Clustering and Topological Interlocking for Robotic Assembly

Conference Paper (2026)
Author(s)

Fang Che Cheng (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment, National Cheng Kung University)

Arwin Hidding (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Feras Alsaggaf (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Henriette Bier (University of Sydney, TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)

Research Group
Building Knowledge
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-00545-8_9 Final published version
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2026
Language
English
Research Group
Building Knowledge
Pages (from-to)
109-115
Publisher
Springer
ISBN (print)
9783032005441
Event
International Conference on Future Smart Cities, FSC 2023 (2023-09-18 - 2023-09-22), Virtual, Online
Downloads counter
28
Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Abstract

Constructing Martian habitats presents significant challenges due to the harsh environmental conditions and limited resources available. In the presented study, a robotic assembly method has been developed that incorporates K-means clustering for task allocation and topological interlocking. The topological interlocking of Voronoi-based components provides an internally force-locked system, which facilitates both the robotic assembly process and the structural stability of the habitat. The clustering is leveraged for production planning objectives, including resource allocation and scheduling operations for assembling components. This method addresses assembly challenges of nonuniform components and facilitates the stacking of prefabricated 3D-printed Voronoi-based components using mobile robots. Experimental tests show that the proposed approach is practical and scalable, offering a feasible solution for autonomous Martian habitat construction. It contributes to laying the groundwork for sustainable autonomous construction systems.

Files

978-3-032-00545-8_9.pdf
(pdf | 1.17 Mb)
Taverne
warning

File under embargo until 04-09-2026