PT183 Design Practices to Facilitate Construction Automation

About the Research Study

From 2001-03, the Construction Industry Institute (CII) funded a research study (PT-183) to investigate how a project design impacts the use of automation on a construction jobsite. The goal of the study was to improve the ability to prepare designs that facilitate the use of automated technologies in construction work. This was accomplished by determining how construction automation can be considered in the design, and by making this knowledge available to design professionals for implementation in practice. The intended focus was on all types of construction projects along with the wide variety of automated equipment currently available for use in the construction industry.

For the purposes of the study, the following definition of automation was used:

Automation is “the use of mechanical and electronic means to achieve automatic operation or control to reduce potential exposure, time, or effort while maintaining or improving quality.”

Two objectives were established for the research. The first objective was to develop and accumulate design practices that facilitate automation of the construction work. The design practices were to reflect the capabilities and limitations of current automated technologies and the application of current design practices. The second objective was to identify barriers and limitations to the use of automated technologies in the construction process as a result of design features, methods, and deliverables. Knowledge of the barriers and limitations provides additional guidance in both the planning and design processes. Investigation of the benefits of construction automation was included as well. An understanding of the associated benefits provides an incentive to the designer to address construction automation in the design phase.

Lastly, to facilitate the practical implementation of the research results in designs, the study also included the development of an implementation resource in the form of an Internet website that can be accessed by designers. By providing such an on-line tool, designers will be able to easily access and learn about barriers that prohibit the use of construction automation and search for design practices to incorporate into their designs and design processes.

To accomplish these objectives, five activities were established and undertaken for the research study. The following is a description of each of the activities:

1. Determine and gather information on the automated technologies that are available for use in construction

Information on automated technologies was collected through a review of academic and industry literature, and an on-line search of Internet websites. The search included all currently available technologies, plus those that were under research and development.

2. Survey constructors, designers, and fabricators regarding the use of automated technologies and the practice of addressing construction automation in the design

A questionnaire was developed and distributed to the top 500 contractors as ranked by Engineering News-Record (ENR) to determine the extent of use and related value of the technologies that were identified in the literature review. These companies were asked to provide input regarding industry perception, benefits, barriers, and suggested practices for implementing automated technologies.

In-depth interviews of 29 construction project managers, 7 equipment operators, 15 design professionals, and 5 fabricators were also conducted to gain an understanding of automation used in practice and the feasibility of designing for automation. Responses were solicited to several specific questions concerning industry perception, benefits, barriers, and practices related to implementing automated technologies. The survey included questions specifically written to determine the value resulting from implementation of automated technologies. Careful considerations were made to obtain a wide range of companies, based on annual revenue and type of work performed. Design firms were selected based on the type of designs produced and the number of employees was used to determine their relative size.

3. Survey other industries regarding their approach to designing for automation

Interviews of personnel in other industries were conducted to determine how automation is incorporated and considered in the design of other products. Industries selected for the study were: computer/high tech, shipbuilding, manufactured homes, automotive, and aerospace. These industries were considered to have the greatest potential to utilize automated technologies and incorporate a product design and manufacturing process that can be compared to that of the construction industry.

4. Develop and record design practices that facilitate construction automation, and expose barriers and limitations that limit the consideration of construction automation in the design

This activity involved reviewing and evaluating the information collected from the literature review, Internet search, mailed survey of automated technology use, interviews of construction industry personnel, and interviews of personnel in other industries. Additional insight and input was provided by the researchers and Project Team members based on their own education and extensive experience in the construction industry.

5. Develop a resource for the collection and dissemination of design for automation knowledge, and the practical implementation of the recommended design practices

A variety of means for providing the construction industry with access to and use of the study findings were considered by the Project Team. It was intended that the resource not only provide practical information to designers about how to design for automation, but help educate designers about the available technologies. The resource was to be widely accessible across the industry and easily updated if needed.