PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

(UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF MANILA)

INTRAMUROS MANILA
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND EQUIPMENTS

CIVCM 0426-1

OVERVIEW OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND

EMERGING TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN CONSTRUCTION

Submitted by:
Luke L. Moraleda
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
2018-01448

Submitted to:
Engr. Vien Carlo M. Amora
Professor

September 18, 2021

 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND METHODS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Construction industry is focused on the construction, demolition,

renovation, maintenance or repair of building and infrastructure. It covers a wide
range of services, from design, planning, and surveying to structural construction
to finishing services such as painting and decorating. This industry is a dynamic
segment in one’s nation. It is deemed that this industry continues to shape our
land, economy, and environment in which we work or live in thru infrastructures
that are essential in sustaining the society. This industry has laid down the physical
and technological foundations upon which modern civilization has developed. It
also creates investment opportunities across various related sectors and vital to
the achievement of national socio-economic objectives. The construction
industry is a significant global sector. The construction industry is a broad term that
refers to a sector of the economy. The industry contributes significantly to the
country's economic growth, but it is presently confronted with several problems
that are affecting project goals and the economy's stable expansion. In line with
the Philippines’ economic status, the construction industry is denoted as one of
the major contributors in which, according to Statista Research Department
(2021), it generated 336 billion Philippine pesos in gross value during the fourth
quarter of 2020.
The construction industry covers various range of businesses that
encompasses all the sectors as well as those specialized work that builds a
structure. According to Syzmanski S. (N.D.) There are three sub-sectors in the
construction industry. These are the building construction, infrastructure
construction, and specialty trade. Each type of construction project requires a
unique team to plan, design, construct and maintain the project. Large scale
construction is normally managed by a project manager, and supervised by a
construction manager, design engineer, construction engineer or project
architect.
The status of the construction industry in the Philippines was seen growing
especially with the added force from the Build Build Build program that focuses
on implementing vast infrastructures that is deemed to aid in the development of
the nation’s economy. However, due to the unexpected worsening of the corona
virus pandemic which struck all sectors and lives of every people, the industry is
expected to shrink due to the impact of protocols or safety measures on the
progress of construction projects. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority
(PSA), the industry’s value-add in real terms fell by 39.8%. In line with this issue,
there are some news which tells that the Philippines’ economy will bounce back
as the government ramps up its major infrastructure projects and with sustained
support for small and medium contractors who were the most affected by the
global pandemic.
In line with this industry are new materials and methods for building
structures. Innovative products are being discovered to allow the construction of
larger and more open structure with less work or complexity. In the construction
of houses and buildings, home builders and contractors employ a variety of
approaches. Due to capital constraints, small construction companies choose to
utilize light and disposable tools and equipment that are less expensive and easier
to get. While Large, well-established construction companies prefer to utilize
heavier, higher-quality tools and equipment that last longer while being more
expensive. Established contractors rely on the tools' long-term advantages to
justify their ongoing usage on future projects. As a result, the contractor's money
availability is one element that influences his building methods.
This industry is purely based on activities in terms of a construction project
that can be grouped into three main categories which are designing and
planning, construction execution, and inspection and supervision. Construction
planning is the process through which project managers set out how they will
manage and execute a construction project, from designing the structure to
procuring supplies and dispatching employees and subcontractors to
accomplish various tasks. Construction planning entails defining all of the
processes required to construct a building, dividing them into particular activities,
logically arranging these phases, and determining the resources, labor, and
equipment required. Building execution refers to the standards, techniques, and
practices that are followed during the construction phase of a project to ensure
that the thing being built is delivered effectively. The execution phase includes
directing workers, adhering to all regulatory standards, and supervising a project
from conception to completion. The ultimate objective of construction is to meet
all of the client's requirements, both in terms of functionality and budget. At each
stage, inspection and supervision are necessary to ensure that the required work
is done in order to accomplish the construction activities. Progress is continually
assessed, and adjustments are made as needed. The construction project
manager spends the majority of his time monitoring and, based on the
information he receives, redirects work and maintains project control.
In conclusion, due to innovative methods, new technologies, and
development of project management strategies has made it possible to
accomplish construction projects. In its path of advancement, the industry has to
overcome a number of challenges. However, the industry is still faced with some
major challenges, including housing, disaster-resistant construction, water
management, and mass mobility caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
 EMERGING TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN CONSTRUCTION
1. Building Information Modeling
Building planning and designing is a
collaborative process that requires inputs
from multiple stakeholders including
engineers, architects, builders, and
clients, among others. With the traditional
method, it is difficult to visualize changes
in real-time as everyone works on their
unique files. This results in generating
multiple versions of the same plan and
causes confusion. Advanced BIM tools solve this problem by providing a central
database and enabling everyone to work on a single shared model. While 5D BIM
allows for the cost and time overlays, 6D BIM also accounts for energy budgeting.
These solutions identify clashes during the initial stages and improve overall
workflow efficiency. In combination with AR and VR, BIM solutions enable the
visualization of models on a real scale and testing in a simulated environment.
2. Offsite Construction
Offsite construction, one of the
emerging construction industry trends,
allows designing, manufacturing, and
fabricating building elements in a
factory. In traditional construction,
weather conditions increase costs by
introducing contingency fees and
require extra labor hours. Onsite
construction also produces a lot of
material waste. Offsite construction, on
the other hand, transforms the
construction lifecycle in terms of sustainability, worker safety, and quality. It
incorporates a range of innovative materials, 3D printing technology, and novel
assembling techniques. The first part of offsite construction involves volumetric
construction which includes modular and pod construction. This technique allows
the prefabrication of heavy 3D structures like rooms and homes. The second
aspect includes panelized construction under which the factory develops flat
panels for use in walls, floors, or roof panes. Modern commercial buildings use this
technique to install partitions and support elements. Hence, startups provide
modular construction solutions to replace traditional construction methods.
3. Construction Robotics
Construction continues to be one of
the most labor-intensive industries. It
includes many repetitive and time-
consuming tasks which can be done
faster through robotics and
automation. Construction robots also
reduce human-induced error and
losses due to fatigue. For example,
collaborative robots automate
bricklaying, welding, rebar tying,
painting, and many such repetitive tasks with great precision. Robotics solutions
also automate heavy equipment and fleets for excavation, transportation, load
lifting, concrete works, and demolition. This increases construction worker safety
and significantly reduces operational time. Construction automation using robots
increases the overall productivity of the project, reduces the labor requirement,
and provides safety for dangerous or hazardous tasks.
4. 3D Construction Printing
3D printing in construction, also
known as additive construction, is a
sustainable and efficient method of
construction. Construction printers
either print entire buildings or only
prefabricated building components.
3D printing is a robotic approach that
prints the design layer by layer with
advanced construction materials in
collaboration with BIM. It has high design flexibility without the need for formwork.
The various methods used for printing are extrusion, power bonding, and additive
welding. Comparatively, 3D construction printing produces less waste and
requires fewer labor resources than traditional brick construction methods. It is a
fully automated and programmed process that also eliminates human error and
improves productivity. Many startups manufacture 3D printers or offer printing
services for small-scale and large-scale projects.
5. Construction Project Management
Digital project management, one of the upcoming construction industry trends,
uses cloud-based software to achieve the goals of quality, time, and cost. Project
management already has defined principles for each phase of construction. In
the initial phase, the project manager uses AI-
based predictive algorithms to understand
the project feasibility. Once approved, the
manager sets milestones for everyone and
distributes the resources using enterprise
resource planning (ERP) software. In addition
to ERP software, cloud-based tools ensure
transparency and allow for large volume
data storage. Managers also use such
software to track expected and actual outcomes of every task and gather
insights into bottlenecks. Towards the end of the project, managers draw
blockchain-based smart contracts to affirm legal obligations and prevent
financial fraud. In this way, digital construction project management reduces
waste, increases workforce efficiency, and ensures project completion by
deadline.
6. Advanced Building Materials
As the construction industry shifts to modular
and green approaches, advanced
materials are complementing the new ways
of construction. Many innovative and
sustainable materials are replacing the older
ones, such as 3D printed concrete and
basalt. Materials made from living organisms
are gaining in popularity with self-healing
concrete that uses bacteria. Moreover,
sustainable materials such as mycelium composites,
bioplastics, and biofoam also form a part of this construction
industry trend. The next category of innovative materials
includes aerogel, graphene, spider silk, carbon composites,
hydroceramics, and nanomaterials. These materials are
lighter and have a higher water holding capacity.
Advanced wooden and aluminum materials such as bamboo, cross-laminated
timber, transparent woods, and aluminum foam have higher strength and
biodegradability. Startups are researching novel sustainable materials that are
durable, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient.
7. Construction Worker Safety
Worker safety still remains one of the most
overlooke d areas in the construction
industry since companies look to minimize
labor costs. Increasingly, modern-day
construction strictly complies with worker
safety rules. While immersive technologies
prevent probable onsite accidents,
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) acts as a life savior. Construction companies
use AI algorithms to predict hazards and take safety measures accordingly. VR
technologies train field workers for hazardous tasks via immersive training to
reduce accident probability while AR allows fabricators to scan through the
objects. To ensure worker safety, companies use PPE embedded with IoT sensors.
The sensors detect signals in the form of vibrations, temperature, heart rate, steps,
and more and send the information for further analysis. This allows supervisors to
remotely monitor worker’s health conditions and productivity. Advanced safety
products benefit both workers and companies by minimizing physical and
financial losses.
8. Connected Construction Site
Construction projects have many
dynamic parts and controlling all the
elements is crucial to project success.
One way to ensure smooth operations
is through connecting construction
sites. Creating structured workflows
and integrating data at each step of
construction works ensures the
availability of the right information to
each stakeholder. Connected construction sites bring together people,
processes, and information using AR, VR, AI, robotics, and wearables. IoT
technologies, in combination with AI, enable predictive logistics and improve
worker safety during the construction and also optimize inventory to reduce
wastage and related costs. Computer vision enables instant support and
guidance, connecting construction sites to the main office. Such solutions allow
managers to make faster and more informed decisions based on real-time data.
9. Green Buildings
Sustainability is the main focus of many
emerging construction industry trends.
Currently, it is time-consuming and
expensive to identify sustainable materials
or processes for construction projects.
Green building is a popular concept that
adopts environmentally-friendly measures
from pre-construction planning up to
project closure and decommissioning.
Green buildings optimize energy and resource utilization, reduce waste during
construction, and enable buildings to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Various
certifications qualify buildings as green or sustainable depending on the above-
mentioned parameters. One of the popular certifications is LEED, also known as
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, from the U.S. Green Building
Council. Increasingly, advanced materials for construction purposes are also
LEED-certified. Green buildings are the future of the construction industry and
startups are developing solutions to support green construction.
10. Construction Monitoring
As construction projects are
geographically spread and involve
many assets and human resources, it is
difficult to manually monitor projects.
Various areas in construction sites are
beyond human reach but still require
regular inspection. This is why
construction companies are adopting
technology to streamline construction
monitoring. Value addition from
monitoring depends on the level of the monitoring process, which starts from a
lightweight audit function (CM1) to quality assurance (QA). Advanced monitoring
and inspection techniques use drone-based monitoring in combination with
LIDAR or thermal sensors. Construction worker monitoring uses high-definition (HD)
cameras and AI-based facial recognition techniques to improve productivity.
Robots also detect faults and failures in the structures using embedded sensor
technologies with more accuracy than manual inspection. Hence, startups offer
services or products to improve the overall efficiency of construction site
monitoring.
References

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Retrieved from: https://www.esc.edu/media/academic-affairs/harry-
vanarsdale/hvacls-publications/Construction-Industry-Fact-Book.pdf

Technofunc (2012). Overview of Construction Industry. Retrieved from:

https://www.technofunc.com/index.php/domain-knowledge/engineering-
construction/item/overview-of-construction-industry

Inquirer (2021). Filipino builders see construction sector rebound this year.
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construction-sector-rebound-this-year

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from: https://www.startus-insights.com/innovators-guide/top-10-construction-
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