An Investigation of Digital Technology Implementation in Off-Site Construction with a Focus on Efficiency Improvement

Abstract

Digital technologies are supposed to be used to obtain higher efficiency and quality in off-site construction. This research is an on-going thesis project and aims to identify the challenges and expectations of digital technologies’ implementation in off-site construction, and also aims to develop a practical application for promoting one of the promising digital technologies. Mixed research methods are conducted in Chinese off-site construction projects, including a set of semi-structured interviews, observation and site experimentation. The major challenges and expectations of digital technology implementation are presented. Specifically, laser scanning technology is expected to be used to check the installation quality of prefabricated wall panels, and it has been validated as practical and efficient in a case study. Further research will be more focused on validating the robustness of using the laser scanning approach.