{"title":"Ontology for holistic building performance modeling and analysis","authors":"Duygu Utkucu, Rafael Sacks","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Building performance modeling and analysis using Building Information Modeling (BIM) platforms remains fragmented, requiring various software applications to address different disciplines. Challenges in data extraction, transfer, and integration arise due to inconsistencies in vendor-specific data schemas and limited interoperability. Moreover, OpenBIM data schemas lack comprehensive object definitions and semantics, compromising data integrity. While ontological frameworks have been proposed to address these issues, a unified ontology that integrates multiple performance disciplines has yet to be developed. This paper designed and developed a holistic building performance ontology (HBPO) focusing on acoustic, lighting, and energy domains as subsets to represent a range of sufficiently different domains. This ontology comprises 28 classes, 26 object properties, and 183 data properties, encapsulating essential information, data requirements, and object relationships within and across these domains. Additionally, a series of proof-of-concept experiments were conducted to test, demonstrate, validate, and evaluate the feasibility and applicability of the HBPO.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106197"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridge scour morphology identification and reconstruction using 3D sonar point cloud data","authors":"Zelin Huang, Yanjie Zhu, Wen Xiong, C.S. Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>3D multibeam sonar is a feasible solution for detecting bridge scour. However, the reliance on technicians for the identification of the morphological characteristics of local scour pits is time-consuming and subjective, and the absence of surface data hinders scour morphology analysis. Hence, an algorithm is proposed for the unsupervised identification and precise reconstruction of bridge scour morphology. This algorithm segments the scour area using local ternary patterns, optimizes parameters through the dung beetle optimizer, extracts local scour pits with k-means, and introduces an adjustable ball-pivoting algorithm for surface reconstruction by adjusting the mesh ensemble connections. Algorithm testing on the simulated scour data yielded a F1-score of 0.9017 for identification and improved point cloud density, whereas performance evaluation on the Wuhu Yangtze River Bridge in China demonstrated accurate identification of scour morphology and adaptive reconstruction. Thus, the proposed algorithm can enhance the automation and efficiency of scour detection using 3D sonar.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106205"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aqsa Sabir , Rahat Hussain , Akeem Pedro , Chansik Park
{"title":"Personalized construction safety training system using conversational AI in virtual reality","authors":"Aqsa Sabir , Rahat Hussain , Akeem Pedro , Chansik Park","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Training workers in safety protocols is crucial for mitigating job site hazards, yet traditional methods often fall short. This paper explores integrating virtual reality (VR) and large language models (LLMs) into iSafeTrainer, an AI-powered safety training system. The system allows trainees to engage with trade-specific content tailored to their expertise level in a third-person perspective in a non-immersive desktop virtual environment, eliminating the need for head-mounted displays. An experimental study evaluated the system through qualitative, survey-based assessments, focusing on user satisfaction, experience, engagement, guidance, and confidence. Results showed high satisfaction rates (>85 %) among novice users, with improved safety knowledge. Expert users suggested advanced scenarios, highlighting the system's potential for expansion. The modular architecture supports customization across various construction settings, ensuring adaptability for future improvements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106207"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ziquan Chen , Chuan He , Zihan Zhou , Xuefu Zhang , Yuanfu Zhou , Fenglei Han , Wei Meng
{"title":"Intelligent design and evaluation of tunnel support structure systems","authors":"Ziquan Chen , Chuan He , Zihan Zhou , Xuefu Zhang , Yuanfu Zhou , Fenglei Han , Wei Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, intelligent algorithms for parameter nonlinear mapping provide a new design approach to address the long-term reliance on empirical design in tunnel engineering. This paper proposes an intelligent model for predicting support structure parameters based on tunnel background information. After comparing the characteristics of machine learning and deep learning algorithms applied in the intelligent design model, the generated model is validated using tunnel deformation indicators. The results show the overall accuracies of the machine learning CLS-PSO-SVM and deep learning HRNet algorithms used are 81.1 % and 88.5 %, respectively. Converting the maximum deformation as the only output indicator, the prediction accuracies of the vault and haunch deformations are 85.2 % and 82.8 %, respectively, verifying the reliability of the intelligent model. The research results can provide theoretical support for the intelligent design of tunnel engineering. Meanwhile, intelligent design models will develop towards finer prediction parameters in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106215"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jisu Jeon , Jangho Bae , Oyoung Kwon , Yeonho Ko , Chanwoo Kim , Seonghyeon Won , Woochul Shin , Daehie Hong
{"title":"Automating motor grader leveling operations: Kinematic analysis for blade pose control","authors":"Jisu Jeon , Jangho Bae , Oyoung Kwon , Yeonho Ko , Chanwoo Kim , Seonghyeon Won , Woochul Shin , Daehie Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Motor graders are heavy construction equipment that specialize in leveling ground surfaces. These machines adjust the blade beneath the vehicle body to perform various tasks. With the growing interest in the automation of motor grader operations, the complexity of the earthmoving mechanism and multitasking while driving degrade the efficiency and performance of these operations. Controlling the blade pose for the desired earthwork poses significant challenges for the 3RRPS-S module owing to the complex and coupled nature of the hydraulic actuators. This paper proposes a kinematic analysis of the earthwork mechanism to identify and control the blade pose. A method for the kinematic parameter calibration of the 3RRPS-S module is introduced to improve the control accuracy of the earthmoving mechanism. The blade pose was determined based on the vehicle coordinate system by considering the slope of the vehicle to achieve the desired blade position in the global coordinate system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106199"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning semantic keypoints for diverse point cloud completion","authors":"Mingyue Dong , Ziyin Zeng , Xianwei Zheng , Jianya Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Raw point clouds collected from real-world scenes are sparse, incomplete and noisy, posing significant challenges for their integration into automation workflows in construction. Thus, completing plausible and fine-grained point clouds is a critical prerequisite for downstream applications. Current methods primarily focus on learning patch-level features and modeling their relationships for inferring complete object shapes. However, the significant disparity between real-world scenarios and clean synthetic datasets limits their representation ability of local structures, especially when facing noises and irregular missing patterns. This paper proposes a semantic keypoint guided completion network (SKPNet) to enhance the generalization ability of point cloud completion in diverse construction scenarios in a semantic-guided manner. The key insight is to build a connection between the object geometric structure and its global semantic feature, which is more robust to point-level disruptions. Accordingly, a semantic keypoint generation module is developed to learn representative keypoints based on the global semantic vector encoded from the input points. These keypoints then serve as the control points for searching the neighboring point-level features with rich local pattern information, simultaneously filtering out the noises during the process. By progressively incorporating multi-scale point-level features, this paper gradually refines and upsamples the keypoints to the final fine-grained completion. Comprehensive experiments conducted on both synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate the competitive and robust performance of SKPNet in completing high-quality shapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106192"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Systematic analysis of large language models for automating document-to-smart contract transformation","authors":"Erfan Moayyed , Chimay Anumba , Azita Morteza","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fragmentation and poor collaboration in contract-heavy industries hinder innovation. While smart contracts offer promising automation for digital documents, the transformation process presents significant challenges. Current approaches are promising but are often constrained by technical limitations, domain-specific requirements, and limited flexibility, restricting widespread adoption. This paper systematically reviews the development of smart contracts using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to examine methodologies, challenges, and solutions through a thematic analysis of 30 key studies. The findings are grouped into three categories: Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based, template-based and ontology-based, and model-driven approaches. After analyzing the cross-industrial challenges of each category, this paper proposes a Large Language Model (LLM)-based smart contract generation solution to address the identified challenges validated through real-world use cases. This comprehensive analysis contributes to the ongoing dialogue on smart contracting, offering directions for future research and practical implementation in the digital infrastructure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106209"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Müge Tetik , Nicolas Brusselaers , Anna Fredriksson
{"title":"Conceptual model for aligning construction logistics capacity through simulation","authors":"Müge Tetik , Nicolas Brusselaers , Anna Fredriksson","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106190","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106190","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The flows of materials arriving at, and waste moving out of a site, require detailed planning for smooth logistic processes. This is underscored by the temporal and spatial limitations around sites, characterized as a pure bottleneck. This paper proposes a conceptual data framework for developing digital twins for logistics capacity planning in construction to align the capacities for (i) incoming materials, (ii) on-site material handling, and (iii) material dispatching from the site. The framework is tested based on quantitative mapping of transport arriving, departures, and movements on-site, from two real-world planned projects. This mapping is then used for testing construction site layout planning (CSLP) scenarios of capacity dimensions through simulations. Ultimately, this paper proposes a first step to integrate transport plans in CSLP. Practitioners can use the model for planning sites for smooth material flows and properly dimensioning loading and unloading area capacities to avoid bottlenecks in logistic operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106190"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Automatic inspection and assessment of a cross-passage twin tunnel using UAV","authors":"Ran Zhang , Chao Wang , Zili Li","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106200","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106200","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The inspection of large-scale tunnel networks is essential to identify any long-term deterioration mechanisms. Traditional manual inspection is not automatic and adaptive in geometrically complex tunnel configurations. This paper presents an automatic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based tunnel assessment application in a critical cross-passage twin tunnel section of Dublin Port Tunnel. It adopts a reactive method for UAV navigation and photogrammetry, and a point cloud for data processing. This study specifically verifies the patterns of cross-section deformation and defect distribution in twin tunnels and discovers that the deterioration pattern agrees with previous monitoring results. It shows that observed tunnel deformation could be attributed to the effect of twin tunnel interaction and vehicle cross passage, whilst the distribution of lining cracks could be associated with the differential structural stiffness and the differential longitudinal bending along the tunnel section.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106200"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Automated material-aware BIM generation using deep learning for comprehensive indoor element reconstruction","authors":"Mostafa Mahmoud , Yaxin LI , Mahmoud Adham , Wu CHEN","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Automating 3D reconstruction of indoor environments is essential for scene understanding in Building Information Modeling (BIM). This paper addresses the challenge of integrating geometric and material attributes in scan-to-BIM processes. A deep learning-based framework is developed to automatically extract and integrate geometric and material attributes from point clouds, incorporating an enhanced instance segmentation network, a material classification model, and an automated BIM integration workflow for accurate indoor modeling. The proposed framework reconstructs accurate 3D BIM models of space-forming and space-occupying elements while preserving key attributes. Experimental results show significant improvements in instance segmentation accuracy, with reconstructed 3D BIM models achieving over 98 % <span><math><mtext>correctness</mtext></math></span> and <span><math><mtext>completeness</mtext></math></span>, while the material classification model attains a point-based weighted <span><math><mi>F</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mtext>score</mtext></math></span> of 0.973 and an object-based accuracy of 94.70 %. These findings advance automated BIM generation, enhancing building planning, asset management, and sustainable design while inspiring further developments in scan-to-BIM automation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 106196"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}