Adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in the Construction Sector: Evidence from a Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) can significantly benefit the construction sector, improving productivity, efficiency, collaborative efforts, and product quality while promoting safety and sustainability. However, research on applying 4IR technologies in construction is scarce in developing countries. It is crucial to understand the ability of construction companies to adopt new technologies and identify factors influencing the success of technology implementation. In this study, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted with construction professionals to evaluate the level of technological development of the construction market in an emerging economy, assess the potential for innovation implementation, and identify factors that might influence technological development. The results showed that most innovations are in the early stages of implementation in the construction sector, and their adoption tends to occur differently, depending on the size of the company and the stage of the construction lifecycle in which they operate. Furthermore, technologies tend to be progressively adopted and driven by virtualization technologies. This article presents a framework to assist in decision-making regarding the adoption of 4IR technologies at different phases of the lifecycle of construction projects and identifies the potential barriers and promoters of this adoption in the analyzed context.