School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Wolver Hampton, United Kingdom
ABSTRACT
The building industry
is a major consumer of natural resources and a large contributor to
environmental degradation, leading to a need to rethink current building
practices. Digital fabrication (Dfab) technologies, which transform design and
engineering data into physical products, are gaining traction in the
Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. This study aimed to
evaluate the implications of digital fabrication in the construction industry,
by identifying the current Dfab applications and the hindrances that are
limiting its implementation. The research questions addressed were why Dfab is
essential in the construction sector, the current state-of-the-art of Dfab in
the construction industry, and how Dfab is improving the construction industry.
Through a systematic literature review, the findings proposed that Dfab can
revolutionize the construction sector, enabling freeform architecture, reducing
construction costs, cutting material waste, and increasing worker safety.
Nevertheless, further research is needed to overcome obstacles such as high
costs and the lack of digital skills in the construction industry.
KEYWORDS
Digital fabrication, Construction industry, Project management, Digital technology, Systematic review.
1. INTRODUCTION
The building industry is recognized as a large consumer of
natural resources and a significant contributor to environmental impacts and is
considered an inefficient manufacturing process (Wu, Wang and Wang, 2016). It
is still working to improve the situation and boost overall productivity, but
there are obstacles to overcome (García de Soto et al., 2018). To address environmental challenges, there is a need
to rethink conventional building models and techniques due to the predicted
increase in global population in the coming decades (Naboni, Breseghello and
Kaunic, 2019). To promote sustainability, the architectural profession needs to
develop fully automated production forms and processes (Tuvayanond and
Prasittisopin, 2023).
The ability to create objects directly from design information is causing a transformation in many fields of design and production (Agustí-Juan and Habert, 2017). The key to fostering high-quality industry growth is creating and applying digital transformation (Yuan et al., 2022). The use of digital fabrication (Dfab) technologies is rapidly increasing in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry (Graser, Kahlert and Hall, 2021). The "third industrial revolution," also known as digital fabrication, is anticipated to revolutionize the construction sector by allowing freeform architecture, lowering construction costs, reducing material waste, and raising worker safety (Wangler et al., 2016). Digital fabrication refers to a construction process that utilizes digital code to control manufacturing devices and processes, allowing for the seamless conversion of design and engineering data into physical products (Graser, Kahlert and Hall, 2021). Dfab is an automated fabrication method that uses data to enhance efficiency and productivity (Ng and Hall, 2021).The technology began developing more than 25 years ago, but its rapid development started later (Žujović et al., 2022). The use of Digital design and fabrication technologies have created methods and processes for producing more complex and customized architectural solutions while still utilizing standard building materials over the last two decades (Carvalho and Sousa, 2014). Integrating design and construction is essential for new technologies such as digital fabrication, and a specialized design management strategy is required to overcome integration barriers (Ng, Graser and Hall, 2023). Digital technology allows for better control, increased construction efficiency, the removal of the need for conventional formwork, and the ability to customize building materials during the construction process compared to traditional methods (Yuan et al., 2022). The use of computational design and robotic fabrication together has the potential to bring about significant advancements in the form and structure of architecture (Agustí-Juan and Habert, 2017).
Digital fabrication necessitates a redesign of the design
process. Thus, there is a need for a better understanding of digital systems in
areas such as technical development, technological systems, organizational
contexts, contractual provisions, and business models (Ng et al., 2022). However, the use of additive Dfab in large-scale
construction is still in its early stages and requires overcoming challenges in
changing traditional construction processes and roles of those involved in the
project (García de Soto et al.,
2018).
A BIM platform is not essential for Dfab design in
small-scale projects, as long as there is integration of process, information,
and organisation (Ng, Graser and Hall, 2023). BIM is a cutting-edge digital
system that promotes innovation and enhances project values through information
integration in construction projects, which also involves changes in design
management and overall best practices (Ng, Graser and Hall, 2023). Different
nondestructive methodologies to capture complex shapes have been developed
through the use of photographs, videorecording, laser sensors and LED light
projections, demonstrating the significant advantages in speed and accuracy
that these digital methods can offer compared to conventional analogue
processes (Lorenzo and Mimendi, 2020). Many countries have plans to increase
the proportion of construction activities carried out off-site (Kim, Cuong and
Shim, 2022). However, the effectiveness of DFAB is determined by the inclusion
of fabrication information and organization in the design process, which can be
challenging to achieve in traditional delivery models such as Design-Bid-Build
(Ng and Hall, 2021).
Project management and delivery models have shifted
fundamentally due to the digitization of project information (Hall, Whyte and
Lessing, 2020). The uniqueness of each construction work is due to its
immobility, customization of both construction works and processes, and interdisciplinary
(Bischof, Mata-Falcón and Kaufmann, 2022). DFAB techniques combine automated
subtractive, formative, or additive building methods with computational design
approaches (García de Soto et al.,
2018). An alternative to costly and inefficient manufacturing practices was proposed
through automation in construction and architecture (Tuvayanond and
Prasittisopin, 2023). The limits of architectural design and production may be
expanded by digital fabrication techniques (Agustí-Juan and Habert, 2017). Dfab
adoption faces not only technical challenges, but also organizational and
process barriers, as it involves multiple research disciplines and professions
such as architects, materials scientists, roboticists, structural engineers,
manufacturers, and trade contractors (Graser, Kahlert and Hall, 2021). However,
there is a desire to investigate alternative methods of creating formworks
using digital fabrication technology (Carvalho and Sousa, 2014).
In recent years, the intersection between digital fabrication
techniques and cementitious materials has become significant (Wangler et al., 2016). Digital fabrication with
concrete is a newly developed and wide-ranging field that can potentially
reduce environmental impact and promote industrialization in construction while
meeting various construction requirements (Bischof, Mata-Falcón, &
Kaufmann, 2022). Modern product creation has shifted to rely heavily on 3D
printing (Agustí-Juan & Habert, 2017). Digital fabrication has been applied
to the production of formworks using concrete, a significant application of
this technology (Wangler et al.,
2016). However, in free-form, digital fabrication using concrete, accurately
predicting the material's mechanical properties in its fresh state is crucial
to ensure control over element deformations and overall stability during the
printing process (Esposito et al.,
2021). Bucklin et al. (2023) describe a new construction method called the
MonoMaterial Wood Wall (MMWW), which employs subtractive manufacturing with
digital control to enhance the functionality of wood and eliminate the need for
other materials, thereby improving sustainability compared to traditional
construction techniques. The impact of the fast-growing demand and regeneration
rate of renewable building materials on the environment in the long term is yet
to be determined despite the industry's shift towards them (Bitting et al., 2022). However, using
non-traditional renewable materials and developing suitable design and
construction processes will be necessary for large-scale construction (Lorenzo
& Mimendi, 2020).
According to Graser, Kahlert, & Hall (2021), it is
crucial to reduce the time it takes to introduce new Dfab technologies to the
market to speed up adoption, but this has been challenging. To successfully
implement digital fabrication in the construction industry, better integration
of fabrication-related information and organization into the design process is
needed despite its growing emergence (Ng & Hall, 2021). Correspondingly, an
increasing number of studies investigate the industry needs and strategies for
adopting digital fabrication (Ng et al.,
2022). It is essential to research the environmental advantages of digital
fabrication in architecture and construction, as it is still a developing
technology, to make necessary adjustments in the early stages (Agustí-Juan and
Habert, 2017). Despite extensive literature outlining its challenges, limited
attention has been given to strategies employed in projects to successfully
implement Dfab. The construction industry is currently focusing its research
efforts on robotic fabrication, collaborative work between humans and robots,
and prefabricated technologies as part of smart construction (Yuan et al., 2022).
Given this, the current study determines the impact of
digital fabrication on the construction industry. The study seeks to answer the
following research questions:
1. Why is digital fabrication important
in construction industry?
2. What is the state-of-the-art of
digital fabrication related to construction industry?
3. How is digital fabrication improving the construction industry?
2. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
The analysis performed in this study identified the main
research themes and categorized them based on the impacts of digital
fabrication (Dfab) in the construction industry. The results may benefit other
researchers as they summaries recent advancements, patterns, and potential
research and innovation opportunities in the AEC sector. Based on the selected
research philosophy, this study adopts a qualitative research strategy with an
inductive approach. In qualitative research papers, the methods section
emphasizes transparency of the methods used, such as the reasons, processes,
and individuals involved in their implementation, to provide a deeper understanding
and facilitate discussion of how they may have affected material’s mechanical
properties (Busetto, Wick and Gumbinger, 2020).
This study used the systematic......