Development Priorities and Key Challenges of Automation and Robotics in High-Rise Building Constructio

The construction industry is facing the challenges of low productivity, poor working environment, safety problems, an aging workforce. Particularly in high-rise building construction, these problems are serious because of the larger labor demand and a more dangerous working environment. Automation and robotics are expected to provide solutions to these problems while the level of application in the construction industry is still very low. This study identified development priorities (DPs) and key challenges (KCs) of automation and robotics in high-rise building construction through a questionnaire survey and an international expert workshop. Based on literature review and brainstorming, preliminary needs and influential factors were identified and a questionnaire was designed. The questionnaire survey was then conducted among senior engineers from major construction companies in China, evaluating the needs and influential factors related to robotics implementation. Based the results of the survey, an international workshop was held to furtherly identify DPs and KCs. This paper presents the processes and results of both the questionnaire survey and the workshop, identified and analyzed the DPs and KCs, and makes suggestions for future approaches to applying automation and robotics in high-rise building construction. Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2019.