ABSTRACT

This chapter presents three case studies to represent some of the most promising and prominent efforts performed across the world for demonstrating how Construction 4.0 principles, can be applied to real construction projects. The main principles and technologies applied in each study are described and discussed, presenting the main benefits and challenges identified during the application of some salient Construction 4.0 concepts. A reflection upon the perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the application and impact of the various technologies described is also presented. In the first case study, based on a residential development project in Brazil, the main benefits and limitations of the use of 4D BIM are discussed in the context of controlling and planning transportation activities at construction sites. This includes the control and planning of the formwork assembly process. The extent to which workers and engineers who were not familiar with BIM tools; were able to understand and engage with 4D BIM was significant. Through use of the 4D BIM model that was developed information exchange between researchers and workers allowed considerable reduction of the cycle time of the process. Case study 2 considers the open-source architecture concept through the description and discussion of the WikiHouse project, one of the most famous initiatives in open-source domain. The world’s first two-story WikiHouse, known as the WikiFarmHouse, located in UK provides the basis of the case study, illustrating the application of the Wren system through design, manufacture, assembly and use. Finally, the third case study considers Oracle’s outdoor innovation site located in the USA, demonstrating high-level immersive experiences that give a realistic idea about the future of work sites. The site affords a facility that can be visited by players in the construction field including, inter alia, construction owners, contractors, subcontractors and educators. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the experiences of real-life application of C4.0 technologies and the future landscape for development.