The construction industry is one of the largest industries in the world. It is the major sector of the world economy in which about 7% of the world’s labour force is employed. As per the reports of McKinsey Global Institute (Reinventing Construction: A Route to Higher Productivity, 2017), construction companies spend up to $10 Trillion per year. With this, one can imagine how big this industry is. There is shortage of labour in construction industry, which can be solved by implementing artificial intelligence in construction management.
Construction is one of the highly competitive sectors, which faces many challenges in the areas such as the cost of projects and delays in the construction activities and labour shortage etc. Even as experts work out ways to tackle the same, artificial intelligence (AI) in construction too is being considered.
If you are working in construction sector or you are a civil engineering student, then you must know and learn about applications of artificial intelligence in construction market. It is imperative to know more about artificial intelligence, because AI will revolutionize the whole construction industry. We strongly recommend you to go through this article and start learning and acquiring knowledge about AI and Machine Learning.
In this article, you will get to know about the applications of Artificial Intelligence in construction industry along with the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence in construction market how it will change the whole industry, if implemented effectively.
What is Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?
Artificial Intelligence is concerned with smart machines or a system due to which machines are capable of solving engineering problems and performing the various tasks that require human intelligence.
With the help of Artificial Intelligence, intelligence developed in the machines can think like humans and solve any complex problem.
Machine learning is a field of Artificial Intelligence, which enables the system to learn from the data by using Statistical Analysis Techniques.
Now the question arises how can artificial intelligence impact the construction market? Read further to know.
How Artificial Intelligence Can Change the Construction Industry?
Over the last 10-15 years, the job sites in the construction industry have undergone huge transformation, from the paper-based workflow to the complete digital workflow. The drawings, which were drawn manually on the sheets in the 2D form, are now drawn digitally, using software, in the 3D form.
In construction sector, there is a mountain of data that needs to be collected on daily basis. The data is collected manually and it takes a lot of time to analyze that data. This is precisely where the AI and Machine Learning will play a life changing role. With the AI in place the analysis of the data will take only a few seconds.
With the help of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, large data can be easily analyzed with effective understanding and insights.
After understanding AI and machine learning in construction, let’s further understand the benefits of artificial intelligence and disadvantages of artificial intelligence in construction.
Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Construction
There are numerous benefits of Artificial Intelligence in construction management which are as follows
- Artificial Intelligence helps to improve the efficiency and quality of construction work. By implementing artificial intelligence in construction management numerous problems associated with management of megaprojects can be solved.
- Artificial Intelligence helps to take care of labour shortage and complete the project within stipulated time.
- It will help to prevent cost overruns with the use of artificial neural networks.
- AI will also improve the safety of the construction sites and prevents accidents.
- Artificial Intelligence allows civil engineers to improve their abilities and solve complex problems effectively.
- With the help of Artificial Intelligence, construction companies can effectively manage their inventory within the minimum investment.
- The use of Virtual Reality and 3D designs gives Top-level management and engineers a clearer and realistic view of the various activities which have to be executed on the construction site.
- AI helps to reduce the overall cost of the project by up to 20%.
Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence in Construction
There are also some disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence in construction industry which are as follows
- The use of Artificial Intelligence in construction will be expensive and requires heavy initial investment.
- Due to the use of Artificial Intelligence, there may be a rise in the unemployment rate as the machines will replace the humans.
Now that you have insights into the advantages and disadvantages of AI in construction management, let’s understand the applications of AI in construction.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Construction Industry
There are various applications of Artificial Intelligence in construction industry which are as follows:
01. Use of Virtual Reality in Construction:
Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the best use of advanced technology in the construction sector. With the help of Virtual Reality, the Builders can offer a complete virtual tour of their new home even before the construction has begun. Each family member can virtually visit their future home even before it is made!
This will help clients to have a crystal clear vision of their home and it will also help engineers to design the building and do necessary changes, according to the needs of the client. It will help to improve the overall customer experience and satisfaction. Hence AI technology in construction will help in giving customer the ultimate experience.
02. Estimation of the Soil Moisture:
You know that we can measure the moisture content of the soil of a particular soil sample by performing various tests in the laboratory. But what about when we have to measure or track the moisture content of soil of the larger area. With the help of AI and machine learning in construction, the moisture present in the soil can be estimated with the help of remotely sensor data or even images taken from the satellite with increased accuracy.
03. AI Technology in Construction: 3D Printing:
3D printing is one of the advanced technologies, which allows us to construct the structures accurately within less time with less labor costs and producing less waste. The construction companies are also realizing the potential of AI and 3D printing and their impact on the future of the construction industry.
Recently, India’s largest construction company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has constructed the first 3D printed two-storey building in India. L&T had printed this two-storey building of 700 sq-ft with its own real concrete mix, which is the biggest milestone for the company.
04. Artificial Intelligence in Construction Scheduling:
Most mega construction companies which go for megaprojects go over budget despite having the best teams. Artificial neural networks in AI can be used in projects to predict cost overruns based on factors such as project size, contract type, and the skill level of the project manager. By implementing artificial intelligence in construction scheduling, AI can help create realistic timelines for future projects, and help prevent delay in construction. Artificial Intelligence will help the managers to monitor the various activities on the construction sites and predict the changes concerning the costs of the building materials. Hence by implementing artificial intelligence in construction scheduling, the project can be completed in the desired time.
05. AI in Construction Planning for Better Building Design:
Building information modeling (BIM) is a 3D modeling-based process that provides architectural, engineering and construction professionals with information to effectively plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure. It is important that there are no clashes in different models of each sub-category. Machine learning in the form of AI is used to identify and mitigate such clashes. There are software now available which uses different machine learning algorithms and create variations of solution and provide alternative designs. Hence Artificial Intelligence in construction planning, can help create better design.
06. Artificial Intelligence in Construction Management: Risk Mitigation:
Depending upon the project size, the risk in construction projects increases. Nowadays, some general contractors use AI powered monitors to prioritize risk on the project site, which helps the project team to focus on their resources on the biggest risk factors. AI is used to automatically prioritize issue. Construction managers can work closely with high-risk teams to mitigate risk by rating subcontractors based on a risk score.
07. AI and Machine Learning in Construction: Big Data:
At a time when massive amounts of data are being created on a daily basis, AI systems are exposed to an infinite volume of data to learn from and improve on a daily basis. Data generated from images captured on mobile devices, drone videos, security sensors, building information modelling (BIM), and other sources has accumulated to form a body of knowledge. AI in construction helps in big data analysis.
08. AI Technology in Construction:
Artificial intelligence in construction can also help in maintenance of structure after its construction. By deploying sensors, AI powered algorithms can assess the performance of any building, or built environment. Machine Learning will help to detect the damages and cracks in the structures using sensor and image data. It will also help in the structural audit of the buildings and to continuously monitor the health of the building and giving necessary alerts whenever maintenance is required.
Post construction you can convert your home into a smart home by following simple tips:
With such applications, let’s understand the future of AI in construction industry.
Future of AI in Construction Industry
The future of AI in construction is huge owning to its applications. Various Industries all over the world are adopting Artificial Intelligence. There is also a major impact of Artificial Intelligence in construction planning. In future, the AI and Machine Learning will transform construction sites.
According to the report of Arcadis, a leading design and consultancy firm, the construction sector needs to hire more than 4,00,000 workers every year to meet the demand of the industry. If the demand is not met, it will lead to an increased dependence on AI and Machine Learning in construction sector. This can soon replace humans not only in the designing and office work but also on the construction site. Many experts in the construction Industry also predict that AI and Machine Learning will make the sector human-free by replacing the workers by advanced equipment. Hope this article has deepen your knowledge regarding AI technology in construction.
Read more about Artificial Intelligence in Construction:
3 Areas of Artificial intelligence in Real Estate That Influence the Most!
Image Courtesy – Image 5
Author Bio
Aditya Bhople – Aditya Bhople is a Technical Content writer and has done his Diploma in civil engineering and currently pursuing B.tech in Civil Engineering from Vishwakarma Institute of Information technology, Pune. He has 3 years of experience in Content development especially in the construction niche and works as a content writer with various websites and companies. He is passionate about research in Innovative Topics in civil engineering. You can reach him on Linkedin and Instagram.