NIST research toward construction site integration and automation

Current uses of computers in construction include design, planning, schedul ing, and cost estimating. Much more could be achieved on a fully computer-i ntegrated construction site. This paper describes initial work at the Natio nal Institute of Standards and Technology toward construction site integrat ion and automation, beginning with a simple steel-erection procedure using an instrumented crane. CAD-generated geometry sets are transformed into a l ibrary of 3D construction site objects. These objects are then loaded into an augmented simulation system that tracks both equipment and resources bas ed on real-time data from the construction site. With some future enhanceme nts, the end result will be a world model of the site, in which as-built co nditions can be assessed, current construction processes can be viewed as t hey occur, planned sequences of processes can be tested, and object informa tion can be retrieved on demand. A project can be viewed and managed remote ly using this tool. Remotely controlled construction in hazardous environme nts is a natural extension of this environment. The National Construction A utomation Testbed (NCAT) is currently being used in various research projec ts with the intentions of making such possibilities a reality. A major effo rt in the NCAT is the development and testing of the metrology, communicati on, and simulation protocols required.