THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The industry is currently witnessing the fourth industrial revolution where enormous
transformation in terms of technology has occurred. Technology is constantly changing and
bring rapid development in the industry performance. The ideas of digitization and
digitalization are currently entering the market in most industry including construction industry
and it can be a new solution to increase the quality of work and also reduce the cost and time.
Construction continues to experience challenges in terms of a range of issues. The challenges
are experienced In terms of performance relative to the project parameter of cost,
environment, health and safety, productivity, quality and time. A key component of the 4IR is
digital data. With increased access to accurate , real life data throughout all stages of an asset’s
lifecycle – from design through to construction and maintenance – time and cost efficiencies
can be found and errors reduced.
Fourth industrial revolution will take the industry to the next level , where machines will
redefine themselves in the way they communicate and perform individual functions .It
characterized by the advanced digitalization and integration , use of internet and ‘ smart’
objects which, contributes to interconnected digital world today.
Players along the construction industry’s value chain – architects , designers, engineers ,
building material suppliers, contractors, and operations and maintenance companies- need to
prepare strategically and make the right moves to thrive amid the disruptions the new
technologies and trends could cause. Some of the features associated with this 4IR are;

 To attract new talent and build up required skills- as any future scenario
requires talent with substantially different skills than todays workforce possesses ,
and adequate upskilling processes are largely not in place
 Integrate and collaborate across the construction industry’s value
chain- as the construction industry is characterized by a disintegrated and highly
fragmented value chain, which hampers the seamless data flows and integrated
systems that are essential in future
 Adopt advanced technologies at scale- as the construction industry has been
slow to adopt new technologies and still heavily relies on manual labor and
mechanical technologies , resulting in poor productivity. Further key actions are: to
maximize the use of data and digital models throughout processes; to review existing
product portfolios and embrace new business opportunities.

It is still unclear which route construction will take, and very likely that the future will include
elements of all three scenarios. Current business models ,strategies and capabilities will not be
sufficient in any of these future worlds.
APPLICATIONS OF FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
1. Introduction of automated bots in the construction industry greatly reduces number of
casualties on the site here holding up the builders code on safety. On top of that , the
bots reduce the amount of time work is done thus less effort and more work is still done
.Drones for mapping, progress monitoring ,safety and quality inspections, lifting ,moving
and positioning
2. Building information modeling [BIM] – with advancements in cloud technology , BIM is
now even more accessible. Cloud based BIM allows information about a project to be
accessed by anyone in any location at any time. It improves project delivery by
streamlining the exchange of design data and project management which results in
more efficient design, construction and operation processes. It helps the construction
manager to gather data and information from the relevant disciplines and communicate
them more effectively. Other advantages of BIM in the design and construction process;
 Cost and resource savings
 Greater efficiency and shorter project lifecycles
 Improved communications and coordination
 Higher quality results
3. 3D Printing – also known as additive manufacturing, is a method of creating a three
dimensional object layer-by-layer using a computer created design .The 3D printing
industry solutions are increasingly seeing application in construction projects all over
the world .It can produce building and components at a fraction of the price and time
than the traditional construction methods thereby improving productivity. 3D printing in
construction can either involve the use of a 3D printer attached to an arm which actively
builds a project onsite or the use of printers in a factory which creates components of a
building project that are assembled later. Some of its benefits are ;
 Zero waste construction- in that it has the potential to cut waste to
almost zero. A 3D printer only uses the material required to print the
structure- no more or less
 Time and cost reduction- a 3D printer can work 24/7 .This means
construction projects could potentially be completed much faster ,and
some low skilled labor costs could be avoided.
 Supports unusual designs- One of the most appealing characteristics of 3D
printers is their ability to create complex and unusual designs, including
‘one-offs’. Because 3D printers work by layering up material, they can be
programmed to create unusual shapes which would be much harder to
build using traditional techniques.
4. Robotics – Robotic technology provides the construction industry with numerous
advantages. With the goal of automating processes and increasing productivity, robotics
are being used to get work done quicker, cheaper and with more precise detail . One of
 the uses of robotics is to allow for greater automation in various processes. In many
aspects of construction ,specifically manufacturing, packing and building, automating
these processes is becoming the goal. With robotic technology , you can expect
traditional construction activities like welding, material handling, cutting and packing to
be fully automated. With most robotic systems completely automated, manufacturing
parts and materials will be much more consistent, with a higher quality. By removing
human error and inconsistency, these machines can take advantage of speed, efficiency
and repeatability to ensure better overall quality.
5. Prefabrication- This is a process of assembling a variety of components of a structure in
a manufacturing site and then transporting the assembled components to the
construction site. IT came along with some advantages i.e ;
 Eco friendliness. Traditional construction methods mostly require extra materials
whereas in prefabrication , the extra material can be recycled in house because it
is assembled in a controlled environment
 Less time consuming
 Its flexible