Impact Objectives • Increase construction worker safety using automated technologies • Develop autonomous erection systems that can be controlled remotely Improving construction worker safety Professors Shih-Chung Kang and Chia-Ming Chang and PhD candidates Yao-Yu Yang and Ci-Jyun Liang discuss their pioneering efforts to remove the need for human beings to work in high, potentially dangerous places structural engineering to construction, in particular automated construction methods. Could you introduce AutoCon in layman’s terms? Professor Shih-Chung Professor Chia-Ming Yao-Yu Yang Ci-Jyun Liang YY: AutoCon is an abbreviation for Kang Chang autonomous connector. This is a connector design that is customised for autonomous Could you begin by providing a brief Laboratories. My research interests include construction. Conventional automation overview of your respective research data visualisation, computer vision, for construction usually involves inventing interests and aims? smart monitoring device, and robotics in machines that complete work initiated by construction. humans. In contrast, AutoCon is a design, SK: I have a PhD from Stanford University, but also a concept, that tries to think about USA, and am now a Professor in the CL: I am currently a graduate student at the automation for construction. It begins Department of Civil Engineering in National the Robotics Institute in the University by redesigning the very basic element of the Taiwan University (NTU). My research of Michigan, USA. I am working with structure – the structural connector. focuses on advanced visual and robotics Professor Vineet Kamat in the Laboratory tools for engineering purposes, with a view to for Interactive Visualisation in Engineering Why did your team opt to employ a ‘bottom- eliminating the need for workers to be in high (LIVE). My research interests include up’ innovation approach with AutoCon? places by developing intelligent machines. autonomous construction site robotics, computer vision, machine learning, virtual CL: Our team wanted to use a design CC: I received a BSc and MSc in Civil reality and augmented reality. thinking approach to solve this problem. Engineering at NTU and a PhD in Civil We started by observing the current process and Environmental Engineering at the What motivated you to apply your and benchmarking existing techniques, University of Illinois, USA. I am currently engineering knowledge in the construction then brainstormed possible solutions. We an Assistant Professor in the Department sector specifically? collected every piece of information and of Civil Engineering at NTU. My research used them to construct AutoCon. interests include smart structures, structural SK: Building things is very difficult. Many control, structural health monitoring, people risk their lives on the construction Finally, how do you envision construction advanced structural testing, and engineering site. My dream is to move these heroes technologies and practices will change over applications of information technology. out from the site – or at least from the next few decades? dangerous high places. As an engineering YY: I am a PhD candidate at the Civil researcher, it is my honour to contribute SK: Construction technology will be heavily Engineering Department at NTU, following engineering knowledge to prevent these influenced by the rapid development of a three-year graduate programme that dangerous scenarios. mobile computing and cameras. The includes two years in NTU and one year in machines need to be smarter and more Bauhaus University Weimar in Germany. CC: My expertise includes structural agile. The site should become ‘context- I have worked as an intern at Microsoft engineering, sensing technology, hydraulic aware’ by integrating sensors. Current in Taiwan, two construction companies, actuator control, and real-time I/O systems. construction heavily relies on manpower. and two National Applied Research All these technologies provide a bridge from It has to change, and it will change. www.impact.pub 59 Integration of construction with automated technology The Independent Hoisting System: Structural Components, Lifting Mechanism, Crane Control project has been established with a view to remove the need to have workers in high places. By proposing an automated beam assembly method, the team hopes to reduce labour risks, expedite the construction process, and cut costs in the future Enabling autonomous technology in Yao-Yu Yang and Ci-Jyun Liang to facilitate to complete construction of a temporary construction offers expeditious and precise automation in construction. All four of bridge face hurdles as the uncertain working assembly and changes work conditions. Due them are passionate about applying their environment is always a very risky challenge to structural dimensions and complexity, the engineering knowledge to the construction which may physically harm the workers.’ construction process becomes more and more sector. ‘Worker safety and on-site challenging to project execution and workers. construction technology are the two main Thus, Kang, Chang and the rest of the The solution toward these construction reasons why I chose to do research related team set about developing an automated projects is an autonomous construction to automated construction. The worker beam assembly and disassembly system. process which integrates structural members fatality rate in the construction industry is Importantly, the proposed system with prefabricated connectors into a real- consistently the highest among all industries, included two major sections: the structural time unmanned hoisting system, allowing and this has been the case for decades,’ component and the automated process. a reduced construction period. For the explains Yang. ‘In my experience interning The structural component section uses workers involved in construction projects, with construction companies, I could see composite materials that are lightweight, autonomous construction results in a safer and feel the safety issue when I was browsing making them particularly suitable for work environment, which reduces their the construction progress on site. It is really transportation to remote regions where workload and enables them to perform important to apply automation technology disasters can occur. The segmental design more challenging projects. For companies, for on-site construction.’ of the system makes it especially easy to autonomous technologies enable them to assemble and disassemble. To automate the perform large-dimension, high-quality projects, One of the ways the team is working to process, the team focused on using a mobile which could lead to architectural innovations improve overall safety of construction sites crane that could execute the assembly and and enable companies to overcome some is by focusing on creating a framework of disassembly procedures and which, through of the construction challenges. automated beam assembly and disassembly the use of cameras and gyro-sensors, the system for temporary bridge structures. team could manipulate with sufficient Given the numerous, far-reaching benefits These structures are especially important accuracy. In order to verify the system of automation in the construction sector, in disaster relief operations, where damage that they developed, the team conducted it is hardly surprising that researchers from to existing structures necessitates the use several examinations, including finite around the world are working tirelessly to of temporary bridges. However, because element analysis (FEA), which validated the help realise the potential that automation time is often of the essence in disaster relief structural strength of the composite material affords. At National Taiwan University operations, it is vital that these temporary components and the connection between (NTU), one team of researchers is working structures can be built quickly and safely – two components. Ultimately, the results from towards this goal – specifically, their something that is not always guaranteed. the experiments suggested that the proposed overarching aim is to remove the need ‘Our innovative structural connector design system is feasible and is therefore applicable for workers to be in high places. Together enables the automated construction of in disaster relief situations that require a with their collaborators at the University of a temporary bridge. Without automated temporary bridge. Michigan, USA, the group is proposing an construction, in the case of disaster automated beam assembly method that relief, the authority cannot easily recruit AN AUTONOMOUS CONNECTOR presents several opportunities. enough construction workers to build up One of the team’s most notable a temporary bridge, especially when in a achievements is the development of IMPROVING CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY difficult environment and bad weather,’ AutoCon, an autonomous structural Professors Shih-Chung Kang and Chia-Ming explains Kang. ‘Even the construction component connector. It was primarily Chang work alongside PhD students workers that are successfully recruited designed to address problems associated 60 www.impact.pub Project Insights FUNDING Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan): grant number 105-2628-E-002-003-MY3 CONTACT Shih-Chung Kang Principal Investigator E: [email protected] with worker safety, as it enables workers of the human workforce from the equation, T: +886 233664346 W: http://sckang.caece.net to work remotely in a safe space, using