Robotics And Site Automation

Abstract

Modern construction and industrial worksites face persistent challenges, including acute labour shortages, schedule delays, stagnating productivity and high workplace safety risks. Robotics and site automation offer ways to automate repetitive, hazardous and labour-intensive field operations. This review examines recent developments across five areas: autonomous heavy machinery and earthmoving systems; task-specific fabrication and mobile manipulation, including robotic masonry, rebar operations and three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing; unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and legged robots for inspection and progress monitoring; intelligent perception, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), and Building Information Modeling (BIM)-enabled digital twins; and human–robot collaboration (HRC), wearable exoskeletons and site safety. The paper adopts a desk-based review of published research and relevant technical guidance, with particular attention to the constraints of real construction environments. The literature indicates meaningful progress in earthmoving, digital inspection, robotic fabrication and worker-assistance systems, but also shows that most deployments remain task-specific or operator-supervised. High capital cost, changing site geometry, dust and weather, limited interoperability, uncertain return on investment, safety assurance and workforce readiness continue to restrict large-scale adoption. A phased implementation framework is proposed, beginning with repeatable high-risk tasks and progressing towards connected, BIM-informed and human-centred jobsites. The paper does not report new field experiments; performance outcomes should therefore be validated through monitored pilot projects.