Towards Safe Smart Construction: Algorithms, Digital Twins and Infrastructures

Objective
The project aims to develop an integrated digital infrastructure system to enhance the level of automation for smart construction. The initial goal will involve the creation of models for the digital twin of the robotic environment on construction sites. The digital twin will be used for remote real-time monitoring, prediction, optimization and multi-robot task planning and control. The results will be tested and applied to a practical Skanska use case.

Background
Construction sites today still rely to a large amount on manual labour, and the vision for the future is to leverage automation equipment (machines, robots) to the largest extent possible in order to speed up the production cycle, enhance quality while also reducing human risks, carbon emissions and costs. Smart construction, in essence, a flexible automation process, requires a stringent digitalization of the construction site in terms of real-time digital twins of products and production systems paired with advanced algorithms for the control of machines, the coordination of robots and the assurance of safety at the workspace.

The project strives to realise such systems, leading to fundamental research challenges and practical implementations in relevant use cases. The project developments can lay the foundation for future activities by forming and evolving a consortium nucleus.

Crossdisciplinary collaboration
The project partners are Ericsson AB, Skanska and KTH.

Watch the recorded presentation at the Digitalize in Stockholm 2023 event: