Robot Dog Conducts 3D Scanning at Construction Site... Hanwha Construction Advances Safety and Work Efficiency

Applied to the Construction Site of the Seoul Station Northern Transit-Oriented Complex Development Project

A robot dog equipped with a 3D laser scanner is conducting site scanning at the construction site of the Seoul Station North Area Complex Development Project, being built by Hanwha Construction.

Hanwha Construction announced on the 28th that it will apply various smart construction technologies, including a robot dog equipped with a 3D scanner and AR (Augmented Reality) technology, at the construction site of the Seoul Station North Station Area Complex Development Project.

The Seoul Station North Station Area Complex Development Project involves developing the idle railway land on the north side of Seoul Station (around 122 Bongnae-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul) to build convention facilities, hotels, offices, commercial and cultural facilities, and officetels. The total project cost is approximately 2 trillion KRW, and it is expected to become the so-called "Gangbuk version of COEX."

The first smart construction technology applied at this site is the technology of equipping a robot dog (quadruped robot) with a 3D scanner device to collect data necessary for construction. Since the construction area is adjacent to security facilities such as railways, the use of robot dogs is highly effective due to restrictions on personnel access and safety reasons.

On the 27th, Hanwha Construction held a demonstration of this smart construction technology at the Seoul Station North Station Area Complex Development Project construction site. During the demonstration, a 3D laser scanner (Trimble 'X7') was mounted on a robot dog (Boston Dynamics 'Spot') to survey the site status, through which elevation measurements and earthwork volumes were calculated. The acquired data will also be used later for displacement reviews of adjacent buildings.

A Hanwha Construction official said, "Using this technology reduced the effort of people having to carry 3D scanners and tripods to scan in hot or cold weather," adding, "Although there have been many cases testing the use of robot dogs at construction sites, this is the first case where it has been effectively applied and utilized on an actual construction site."

Hanwha Construction is analyzing data acquired by a 3D laser scanner mounted on a robotic dog at the construction site of the Seoul Station North Area Complex Development Project to measure the ground elevation and calculate the volume of soil at the site.

Additionally, on the same day, Hanwha Construction demonstrated GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)-based AR technology. GNSS is a system that provides information about the location, altitude, and speed of ground objects using satellites.

Hanwha Construction employees used mobile phones to overlay a BIM (Building Information Modeling) model implemented in augmented reality onto the actual site to check the site. Through the BIM model matched to the moved location, they confirmed the land boundary lines before the 3D scan, reviewed design plans, and established construction plans, thereby improving work efficiency.

BIM is a technology that integrates, produces, manages, and utilizes information throughout the entire construction process by combining three-dimensional models and construction information. From the design stage, it allows a three-dimensional view of the building construction process and contains various information such as the attributes of building components, construction sequence, and quantity calculations, greatly enhancing understanding of the building.

The Seoul Station North Station Area Complex Development construction site is a highly challenging site adjacent to railway facilities, where ensuring the stability of railway operations and closely reviewing interference and constructability during underground construction are essential. Hanwha Construction plans to actively utilize AR and BIM technologies for prior reviews.