On the Design of a Decision Support System for Robotic Equipment Adoption in Construction Processes

The construction sector is one of the major global economies and is characterised by low productivity and high inefficiencies, but could highly benefit from the introduction of robotic equipment in terms of productivity, safety, and quality. As the development and the availability of robotic solutions for the construction sector increases, the evaluation of their potential benefits compared to conventional processes that are currently adopted on construction sites becomes compelling. To this end, we exploit Bayesian decision theory and apply an axiomatic design guideline for the development of a decision-theoretic expert system that: (i) evaluates the utility of available alternatives based on evidence; (ii) accounts for uncertainty; and (iii) exploits both expert knowledge and preferences of the users. The development process is illustrated by means of exemplary use case scenarios that compare manual and robotic processes. A use case scenario that compares manual and robotic marking and spraying is chosen for describing the development process in detail. Findings show how decision making in equipment selection can be supported by means of dedicated systems for decision support, developed in collaboration with domain experts.