Automation in Construction: Benefits and Applications
1.
2. Automation : Derived from ancient Greek =
meaning self dictated
It is the use of control systems such as computers
to control machinery and processes
Reduces the need for human intervention.
Mechanization provides human operators with
machinery to assist them with the physical
requirements of work, automation greatly reduces
the need for human sensory and mental
requirements as well. Processes and systems can
also be automated.
An increasingly important role in the global
economy and in daily experience.
Engineers strive to combine automated devices
with mathematical and organizational tools to
create complex systems for a rapidly expanding
range of applications and human activities.
3.
4. HELPSTO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OFWORK
REDUCESTHETIME REQUIRED FOR
CONSTRUCTION
HEAVYWORK CAN BE COMPLETED
SATISFACTORILY WITHINTHE STIPULATEDTIME
THE POSSIBILITY OF HUMAN ERROR IS
REDUCED
SECURITY OF DATA
5.
6. Unemployment at the cost of modernization.
Leads to brain-drain from the country.
Requires a high capital cost for setting up and maintenance
Skilled and expert handlers or workers are required due to
the need of high technical knowledge to operate the
machines.
Untrained workers cannot be employed which increases
the initial cost of project.
7. PRECAST BLOCKS
The cement concrete blocks which are cast
in a rectangular shape mould ,either hollow
or solid, on site or in factory, are called as
precast blocks.
They are mostly used for:
Girders for bridges, bridge piers
(Balgandharv bridge, Harris bridge Pune)
Beams for large spans (Nehru memorial
hall,Pune)
Electric poles
Fabrication of R.C.C pipes, concrete piles
8. ADVANTAGES OF USING PRE CAST
BLOCKS
Hollow blocks are light in weight –used for
construction of partition wall
Can be used anywhere on the slab or the
floor
Strong
Durable
Posses high compressive strength
Less material required so helps achieve
economy
9.
10. •Many construction equipments and machines make it possible to reduce
the time of construction and also improve the efficiency of work.
Some examples are:
Concrete mixing machine
Backhoes
Bulldozer
Beam moulds
Trailers
Wet mix macadam plants
etc
13. On July 4th, 1965, in Crespellano, (Bologna), Dante N
Bini made the world's first attempt at using an automatic,
self-shaping construction process to build a fully reinforced
concrete structure on a previously built floor and footing
system
The experiment was successfully completed in three hours.
In only three hours, a dome 12 m. in diameter and 6 m. In
height had been pneumatically lifted from the ground and
shaped into an hemispherical thin shell structure.
(Fig. 1): The world’s first experiment in Crespellano. Bologna. Italy. (1965)
Sequence of the inflation and completed 12 m. diameter spherical dome
14. A year later, on July 6 .1966, in Castelfranco Emilia,
(Italy) another major experiment was undertaken.
In less than four hours, 15 cubic meters of wet
concrete and flat steel was shaped into an elliptical
reinforced concrete dome 36 m. in diameter and
12 m in height.
(Fig 2): The first 30 m. diameter experiment in Castelfranco Emilia, Modena. (1966)
Detail of the footing system.
16. Mini shell system
The fastest and
cheapest systems
for building
permanent shelters
Very suitable for
low-cost
housing.
The erection time
reduced to 30
minutes.
The required man
power results in 1.5
hours per man
per each for sq.
m. of covered area.
Sequences of construction of the Minishell Tourist Village in Cairns, Australia. (1980)
17. The only two problems experienced during
the application of this method of
construction were:
a) Structural weakness in the "vertical" portion
of the walls when the concrete was still green.
b) Lack of precision and symmetry in the shape
and size of the four automatic openings.
18. BINISTAR SYSTEM
Originally conceived in
Australia in 1979.
It is the only
demountable,
automatic, method of
construction capable to
shape large-span metal
space-frame structures
of different shapes and
dimensions.
Sequence of construction of Binistar structures in Italy
and details. (1986-68)
19. In the same period the two other
conceptual systems were developed :
The "Fold-A-Struct"
The "Autotent"
20. Fold-a-struct produces :
An instant, demountable, square-based,
class-room unit, made up of four identical,
mass produced components provided with
"inner stored energy'' which contribute to the
self-assembly process.
(Fig. 8): Fold A Struct. self-assembling model (1987)
21. It produces:
A folded space frame which may be utilized as a
mini-shelter.
This shelter is designed as a civilian or military tent
which is dropped by low-flying aircraft in case of
emergencies.
The autotent self-shapes during its fall and is
provided with an identification light and with a
survival kit.
25. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Introduction
• Photogrammetry:
Photogrammetry is the technique of measuring objects (2D
or 3D) from photogrammes.
Its most important feature is the fact that the objects are
measured without being touched.
•Automated photogrammetry : All functional aspects of photogrammetry,
i.e., triangulation, elevation data extraction etc are now being automated to
some degree. The drive towards automation has been triggered not only by
the continuing necessity to reduce costs, but also by the need to generate
new products and to utilize other than conventional mapping
photography .
• Photogrammetry can be divided into:
Far range photogrammetry
- Aerial photogrammetry, etc
Close range photogrammetry
- Terrestrial Photogrammetry, etc
36. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil
Engineering• Applications in Civil Engineering
- Deformation Measurement in Beam Test
- Crack Measurement
- Geodetic Measurement of Dam
- Strain Analysis of Solid Wood and Glued Timber
Construction
37. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 1
• Automatic Deformation Measurement with a Digital Still Video
Camera
- Application of a digital still video camera to the measurement of
deformations occurring during the dehydration process of concrete parts
over several months
38. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 2
• Measurement of Concrete Cracks Using Digitized Close-Range
Photographs
-Measurement of crack formation due to concrete expansion by chemical
reactions
39. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 2
- The non-contact measurement is employed because of the physical
limitations in manual measurements.
- Results: The widths of cracks change from place to place.
- A non-contact measure method improves the traditional time-consuming
measurement.
40. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 3
• Photogrammetric Techniques for Deformation Measurements on
Reservoir Walls
- Measurement of the 3-D coordinates of signalized targets on a large water
reservoir wall in Switzerland
41. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 3
- Repeated measurement of a large number of points is required in short
time.
- Photogrammetric data capture can be finished within minutes from a
helicopter; processing can be widely automated and the accuracy potential
can be in the order of 2-3 millimeters.
42. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry in Civil Engineering: Case 4
• Strain Analysis of solid wood and glued laminated timber
constructions by close range photogrammetry
- Measurement of progression of deformations, cracks and deterioration
including the loading and relieving of the specimens.
44. Close Range Digital Photogrammetry
CONCLUDING REMARKS
• The photogrammetry technique is a powerful and productive tool
for accurate and robust measurement.
• The technique has been used in Civil Engineering due to the
following advantages.
- Time and efforts can be reduced at any measurement or surveying
work.
- The measurement can be repeated many times in short period.
- The data can be transmitted through network immediately.
- Highly concentrated data can be obtained.
- The real-time tracking of measurement is possible.
- High efficiency makes its production cost-effective
45. Construction Automation eliminates the need
for workers to operate in uncomfortable and
hazardous conditions, while concurrently
saving time, reducing costs and improving the
quality of the work place in the construction
industry.
It is well known that in spite of the
employment of sophisticated machinery and
equipment and some recent efforts to improve
on-site working conditions, construction sites
in general offer some of the worst working
conditions existing today.
As has already been experienced in other
industries, the application of automation and
robotics can cuts costs, environmental
pollution, and dramatically improves safety
and quality control to the benefit of living
standards in general.
Photogrammetry is the technique of measuring objects (2D or 3D) from photogrammes. We say commonly photographs, but it may be also imagery stored electronically on tape or disk taken by video or CCD cameras or radiation sensors such as scanners.The results can be:
· coordinates of the required object-points
· topographical and thematical maps
· and rectified photographs (ortho-photo).
Its most important feature is the fact, that the objects are measured without being touched. Principally, photogrammetry can be divided into:
1. Depending on the lense-setting:
o Far range photogrammetry (with camera distance setting to indefinite), and
o Close range photogrammetry (with camera distance settings to finite values).
2. Another grouping can be
o Aerial photogrammetry (which is mostly far range photogrammetry), and
o Terrestrial Photogrammetry (mostly close range photogrammetry).
The applications of photogrammetry are widely spread. Principally, it is utilized for object interpretation (What is it? Type? Quality? Quantity) and object measurement (Where is it? Form? Size?).Aerial photogrammetry is mainly used to produce topographical or thematical maps and digital terrain models. Among the users of close-range photogrammetry are architects and civil engineers (to supervise buildings, document their current state, deformations or damages), archaeologists, surgeons (plastic surgery) or police departments (documentation of traffic accidents and crime scenes), just to mention a few.
This paper shows the application of a digital still video camera to the measurement of deformations occuring during the dehydration process of concrete parts over several months. A block of 28 images, arranged in two convergent stripes, was recorded with a Kodak DCS200 in six epochs.
Using signalized points and a set of coded targets, the dataflow in repeated measurements could be widely automated. The camera was calibrated for each epoch individually by photogrammetric self-calibration techniques.
An externally verified precision of the deformation vectors of 3/3/6 micron in X/Y/Z coordinate direction was achieved over an object space with a largest dimension of 80 cm, proving the high accuracy potential of a digital still video camera applied to relative 3-D measurements.
The elements of concrete structures suffering from chemical reactions tend to be an expansion phenomenon, which leads to cracks. The concrete structures of inferior quality caused by cracks have much influence on the structures’ durability and strength. The non-contact measurement is employed because of the physical limitations in manual measurements. This paper deals with semi-automatic crack feature extraction from digital close-range images to infer the relationship between concrete expansion and crack width.
The elements of concrete structures suffering from chemical reactions tend to be an expansion phenomenon, which leads to cracks. The concrete structures of inferior quality caused by cracks have much influence on the structures’ durability and strength. The non-contact measurement is employed because of the physical limitations in manual measurements. This paper deals with semi-automatic crack feature extraction from digital close-range images to infer the relationship between concrete expansion and crack width.
Methods of digital close range photogrammetry have been used intensively for the determination
of 3-D coordinates in a large number of industrial applications during the past decade. Using high
resolution solid state sensor cameras, redundant imaging, thorough geometric and stochastic
modeling and self-calibrating bundle adjustment techniques, accuracies beyond 1 : 100’000 of
the object dimension have been achieved. This accuracy potential, combined with economic
hardware component costs and fast data processing, does meanwhile make digital close range
photogrammetry an interesting tool for 3-D deformation measurements on large structures.
The paper presents the results of pilot studies on the measurement of the 3-D coordinates of
signalized targets on a large water reservoir wall in Switzerland. Although photogrammetry is not
capable of solving all problems connected with deformation measurement and analysis tasks on
reservoir walls, it may be a very useful tool for the densification of geodetic measurements,
especially if the repeated measurement of a large number of points is required in short time
intervals. If reasonable solutions can be found for signalizing reservoir walls, photogrammetric
data capture can be finished within minutes from a helicopter; processing can be widely
automated and the accuracy potential can be in the order of 2-3 millimeters.
Methods of digital close range photogrammetry have been used intensively for the determination
of 3-D coordinates in a large number of industrial applications during the past decade. Using high
resolution solid state sensor cameras, redundant imaging, thorough geometric and stochastic
modeling and self-calibrating bundle adjustment techniques, accuracies beyond 1 : 100’000 of
the object dimension have been achieved. This accuracy potential, combined with economic
hardware component costs and fast data processing, does meanwhile make digital close range
photogrammetry an interesting tool for 3-D deformation measurements on large structures.
The paper presents the results of pilot studies on the measurement of the 3-D coordinates of
signalized targets on a large water reservoir wall in Switzerland. Although photogrammetry is not
capable of solving all problems connected with deformation measurement and analysis tasks on
reservoir walls, it may be a very useful tool for the densification of geodetic measurements,
especially if the repeated measurement of a large number of points is required in short time
intervals. If reasonable solutions can be found for signalizing reservoir walls, photogrammetric
data capture can be finished within minutes from a helicopter; processing can be widely
automated and the accuracy potential can be in the order of 2-3 millimeters.
Over the past years, timber engineering tried to evaluate the load-bearing capacity of structural members in areas of connections with mechanical connectors, opening and notches by methods of fracture mechanics. The assumption of the fracture mechanics parameters leads to problems in evaluating the load-bearing safety of structural units of full and board laminated timber in loaded areas and disturbance ranges using fracture mechanics. Parameters close to reality can be gained only from experimental investigations into the determination of the crack expansion and the crack length with subsequent FE- simulation. For application in timber construction, numerous theoretical and experimental investigations have been documented and they contain joints, notches and openings subjected to transverse tensile forces. Due to the insufficient appropriation of measured data gained by tactile position encoders in conventional measuring procedures, it is advisable to investigate crack growth with the help of photogrammetry. With the measuring system which was developed within a research project it is now possible compared with the procedures usually used, to measure the crack geometry for the determination of fracture mechanics parameters in the post-process exactly. Additionally a complete picture of the local deformations and the validity of a test can be increased clearly by the possibility of the varying number of discrete measuring points. The measuring system for the contactless and non-destructive determination of the coordinates of the measuring points consist of a high-resolution digital colour camera in combination with a telecentric measuring objective
Section of the Photogrammetric Survey of Parliament House in Melbourne.The survey of the whole Parliament House was completed in about twelve weeks by only one operator.