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Technology Innovation in Construction
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Technology Innovation in Construction

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2021) | Viewed by 19562

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Changbum R. Ahn

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Construction Science, College of Architecture, 330B Francis Hall, 3137 TAMU, College Station, TX, USA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chansik Park

E-Mail Website
Chief Guest Editor
Construction Technology Innovation lab (ConTIL), Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Sustainability has organized a Special Issue entitled “Technological Innovation in Construction”. Sustainability is an interdisciplinary and transdisplinary peer-reviewed, open-access journal in the area of environmental research and public health. More information about the journal can be found on https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability.

As we approach 2020, it should not be a surprise to anyone that digital technology and software adoption are happening in almost every sector of multiple industries. Industries are looking forward to adaption of innovative technologies, i.e., industry 4.0 technologies, for staying ahead and enhancing productivity, and construction is no exception. In these circumstances, technology development and adoption have attracted worldwide attentions from both developed and developing countries. Many construction firms are taking steps to digitize for improving communication and connectivity of different parts of their businesses. Construction projects are complex in nature, but technology can help simplify the complex processes. Technology provides exciting opportunities to significantly improve the construction industry. In the last copuple of decades, various efforts have been made towards technology development in the construction industry. Many concepts have been proposed, such as Digital Twin and broad BIM applications, computer vision-based quality and safety management systems, generative design algorithms, prefabrication and modular offsite construction, big data analytics, radio frequency identification (RFID), cloud computing, internet of things (IoT), block chain-based system to name a few. Many studies have been conducted in these listed areas of technology development, however, there is still an emerging trend in the knowledge expansion.

The intention of this special issue is to offers a platform to explore state-of-the-art knowledge, cutting-edge innovations, and practical implementation in the area of technology development in construction industry. Contributions that have significant impact on solving construction problems are particularly encouraged. All types of scientific contributions including technical and critical review papers are eligible for publication, if they fit within the wider scope of this special issue and are relevant for a world-wide audience.

Dr. Changbum R. Ahn
Prof. Dr. Park chansik
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainable construction methods and technologies
  • Creative construction technologies
  • Innovative concepts adopted for smart construction sites
  • Digital twins in construction industry
  • Creative methods for Health, safety and well-being in construction
  • Sensors and sensor based systems in construction
  • Computer Vision applications in construction
  • Visualization technologies, AR/VR Applications in construction
  • Rule and Code based Modeling
  • Artificial Intelligence in scheduling
  • Real-time damage detection
  • BIM and Rapid Prototyping for Construction
  • Simulation-based methods for virtual construction
  • New tools and algorithms for resource and cost planning
  • Integration of different smart technologies
  • Maintenance and repair/strengthening techniques

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2366 KiB  
Article
BIM and Mechanical Engineering—A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis
by Luka Adanič, Sara Guerra de Oliveira and Andrej Tibaut
Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4108; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084108 - 7 Apr 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3473
Abstract
Mechanical Engineering (ME) includes the design, manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance of mechanical subsystems for Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Owner-Operator (AECO) projects. The intense adoption of information and communication technology in the AECO started with building product modelling, which was originally pioneered in the [...] Read more.
Mechanical Engineering (ME) includes the design, manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance of mechanical subsystems for Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Owner-Operator (AECO) projects. The intense adoption of information and communication technology in the AECO started with building product modelling, which was originally pioneered in the ME domain (i.e., automotive industry). The complexity and limited openness of product models paved the way for Building Information Modelling (BIM). Today, BIM workflows require an exchange of interoperable architecture, structure, and MEP/HVAC models and their seamless integration into a shared BIM model. Many specialized ME systems exist (i.e., medical gases and vacuum) for which BIM is not mature enough and where the role of BIM has not yet been studied. Therefore, a comprehensive cross-disciplinary analysis on the mutual influence of the BIM and the ME domain is needed for researchers and professionals. It identifies research fields and trends at the intersection of BIM and ME and analyzes their scope, limitations, and requirements for future extensions of BIM for better integration with ME. The analysis is based on an extensive literature search considering the interdisciplinary nature of ME. The initial collection of papers has undergone a rigorous bibliometric analysis that used a text mining approach for validation. Results show the field “Industry 4.0” as the most prosperous BIM influencing research field, followed by “Energy optimisation” and “Environmental Product Declaration”, while identifying “Geometric optimisation” and “Reinforced material” as the trendiest. Finally, conclusions on the impact of BIM on ME were drawn and 11 research opportunities were identified. This paper provides directions for studies where research is focused on the integration of ME systems in BIM workflows and on the extension of BIM capability to model future ME systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Innovation in Construction)
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24 pages, 12567 KiB  
Article
Multi-Domain and Multi-Material Topology Optimization in Design and Strengthening of Innovative Sustainable Structures
by Katarzyna Tajs-Zielińska and Bogdan Bochenek
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3435; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063435 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2798
Abstract
Expectations and challenges of modern sustainable engineering and architecture stimulate intensive development of structural analysis and design techniques. Designing durable, light and eco-friendly constructions starts at the conceptual stage, where new efficient design and optimization tools need to be implemented. Innovative methods, like [...] Read more.
Expectations and challenges of modern sustainable engineering and architecture stimulate intensive development of structural analysis and design techniques. Designing durable, light and eco-friendly constructions starts at the conceptual stage, where new efficient design and optimization tools need to be implemented. Innovative methods, like topology optimization, become more often a daily practice of engineers and architects in the process of solving more and more demanding up-to-date engineering problems efficiently. Topology optimization is a dynamically developing research area with numerous applications to many research and engineering fields, ranging from the mechanical industry, through civil engineering to architecture. The motivation behind the present study is to make an attempt to broaden the area of topology optimization applications by presenting an original approach regarding the implementation of the multi-domain and multi-material topology optimization to the design and the strengthening/retrofitting of structures. Moreover, the implementation of the design-dependent self-weight loading into the design model is taken into account as a significantly important issue, since it influences the final results of the topology optimization process, especially when considering massive engineering structures. As an optimization tool, the original efficient heuristic algorithm based on Cellular Automata concept is utilized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Innovation in Construction)
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19 pages, 36248 KiB  
Article
An Adaptable Conceptual Model for Construction Technology Transfer: The BRI in Africa, the Case of Ethiopia
by Zahra Abdulhadi Shukra, Ying Zhou and Lingling Wang
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3376; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063376 - 18 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5167
Abstract
Unlike other developmental relationships, BRI is the most promising icon in transforming the construction industry and built environment in Africa; the infrastructure developments like highways, bridges, skyscrapers, and aviation take in advanced construction technologies, methods, and skills. However, the technological capability of Chinese [...] Read more.
Unlike other developmental relationships, BRI is the most promising icon in transforming the construction industry and built environment in Africa; the infrastructure developments like highways, bridges, skyscrapers, and aviation take in advanced construction technologies, methods, and skills. However, the technological capability of Chinese construction firms is not transferred in the highest capacity to the host countries. Nevertheless, the main focus is on delivering modern railways, highways, and skyscrapers. Thus, this research aimed to propose an adaptable technology transfer model by identifying the theoretical concepts in the body of knowledge, exploring the prior technology transfer models and the best experiences. The findings indicated that the BRI inclusive countries in Africa benefit from infrastructure development with an investment amount of more than US$33 billion with potential technology spillovers, but in an unplanned, and not best suited to their conditions because of the lack of a single-country-based technology, transfer model ahead of project implementation. Using a systems thinking approach and a causal loop diagram tool, the authors created a conceptual model to guide the Africa’s construction technology transfer through BRI. The research also examined case study projects in Ethiopia to assert the new model’s practicability over the existing processes. Moreover, the university–industry linkage structures, can facilitate the process through R&D and innovation in the whole project life cycle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Innovation in Construction)
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23 pages, 11923 KiB  
Article
Remote Indoor Construction Progress Monitoring Using Extended Reality
by Ahmed Khairadeen Ali, One Jae Lee, Doyeop Lee and Chansik Park
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2290; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042290 - 20 Feb 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4458
Abstract
Construction Progress monitoring noticed recent expansions by adopting vision and laser technologies. However, inspectors need to personally visit the job-site or wait for a time gap to process data captured from the construction site to use for inspection. Recent inspection methods lacks automation [...] Read more.
Construction Progress monitoring noticed recent expansions by adopting vision and laser technologies. However, inspectors need to personally visit the job-site or wait for a time gap to process data captured from the construction site to use for inspection. Recent inspection methods lacks automation and real-time data exchange, therefore, it needs inspection manpower for each job-site, the health risk of physical interaction between workers and inspector, loss of energy, data loss, and time consumption. To address this issue, a near real-time construction work inspection system called iVR is proposed; this system integrates 3D scanning, extended reality, and visual programming to visualize interactive onsite inspection for indoor activities and provide numeric data. The iVR comprises five modules: iVR-location finder (finding laser scanner located in the construction site) iVR-scan (capture point cloud data of job-site indoor activity), iVR-prepare (processes and convert 3D scan data into a 3D model), iVR-inspect (conduct immersive visual reality inspection in construction office), and iVR-feedback (visualize inspection feedback from job-site using augmented reality). An experimental lab test is conducted to verify the applicability of iVR process; it successfully exchanges required information between construction job-site and office in a specific time. This system is expected to assist Engineers and workers in quality assessment, progress assessments, and decision-making which can realize a productive and practical communication platform, unlike conventional monitoring or data capturing, processing, and storage methods, which involve storage, compatibility and time-consumption issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Innovation in Construction)
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15 pages, 11121 KiB  
Article
Development of Sustainable Production Technology of Free-Form Concrete Panels Using a Multi-Point Press CNC Machine
by Sunkuk Kim, Seunghyun Son and Donghoon Lee
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1990; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041990 - 12 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2628
Abstract
Maintaining shape accuracy in the production of concrete panels of free-form buildings is time-consuming and costly. In addition, disposable molds used for free-form panels are not sustainable. Such problems can be solved by developing a suitable computerized numeric control (CNC) machine that can [...] Read more.
Maintaining shape accuracy in the production of concrete panels of free-form buildings is time-consuming and costly. In addition, disposable molds used for free-form panels are not sustainable. Such problems can be solved by developing a suitable computerized numeric control (CNC) machine that can produce an accurately shaped reusable form for free-form concrete materials in a short period of time. This project develops a production technology of quality free-form concrete panels using a CNC machine and verifies the shape quality through an experiment. We designed a multi-point press CNC machine and verified its quality. The CNC machine implements a smooth free-form shape by changing the shape of the silicon plate by movement of the rods. The silicone plate for the CNC machine generates a slight error due to the elastic cover and mechanical clearance. The mean error rate was within 3%, based on the thickness of the panels, at the 95% confidence level. Verification of these errors will provide meaningful information to a similar type of machine development. In addition, the project results will be helpful in technological development for the production of free-form concrete panels of uniform quality, whose shape accuracy is not influenced by the skills and competence of the workers producing the panels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology Innovation in Construction)
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