New Technologies In Construction

In the modern construction industry, there are already more than a dozen technologies that are most in-demand with specialists. IT technologies and innovative materials are increasingly integrated into the construction industry every year and allow bringing to life the most daring ideas of the future.

In addition, the very speed of technology development is leading to the large-scale digitalization of the construction industry. And the question of using IT technologies is already a question of competitiveness. Construction innovation transforms the whole industry, increases profits, and helps win project tenders. In addition, due to the development of the IT industry, many gambling enthusiasts can play various gambling games, such as online pokies and table games in both land-based and online establishments.

Features of the Construction Industry

The construction industry is often criticized for being too conservative, standardized, and bureaucratic in its workflow. However, it is not easy to implement the latest technologies in construction since the main requirements for facilities are their safety and stability. That is, each technological solution must have a regulatory framework, standardization, and self-sufficiency. The final cost for its development must be adequate since the effectiveness in reducing budgets is extremely significant. Any technology requires appropriate design and a whole range of work of the project team, quality control, as well as staff training. 

Therefore, industry specialists are trying to integrate fresh and modern solutions into the already established construction industry. Artificial Intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and 3D modeling are some of the development directions. 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the “behavior” of a machine, a kind of technology that imitates human cognitive functions: solving problems, recognizing images, and learning. There is also a special area of ​​AI – machine learning – that is based on the collection of statistical data and analyzing the info obtained. 

New building technologies will not be complete without machine learning and AI. In fact, it is an invisible helper that analyzes terabytes of data, finding problems and suggesting solutions. Programs using the AI ​​engine are used to perform predictive analysis, project planning, and design, as well as process automation,

Predictive Analytics

• Predicting security threats based on past data;
• Recognition of important attributes and elements at the construction site;
• Control of the territory, the number of people at the facility, compliance with PPE.

Project Planning and Design

• The collected and modeled data will help to avoid budget overruns;
• Monitoring and mitigating risks, setting priorities.

Robotic Mechanisms, Process Automation

• Performing routine, simple, but time-consuming operations at a construction site;
• Replacing human workers;
• Optimization of work at stages where high productivity is required.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Among new technologies in architecture and construction, virtual reality (VR) is especially worth our attention. It creates a “real” world in a digital environment using photography, rendering, and 360-degree video. The capabilities of the technology provide navigation in a realistic digital environment, where you can also interact with objects in real-time. 

VR gives even more integrity and globality to a virtual object, where digital information “comes to life” with physical information. Virtual reality is much larger, which strengthens the created multidimensional models. This is a special first-person experience that adds more professional solutions, expert judgment, and transforms the way infrastructure is built.

With this technology, it is possible to perform the following:

• Test viable new designs;
• Track progress;
• Identify problems in the early stages of construction;
• Explore complex structures.

Robotics and Exoskeletons

Despite the obvious use of the maximum replacement of human labor in such an area as construction, manual labor still prevails and sometimes is the only option for productivity. Unfortunately, the construction site is too mobile and a rapidly changing environment, where robots have no place without fantastic AI. After all, they operate according to a given algorithm. But gradually construction is introducing smart solutions, the use of drones in particular. And this technology has much more to do with real estate and commercial purposes than just aerial photography of objects.

Drones are useful as:

1. Security control: monitoring sites with cameras and identifying dangerous areas. There is no need to personally check the construction site;
2. Drones can supply materials to the object, thus, reducing the number of vehicles;
3. Mason drones boost the speed and quality of routine work;
4. Drones for the demolition of building elements at the end of the project reduce costs and are undoubtedly a cheaper and safer solution;
5. Security drones can be quite helpful to avoid cases of theft in construction.

Robotic exoskeletons will speed up work and productivity on the construction site since the power of a person in such a “suit” increases many times making the work much safer.

3D Modeling

This technology has long been in the service of the construction industry, but only in recent years, it has gained real scale in widespread use. This is stimulated by the increased demand for such solutions in construction: high productivity and ease of creating designs of various complexity. Obtaining finished building blocks (walls, slabs) or other components right at the construction site reduces not only the production cost but also the costs of logistics and personnel. Thanks to extrusion technology in 3D modeling, it became possible to create elements from different materials – concrete, geopolymer, cement, gypsum, and clay.

There are some other significant technology advantages:

• Speed;
• Accuracy (minimum errors);
• Variety in design;
• High performance;
• Saving additional costs for transportation and personnel;
• Environmental friendliness.

Conclusion

The speed of building new constructions is a merit of developed technologies and the latest materials. The market has long known such know-how in construction as 3D panels, fixed formwork, movable modular formwork, frame construction. These technologies are already widely used in modern construction. Besides that, in the last decade, new energy-saving technologies are being actively integrated into the construction industry.

High-tech materials are already in use; they are capable of storing heat and performing self-healing. Moreover, there are special materials that make homes able to purify city air from smog. Modern building materials are getting amazing alternatives using new technologies, and every year, there are a huge number of startups producing advanced building materials that solve various problems in construction. So let’s see how it all will develop and what’s new to come.