Internet of Construction

Information networks for cross-company collaboration in the production chains of construction industry


IoC - Internet of Construction

Motivation

  • In the construction industry, a large number of different companies work together to create highly individualized products
  • Time delays, construction defects and cost overruns often result from insufficient data exchange between companies
  • Digital building models (BIM) have the potential to improve the networking of companies along the value chain
  • The digital building models of the planning phase are currently insufficiently used for prefabrication or on-site construction

Objectives

  • Increasing the adherence to schedules and construction quality by means of an integrated flow of information along the value chain
  • Track & Trace to enable the flow of information and logistics
  • Creation of a Reference Architectural Model for cross-company cooperation in construction
  • Extension of the BIM framework by information flows between building planning, modular prefabrication and on-site construction
  • Development and testing of exemplary applications for the use of data and data feedback in prefabrication and on-site construction

Scope of Work

  • Definition of requirements and application scenarios in cooperation with industry partners
  • Development of a construction approach by analyzing the information flows
  • Development of adaptive production units, modular construction site equipment, interactive planning tools, algorithmic resource planning, employee-focused human-robot interface, interconnected information flows from construction planning to the execution of construction work
  • Evaluation based on demonstration scenarios and economic considerations


Literature

The results of the project have been published in the Springer book IoC-Internet of Construction.

IoC - Internet of Construction - Cover

ISBN: 978-3-658-42544-9

Consortium

Following companies are involved in the IoC project.
Learn more about the partners.

IP|RWTH

Research Institute Aachen, Germany

WZL|RWTH

Research Institute Aachen, Germany

IPRI

Research Institute Stuttgart, Germany

Annen

Operator Woodconstruction Farschweiler, Germany

Kuka

Supplier Automationsystems Augsburg, Germany

Lamparter

Operator Steel- and Glassfacades Kassel, Germany

Leonhard Weiss

Operator General Contractor Satteldorf, Germany

Liebherr

Supplier Cranes Biberach an der Riß, Germany

Robots in Architecture

Supplier Softwaresolution Viena, Austria

Wurst Stahlbau

Operator Steelconstruction Bersenbrück, Germany

These companies are associates.

Autodesk


Cementa


DStV

Videos

See the IoC-developments on youtube.

IoC - Die Referenzbaustelle am Campus West

IoC - The Reference Construction Site on Campus West

IoC - Interactive robotic steel fabrication

IoC - Interactive robotic steel fabrication

IoC - Cyber-physical on-site construction

IoC - Cyber-physical on-site construction

News

Follow the latest updates about the project.

VDI-EE 2558

VDI-EE 2558 on construction process ontology was published at the beginning of November 2023. The expert paper deals with the superordinate linking of information models in the construction industry and thus represents an initial application guide for the use of ontologies in the construction industry. The expert paper makes the IoC's developments available to a wide range of users.

- 15.11.2022

Open Campus Week

The final results of the Internet of Construction project were presented at the Campus West reference construction site on June 22 as part of the Open Campus Week. More than 200 interested parties from industry, research, politics and associations were present. The impressions were captured in the Open Campus Week movie.

- 22.06.2022

Internet of Construction at digitalBAU

The results of Internet of Construction were presented at digitalBAU from 31.05. to 02.06. in Cologne. The researchers and developers of the Chair of Individualized Construction Production and involved industry partners presented the implementation of the project on the reference construction site at Campus West for the first time at the Startup stand 119/17 in Hall 5. The public interest for the project, which was also presented by Prof. Brell-Cokcan in her key note at the worldarchitecture forum, was great. Visitors were able to perform IoC developments of construction site logistics and assembly in real life on a scaled model with an AR application developed by students (Christine Lappe, Hannes Reuther and Chu Han Wu) of the master program Constructions&Robotics as a companion project in interdisciplinary teaching at RWTH Aachen University.
With our associated partners Bauforumstahl and Autodesk, results of the research on robotics in steel construction in the form of working aids and the IoC systematics are also made available in teaching to a wide audience in a wide variety of training levels.

- 02.06.2022

Consortium meeting at Annen company

The thirteenth consortium meeting took place at the Annen company in Manternach. The consortium was shown impressive insights into timber construction. Mr. Annen demonstrated the possibilities of timber construction and individualized building production at the new production hall in Manternach. The new building is based on more than 7000 single parts with individual dimensions, which could be planned by digital tools in a high level of detail suitable for production. The presentation illustrates the potential of digitalization, which can be expanded in the future through IoC developments.

- 22.03.2022

Assembly on Reference Site

The assembly of the IoC demonstrator took place on the Reference Site Campus West. Together with the companies Annen Holzbau, WURST Stahlbau, LEONHARD WEISS and Liebherr, the prefabricated steel and timber elements were mounted on the reinforced concrete columns. Based on the assembly, the developments of the IoC consortium could be tested and further developed under real conditions. The developments include, among others, the digital crane assistance system, the IoC ontology and automated construction progress recognition.

- 07.03.2022

Steel construction demonstrator in action at Lamparter

The twelfth IoC project meeting was held at Lamparter in Kassel. On site, the application of the IoC steel construction demonstrator was presented under real conditions to the consortium during a hybrid event. The Chair of Individualized Construction Production and Robots in Architecture Research UG had tested the use of the flexible mobile robot platforms on site with Lamparter over a period of two weeks and had further developed it specifically for steel construction. Results are promising: The robot assists with assembly, for example by transporting and precisely positioning components.

- 21.01.2022

IoC-Start of the Demonstrator

The first construction examination for the IoC demonstrator took place at the Reference Construction Site Campus West in October. Together with LEONARD WEISS GmbH & Co. KG, the IoC systematics for the reinforced concrete was examined under real conditions. The aim of the demonstrator is to validate the IoC systematics by integrating and testing cyber-physical systems on the construction site.

- 09.11.2021

EUREKA

Together with swedish partners the EUREKA-Project Icon 4.0 (European Collaboration to extend the Internet of Construction towards Agile Construction 4.0) was started at the beginning of 2021. Icon 4.0 extends the IoC approach for construction 4.0 by considering a continuous digital information flow in the implementation of masonry construction. The Swedish-German collaboration thus enables a international and cross-building material view of the construction value chain within the European community for the IoC project.

- 27.09.2021

Tenth Project Meeting
in Aachen

On 15.09.2021, the IoC project partners gathered in large numbers at RWTH Aachen University. At the Chair of Individualized Construction Production, the network and prefabrication demonstrators were presented.
Subsequently, the meeting was continued on the reference construction site Campus West with the further developments for intralogistics, economic efficiency and assembly.

- 20.09.2021

Digitale Expension
of the Project Meetings in 2020

Over 2020, the IoC project meetings were expanded digitally. The consortium meetings were expanded by regular working group meetings and overarching jour fixe. Thus, the progress and developments in the IoC can be ensured - despite the contact restrictions by COVID19. The consortium meeting on 28.10.2020 therefore took place digitally.

- 28.10.2020

Fourth Project-Meeting in
Aachen

The WZL and the IP of RWTH Aachen University have invited the IoC network partners in Aachen to the fourth project meeting. The meeting took place on February 5th and the IoC partners got an insight into current research projects at RWTH Aachen University. On the following day the opening of the reference construction site Campus West took place, in which all the IoC partners participated.

- 06.02.2020

Third Project-Meeting in
Bersenbrück

On the fifth of November, WURST Stahlbau invited the IoC consortium to the third project meeting in Bersenbrück. After WURST presented itself with development projects and digitalization strategies, the development status of the application scenario was presented and potentials and risks of collaborative work were discussed. In addition, the partners have taken position with regard to common interests and have focused the further course of action.

- 06.11.2019

Second Project-Meeting in
Langen

For the second project meeting, the network partners met on 25.09.2019 at Leonhard Weiss in Langen. After the welcome by Prof. Brell-Cokcan (IP) and Mr. Weichsel (Leonhard Weiss), the project partners presented their process models and discussed common interfaces along the value chain. Significant interfaces were identified and evaluated through systematic surveys.

- 25.09.2019

Kick-off Meeting in
Biberach

The first meeting of the consortium took place on 02.07.2019 at Liebherr GmbH in Biberach. The research institutions and companies introduced each other. Results of the first work packages were developed in various workshops and the further course of action was coordinated

- 02.07.2019

Contact

Contact us.

Prof. Sigrid Brell-Cokcan

Project Leader
 IP|RWTH
 Aachen, Germany

Thomas Adams

Project Coordinator
 IP|RWTH
 Aachen, Germany

Sören Münker

Editor
 WZL|RWTH
 Aachen, Germany