A Study of the Robotic Requirements of a Major Contractor

The increasing concern within te construction industry over the future decline in the labour market has prompted a need to investigate alternative construction methods, particularly automated or robotized ones. A method for researching these issues in relation to the work of a major contractor and for identifying the technical and economic feasibility of various possible developments is presented in this paper. Sources of information are identified and their use discussed. A detailed approach to collecting data for a specific example, namely reinforced concrete column construction, is included and initial findings reported.