Robotic construction analysis: simulation with virtual reality

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Virtual Reality Simulation
• Construction Management

Background:

• Robotic construction technologies, particularly drones, are advancing, offering potential improvements.
• Assessing economic and social impacts of robotic construction requires costly physical testing.
• Current research primarily focuses on academic applications of robotic assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a methodology for simulating robotic construction using virtual reality.
• To test the hypothesis that VR simulation enhances prediction accuracy for construction time and cost.
• To evaluate VR simulation's capability in detecting construction problems.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of robotic construction (drones, robotic arms) and VR simulations.
• Development and application of a novel VR simulation methodology for robotic construction.
• Analysis of simulation data for three architectonic elements under various scenarios.

Main Results:

• VR simulation demonstrated potential for increased precision in predicting construction duration and cost.
• The simulation methodology facilitated the identification of potential construction problems.
• Comparison with traditional methods highlighted differences in time and cost metrics.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality simulation is a viable tool for assessing robotic construction projects.
• VR simulation can mitigate risks by enabling early detection of issues and improving cost/time predictions.
• This methodology supports more efficient and accurate planning in robotic construction.