Construction leads to development. What comes to mind when we hear the word construction technology? The study of the methods and equipment necessary to build structures. Technology is helping in every way from creating a loop to cars that do not need petrol. Decreasing dependency on manual labor in the new era is a factor whereby finally construction industry is going ahead and accepting technology.
Companies who are still not open to any sort of technology are facing tough competitions in the market.
There are a host of new technologies that are changing the game of construction in recent years.
Glances on the top recent construction technology
Construction is the building block of sustainable development. Residential buildings, malls, flyovers, bridges etc are all such examples that define construction in the modern era. Any defect will render huge loses to the society and the people. Let us see a few technologies in the construction sector:
Self Healing Concrete
The basic element of a building is concrete. But with time there is wearing and breaking. Over time, cracks develop and without any repair, the building will collapse. Engineers are working to mend this situation. Apparently, the researchers from US universities have come up with a thought. They proposed to add fungus with the cement which will by far prevent it from breaking down and last long.
Aerogel insulation
The first thing that comes to our mind after hearing the word gel is it is a liquid item. But, for construction technology, aerogel comprises of silica that is almost ninety-nine percent of air after separating the water. Aerogel has insulating abilities which disseminate energy and reduces cost. User-friendly, you can recycle it and also reduce it.
Thermochromic roofs
The demand for eco buildings is on the rise. With this comes the use of thermochromic roofs. MIT is utilizing a new thermal management method for building smart roofs. They are using a material called Thermeleon which transforms into layers making it thermochromic. This means it is heat resistant and has a unique feature of changing its color from black to white. When there is extreme sunshine, you can see the black roof will transform into white. This automatically keeps the building cool during extreme heat. Hence, eco-buildings are an essential construction theme today.
Virtual reality (VR)
We all know virtual reality is something that transforms our vision. This element is basically used in the gaming world but then recently it is entering the construction industry. VR enables architects to show their projects in a 3D manner. It definitely stands apart from the crowd as marketing strategies have drastically changed and are giving a new impetus to work among rivals.
In the construction industry building information modeling (BIM) is used. Offering data management capacities along with projecting models is a good option. It is helping the entire team to stay connected by sticking on the same page from the beginning till the end.
Wearable technology
Using job site technology was never a part of the construction industry. But now, with time it is accepting the upcoming trends. Companies are investing in smart vests, helmets which will no doubt increase the credibility and productivity too will follow up. Recognising the benefit is important and the construction industry is pretty late. For example, Daqri developed a helmet that provides full connectivity with the people, data, and machines with the help of a smart visor
3D printing
This technology has not yet hit the floor. It is still a baby but is considered to have a lot of potentials. Recently a company in San Francisco naming Apis Cor and Russian construction company PIK Group developed a house within twenty-four hours. Fast and comprehensive make it more functional for today’s kind of work.
Bricklaying robots
Robots are fast as compared to human beings, hence, bricklaying is possible at a rate which is 6 times faster than humans. A company called ‘construction robotics’ created a semi-automated mason (SAM). This can place up to 3000 bricks which is an enormous amount than the humans who can lay up to 500 per day.
Machine learning
Machine learning is rising at a fast rate which is going to have an impact on our future constructions. The immediate effects are Increasing automation and lesser downtime of the equipment. It is revolving around AI geared games and programmes. Monitoring on-site heavy equipment is easy. Any defect or issue regarding the breakdown the device immediately notifies the owner. This helps to lower down worksite risks and also manages to have on time repair.
Predictive Analysis
To be a successful company, risk-taking is important. Predictive analysis is introduced so that risk can be predicted, analyzed and worked upon. For example, material suppliers, the design plans on the site are examined and tested with this software. This helps in chasing the risk factor and hint of potential damage before it actually occurs.
Internet of things
Connectivity is the most important part for any technology to give the right results. The IoT here is a connection of several devices which is imbibed with sensors to track the activity. In the construction industry, it is being used for tracking equipment, tools, monitoring, and checking. It also helps in repairing and servicing of construction equipment. It is a good tool for future constructions and will definitely change the way cities are developing.
The new age architects are growing in a fully technical world, where nothing precisely works without internet and technology. 2017 was a huge year for the construction industry. Companies should take hold of the advantages and make sure that without lesser damage and high cost how skillfully they can develop a site.
These were some of the trends revolutionizing the construction industry. hope this article was helpful.