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I. Čustović
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Digital twins (DTs) promise improved decision-making under project uncertainty, but real-world implementations are costly and hard to compare. As DT research moves toward tighter feedback loops and greater autonomy, affordable and controllable environments for evaluating such DTs are lacking. This paper presents a modular DT testbed that combines LEGO®-based physical components with Raspberry Pi computers to support controlled variation of DT scenarios, feedback loops and automation levels. Two studies conducted in the testbed illustrate how DTs can be systematically evaluated across computational processes and physical execution. The testbed facilitates cost-effective and repeatable future research on autonomous DTs for construction management.
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Digital twins (DTs) promise improved decision-making under project uncertainty, but real-world implementations are costly and hard to compare. As DT research moves toward tighter feedback loops and greater autonomy, affordable and controllable environments for evaluating such DTs are lacking. This paper presents a modular DT testbed that combines LEGO®-based physical components with Raspberry Pi computers to support controlled variation of DT scenarios, feedback loops and automation levels. Two studies conducted in the testbed illustrate how DTs can be systematically evaluated across computational processes and physical execution. The testbed facilitates cost-effective and repeatable future research on autonomous DTs for construction management.
Smart Mobile Factories (SMFs) bring prefabrication to the construction site, enabling just‐in‐time delivery, shorter haulage distances and lower carbon emissions. Although integrated digital twins and modular factory designs have demonstrated the technical feasibility of SMFs in construction, their value‐creation mechanisms for operators and clients remain unclear. Adapting the Business‐Model Canvas to SMFs, we identify four emerging archetypes. Two case vignettes illustrate the transition from a low‐tech, asset‐centric to a high‐tech, data‐centric service model. Finally, we propose a mapping that relates organizational digital maturity to suitable SMF business-model archetypes, which allows to indicate a possible path toward profitable and sustainable adoption.
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Smart Mobile Factories (SMFs) bring prefabrication to the construction site, enabling just‐in‐time delivery, shorter haulage distances and lower carbon emissions. Although integrated digital twins and modular factory designs have demonstrated the technical feasibility of SMFs in construction, their value‐creation mechanisms for operators and clients remain unclear. Adapting the Business‐Model Canvas to SMFs, we identify four emerging archetypes. Two case vignettes illustrate the transition from a low‐tech, asset‐centric to a high‐tech, data‐centric service model. Finally, we propose a mapping that relates organizational digital maturity to suitable SMF business-model archetypes, which allows to indicate a possible path toward profitable and sustainable adoption.
As the construction industry increasingly adopts digital technologies, recent studies emphasize digital twins as essential tools for managing construction projects and automating workflows. Although research has advanced the technical aspects of digital twins, there is a notable gap in examining human performance factors, particularly situation awareness – a cognitive process crucial for recognizing, comprehending, and anticipating changes in the work environment. With greater reliance on automation, neglecting this critical capability can lead to severe oversights, particularly during disruptions. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study grounded in a theoretical framework to explore the situation awareness requirements under different disruption scenarios in two contrasting construction contexts: offsite production and onsite assembly. First, drawing on 16 semi-structured interviews and non-participant field observations, we employ goal-directed task analysis to reveal the distinct information needs in each context. Second, through a comprehensive content analysis of the interview narratives, we identify the dynamics of gaining and maintaining situation awareness and provide digital twin design recommendations. Findings indicate that managers must shift from a macro-level overview to a micro-level detail in offsite production, requiring digital twin displays with adaptable granularity. In contrast, onsite assembly demands an intensely iterative approach to situational awareness, which calls for comprehensive real-time digital twin displays that support quick back-and-forth assessments. This study contributes by formalizing experts’ background knowledge, which can serve as a valuable basis for creating context-sensitive digital twin systems that better support human decision-making in offsite construction contexts and beyond.
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As the construction industry increasingly adopts digital technologies, recent studies emphasize digital twins as essential tools for managing construction projects and automating workflows. Although research has advanced the technical aspects of digital twins, there is a notable gap in examining human performance factors, particularly situation awareness – a cognitive process crucial for recognizing, comprehending, and anticipating changes in the work environment. With greater reliance on automation, neglecting this critical capability can lead to severe oversights, particularly during disruptions. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study grounded in a theoretical framework to explore the situation awareness requirements under different disruption scenarios in two contrasting construction contexts: offsite production and onsite assembly. First, drawing on 16 semi-structured interviews and non-participant field observations, we employ goal-directed task analysis to reveal the distinct information needs in each context. Second, through a comprehensive content analysis of the interview narratives, we identify the dynamics of gaining and maintaining situation awareness and provide digital twin design recommendations. Findings indicate that managers must shift from a macro-level overview to a micro-level detail in offsite production, requiring digital twin displays with adaptable granularity. In contrast, onsite assembly demands an intensely iterative approach to situational awareness, which calls for comprehensive real-time digital twin displays that support quick back-and-forth assessments. This study contributes by formalizing experts’ background knowledge, which can serve as a valuable basis for creating context-sensitive digital twin systems that better support human decision-making in offsite construction contexts and beyond.
Mobile factories promise an increased project efficiency with on-demand production and Just-in-Time delivery of prefabricated elements. However, traditional scheduling methods predominantly focus on either factory or site and neglect the factory mobility, often leading to suboptimal synchronization. To address this gap, this paper introduces a novel reinforcement learning (RL)-based model for optimizing the operational policy of mobile factories in infrastructure projects. The developed model simultaneously schedules on-site and off-site operations, effectively integrating the performance metrics at the project level. Utilizing RL, the factory's production management system continuously learns and adjusts in response to real-time project developments, ensuring optimal decision-making regarding scheduling and resource allocation.
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Mobile factories promise an increased project efficiency with on-demand production and Just-in-Time delivery of prefabricated elements. However, traditional scheduling methods predominantly focus on either factory or site and neglect the factory mobility, often leading to suboptimal synchronization. To address this gap, this paper introduces a novel reinforcement learning (RL)-based model for optimizing the operational policy of mobile factories in infrastructure projects. The developed model simultaneously schedules on-site and off-site operations, effectively integrating the performance metrics at the project level. Utilizing RL, the factory's production management system continuously learns and adjusts in response to real-time project developments, ensuring optimal decision-making regarding scheduling and resource allocation.
More widespread use of industrialized construction (IC) is hampered by the high capital cost of advanced production facilities paired with low profit margins. A novel service-oriented cloud manufacturing (CMfg) model could in theory increase utilization and profitability of distributed production facilities. However, little research has investigated how IC can benefit from the CMfg model. This paper examines opportunities and challenges of applying CMfg for IC. First, an adapted model of CMfg for construction is developed based on a literature review. Second, four possible scenarios for applying this adapted CMfg model are designed. Finally, an evaluation is performed through a survey among 25 practitioners and 12 in-depth interviews with industry experts. The paper assesses the desirability and categorizes the benefits and barriers of such a CMfg platform for IC. The results suggest that CMfg could enhance the design quality, support IC suitability assessment for project developers and lower financial risks for off-site manufacturers.
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More widespread use of industrialized construction (IC) is hampered by the high capital cost of advanced production facilities paired with low profit margins. A novel service-oriented cloud manufacturing (CMfg) model could in theory increase utilization and profitability of distributed production facilities. However, little research has investigated how IC can benefit from the CMfg model. This paper examines opportunities and challenges of applying CMfg for IC. First, an adapted model of CMfg for construction is developed based on a literature review. Second, four possible scenarios for applying this adapted CMfg model are designed. Finally, an evaluation is performed through a survey among 25 practitioners and 12 in-depth interviews with industry experts. The paper assesses the desirability and categorizes the benefits and barriers of such a CMfg platform for IC. The results suggest that CMfg could enhance the design quality, support IC suitability assessment for project developers and lower financial risks for off-site manufacturers.
A digital twin (DT) can enhance construction management with comprehensive real-time simulations. However, research rarely considers prefabrication factories, whose processes have a significant impact on cost and duration. It remains unclear how construction DTs can achieve their expected benefits without dynamically interacting with the DTs of manufacturing facilities. To address this, a DT integration model is proposed. It builds upon systems theory and describes integration across the three layers objectives, processes, and data & tools. A theoretical example demonstrates potential benefits of integrated DTs. This work can assist researchers and practitioners who are focusing on DTs in the execution phase.
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A digital twin (DT) can enhance construction management with comprehensive real-time simulations. However, research rarely considers prefabrication factories, whose processes have a significant impact on cost and duration. It remains unclear how construction DTs can achieve their expected benefits without dynamically interacting with the DTs of manufacturing facilities. To address this, a DT integration model is proposed. It builds upon systems theory and describes integration across the three layers objectives, processes, and data & tools. A theoretical example demonstrates potential benefits of integrated DTs. This work can assist researchers and practitioners who are focusing on DTs in the execution phase.
Teaching generative construction scheduling
Proposed curriculum design and analysis of student learning for the Tri-Constraint Method
Journal article
(2022)
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Daniel M. Hall, Irfan Čustović, Ravina Sriram, Qian Chen
Construction management courses are increasingly teaching digital technologies and automation. The default method to teach construction scheduling remains the critical path method, which suffers from lack of automation, lack of dynamic change processes, and wrong assumptions about resource and spatial availability. New methods to automate construction scheduling, sometimes referred to as generative construction scheduling, have been developed but are seldom taught in construction management courses. This paper describes the design of a new curriculum to teach one new approach to construction scheduling called the Tri-Constraint Method. The proposed five-lesson, flipped-classroom curriculum is designed to illustrate limitations of the critical path method, explain the theoretical and computational foundations of a generative scheduling algorithm, and provide practical experience through implementation with state-of-the-art software. To measure the impact of the curriculum on student learning, the paper conducts a descriptive statistical analysis, a paired t-test, and an examination of qualitative feedback. Students who entered the course with either low or high prior knowledge of construction scheduling showed significant improvement in their understanding of the key concepts and the algorithmic approach behind the generative construction scheduling. Overall, this paper demonstrates how curriculum design in engineering informatics can combine theoretical understanding and practical implementation to understand generative construction scheduling. The dissemination of this and similar teaching curricula can ensure that future engineering practitioners avoid “black box” implementations of automation software in their future careers.
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Construction management courses are increasingly teaching digital technologies and automation. The default method to teach construction scheduling remains the critical path method, which suffers from lack of automation, lack of dynamic change processes, and wrong assumptions about resource and spatial availability. New methods to automate construction scheduling, sometimes referred to as generative construction scheduling, have been developed but are seldom taught in construction management courses. This paper describes the design of a new curriculum to teach one new approach to construction scheduling called the Tri-Constraint Method. The proposed five-lesson, flipped-classroom curriculum is designed to illustrate limitations of the critical path method, explain the theoretical and computational foundations of a generative scheduling algorithm, and provide practical experience through implementation with state-of-the-art software. To measure the impact of the curriculum on student learning, the paper conducts a descriptive statistical analysis, a paired t-test, and an examination of qualitative feedback. Students who entered the course with either low or high prior knowledge of construction scheduling showed significant improvement in their understanding of the key concepts and the algorithmic approach behind the generative construction scheduling. Overall, this paper demonstrates how curriculum design in engineering informatics can combine theoretical understanding and practical implementation to understand generative construction scheduling. The dissemination of this and similar teaching curricula can ensure that future engineering practitioners avoid “black box” implementations of automation software in their future careers.
Preprint
(2021)
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M.A. Kraus, I. Čustović, W. Kaufmann
Structural engineering lectures are core parts in undergraduate civil engineering curricula and the content demands advanced analytical thinking and abstract perception from real-world structures to computational surrogate models and applicable design schemes. On the other hand, Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality (AR, VR, MR) currently influence developments in many industries, including the AEC sector. Especially MR enables immersive experiences of blending interactive digital contents with the real. Our goal is to transform traditional paper-based instruction into an immersive lesson. To that end, this paper presents the conception, workflow and deployment of two MR applications for verification of typical yet geometrically complex structural members: a reinforced concrete corbel and a steel frame. The aim of this research is threefold: (i) to develop and implement the technological feasibility of such applications, (ii) to demonstrate possible use cases in the context of structural engineering lectures and (iii) to evaluate the presented MR examples and the future potential of such MR applications in structural engineering lectures through a survey. The workflow and especially the two MR teaching applications presented in this paper were developed based on Apple's Preprint. Under review ARKit and are thus natively deployable on iPhones and iPads. The verification process was reproduced in the MR applications based on conventional exercises that were taught on paper. Users can navigate independently through the applications and review every single step, including a true-to-scale, spatial representation of the specific component (concrete corbel or steel frame) as well as associated verification formulas in the respective step. Likewise, these applications were used to assess the demand and expectations for such immersive teaching techniques among students through a survey of 89 civil engineering students and instructors. The participants were asked to test the MR applications on their devices or watch pre-recorded video demonstrations, afterwards perception was elicited through a questionnaire. The results of a subsequent data analysis show a generally positive judgement of the MR application over the six questioned categories (style, usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment , attitude as well as intention towards using). The statistical analysis revealed some (positivity) biases for users with prior XR experience w.r.t. to usage and navigation, while inexperienced/novice users underlined increased enjoyment or excitement with this learning format. The outlook covers identified shortcomings and future developments in this field.
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Structural engineering lectures are core parts in undergraduate civil engineering curricula and the content demands advanced analytical thinking and abstract perception from real-world structures to computational surrogate models and applicable design schemes. On the other hand, Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality (AR, VR, MR) currently influence developments in many industries, including the AEC sector. Especially MR enables immersive experiences of blending interactive digital contents with the real. Our goal is to transform traditional paper-based instruction into an immersive lesson. To that end, this paper presents the conception, workflow and deployment of two MR applications for verification of typical yet geometrically complex structural members: a reinforced concrete corbel and a steel frame. The aim of this research is threefold: (i) to develop and implement the technological feasibility of such applications, (ii) to demonstrate possible use cases in the context of structural engineering lectures and (iii) to evaluate the presented MR examples and the future potential of such MR applications in structural engineering lectures through a survey. The workflow and especially the two MR teaching applications presented in this paper were developed based on Apple's Preprint. Under review ARKit and are thus natively deployable on iPhones and iPads. The verification process was reproduced in the MR applications based on conventional exercises that were taught on paper. Users can navigate independently through the applications and review every single step, including a true-to-scale, spatial representation of the specific component (concrete corbel or steel frame) as well as associated verification formulas in the respective step. Likewise, these applications were used to assess the demand and expectations for such immersive teaching techniques among students through a survey of 89 civil engineering students and instructors. The participants were asked to test the MR applications on their devices or watch pre-recorded video demonstrations, afterwards perception was elicited through a questionnaire. The results of a subsequent data analysis show a generally positive judgement of the MR application over the six questioned categories (style, usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment , attitude as well as intention towards using). The statistical analysis revealed some (positivity) biases for users with prior XR experience w.r.t. to usage and navigation, while inexperienced/novice users underlined increased enjoyment or excitement with this learning format. The outlook covers identified shortcomings and future developments in this field.