Smart construction refers to construction work that applies the latest smart technologies—such as drones, robots, IoT, and big data—to the jobsite: in other words, the technologies commonly associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Meissa’s drone data platform can also be counted among these ever-growing smart construction technologies. What kinds of technologies are being applied to construction sites these days? In this post, we’ll divide the construction process into ‘design,’ ‘construction,’ and ‘maintenance,’ and look at which technologies are being developed and applied at each stage.
The main smart construction technologies at the design stage are ‘surveying with drones’ and ‘BIM.’ First, drone-based surveying is far more efficient than the conventional method in which people survey the site by hand. For example, in SKT’s 2019 ‘ICT-based demonstration project,’ a task that would have taken five surveying experts 18 days was completed by three people in just four days by applying a technology that analyzes laser reflections captured from a drone.
On the design side, the conventional approach relied on 2D drawings. Because actual construction spaces are three-dimensional, design errors were often discovered only after work had already begun according to the plans. The problem is that enormous amounts of resources are consumed in the process of revising the design to correct those errors.
BIM (Building Information Modeling), however, makes it possible to review the building’s construction process in three dimensions (3D) and contains a wide range of information—such as the properties of building components, process sequences, and quantity take-offs—greatly enhancing understanding of the structure. This offers the advantage of correcting flawed parts of the design, minimizing construction errors, and identifying risk factors in advance so they can be addressed proactively.
The main smart technologies at the construction stage include ‘site monitoring using drones,’ ‘IoT-based on-site safety management,’ and ‘construction using 3D printing.’ First, using drones for site monitoring makes it possible to grasp a wide variety of site information accurately and quickly. This is precisely the core service that Meissa provides.
For example, site photos captured by drones are converted into information tailored to the construction site (elevation maps, orthophotos, drawing overlays, and more) and provided to supervisors. In addition, comparison sliders, timelines, and time-lapse views let you see changes on site at a glance. Reports generated from the analyzed data enable more efficient construction.
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IoT-based site management technology can dramatically improve workers’ working conditions. Future construction workers will be able to share real-time site information gathered by smart safety technologies—such as cameras, drones, CCTV, and location-specific sensors—to understand site conditions in real time and take swift safety measures even when emergencies arise.
Personally, I think 3D printing is a truly amazing technology! Put simply, the individual components of a structure are produced separately by 3D printers in a factory, then transported so that only assembly needs to be done on site. It has many advantages: high construction precision, minimal waste, a lower rate of safety accidents, and the ability to easily produce not only houses but even free-form (non-standard) architectural designs. As a result, it enables construction that is far faster and cheaper than classic methods. The bridge shown in the photo above is installed in Taopu Central Park in Shanghai and was built by Shanghai Construction Group using 3D printing technology.
Meanwhile, building maintenance is moving away from the traditional method of visual inspection by people and is increasingly carried out with the help of various AI-powered devices.
Suwon City’s ‘AI Road Detection System’ and DL E&C’s ‘AI apartment crack and defect inspection’ are representative examples. In Suwon, a road-analysis device equipped with AI and a positioning system is mounted on a vehicle, which drives along the roads and detects road hazards—such as potholes, cracks, and fallen objects—in real time. The detected hazards are relayed immediately to the responsible department along with photos and location data, enabling rapid repair and maintenance.
DL E&C likewise uses drones to photograph apartment building exteriors, then precisely analyzes the captured images with deep-learning technology to quickly identify cracks or areas in need of repair. Thanks to such advanced technology, drones and sensors can now easily inspect even dangerous places that are hard for people to reach, making it possible to create a safer and more comfortable living environment.
Beyond the technologies described above, a wide range of smart construction technologies are being actively developed, including worker safety training through VR (virtual reality) simulations and construction automation using robots. Meissa, too, will continue to advance its technology to meet the demands of ever-changing construction sites and diverse projects.
If you’re interested in adopting smart construction technology or collaborating with us, please feel free to contact Meissa at any time.
※ References
1. Lee Woon-ju, “Hanwha E&C: The Evolution of Safety Management Technology—From Drones and Mobile Apps to VR,” OhMyNews Construction, 2019
2. Jin Kyung-ho, Smart Construction Technology for Innovating Construction Productivity and Strengthening Safety, 2019
3. Song Hak-ju, “POSCO E&C Applies IoT-Based Real-Time Safety Monitoring on Site,” NewDaily Economy, 2020
4. Kim Min-joong, “China Builds a Five-Story Apartment in Just Six Days—The Era of 3D-Printed Construction,” JoongAng Ilbo, 2019
