Work Force Characteristics in a Robot Driven Construction Industry

Abstract

The gradual arrival of robotics onto the construction scene in the past two decades has given rise to a whole new realm of mechanization and management. In order to decline which tasks are best suited for automated construction, the different levels of automation must first be defined. Theses are mechanization, robots, mechanized construction systems, and fully automated construction. With an understanding of what constitutes “automation” the impact on construction site requirements can be addressed. Historical opposition in the United States resurfaces with the emerging robotics has an impact on their implementation for construction managers and other personnel. How and why robotics is used in construction will depend on human response and evaluation systems, and may ultimately decide the fate of any project. This paper will also introduce new strategies that blue-collar workers will have to develop in order to maintain produce of robots on the construction site. Finally, this paper will discuss what industrial changes can be made to encourage the integration of automation. One of the most important factors in the implementation of robotics on the construction site is human response. From laborers to construction manager, automation has been welcomed with hesitation at best, hostility at worst (Singh, 1991). Despite the introduction of many well-publicized prototype robots, there have been very few examples of robots that can compete favorably with human workers. In the United States, the utility of automation and robotics to satisfy owners and managers demands has been weak. Part of the controversy over robots in construction, stems from the fear of loss of job security. Automation and robots perceived as a threat to job security and wages, despite the improvement in job conditions; because of this, workers’ satisfaction is given a poor rating (Everet 1994). The introduction of robots in construction in the past two decades has created new roles for human laborers, while eliminating several traditional roles. The transition from manual working methods to mechanical methods, in foreign countries, was implemented differently in construction, thus the prerequisites for automation and the use of robots vary considerably (Cousineu 1998). As increasing numbers of robots are introduced in construction, the activities and skills required of human workers will change. For this reason many foreign countries, including the United States have chosen to use robots in very limited areas. While human construction workers are still a necessity in the field, their numbers are dwindling. Most robots in use today are designed to assist humans, not replace them in situations where laborers are already lacking. This is especially true in jobs that are labeled as tedious, strenuous, and repetitive. To give the construction worker a better understanding of robotics, the robots will become a part of the construction team. This addition to the team is not an attempt to down size or lesson responsibilities on the job site. The strategy is to provide the blue-collar worker with a higher level of education. This higher education will give the blue-collar worker the ability to program and maintain the robots. During the past decade there has been a great need for manual labor in construction, and this addition will be one of the solutions to solve the labor shortage problem. Robots in Construction There is a multitude of ways to distinguished robots from on another. Each research and development division classifies their products in ways convenient to their individual strategies, but not necessarily to the construction industry as a whole. For the purpose of keeping the assessment of robotics simple, the levels defined by