Innovative construction technology leads to major advances in the types of buildings people can construct.
For instance, the development of caissons and cofferdams opened the
door for excellent underwater structures. On the other hand, advancements in
tower crane technology opened up the possibility for tall skyscrapers.
The construction industry always releases innovations that can help
improve the buildings they construct.
Here are some of the latest technologies in construction works.
Augmented Reality and Virtualization
Augmented virtualization and augmented reality offer a live view of the
old environment and then add something new to it.
Seattle’s BNBuilders were the first people to use AR to show customers
any changes that will happen in the existing environment before and after
construction.
They used mobile devices and Apply iPads to share these photos on
construction sites.
Augmented virtualization and augmented reality improve the accuracy of
construction site plans. It helps save money and time. Furthermore, it also
improves project management.
Because of this, these technologies help provide a more impressive
outcome than expected. It now takes less money or time to construct major
buildings.
Augmented reality also shows products before they’re created, such as a
toy prototype. This allows people
to see what the product would look like in real life.
Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools
Nowadays, the biggest struggle for construction companies is
paper-based reporting. The latest platforms for reporting are mobile, digital,
and they streamline the process.
This means that all the required information arrives at the right place
every time.
Cloud-based tools can integrate a huge variety of processes. This
includes enterprise deployment, planning and rollout, and data capture. Since
it is digital, there isn’t any limit to the communication channels you can
integrate.
Though cloud computing has made progress in construction slower compared
to other technologies, this innovation allows for other technologies to emerge
in the construction industry.
This includes big data analytics, augmented reality, virtual reality,
the Internet of Things, information modeling, and much more.
Innovative and Green Materials
For those who don’t know, repurposing recyclables for construction
started as early as the ‘60s. Today, eco-friendly construction is a lucrative
and desirable investment for construction companies.
Nowadays, there are tons of materials that construction firms can
repurpose. These materials have begun as mixtures with traditional materials.
Concrete or asphalt mixtures can even obtain better efficiency if you
combine them with reusables. Wind and solar are also making their way into the
construction industry.
3D Printing
3D printing in the construction industry has the possibility to change
the sourcing for materials. For prefabrication, construction firms can print
the materials for a project and then transport them to the job site, ready for
use right away.
This can enable construction teams to get materials faster and
streamline the process by getting rid of additional steps in the middle.
3d printing also allows the construction team to print materials right
on site. This lowers waste and further saves on storage and transportation
expenses.
Unfortunately, one of the current issues with adopting this technology
is that it is pretty limited when it comes to mass production.
While a couple of 3d printers can produce on a bigger scale, they
require a lot of investment first.
For your 3d printing DIY venture, there are a lot of
videos online that can help you.
Drones and Robotics
For those who don’t know, the construction industry is one of the least
automated industries. Its main source of productivity is manual-intensive
labor. Because of this, robots are slowly playing a huge part in the process.
One of the biggest challenges for this is that robots need a controlled
environment. They also require tasks that are non-variable and repetitive.
However, since we’re now seeing construction sites becoming more and
more advanced, people can now program robots so that construction firms can use
them in large-scale projects.
For instance, they can use drones to deliver materials to the site.
This lowers the number of vehicles needed on site.
Another example is that construction firms can use drones for site
safety. They can monitor sites and use the cameras attached to the drone to
identify any hazardous areas.
The Internet of Things
The IoT (Internet of Things) is an already vital piece of construction
technology. It is greatly transforming its way of working.
For those who don’t know, IoT is made up of sensors and smart devices
that all share information with each other. A construction manager can control
it from a central platform.
The uses of the IoT can be huge since it means that a safer, more
efficient, and smarter way of working is now possible.
For instance, you can incorporate IoT on a cement mixer. Whenever that
mixer runs low on cement, the sensor will detect it. Then, it will order itself
more cement. This improves productivity and efficiency.
Machine Learning and AI
AI (artificial intelligence) is intelligence shown by a machine to copy
the behavior of a human being. ML (machine learning) is a field of AI where a
computer can learn from data given without being programmed explicitly.
Today, a couple of construction firms use AI and ML to program machines
and robots to automatically design and calculate house building.
These technologies continue to help advance construction technology.
Today, the industry is able to benefit from improved efficiencies.
When you’re using a computer on a construction site, make sure you bring hand
sanitizers and sanitize your hands after you use them.
Conclusion
Technology is rapidly moving in the construction industry. Nowadays,
innovations in construction influence all aspects of the industry. This
includes safety for workers and planning of the project.
With the right technology and the correct tools, the construction industry will be ready to leap forward for the next advancements.