[Let's Run Again Construction Korea] Advanced Technology Sites with Drones Flying and Robots Running... "Will Revolutionize the Construction Industry Paradigm"

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Transforms Construction Framework with Smart Construction Technology: "Will Overcome Productivity and Aging Challenges"
Demonstrations of In-House Developed Safety Management System HIoS and Wearable Robots... Sequential Implementation Planned

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Last month, at the Godeok Bridge site in Section 14 of the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, the 'Hyundai Engineering & Construction Smart Construction Technology Demonstration' was held. It was an event showcasing a comprehensive lineup of advanced technology items aimed at expanding smart construction, a core pillar of the 'Hyundai Engineering & Construction 2025 Strategy.' At this event, Hyundai Engineering & Construction presented simulations and demonstrations of a total of 27 advanced technology items, including its in-house developed safety management system HIoS (HIoS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and wearable robots.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction expanded the application of its independently developed Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-based safety management system HIoS from tunnel and building construction sites to bridge sites. The real-time remote location monitoring system prevents worker safety accidents that may occur in blind spots and enables real-time response.

The site integrates various smart technologies from Hyundai Engineering & Construction comprehensively. Utilizing 360-degree cameras, panoramic photos are used to manage site issues, and by linking with smartphones to share the site environment, management efficiency has been improved. This also enables responses to disputes that may arise during construction. A high-precision GPS measurement system was also introduced at this site. It automates surveying during the construction of bridge towers and enhances measurement accuracy during construction. A single sensor module simultaneously measures displacement, velocity, and acceleration of structures, ensuring construction quality while reducing maintenance and management time.

They also established a collaboration solution (CDE - Common Data Environment) that effectively shares various 3D design information such as BIM. This shortens the design change approval period, enabling rapid decision-making and quickly resolving various issues that may arise on site. Drone-based record management is also greatly aiding quantitative construction volume evaluation. Using LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) equipment, which measures the distance to objects with laser pulses and precisely maps the surroundings, drones simplify site inspection tasks and improve surveying accuracy.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction recently introduced semi-automatic control systems MG (Machine Guidance) and MC (Machine Control), which provide operators with real-time information on work position, depth, and inclination. These systems are currently in use at the Seosan Hankook Tire Test Track and will be expanded to all sites in the future. Wearable robots that detect workers' movements via sensors and augment their strength are expected to assist workers in transporting construction materials easily with less effort.

Since 2018, Hyundai Engineering & Construction has established a dedicated big data and artificial intelligence (AI) team within its technology research institute to lead R&D in AI technologies for the construction sector. Since October, they have also operated a 'Disaster Prediction AI' that provides anticipated hazard risk information for the day based on big data, enabling proactive safety management.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction emphasized that it will continue to innovate by transforming the construction framework itself through smart construction technology to overcome challenges such as productivity, accident rates, and aging workforce. A Hyundai Engineering & Construction official stated, "We aim to deploy industrial robots on sites by 2026. This year, we applied 'unmanned patrol robots' for site management and 'construction work robots' to improve efficiency in repetitive tasks such as welding and painting at some domestic sites," adding, "We will apply modularization across various fields, including expanding plant modularization application rates, increasing dry construction methods for housing, and securing architectural modular design and production technologies, and introduce construction automation to change the existing construction industry paradigm."