Automation of Concrete Slab‐on‐Grade Construction

Abstract

This paper addresses the effective use of various levels of automation in concrete slab‐on‐grade construction, considering conventional manual construction, semiautomated placing using a laser‐guided screeding machine and automated finishing using a robotic floor finisher. For both manual construction and semiautomated placing, information is obtained through structured interviews of concrete contractors and site observations. Information on robotic finishing is obtained from robot developers. When compared to the conventional manual construction of a typical 1,859‐m2, 150‐mm‐thick slab, accomplished in 10 hours with a 12‐man placing crew and a six‐man finishing crew, automation of finishing alone is found to offer benefits through a 30% reduction in the size of the finishing crew, whereas automation of placing alone offers benefits through a 33% reduction in the placing crew size and a 20% activity‐duration reduction. Automation of both placing and finishing allows a 33% placing‐crew‐reduction, 25% finishing‐crew increase, and a 60% activity‐duration reduction. These benefits are considerably increased when higher quality is explicitly specified.