INGENIEUR
SAM . As an emerging technology , autonomous construction is also expected to offer a promising solution to replace the traditional method . Semi- Automated Masonry robots ( SAM ), demolition robots , drones , and autonomous construction vehicles are being actively piloted in the industry as autonomous construction . Adopting autonomous construction could create substantial advantages such as increasing work safety ( Gharbia et al . 2020 ; Jud et al . 2021 ; Melenbrink , Werfel , and Menges 2020 ), increasing work efficiency ( Gharbia et al . 2020 ; Yang et al . 2021 ), handling repetitive tasks ( Melenbrink et al . 2020 ), and enabling construction in areas not currently feasible ( Gharbia et al . 2020 ; Melenbrink et al . 2020 ). Despite these benefits , automated construction is perceived as having a low adoption rate mainly due to its high cost and technological challenges ( Gharbia et al . 2020 ). However , the construction industry depends heavily upon mechanical operations . Therefore , the adoption of fully autonomous construction systems would be best suited for the future construction environment .
AR & VR . Augmented Reality and Virtualisation ( AR & VR ) are technologies that can revolutionise the industry . Although it could be easy to combine these two technologies , there are some significant differences to consider . Zhou , Luo , and Yang ( 2017 ) describe augmented reality as the superimposition of digital information over the existing environment . On the other hand , the main purpose of virtual reality is to generate immersive environments where users can experience the real world ( Li et al ., 2018 ). AR & VR are not a new and are widely used in gaming . There are many stages in the construction sector waiting to be explored by these technologies . A prime example here is the integration of BIM and AR . AR-BIM allows users to visualise immersive views into reality , improve existing challenges and on-site integration and view the as-planned information onto the as-built environment ( Chai et al . 2019 ). Looking at the success of its use will bring excitement to the industry .
CLOUD . Cloud and Realtime Collaboration represent a significant departure from conventional construction approaches . Construction 4.0 will open up a new level of data management and integration by using cloud management . The old school way of storing data is through personal desktop , laptop , smartphone , or hard disk . Cloud and real-time collaboration aim to access data over a network connection instead of the traditional method and ease data accessibility . With the advent of technologies , the construction industry can leapfrog to a more synchronised data storage and collaboration process . Cloud and Realtime Collaboration can be a great help at this stage . With the data stored in the cloud , all information can be shared with everyone anywhere . Moreover , it reduces issues such as file storage problems , cross-communication risks and data loss . Inability to access data or data loss eventually will affect project performance , profitability , and time ( Bello et al . 2021 ). In a nutshell , it promises reliable data services storage .
3D SCANNING . It is almost impossible to capture and record a large entity or area . However , 3D scanning , and photogrammetry play an important role in capturing real-world objects accurately . These technologies are widely used in model construction like topographic surveys , the protection of cultural relics and digital city construction ( Liu , Luo , and Yang 2020 ). Working with 3D scanning helps obtain an accurate measurement of an object , contributing to the solid foundation for effective control and management of post-sequence engineering quality ( Binjin et al ., 2019 ). Photogrammetry is another approach for data collection where the geometrical properties of an object on site are generated from its photo image ( El-Omari and Moselhi 2008 ). 3D Scanning and Photogrammetry can be integrated with other technologies such as BIM and AR & VR . Therefore , this integration will become the most novel method in the construction engineering field .
BIG DATA . Big data and predictive analytics technologies are included in BIM , Prefabrication and Modular Construction , Autonomous Construction , AR & VR , Cloud and Realtime Collaboration and 3D Scanning and Photogrammetry as the emerging technologies of Construction 4.0 . Big data is defined as applying a series of analytical techniques to a large set of data to predict behaviour patterns and monitor business performance ( Ngo ,
12 VOL 88 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2021