{"title":"Adaptive sliding mode and safety control for excavators using Kinematic Control Barrier Function and sliding mode disturbance observer","authors":"Weidi Huang , Qi Wang , Shuwei Yang, Junhui Zhang, Bing Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excavators have complex structures, large load, and often works in scenarios with safety hazards. Existing methods overlook control-level safety and over-prioritize accuracy, neglecting input smoothness. To address these challenges, a Barrier Functions Adaptive Sliding Mode (BFASM) safety control method based on Kinematic Control Barrier Function (KCBF) and Sliding Mode Disturbance Observer (SMDO) is proposed. Specifically, a virtual motion trajectory tracking controller is established and CBF provides safe joint velocity inputs for system. A Barrier Function (BF)-based anti-saturation adaptive sliding mode controller is proposed. SMDO is used to estimate the lumped disturbance. BF is used to design the bounded adaptive control gain to ensure that sliding variables remain in predefined neighborhoods of zero, and its size does not depend on disturbance boundary. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed safety controller effectively ensures safety and the tracking controller keeps errors within a predefined range of 1° with no chattering of control inputs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106046"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143422264","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}
Paulo Alberto Sampaio Santos, Michele Tereza Marques Carvalho
{"title":"Multi-class segmentation of structural damage and pathological manifestations using YOLOv8 and Segment Anything Model","authors":"Paulo Alberto Sampaio Santos, Michele Tereza Marques Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Advances in computer vision have significantly improved bridge inspection by enabling precise damage detection and failure prediction. However, these techniques require costly datasets and specialized expertise. To overcome this, an approach combining YOLO object detection and SAM segmentation effectively identifies cracks, scaling, rust stains, exposed reinforcement, and efflorescence. Six models were fine-tuned, including the YOLOv8 architecture, three variations with modified detection layers for small, medium, and large damage, an optimized TensorRT version, and the new Yolov9-GELAN architecture. The YOLOv8l model achieved precision, recall, <span><math><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>A</mi><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>50</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, and <span><math><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>A</mi><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>50</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>95</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> of 0.946, 0.916, 0.951, and 0.892, respectively. The model’s outputs enhanced SAM-based instance segmentation, reducing uncertainties. A publicly available COCO-format dataset with 41,132 annotated images supports further research. This paper advances bridge inspection and construction by providing a robust model for multi-class object detection and instance segmentation of structural damages, with architectures tailored to detect small, medium, and large damages for more precise inspections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106037"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403539","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":"Data-driven additive manufacturing with concrete: Enhancing in-line sensory data with domain knowledge, Part I: Geometry","authors":"J. Versteege, R.J.M. Wolfs, T.A.M. Salet","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>First-time-right manufacturing is an important step toward unlocking the full potential of digital fabrication with concrete (DFC), which can be advanced through data-driven approaches. Non-invasive in-line sensors can collect vast amounts of measurements during the manufacturing process. However, knowledge-driven feature engineering (KDFE) strategies are necessary to extract meaningful information, referred to as features, from the raw sensory data. This contribution, part of a two-part study, presents an approach to integrating KDFE with various in-line sensors in a 3D concrete printing (3DCP) facility, focusing on 2D laser scanning techniques to capture the ‘as-printed’ layer geometry during production. The geometric profiles are translated into features that quantify layer dimensions, cross-sectional area, and surface texture, reducing data complexity while enhancing relevancy. Real-world data is utilized to demonstrate the approach. A companion paper extends the methodology to other sensors, including those monitoring moisture and temperature, further advancing process monitoring in 3DCP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106020"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Przewięźlikowska , Wioletta Ślusarczyk , Klaudia Wójcik , Marek Ślusarski
{"title":"Efficient and scalable architecture for location-based mobile applications using metrica","authors":"Anna Przewięźlikowska , Wioletta Ślusarczyk , Klaudia Wójcik , Marek Ślusarski","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large-scale mobile applications integrating social networks and GPS-based location data are increasingly utilized for professional and private purposes. This paper addresses the specific research question of how to design a low-cost, reliable, and efficient architecture for such applications. Through the Metrica application for land surveyors, an architecture utilizing affordable or free hardware and software is proposed and demonstrated. The architecture successfully enhances the speed and quality of civil engineers' work collecting and navigating geodetic control network points. This solution has been proven for civil engineers in Poland and can benefit other Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoPs) in similar contexts. The approach inspires future research on scalable and reusable solution stacks for location-based applications in diverse environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106056"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395368","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}
Ziming Liu , Jiuyi Xu , Christine Wun Ki Suen , Meida Chen , Zhengbo Zou , Yangming Shi
{"title":"Egocentric camera-based method for detecting static hazardous objects on construction sites","authors":"Ziming Liu , Jiuyi Xu , Christine Wun Ki Suen , Meida Chen , Zhengbo Zou , Yangming Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The construction site is a hazardous workplace, accounting for more than 20 % of worker fatalities compared to other industries in the United States. Predominant causes of these fatalities are slips, trips, and falls (STFs). Therefore, identifying hazardous objects on construction sites that could lead to STFs is crucial for enhancing construction safety. Previous studies using fixed-position cameras often miss observations of obstructed or hidden objects. This paper proposes an alternative approach using safety helmets with lightweight wide-angle cameras and leveraging open-vocabulary object detection (OVOD) methods to identify hazardous objects on construction sites that could lead to STFs. In addition, an egocentric view dataset specifically for construction sites was created and released for benchmarking purposes. Research results indicated a 79.0 % weighted F1-score in classifying static hazardous objects on construction sites. This proposed system has the potential to enhance construction safety and provide a valuable dataset for future construction safety research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106048"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395364","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":"Heterogeneous graph attention network for rail fastener looseness detection using distributed acoustic sensing and accelerometer data fusion","authors":"Yiqing Dong, Yaowen Yang, Chengjia Han, Chaoyang Zhao, Aayush Madan, Lipi Mohanty, Yuguang Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring rail fasteners' integrity is crucial for railway safety. Traditional methods for detecting loosened fasteners are laborious and economically inefficient. This paper introduces FusionHGAT, an attention-enhanced heterogeneous Graph Neural Network (GNN), designed for precise, automated detection of rail fastener looseness by fusing data from Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and accelerometers. The method collects sensor data during rail track excitations, constructs a graph based on spatial relationships, and implements FusionHGAT through a three-step procedure: feature extraction with 1D-Convolution Neural Networks, feature embedding via a Transformer module, and feature fusion using Graph Attention Network layers. Experimental results demonstrate FusionHGAT's outstanding performance, achieving 100 % accuracy and validating the model's superiority. Building on the results presented in this work, our graph-based methodology enhances the detection of fastener looseness through spatial-temporal data fusion, highlighting its potential for future real-time railway infrastructure monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106051"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395365","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}
Ying Li , Qingzhao Kong , Bing Xiong , Fudong Chi , Yongqian Qu , Cui Wang
{"title":"Edge-fog-cloud-based digital twin network for autonomous and distributed structural health monitoring of a mega dam cluster","authors":"Ying Li , Qingzhao Kong , Bing Xiong , Fudong Chi , Yongqian Qu , Cui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Structural health monitoring (SHM) of mega engineering is huge, complex, and time-consuming. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an edge-fog-cloud-based digital twin network and provides its application on a mega dam cluster consisting of three dams along a river. Primary features of the network include an intelligent seismograph signal identification algorithm with Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) in the edge computing layer, a streaming finite element analysis (FEA) method for cumulatively simulating effects of water pressure and continuous seismic ground motion in the fog computing layer, and a real-time 3D virtual model visualization approach on Web driven by FEA response in the cloud computing layer. All processes are automated. Performance analysis indicates that the seismograph signal identification algorithm achieves an impressive accuracy of 95 %, virtual model spatial mapping deviation is only 5 %, and SHM processing speed is 9 times faster than the previous manual work. This digital twin network provides high-efficiency, autonomous and distributed SHM for the mega dam cluster, effectively minimizing labor costs, economic expenses and energy consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106050"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395366","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}
Liying Wang , Yuecheng Huang , Yao Wang , Botao Gu , Boning Li , Dongping Fang
{"title":"Comprehensive lifecycle safety risk assessment for construction robotics using T-S fault tree analysis and Bayesian network","authors":"Liying Wang , Yuecheng Huang , Yao Wang , Botao Gu , Boning Li , Dongping Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of construction robots introduces unprecedented safety challenges, underscoring a research gap in safety risk assessment throughout the application processes. This paper focused on the lifecycle safety risks associated with the entry, debugging, operation, maintenance, and exit phases of construction robots, identifying 13 risk categories and 52 risk factors. Moreover, Takagi and Sugeno fault tree analysis (TS-FTA) and Bayesian network were integrated to establish risk assessment models based on accident type analysis, indicating environmental failures and unsafe management behaviors as critical in electrical accidents, while human and physical failures are predominant in mechanical injuries. The results underscore unique risk manifestations and management priorities, emphasizing the importance of addressing emerging risks and prioritizing resources for critical risks such as insufficient on-site safety risk control, inadequate emergency management, and cluttered environment. This paper offers a comprehensive framework for risk assessment and management in construction robot applications, contributing to safer project execution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106041"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388030","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}
Jie Li , Xiang Zhou , Chao Gui , Mingxing Yang , Fengyu Xu , Xingsong Wang
{"title":"Adaptive climbing and automatic inspection robot for variable curvature walls of industrial storage tank facilities","authors":"Jie Li , Xiang Zhou , Chao Gui , Mingxing Yang , Fengyu Xu , Xingsong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Regular inspections are essential to ensure the safe operation of petrochemical storage tank facilities, but traditional manual operations in high-altitude construction environments are inefficient and hazardous. To achieve automated inspection and maintenance of the tank walls, this paper proposes an adaptive climbing inspection robot for variable curvature walls. The inspection robot with magnetic adsorption wheels, curvature-adaptive mechanisms, and inclination adjustment structure was meticulously designed, featuring multifunctional inspection and maintenance capabilities. Robot climbing dynamics and posture adaptability on curved surfaces were analyzed and evaluated. The experimental results demonstrate the robot's ability to adaptively operate on curved tank walls and perform multifunctional tasks, including time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) ultrasonic flaw detection, polishing, painting, and cleaning. The developed robot can significantly enhance the efficiency of automated inspection operation on curved tank facility walls. Future research should focus on enhancing the robot's adaptability to irregular welded surfaces and improving its defect recognition performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106049"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395363","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}
Xiaoyi Zu , Chen Gao , Yongkang Liu , Zhixing Zhao , Rui Hou , Yi Wang
{"title":"Machine intelligence for interpretation and preservation of built heritage","authors":"Xiaoyi Zu , Chen Gao , Yongkang Liu , Zhixing Zhao , Rui Hou , Yi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Documenting and characterizing built heritage through digital format are topical issues in the architecture and heritage preservation field. Although digitalized built heritage (DBH) features are complex, they have been intelligently interpreted and perceived by researchers supported by machine learning (ML) models. This paper reviews the mainstream ML models applied in the tasks of quantitative interpreting of formal features and parsing of multi-spatial-element synergy mechanisms, and summarizes their applications in the major issues of DBH characterization research, to show their operation paradigms and demonstrate what gaps still exist. Based on the review, the ML models have been capable of quantitatively extracting the formal features of DBH and parsing the synergy weights of multi-spatial-elements. However, future research still requires advances in 1) Automatically summarizing the DBH formal features; 2) Taking point clouds as an ideal DBH carrier; 3) Forming a computer-autonomous decision-making path for built heritage preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8660,"journal":{"name":"Automation in Construction","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106055"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388033","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}