According to Carlos, CRH is setting the stage for a future where our facilities and operations are more automated and standardized.
In one such example, our engineers in North America have successfully taught a machine learning algorithm to calculate accurate lift and brace hardware locations for the erection of enormous tilt-up concrete walls, improving the speed of an extensive, complicated engineering challenge.
Read on for more.
What motivated CRH’s Leviat team to pioneer the use of AI in lift anchor placement, and how does this align with CRH’s broader commitment to innovation in construction?
Leveraging digital technology is a key enabler to enhance the way we do business and help us to find new ways of delivering for our customers. This includes the use of radical new technologies like AI.
In this instance, engineers at Leviat recognized an opportunity to improve the efficiency and speed for how they calculate the precise locations of lifting anchors to ensure tilt-up concrete panels are lifted in a safe and efficient way. Typically, this is a time consuming and complicated task. With the financial support of CRH’s Innovation Fund, engineers at Leviat turned to the fast-growing field of machine learning and AI. Codenamed Project HAL (Highly Automated Lifting), the trial set out to expedite the process. Leviat has over ten years of engineering data, which provided a unique ability to train the model with high quality information. As this trial continues, engineers are focused on refining the AI model to achieve the greatest level of accuracy possible in placement prediction and to scale the model to assist with other, complex lifting designs.
What have been the biggest improvements in productivity, safety, and/or accuracy since implementing this AI-driven approach, and how has it impacted engineers’ workflow?
Early results of panes with simple geometry demonstrate the Projects’ AI model accurately predicting the placement of over 80% of the lifting hardware required for nearly 700 test panels in under eight minutes – shaving days, and even weeks off the time it would take a human engineer.
This new model reduces the demand on engineers’ time and frees them up to focus on other complex challenges, improving Leviat’s ability to serve customers while reducing its overall operating costs.
Notably, this model works hand in hand with engineers to increase their output, however a final quality control is performed by the engineering team.
How does this initiative reflect CRH’s leadership in integrating advanced technology like AI and machine learning into construction processes?
Pilot programs and technology trials are an opportunity to catalyze innovations and to redefine what’s possible. But they need support from a company like CRH, which has the scale, network, and financial stability to accelerate their commercial development and/or application of their solutions. CRH is involved in some of the world’s greatest industrial construction projects and we have a vast network, footprint, and customer base across diverse markets and geographies. Along with our financial success and regulatory expertise, this provides a solid platform for us to integrate advanced technologies in our products and processes and drive meaningful change.
What steps is CRH taking to refine and scale this AI model, and do you see potential applications beyond tilt-up construction?
CRH is committed to leveraging technologies, including robotics and AI, across our operations to drive significant improvements in efficiency, productivity, and safety. We are actively expanding our technology portfolio through accelerator programs run by CRH Ventures, CRH’s capital ventures arm. As this particular trial continues, engineers at Leviat are focused on refining the AI model to achieve an even greater level of accuracy in placement prediction and to scale the model to assist with other, complex lifting designs. Elsewhere, in our cement production facilities, AI is used to optimize process parameters by providing accurate forecasting and optimization models.
As CRH continues to push the boundaries of AI in construction, what long-term role do you see this technology playing in shaping the future of the industry?
CRH continues to leverage robotics and AI across our operations to drive significant improvements in efficiency, productivity, and safety. These emerging technologies are central to our Innovation Roadmap and the way we envision the future of construction and manufacturing. By partnering with innovators in this space, we’re setting the stage for a future where our facilities and operations are more automated, standardized, and environmentally sustainable.
