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EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION1

EMERGING TRENDS IN

CONSTRUCTION

ByEr. Verghese N.I

MD, FORMS Consultants, Designers & Engineers

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EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 3

2. CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION 3

3. EMERGING TECHNIQUES IN CONSTRUCTION 4

3.1 Pre Engineered Buildings: 4

3.2 Precast / Tilt Up Concrete Construction 6

3.3 Tensile and Fabric Structures 7

4. NEW AGE BUILDINGS 10

4.1 Autonomous Buildings 10

4.2 Green Buildings 10

4.3 Intelligent Buildings 10

4.4 Benefits of New Age Buildings 12

5. EMERGING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 12

5.1 Trends in Cement Concrete 13

5.2 Trends in Reinforcement 14

5.3Trends in aggregates 15

5.4 Application of Nano Technology 15

6. EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION MACHINERIES 16

7. THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY 17

8. CONCLUSION 19

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1. INTRODUCTION

Innovations and new methods in construction abound and they help reduce cost, time and

improve quality. Adopting new technologies is important as they bring in a systematic way of

working, maximize output in a short time and make projects cost effective,

On an average 20 per cent of the cost and 25 per cent of time can be reduced when new

methods are adopted. In the last two years larger developments are increasingly looking for

innovations to improve quality, profits and brand value

Construction techniques need to keep pace with the rapid expansion of infrastructure and

construction.

Demands must be met with speed without compromising quality. Many more firms will

sooner than later shift to new practices to gain and share the benefits with the users.

2. CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION

1. Site planning and analysis: - involve study of soil conditions, existing structures and

preparation of detailed site drawings.

2. Detailed scheme drawings are prepared and approved from the government. The final

architectural presentation drawing is prepared. The drawings are detailed out with all

floor plans, elevations and sections. These drawings will be sent to the structural

engineer for structural design. The site could be cleared simultaneously.

3. The structural grid is marked on site, followed by excavation and laying of foundation

concrete.

4. Once the foundation is complete, structural members like the column and lintel beams

for continuous lintels are built.

5. Next, the ground floor walls, lintel beams, window openings, sunshades, sill plate

details are done.

6. Electrical conduits have to be planned and laid in place before the roof slab and the

lintel beams are cast.

7. Elevation features such as the parapets and the fins, and brackets details. All inner

wall plastering and fixing of the doors and window frames are taken up.

8. For the final and finishing stage, the most important works would be the plumbing

and electrical wiring. Additional elevation features like the plaster bands and grooves,

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entrance step details, exterior and interior final colors could be sorted out. All wood

works like the door and window shutters, hand rails could be fixed in place.

3. EMERGING TECHNIQUES IN CONSTRUCTION

3.1 Pre Engineered Buildings:This is very versatile buildings systems and can be finished internally to serve any functions

and accessorized externally to achieve attractive and unique designing styles.

A pre-engineered building is a metal building that consists of light gauge metal standing

seam roof panels on steel purloins spanning between rigid frames with light gauge metal wall

cladding.Buildings are tailor made based on clients requirement & actual designcalculations using tapered sections. A combination of built up section, hot rolled section, coldformed elements and profiled sheets is used in the design. Designing and casting is done in

factory and building components are brought up and built in the site.

Pre engineered steel buildings can be fitted with different structural accessories including

mezzanine floors, canopies, fascias, interior partitions etc. and the building is made water

proof by use of special mastic beads, filler strips and trims.

Pre engineered buildings are generally low rise buildings however the maximum eave height

can go up to 25 to 30 meters. Low rise buildings are ideal for offices, houses, showrooms,

shop fronts etc.

It can be built in any type of geographical location like extreme cold hilly areas, high rain

prone areas, plain land obviously and extreme hot climatic zones as well.

3.1.1 Design and Construction of Pre Engineered Buildings

The main framing of PEB systems is analyzed by the

stiffness matrix method.

The strain energy method is adopted to calculate the

fixed end moments, stiffness and carry over factors.

Numerical integration is used.

The primary framing structure of a pre-engineered

building is an assembly of I-shaped members, often

referred as I beam. In pre-engineered buildings, the I beams used are usually formed by

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Fig 1. I section

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welding together steel plates to form the I section. The I beams are then field-assembled (e.g.

bolted connections) to form the entire frame of the pre-engineered building. Some

manufacturers taper the framing members (varying in web depth) according to the local

loading effects. Larger plate dimensions are used in areas of higher load effects.

Other forms of primary framing can include trusses, mill sections rather than 3-plate welded,

castellated beams, etc. The choice of economic

form can vary depending on factors such as local

capabilities (e.g. manufacturing, transportation,

construction) and variations in material vs. labour

costs.

Typically, primary frames are 2D type frames (i.e.may be analyzed using 2-Dimensional techniques).

Advances in computer aided design technology,

materials and manufacturing capabilities have assisted a growth in alternate forms of Pre-

engineered building such as the Tension fabric building and more sophisticated analysis (e.g.

3-Dimensional) as is required by some building codes.

Cold formed Z and C-shaped members may be used as secondary structural elements to

fasten and support the external cladding.

Roll-formed profiled steel sheet, wood, tensioned fabric, precast concrete, masonry block,

glass curtain wall or other materials may be used for the external cladding of the building.

3.1.2 Advantages

REDUCED CONSTRUCTION TIME:

LOWER SITE COST:

FLEXIBILTY OF EXPANSION:

LARGE CLEAR SPANS:

QUALITY CONTROL:

LOW MAINTENANCE:

ENERGY EFFICIENT ROOFING AND WALL SYSTEMS:

ARCHITECTURAL VERSTALITY:

SINGLE SOURCE RESPONSIBILTY

3.2 Precast / Tilt Up Concrete Construction

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Fig 2. Z and C sections

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A tilt-up building's walls are created horizontally in large slabs of concrete called panels. The

panels are then lifted, or tilted up, into position around the building's slab. Tilt Up

construction done in a factory setting is called Pre Casted Construction.

The fact that precast concrete walls are formed at a manufacturing facility resolves the

weather issue, but presents a different limitation not found in tilt-up construction. Because the

panels must be transported - sometimes over long distances - places a substantial limitation

on how wide or tall each panel can be. It would be impossible to load precast panels that were

60 feet wide or 90 feet long onto trucks and transport them any distance. For a precast

construction project, the panels must be smaller and more manageable to allow trucks to haul

them over the road to their final destination. This places greater design restrictions on

architects and limits the applications where precast construction can be used.

Clearly, tilt-up concrete construction and precast concrete are similar processes. Because tilt-

up affords more flexibility, it is the method of choice in locations where the weather allows

it. Precast concrete is a suitable choice in circumstances where environmental factors and the

construction schedule preclude tilt-up as a viable option.

A tilt-up construction project begins with job site preparation and pouring the slab. During

this phase of the project, workers install footings around the slab in preparation for the

panels. The crew then assembles the panel forms on the slab. Normally, the form is created

with wooden pieces that are joined together. The forms act like a mold for the cement panels.

They provide the panels' exact shape and size, doorways and window openings, and ensure

the panels meet the design specifications and fit together properly.

Next, workers tie in the steel grid of reinforcing bars into the form. They install inserts and

embed for lifting the panels and attaching them to the footing, the roof system, and to each

other. The slab beneath the forms is then cleaned of any debris or standing water, and

workers pour concrete into the forms to create the panels.

Once the concrete panels have solidified and the forms have been removed, the crew

connects the first panel to a large crane with cables that hook into the inserts.

The size of the crane depends on the height and weight of the cement panels, but it is

typically two to three times the size of the largest panel. The crew also attaches braces to the

tilt-up panel. The crane lifts, or "tilts up," the panel from the slab into a vertical position

above the footings. Workers help to guide the concrete panel into position and the crane sets

it into place. They connect the braces from the tilt-up panel to the slab, attach the panel's

embeds to the footing, and disconnect the cables from the crane. The crew then moves to the

next panel and repeats this process.

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Once all the tilt-up construction panels are erected, the crew applies finishes to the walls with

sandblasting or painting. They also caulk joints and patch any imperfections in the walls.

From this point the crew moves to the installation of the roof system and the trades begin

their work inside the building.

3.2.1 Advantages of tilt-up load bearing wall panels:

1. Speed of getting the wall panels placed as compared to masonry

2. Architectural freedom for pattern design on the finished wall and exterior wall finish

3. Fire resistance, durability, low maintenance, lower insurance rates.

4. Insulation for tilt up concrete exceeds masonry and wood frame construction

5. Tilt up building are easily expandable

3.2.2Disadvantages:

1. Complicated reinforcing patterns and layout of openings

2. Lifting panels requires specialized equipment and third party engineering to calculate the

lifting loads

3. Connections between the panels for the resistance of lateral forces are somewhat unwieldy

at times

4. Having to cast a separate concrete pad for the casting of the panels themselves.

5. Roof connections require third party trades for chemical anchor bolts.

5. Bracing the panels back to the concrete floor until the roof is attached - have to plug holes

in the floor.

3.3 Tensile and Fabric Structures

A tensile structure is a construction of elements carrying only tension and no compression or

bending. Most tensile structures are supported by some form of compression or bending

elements, such as masts (as in The O2, formerly the Millennium Dome), compression rings or

beams.

Tensile membrane structures are most often used as roofs as they can economically and

attractively span large distances

Tensile fabric structures are an environmentally sensitive medium and an inexpensive way to

create an organic form. The biggest performance advantage is its strength to weight ratio,

which saves on materials (most fabrics can be recycled). Being lightweight and flexible;

fabric interacts better with natural forces than a rigid material, this combined with its daytime

translucency and night-time luminosity gives a magical feeling of being outdoors, combined

with the security and comfort of indoors.

3.3.1 Classification

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Membrane structures rely on double curvature to resist imposed loads efficiently. Imagine a

flat piece of fabric. An imposed download of snow can only be resisted by tension in the

horizontal fibers a bit like making the catenery cables on a suspension bridge horizontal and

expecting them to still carry the weight of the road deck

In Fig 1, a classic Hyperbolic Paraboloid, any point on the membrane surface can be

restrained by the corner points. The two high points pick up any downloads and the two low

points resist the wind uplift.

The flatter the fabric, i.e. the smaller height difference between the high and low points, the

greater the resultant loads will be at the corners.

Inflatable fabric structures are synclastic forms where constant air pressure balloons the

fabric into shapes also exhibiting double curvature. Anticlastic forms like the Hyperbolic

Paraboloid have opposing curvatures.

Other common anticlastic forms are the cone (fig 4) and the arch form (fig 5)

It is also possible to create a 'hybrid' form by combining these 2 or 3 geometric shapes

creating a simplistic and dynamic design.

In simple terms, these forms have internal membrane support structures (rigid, soft, curved or

straight) and perimeter boundaries consisting of curved edge cables or straight beams,masts/columns with guy cables. In the example of a conical, the central mast provides the

internal rigid support (balering) and the catenary edge cables with masts/cables to the

perimeter.

3.3.2 Construction

The shape of a membrane surface is determined by the ratio of prestress in the two principal

directions of curvature. These are established in the computer form generation process. The

absolute values of prestress are calculated to be sufficient to keep all parts of the membrane

in tension under any load case.

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Fig 3 HyperbolicParaboloid

Fig 4Cone Fig 5Arch

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The form is generated by breaking up the surface into individual panels that will be cut out of

a roll of fabric (typically 1.5 - 4m wide). These panels will have curved edges that when

matched to an adjacent panel edge will produce the curvature of the surface. When joined

together and stressed in a structure, these panels need to distort within the body of the panelto form the final shape. If it distorts too much it may result in "wrinkling" or unintended

stresses within the membrane surface. This can have a negative impact on the structure both

esthetically and structurally. Using more seams to achieve the shape can be used to alleviate

this situation however this can increase fabrication time and fabric "wastage" (the amount of

fabric discarded after plotting the individual cutting panels). Efficient "nesting" (alignment of

the panels on the roll) of the panels can minimize the wastage, but fabrication time is difficult

to minimize if there is a high density of seams within the surface.

3.3.4 Implementation in India

Lot of cities in India have really high temperatures in summer reaching up to 45oCelsius and

above. In such conditions glass or polycarbonate transmit tremendous amount of heat and

affect the Air conditioning performance adversely, contributing to extremely high energy

bills. With solar protection fabrics we can substantially reduce the heat transmission levels

which would result in a better environment and reduced energy consumption.

High SPM (Suspended Particular Matter) levels in Indian cities result in a lot of dust settling

of any surface, be it glass, polycarbonate or fabric. Thus maintenance is required for all

surfaces, to keep them good looking and clean. However roofing fabrics have a high

concentration PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride), which makes the surface non-stick, and thus

making them easily cleanable without much effort, as the dust can be just washed off with a

spray of water. In a worst case scenario if no maintenance is done, at least during the

monsoons the dust will be washed off naturally due to heavy rains, as the dust would not

adhere to the fabric because of the non stick surface.

Another advantage is the amount and quality of natural light that comes through roofing

fabrics. The light transmission levels are just right so as to be not too high to create glare as

in case of transparent materials like glass/polycarbonate. The quality of light coming through

is also excellent, eliminating the need of artificial lights during daytime, also contributes to

lower energy bills.

4. NEW AGE BUILDINGS

4.1 Autonomous Buildings

An autonomous building is a building designed to be operated independently from

infrastructural support services such as the electric power grid, gas grid, municipal water

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systems, sewage treatment systems, storm drains, communication services, and in some

cases, public roads.

As an architect or engineer becomes more concerned with the disadvantages of transportation

networks, and dependence on distant resources, their designs tend to include more

autonomous elements.

4.2 Green Buildings

Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a

structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient

throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation,

maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the

classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

4.3 Intelligent Buildings

An ìntelligent building' employs many tightly integrated mechanical and electrical systems

that do everything from controlling the building's environment, lighting, and security to

maintaining high-speed data networks and emergency backup power generators.

These systems incorporated in a building save energy while increasing reliability, security

and efficiency. They can detect and repair a malfunctioning part of the building or its

services, avoid serious consequences including a fire.

Central to an ìntelligent building' is a Building Management System which can control,

monitor and optimize services such as lights, heating, security, alarms, access control,

ventilation, air-conditioning, and in modern buildings that extensively use computer systems,

secure the networks and databanks.

The best way to explain

the concept would be to

take a peep into the

ìntelligent building

management system' in

place at the Techno-

campus of Cognizant

Technology Solutions,

Thoraipakkam, on OldMamallapuram Road. It

took 14 months to evolve a fully integrated design plan and arrive at the IBMS solution that

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Fig 6: Cognizant Info Park

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covers security, safety and automation, and since January 2004 the concept has been

functional in the 400,000-sqft complex.

Some of the features of the IBMS at Cognizant are: A very early smoke detection system

used in the data centre for tracing fire during the incipient stages itself; a common fire

detection and suppression system for both smoldering and fast flaming fire; a gas suppression

system using an environmentally safe and clean agent; biometric finger print based access

control for the data centre; a common monitoring system for all points of the building, from

different angles both inside and outside.

The system can also handle air-conditioning, electrical generators, and utilities, including

water levels in the overhead tanks. The lighting system is occupancy-based wherein lights for

a bay go up automatically when the first person enters it and switches off when the lastperson leaves it. By far the most advanced security features are at the data centre: a proximity

card for primary access, a biometric authorization using fingerprint and a third level security

in the form of infra-red sensors. Besides this, roving cameras pan 360 degrees to monitor the

entire data centre 24 x 7 hours, 365 days. Movement detectors also sweep the centre. There

are separate access cards for different user groups for the switch rooms, electrical rooms and

the library.

4.4 Benefits of New Age Buildings

4.4.1 Environmental benefits

Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems

Improve air and water quality

Reduce waste streams

Conserve and restore natural resources

4.4.2 Economic benefits

Reduce operating costs

Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services

Improve occupant productivity

Optimize life-cycle economic performance

4.4.3 Social benefits

Enhance occupant comfort and health

Heighten aesthetic qualities

Minimize strain on local infrastructure

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Improve overall quality of life

4.4.4 Security Benefits

Interfacing occupancy information

Common monitoring centers

Safety measures

24hr monitoring

5. EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

India is witnessing construction of very interesting projects in all sectors of Infrastructure.

High rise structures, under construction, include residential/commercial blocks up to a height

of 320 m and RC chimneys for thermal power stations extending upwards up to 275m.

Majority of the structures are in structural concrete. The functional demands of such high rise

structures include the use of durable materials. High Strength Concrete, Selfcompacting

Concrete are gaining widespread acceptance. Apart from the basic structural materials,

modern projects require a variety of secondary materials for a variety of purposes such as

construction chemicals, waterproofing materials, durability aids etc. These are some of the

recent developments.

5.1 Trends in Cement Concrete

Apart from the traditional concrete mixes, for more testing situations concrete mixes are now

being designed to provide certain specific characteristics. The ordinary concrete mixes wont

provide the expected results or may cause technical difficulties in these situations. So it was

necessary for the construction society to develop new concrete mixes for the demanding

situations. Some of the newly developed mixes are explained below.

5.1.1 Durable Concrete

Durable concrete is the one that will retain its original form, quality, and serviceabilityfor a

long time when exposed to its environment. The fundamental factor in creating durable

concrete is the use of pozzolans and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and

chemical admixturesin combination with Portland cement, and the proper selection of

aggregate (proportion, hardness, grading, shape, size, and phase composition). In addition,

available materials must be selected to prevent excessive expansion due to alkali-silica

reaction (ASR), alkali-carbonate rock reaction, and thermal gradients.

5.1.2 High Performance Concrete

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In the United States, in response to widespread cracking of concrete bridge decks, the

construction process moved towards the use of High Performance Concrete (HPC) mixes.

Four types of HPC were developed:

Very High Early Strength Concrete 17.5 mPa in 6 hours

High Early Strength Concrete 42.5 mPa in 24 hours

A Very High Strength 86 mPa in 28 days

High Early Strength with Fibre Reinforcement

High Performance Concrete was introduced in India initially for the reconstruction of the pre-

stressed concrete dome of the Kaiga Atomic Power Project, followed for parts of the Reactors

at Tarapur and Rajasthan. Subsequently, a number of bridges and flyovers have introduced

HPC up to M75 grade in different parts of India.

5.1.3 Selfcompacting Concrete (SCC)

SCC was developed by the Japanese initially as a Quality Assurance measure, but now is

being widely used for concrete structures worldwide. In India, one of the earliest uses of SCC

was for some components of structures at Kaiga Atomic Power Project. Many components of

the structures were very heavily reinforced and the field engineers found it difficult to place

and compact normal concrete without honeycombs and weaker concrete, SCC was

successfully used.

Due to its fluidity, SCC is able to find its way into the formwork and in between the

reinforcement and gets self-compacted in the process. The fluidity is realized by modifying

the normal mix components. In addition to cement, coarse and fine aggregates, water, special

new generation polymer based admixtures are used to increase the fluidity of the concrete

without increasing the water content.Sdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsdsds

5.1.4 High Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFA)

The high volume fly ash concrete (HVFA) represents an emerging technology for highly

durable and resource efficient concrete structures. Laboratory and field experience have

shown that fly ash from modern coal-fired thermal power plants, when used in large volume

(typically 50 - 60% by mass of the total cementitious materials content, is able to impart

excellent workability in fresh concrete at a water content that is 15 20% less than without

fly ash. To obtain adequate strength at early age, further reductions in the mixing water

content can be achieved with better aggregate grading and use of super plasticizers.

5.3 Trends in Reinforcement

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The revised BIS Code 1786 provides for four grades of reinforcement characterized by the

yield strength Fe 415, Fe 500, Fe 550 and Fe 600. Each of the first three grades is also

available with superior ductile properties and a nomenclature is Fe 415D, Fe500D and

Fe550D. Primarily the ductile grades specify a higher elongation value. Use of higher gradesreduces the tonnage of steel in compression members e.g. columns substantially, results in

decongested reinforcement and facilitates easy placement and vibration of concrete. Lapping

of bars results in congestion of steel creates difficulties in proper placement and compaction

of concrete and of course more expensive for large diameter bars. Couplers are now preferred

instead of lapping.

5.4 Trends in aggregates

5.4.1 Recycled Aggregates

With continuous development activity worldwide, the availability of coarse aggregates from

natural sources or crushed rock are dwindling; at the same time, due to demolition of old

structures, roads etc., a large amount of debris is generated annually and their disposal poses

problems for the individuals and the Governments.

Extensive research has now established that the debris can be crushed, processed andrecycled as coarse aggregate for fresh concrete. Such recycling solves the above mentioned

problems of disposal, and also more economical. Many national codes in the developed world

permit the use of recycled aggregates in concrete, subject to safeguards.

5.4.2 Lightweight Aggregates

These are manufactured products and are extensively used in all types of structures involving

longer spans where the dead-load forms a major component of the loads involved in the

design. Such lightweight aggregates are manufactured products using expanded clay, sinteredfly ash etc. Their contribution to strength depends on the type and quality of the lightweight

aggregate, the size fraction used and the amount of aggregate used as well as the type and

quality of binder in concrete. However, the addition of lightweight aggregate in concrete

reduces the modulus of elasticity.

5.5 Application of Nano Technology

Reducing particle size of a material to nanoscale often imparts new properties or enhances

existing ones. This is typical of nano particles of titanium dioxide, which maintains its photo

catalytic activity even when mixed with cement. External cement based surfaces become

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strongly photo catalytic, leading to a much better appearance and a significant reduction in

concentration of pollutants in the surrounding air.

The photoactive titanium dioxide was found to be a more powerful photo catalytic agentwhen its particle size decreased to non size. A cement binder containing about 5% of active

titanium dioxide produces concrete with a smooth surface and also converts the pollutants,

removes them from the surrounding air.

6. EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION MACHINERIES

These equipments are used for the handling and processing different stages in the

construction site. Employing human labour for tasks such as rebar processing, concreting,

compacting etc can be seen as the current trend in construction industry where as

implementing these machineries will reduce the processing time considerably. A high degree

of perfection can be obtained in these works when compared to human labour, there by

increasing the overall quality of work.

These are automatic/semi automatic, durable fast and cost effective machine. These machines

can be operated by a layman with minimal experience. These are available in different

models suited for different worksite circumstances.

Some of machineries are as follows:-

Rebar Processing Machines

Bar Bending Machine

Stirrup Bending Machine

Bar Cutting Machine

Bar De Coiling and Straightening Machine

Bar Tying Machine

Scrap Bar Straightening Machine

Spiral Bender

Portable Cutting Machine

Concrete Processing Equipment:

Batching Plant

Batch Mix Plant

Reversible Drum Mixer

Hydraulic Mixer

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Vacuum Dewatering System

Needle Vibrator

Compaction Equipment:

Walk Behind Double Drum Vibratory Roller Double Drum Vibratory Roller

Plate Compactors

Reversible Plate Compactor

Trench Rammer

Man & Material Handling Equipment:

Tower Crane

Passenger Hoist

Builders Hoist

Mini Dumper

7. THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Over the last 20 years the concept of automating construction

and civil engineering operations has become a reality within

Japan, resulting in improvements in site safety, efficiency

and productivity. The Japanese construction and civilengineering sectors witnessed the development of more than

550 systems for unmanned operation and automation of

construction works.

Skilled labour shortages and an ageing workforce have

generated a real need for increased productivity through the

use of single-task, human-machine construction systems. The Japanese have found that these

systems appear to be the most economic and efficient means of introducing automation in

construction. Human operatives provide sensory abilities which are still proving too

technologically difficult for

successful automation. The

following sections review some of

the single-task automated

construction systems that have

been used on construction

projects.

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Fig 7: Honda Humanoid

Fig 8: Big Canopy System using Precasted concrete

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Integrated construction automated systems consist of four fundamental elements

a temporary covered working platform and jacking system

just-in-time delivery of structural members and sub-assembled components

an automated material handling system a centralized on-site integrated control centre.

A fully enclosed temporary working platform provides a factory type environment within

which all material manipulators and automated construction systems operate. The enclosed

working structure provides protection from

adverse weather conditions and reduces the

impact of the construction project upon the

surrounding environment. The entire platform is

constructed on hydraulic jacks and once each

floor is complete, these can be activated to raise

the working platform to a suitable level for

completion of the next floor.

Two of the most successful integrated

construction automation systems are theObayashi Corporations Automated Building

Construction System (ABCS) and the Big-

Canopy system.

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Fig 9: ABCS system

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8. CONCLUSION

The major trends and developments in construction help us in the reduction of cost, time and

improving quality. As we can see these innovative construction method and products, and the

innovative use of traditional, natural and recycled materials, increasingly offer new ways of

constructing sustainable, affordable homes and other buildings. The emerging construction

techniques, some of which we have discussed, when adopted in the Indian construction

sector, can make major consequences. Sustainable construction invites and compels us to

think creatively and engage our sense of beauty, science and history to find new ways of

building structures. To incorporate these emerging techniques we need rigor, partnerships and

excellence from everyone: from architects to designers, from construction firms and from city

planners.

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