Japanese construction giant to build massive DAM almost entirely with Robots
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- The dam built by robots? Japan's Obayashi tests it out
According to the Japan Federation of Construction Contractors, Japan's construction industry is aging quickly, with 35% of all workers now 55 or older. Companies are scrambling to build robots based on workers' expertise before they retire. These companies also hope that new technology could dispel negative stereotypes of the industry among younger generations, encouraging more people to work in construction.
Stricter regulations on overtime, which take effect on construction sites starting in 2024, have contributed to the trend toward automation. Contractors are struggling to meet their goal of guaranteeing two days off a week on their sites. And as a solution to this emerging problem. A Japanese contractor Obayashi has started to build a dam almost entirely with robots, addressing the industry's labor shortage and an aging workforce.
The site of the trial project is a concrete dam in Mie Prefecture, on the southeast coast of Japan's main island. This 84-meter-high structure is planning its completion by March 2023.
Obayashi contractor has developed automated equipment to stack concrete layers to form a dam. To further streamline the process, a plant has been built near the site to mix sand and gravel with cement to make concrete.
Building a dam requires knowledge and skill developed through years of experience. Obayashi's automated system is expected to be a game-changer in dam construction, as well as in other applications. The head of their technological unit said, that by transferring expert techniques to machines, they're able to analyze what was once implicit knowledge
Every process for constructing this 334-meter-wide dam will involve some form of automation. That includes the initial work of establishing the foundation and pouring concrete to form the body.
The dam's body is built in layers by pouring concrete into 15-meter square partitions. Tower cranes that pour the concrete are controlled remotely by office computers, which also monitor the positioning of the partitions and the progress of construction.
Humans will however be present inside the cranes for safety reasons, but the machines are self-operating.
Building a dam is an intricate endeavor that requires all crevices to be sealed to prevent breaches. Concrete surfaces need to be processed so they are tightly stacked on one another.
Layers that are uneven are usually brushed down by human professionals until they are flat. Therefore Obayashi has developed machines that handle the brushing. The frequency of the cyclical brushing and the pressure on the surface are automatically controlled.
Also as poured concrete builds up, the forms used to give it structure need to be raised to keep unset concrete from leaking out. Normally, multiple skilled workers in heavy machinery operate in tandem to gradually lift the forms, calling out to each other to coordinate their movements.
Therefore Obayashi has developed a robot to handle this task, allowing humans to be cut out of the picture entirely.
Surprisingly, even with all of this futuristic solutions, the construction firm has only been able to increase the productivity by only about 10%, since it still needs to have people on-site, in case anything goes wrong. However, The company plans to acquire more such autonomous construction machines which will eventually enable them to increase productivity by 30% and will help them shorten the project's duration by 1 year.
#Automation #Construction #ConstructionManagement #ConstructionAutomation
What’re your thoughts on using robots for construction?!
I wouldn't want to live downstream from that thing.
True, that’s why they’re building it way away from the residential places!! 😄
Check your geography mate. Don't think that is a map showing "Japan's south east prefecture". Looks more like south East England.
Done deal mate, checkout the update. Thanks for pointing out the mistake
India also needs such works
True!
Name of dam ?
I think because it’s under-construction, it’s not named yet.