Technology Update: Global challenge increase smart construction innovation

Marc Grosskopf, TÜV SÜDMarc Grosskopf,

Global challenge, smart design

A cloud dashboard communicates project analytical insights to stakeholders; 3D modeling and machine learning platform help the building information management (BIM) model (digital twin).

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Once recognized as slow to adapt to technology, construction design is an industry on the fast track [with smart technologies and instrumentation, analytics, building information management systems, digital twins and other innovations used in manufacturing and process facilities]. The construction business model and old-school legacy network were in-part responsible for the

INSIGHTS lag. Economic pressure for more costKEYWORDS: Smart construction, building information management (BIM), 3D modeling efficient building processes and ecofriendly operations spurred innovation. To improve processes across conIndustrial Internet Consortium’s struction-related industries, TÜV SÜD smart construction challenge became a principal partner in the IndusImprove construction with data trial Internet Consortium’s global Smart uploaded to a cloud environment Construction Challenge in 2019. The and processed automatically through a 3D artificial intelligence platform for intelligent analytics on KPIs, risks. challenge invites design and implementation organizations to compete on Use 3D modeling technology, challenges with customer requirements machine learning to provide a visual and advance real-world validation of comparison to the BIM model. smart construction applications and the CONSIDER THIS Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), by Are you using digital twins, enabling new smart sensor technoloanalytics, and 3D modeling to gies, trust systems, decentralized data reduce costs and improve safety? exchanges, and other information techONLINE nology (IT) innovations. If reading from the digital edition, By connecting start-ups with major click on the headline for more. industry organizations, the challenge Learn more at Industrial Internet intended to enable implementation of Consortium’s IoT Challenges. next-generation smart construction digwww.csemag.com/commissioning ital ecosystems. Tech partner organi-

Challenge use cases

zations included Autodesk Forge, Bosch, Here 360, Ottobock, and Qtum. Construction partners included global companies Liebherr and Züblin. In the challenge, building information modeling (BIM) is used for planning, construction and operations, providing a digital representation of the building’s physical and functional characteristics.

Participants developed technologies and systems to address specific smart construction use cases while operating under a set of assumptions. TÜV SÜD, Liebherr and Züblin provided the requirements and use case definitions; participants tested concepts and provided real-world data and feedback. Three use cases (graphic) cover construction assurance, track and trace and smart worker equipment.

Certification, planning, operations

After months of competition and collaboration, the construction partners named Contilio, a developer of 3D Artificial Intelligence analytics as the winner. On Feb. 19, on stage at Bosch Connected World in Berlin, Contilio was awarded €25,000 and a live proof of concept at the TÜV SÜD International Business Park in Singapore. In the project, Contilio used 3D computer vision and deep learning to provide intelligent insights from 3D data and photos captured from a construction site. This data was uploaded to a cloud environment and processed automatically through a 3D artificial intelligence (AI) platform into intelligent analytics on construction progress, installation quality and predictive key performance indicators (KPIs) on risks and issues.

Analytics can be accessed through a cloud dashboard that communicates the insights to key construction employees and other stakeholders. The implementation used 3D modeling technology combined with a machine learning platform to provide a visual comparison to the underlying BIM model. The project significantly reduced time in evaluation and planning phases, along with preventive maintenance capabilities. It saved construction costs and lowered worker risk to improve safety. ce

The smart construction challenge from Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) has three use cases. Learn more at www.iiconsortium.org/pdf/ Smart-Construction-Challenge-Overview.pdf. Courtesy: IIC

Marc Grosskopf is the business unit manager - building testing and inspection for the real estate and infrastructure division of TÜV SÜD, an Industrial Internet Consortium member, a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.