Robotic Construction with Semantically Enriched Digital Twin

INTEGRATIVE ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY METHODS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION DRIVEN BY A SEMANTICALLY ENRICHED DIGITAL BUILDING SHADOW AND PROCESS TWIN

To overcome the problem of the persistent fragmentation of information across the building lifecycle, which limits automation, coordination, and component reuse, this project builds a shared digital information system that links a robotic system for automatic assembly and disassembly, a semantically enriched digital building shadow, a digital process twin, and digital robot twin into one consistent framework. This framework combines formal semantic descriptions of building components, processes, and robot capabilities with real-time execution and monitoring data, so that design information, task planning, on-site assembly, and process feedback remain continuously connected. In this way, the system supports coordinated decision-making during automatic construction and also preserves the information needed for later automatic renovation and disassembly. On this basis, this project will develop methods for dynamic task allocation and scheduling, as well as reinforcement-learning-supported control strategies for contact-rich assembly and disassembly tasks under real-world uncertainty. These methods will be validated through the automated assembly and disassembly of a reusable timber house demonstrator using large-scale manipulators. By continuously capturing, sharing and reusing process knowledge such as tolerances, sequencing constraints, and assembly experience, the system will improve reliability, enable adaptive replanning, and support circular construction through selective disassembly, renovation, and component reuse. 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anja P. R. Lauer
Principal Investigator
Institute of Construction Materials (IWB)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Cristina Tarín
Principal Investigator
Institute for System Dynamics (ISYS)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

Prof. Thomas Wortmann
Principal Investigator
Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

PARTICIPATING RESEARCHER

Prof. Dr. Steffen Staab
Participating Researcher
Institute of Artificial Intelligence (KI)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

RESEARCHERS

M.Sc. Lingyue Wu
Doctoral Researcher
Institute of Construction Materials (IWB)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

M. Sc. Jonas Hotz
Doctoral Researcher
Institute of Construction Materials (IWB)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

M. Sc. Alexander Kraus
Doctoral Researcher
Institute of Construction Materials (IWB)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

Dr. Daniel Hernandez
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institute of Artificial Intelligence (KI)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

M.Sc. Charlotte Stein
Doctoral Researcher
Institute for System Dynamics (ISYS)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC

M.Sc. Lior Skoury
Doctoral Researcher
Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD/CA)
Cluster of Excellence IntCDC