A recent test of an autonomous work vehicle (AWV) prototype at a utility scale solar project under construction has brought the emerging field of construction robotics a step closer to being relevant to companies engaged in electrical contracting work.
Black & Veatch, an Overland Park, Kan.-based engineering and construction firm, tested a fully electric AWV prototype built by Honda at a client’s 1,000-acre solar panel site being built in New Mexico (watch video demonstration). The vehicle, capable of running on its own utilizing software and on-board sensors or to be controlled by a remote operator, performed a range of operations that included towing and delivering construction materials, water and other supplies to specific areas where work was underway. The month-log test was designed to give Honda real-world experience on an expansive construction project with a second-generation of a concept product introduced in 2018 and to add to Black & Veatch’s knowledge of a field it has prioritized for exploration.
Paul Skurdahl, senior vice president of Black & Veatch’s solar business, tells EC&M that the test offered more proof that AWVs specifically and automation in general have a role to play in construction.
"Black & Veatch has been exploring the potential impact of autonomous construction equipment on the construction industry for some time, but this was the first full use of this AWV on a construction site,” Skurdahl says. “When we learned of Honda’s efforts to develop the AWV, we recognized that its versatile nature is a great fit for construction support, especially in renewables. The AWV has the potential to help keep our professionals safe and focused on highly productive tasks.”
Skurdahl says the vehicle performed successfully, bolstering the company’s belief that automation will be important to the engineering and construction industry’s future.
"Working with Honda on the AWV program has strengthened our belief that this and other technologies can impact the way we do work for the better,” he added. “While the AWV was able to safely complete multiple tasks on site, which is important, this is not our sole purpose for participating in the program.”
Quoted in a Honda news release on the test, Mario Azar, president of Black & Veatch’s global power business, said the company’s pursuit of both innovation and improved safety on job sites brought it together with Honda. “With our leading market position in solar power, the testing of this new autonomous work vehicle aligns with our focus on advancing the industry through new and innovative ways to work at project sites.”
The use case for AWVs in construction rests on the belief that taking the human element out of routine, unskilled tasks that can be readily and reliably automated can improve job site productivity and safety. Their use in materials delivery and positioning could free skilled workers up to focus on craft-related tasks and provide greater assurance that human error doesn’t compromise construction scheduling. AWVs could prove especially valuable in sprawling construction sites, a category that describes many solar and wind power projects that are likely to keep growing in number.
AWVs, a category that also includes what are referred to as “rovers” built by companies like Effidence are one of numerous use cases for automation and robotics in construction, an application that is drawing more attention as the industry tries to modernize and accelerate the adoption of technology.
The ranks of those studying construction automation are growing, and includes Reza Akhavian, assistant professor of civil and construction engineering at San Diego State University. He recently received a $691,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award grant to study ways to enhance safety and efficiency on construction jobsites through robotics. He was quoted in a recent interview saying robotics have great promise in addressing repetitive, tedious and time-consuming tasks in construction. “We hope to learn the ways we can achieve safe and co-adaptive worker-robot interaction as well as trustworthy robotics in construction.”
But continued progress in construction automation will require hands-on, real-world testing of the type Black & Veatch and Honda performed, and which Black & Veatch appears committed to pursuing.
We recognize that this technology will impact the industry, and we want to educate and provide opportunities for our professionals to experience the technology firsthand,” Skurdahl says. “Working with Honda on the AWV program has strengthened our belief that this and other technologies can impact the way we do work for the better.”
