hands-on acquaintance with metal work, welding, woodworking or fabrication, resulting in fewer future trades-people entering the job market.Moving toward automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics is becoming less of a choice than a necessity for North America’s construction industry.SEPTEMBER 201910From drones to robotsFortunately, technology already exists to help construction companies make up for the lack of workers, and improve effi-ciency and productivity. One example is the use of drones. Particularly effective on very large locations such as multi-acre housing developments, shopping malls and stadium builds, they’re being used by construction firms to conduct surveys, with global positioning systems (GPS) and cameras mapping the landscape with far greater speed and accuracy than the human eye ever could.Working in real time, drones are also valuable for security and round-the-clock monitoring. They can track deliveries, sniff out potential hazards to workers, and inspect rooftops, eliminating the climbing of ladders and workers putting their lives at risk.And as drones become more powerful – like the eight-propel-ler Griff 300, which can lift a staggering 500 pounds (226 kg) and stay aloft for 45 minutes – their ability to transport heavy loads of materials will increase.A challenge that’s always plagued the construction industry is the tiring and demotivating effect of repetitious activity. While craftsmanship is much respected, tasks such as bricklaying need real physical effort lifting bricks, working mortar, placing with precision, and repeating again and again. To overcome the shortage of qualified bricklayers and speed up construction, New York area company Construction Robotics has come up with several unique products. These include the aptly-named MULE, short for Material Unit Lift Enhancer – designed to hoist up to 135 pounds (61 kg) of construction site materials – and the SAM100.The world’s first commercially available bricklaying robot, the SAM (which stands for Semi-Automated Mason) is impres-sively efficient. SAM100 travels back and forth, its robotic arm scooping up a brick, applying the precise amount of mortar and placing it, while a separate mechanism moves the next brick forward to be scooped up.SAM100 has already seen action in the building of structures such as Shenandoah University’s Athletics and Events Center, the Ford Driving Dynamics Lab, and Washington D.C.’s The Lab School. For construction companies, the advantages of SAM100 are many. With the entire process taking just seconds per brick laid, it reduces the cost of human labor by at least 50 percent. Designed to work in collaboration with human masons, it increases productivity by three to five times, while reducing lifting by 80 percent or more. Ergonomically designed, the SAM100 also lowers the risk of accidents to workers and con-tinuously gathers data, which can assist in further quoting.Although not cheap at around half a million dollars U.S., the SAM100 doesn’t require on-the-job training and years of expe-rience, and can lay almost 3,000 bricks per day, compared to the human average of 500.“A challenge that’s always plagued the construction industry is the tiring and demotivating effect of repetitious activity.”11CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Autonomous vehiclesFor years we have been told about the inevitability of autono-mous cars, yet despite the enactment of self-driving vehicle leg-islation in 29 states, they aren’t quite here yet. But self-driving trucks, from manufacturers like Caterpillar, have been in use on large mine sites for years. Now companies like Build Robotics are on board to help get the construction sector moving with self-driving equipment.Founded in 2016 in San Francisco, the company’s aim is straight-forward: “We build robots to make construction safer, faster, and more productive.” With its largest excavator coming in at a hefty 82,048 pounds (37,216 kg), Build Robotics is poised to play a key role in earth moving, a trillion-dollar industry at the foun-dation of almost every construction project worldwide.Building robotic upgrade kits for use on construction equip-ment, the company has combined software with off-the-shelf sensors to make excavators, skid steers, and dozers work autonomously. Already logging over 6,000 hours of autono-mous operation with a perfect safety record, systems are equipped with sensors to detect and avoid other vehicles, humans, and even animals. With what’s called ‘geofence limiting,’ movement is limited to specific areas. If a problem should unexpectedly arise, safety observers can halt operations any time via a wireless emergency-stop feature.For construction companies, particularly those working on large sites requiring earth moving and transportation of materials such as gravel or stone, the benefits of autonomous vehicles are many, from boosting efficiency to improving data collection. Using a combination of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, GPS, and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) that measure and report specific forces and orientation, con-struction machinery of the very near future will not only haul product but release workers from tasks like hole digging – potentially dangerous with its risk of sudden earth shifts.SEPTEMBER 201912Working smarter, not harderDrones, bricklaying robots, and self-driving trucks are just a few of the technologies the construction industry will adopt in the coming years. While there will always be a place for human-guided finishing work and an educated human eye for detail, the sectors of the building industry that embrace artificial intelligence and robotics soonest will undoubtedly be where the greatest human physical effort is expended, such as concrete work.As anyone who has ever mixed concrete by hand knows, it is back-breaking. Even smaller electric- or gas-powered mixers require attention, expertise, and strength, with a single bag of Portland cement weighing 94 pounds (42 kg). Through auto-mation, companies will not only be able to program machinery to pour and level large amounts of concrete, but accurately cal-culate quantities with much less waste.Globally, the construction sector is in a unique position. According to industry experts, such as the Associated General Contractors of America with its 26,000 member firms, about 70 percent of America’s contractors are having a tough time “As the future delivers more high-tech products… these tools won’t be an option but a necessity for an industry facing a dearth of skilled tradespeople.”finding skilled-craft workers. This comes while the industry is expanding, and predicted to grow 12 percent by 2026. That’s not far off, and not nearly enough time to recruit, educate, and apprentice tens of thousands of carpenters, welders, plumbers, bricklayers, and other skilled tradespeople.As the future delivers more high-tech products, like equip-ment that makes 3D printouts of entire structures, machines laying thousands of bricks a day, and drones capable of trans-porting materials faster and safer than humans driving trucks, these tools and similar developments won’t be an option but a necessity for an entire industry facing a dearth of skilled trades-people. The quicker the construction industry embraces these developments, the better. Designed by Gavin Billings13CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Written by Jesse Doehler-KnoxDrones are able to access areas that are difficult to reach: high, through narrow passages, across rivers, or under bridges. A flight can capture data faster and more safely than sending employees up ladders, on boats, or strapped into harnesses. Unlike other technologies, drones are not taking away jobs or displacing workers. On the contrary, they are increasing the length of employment for many veteran workers who have a well-trained eye for problem-solving and whose ability to survey part of a site is unparalleled, but whose body may not be able to handle going up and down ladders on a worksite all day. While working in an office, they can survey multiple sites and use their vast experience to give opinions on all of them without having to sacrifice their health and safety. Workers on site who need to scan of a roof or other high object can also do so quickly and safely. More companies are training these workers to operate and interpret drone information, whether from the base of a construction site or in an air-conditioned office miles away.When commercial drones first hit the market, many imagined the dawn of a futuristic city with hundreds of drones whizzing overhead as commercial vehicles delivering pizzas or as personal toys to record our lives or run errands. Few imagined construction workers leading the fore-front of their innovation, yet in 2019, one of the largest industries influencing drone hardware and software is construction. The earliest adopters of drone technology were construction firms and similar industries with heavy outdoor labour and mapping needs such as mining. We are using more machines to do more of the jobs that are dangerous for humans, as well as provide highly reliable data such as maps, measurements, and calculations. Whether a company currently uses them or not, drones will one day become as common as cranes and ladders.Think of a drone as a mobile sensor machine that can gather data at faster rates and of higher complexity than traditional survey-ors. A drone can be outfitted with a camera or thermal detector and can begin delivering real-time information within seconds. SEPTEMBER 201914The power of drones, however, is not in their data collection but in the processing of that data. Software companies are finding ways to turn that information into useful maps and reports, and businesses that can take advan-tage of that software will be the ones that dominate over the next five to ten years.By far, the most common use of drone technology is the creation of incredibly detailed maps of work sites. In minutes or hours, a manual-controlled or auto-piloted drone can fly by and create high-resolution, comprehensive two-dimensional and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) images. Drones perform inspections without disrupting workflow, and the data is used to create progress maps that can be sent to the cloud to be accessed by head office. Head office can watch the videos or scroll through a map to see what work has or has not been completed. Even disputes between contractors and subcontractors are easily settled with a quick pass from a drone, keeping conversations factual.An off-the-shelf amateur drone, such as the Phantom 4 by DJI, which retails for around USD 1,500, can provide a bird’s-eye view of a worksite and has zoom capabilities to see clear images as small as one to five centimetres. Companies have the power to analyze a structure from all sides and zoom in with great precision to detect cracks, rusting, or discoloration of an object from many angles. Thermal mapping is also amazingly easy with drones. Pop a thermal camera into a drone and have it create a temperature map to highlight cracks and heat leaks throughout any struc-ture. This data can easily be shared with clients and is incredibly useful for making pitches for installing storm windows or other long-term cost-saving measures.Once maps are completed, it is easy to tag and write on top of maps to keep a visual list of key points that need to be conveyed. Manipulating a 3D map of a site is a great way to express a vision to clients, especially for renovations and retro-fits. The maps that are produced will wow customers and can be a great morale boost to employees. Some firms have taken to doing a fly-by every week and sharing 2D bird’s-eye view images with employees. Workers can see progress and get a sense of the overall cohesion of a project.The same ability to create accurate 2D and 3D maps produces incredibly precise surface area and volumetric measurements. Using software, staff can click on a pile of sand or rubble and instantly get data about surface area and volume. Companies can use this data to make accurate decisions regarding deliver-ies of stockpiles to or from the worksite. Volumetric measurements also help with those doing ground-work. A drone’s report can detect uneven ground, concrete overpours, and even identify misplaced underground utilities. Many companies are using drones daily or weekly to make minute adjustments to production schedules that can save lots of money over the long term. What is more exciting is that the technology is going one step further and is reporting what has been finished without having to watch a video or scroll through a map. Hesam Hamledari, a Ph.D. student from Stanford University, is using image rec-ognition to train drones to identify the difference between a wall with studs, one with drywall, and one with drywall and installed outlets. This is incredibly useful for companies that use building infor-mation modelling (BIM) mapping. BIM mapping helps firms with planning and is basically a progress report that uses a computer-generated 3D map to show the construction steps to complete a project. Usually, BIM maps are updated manually, but Hamledari’s work will pave the way for drones providing information used to automatically update BIM maps, something that would be incredibly useful for large building SEPTEMBER 201916projects. Eventually, the technology will be able to account for just about anything, including trim or paint colour.Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have found a way to use two drones and Wi-Fi signals to ‘see-through’ walls. One drone sends Wi-Fi signals, while the other flies around and measures their intensity. High signal readings mean more air space, low signal readings mean an object or many objects are in the way. While this research is in its infancy, it is just a matter of time before these techniques can become common practice on the worksite.Drones are not only good at taking photos but are also capable of delivering light objects. Amazon has requested approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for delivery drones. For many years, universities and research and development departments have even been having drones complete light-weight assembly. Depending on the size of the drone, it should be able to deliver tools, nails, screws, or other lightweight objects to workers, especially those already halfway up a building or working on scaffolding.Companies that are committed to safety are using drones to take bird’s-eye video recordings of staff movements during times of heavy traffic such as at lunch or the end of the work-day. This monitors how machines and people are moving around the site, and the aerial view is then used to examine potential safety risks. Steps can be taken to reroute how staff walk around on a site or to reorganize the placement of material stockpiles or equipment. Software companies can compile data from drones, and the more data, the better the software becomes. In other words, the more companies that use drones and collect data, the more the overall industry will improve. The future will not be about keeping trade secrets within a particular company, but about sharing the knowledge with large software companies that will help to create a best practices model that will benefit both small and large companies.The drones of today, along with project management software, are laying the groundwork for a future workforce beyond imagination. In our lifetimes, buildings will become more automated, and to get there, the robots of tomorrow will need to be equipped with brains that can ‘see’ a site and work accordingly. Drones may be instructing other robots in assembly or demolition. It is no longer a surprise to see fully-automated car assembly, so why not a building? This will be simply a matter of scaling. “By far, the most common use of drone technology is the creation of incredibly detailed maps of work sites.” Designed by Gavin Billings17CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS SEPTEMBER 201918Written by Jen HockenFifteen years ago, Select Demo Services, LLC (“Select Demo”) began as a small demolition con-tracting company with just one guy in the office and a small crew in the field earning approximately $1.5 million in annual sales. In the infancy of Select Demo’s existence the company had a vision and they turned that vision into the now $130 million specialty contracting firm it is today with various service lines and divisions. Capable of complete deconstruction services, as well as structural and selective interior demolition, the compa-ny’s service lines now also include asbestos abatement, hazardous waste remediation, final cleaning, floor pol-ishing, industrial and commercial painting, sandblasting, fireproofing, spray insulation and disposal services. “Our customers benefit from working with us because we offer a wide variety of many skill sets that overlap. It is much more convenient for them to make one call rather than four or five to varying subcontractors. Select Demo is a true turnkey contracting company and our clients appreciate this. It makes their lives easier.” says Select Demo President Ryan Denver.One reason the company chose to expand its services was to ensure that it did not have to depend on others, since it was regularly dissatisfied with the level of work it received when outside support was required. The dumpster com-panies were not able to keep up with its demand, shot blasters were difficult to find, and when a high-reach excavator was needed for demolition, it would take away precious time that the schedule did not have to spare. Select Demo chose to eliminate this tedious process by establishing itself as the one point of contact for all related services – a true turnkey contracting company.in the19CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Next >