The potential benefits of 5G private networks for various industry verticals are well documented. But how can the construction industry take advantage of this emerging technology?
The construction industry is changing rapidly. As companies look to maximise efficiency, improve safety and lower costs, there has been an increasing shift towards harnessing technology and automation. This approach can improve productivity, reduce on-site health and safety risks and assist with the automation of repetitive tasks.
Many construction companies are already planning to take advantage of this new technology. In fact, the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2025, more than half of all current workplace tasks will be performed by machines in comparison to 29% today. While this sounds promising, such advanced machinery requires high bandwidth, secure and resilient connectivity, and low latency in order to operate effectively and safely in such a demanding work environment.
The connectivity needs of a modern construction worksite
Many large construction projects will have some very specific communications requirements.
Firstly, particularly if the site is in a greenfield rural location, there may be no existing network coverage. To avoid delays, the project is likely to require site-wide communications very early in the project. This will need to cover both the indoor (site office) areas as well as the outdoor construction site. Coverage will be required to deliver voice and data connectivity across the site, for people, devices, and machinery.
The communications network needs to be reliable and secure, and not prone to interference from any nearby networks. Sophisticated construction equipment requires a robust network. The most efficient way of providing a consistent and secure connection throughout the workday is through a wireless, private network.
The new 5G standards deliver secure, reliable, high bandwidth and low latency networks that up until now have not been available for industrial use cases or readily available for private network deployments. The latest 5G wireless private networks offer stable and secure connections, even when presented with obstructions that can be ever-present on a busy work site. Private networks based on this latest technology enable many new, advanced use cases for construction.
Digital construction workplace
The latest 5G private networks enable ubiquitous access to documentation, including complex 3D site models regardless of where you are on site. There is no need for a trip back to the site office to download and print construction or design documents, saving time and improving productivity.
High accuracy asset tracking
Site assets can be accurately tracked at all times, including personnel, plant and surveying equipment providing an additional layer of site security and safety.
Connected and remotely operated plant and machinery
A low latency, high bandwidth network enables high quality video capture for the possible introduction of, for instance, remotely operated drilling machinery.
Advanced surveying, building information modelling (BIM), data streaming and analytics
Private 5G networks on construction sites pave the way for a number of advanced video streaming and analysis use cases, such as:
- A live feed of as-built surveys can be streamed direct to BIM systems and shared with local or remote offices around the world as the construction site develops, ensuring the wider design and construction team are kept up to date with progress as it happens from a single source
- Live data can be streamed to mixed and augmented reality headsets on site to show the wearer what the site will look like as the project unfolds
- Remote visual assistance, immediately brings together experts from around the globe to review and agree design or specification changes
- Video analytics can be widely used to improve site security and safety round the clock
Construction projects would benefit greatly from a fully private, well-connected worksite. With Telent’s Private Network enabling a wireless 5G connection that is shared across an entire site, it can be used at the same time by people, machines, and devices, as well as monitoring and security applications including flexi CCTV. Easy to deploy, the private network enables any application to consistently run at full capacity.
At the core of the Telent private network proposition is Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), that delivers consistent wireless coverage over large areas for a secure and high-speed connection, perfect for construction sites. The Nokia DAC also includes unique Push-to-Talk and Push-to-Video group communications, allowing for seamless coverage.
Planning for success
Telent’s 5G Private Network solution takes advantage of the availability of licensed, yet low-cost spectrum allocations to simplify radio planning surveys. The wireless access points used provide a much larger coverage area than other on-premise wireless solutions such as Wi-Fi. This means that 5G private network deployments require fewer access points, so overall less equipment and cabling is needed which reduces the cost and complexity of installation, making rapid deployment a key benefit.
With experience gained from a critical national infrastructure projects, Telent has the skills and expertise in house to perform this work in the most demanding locations nationwide.
Reducing operational costs
Whilst the initial need is to ensure delivery of the construction phase, consideration should be made to any potential operational needs for private wireless coverage once the construction project ends and the site is handed over to operations.
For instance, if the project is delivering a toll road or tunnel, then infrastructure to connect to remote toll booths or to provide neutral host infrastructure for mobile operators should also be considered. This may be as simple as leaving some of the 5G private network equipment from the construction project in situ for subsequent use once the project is operational. This could significantly reduce the set-up costs for project operations, post construction.
Saving money, time and resources
Site managers can use private networks to get a clear overview of their sites with in-built HD cameras, which can be used to monitor the workforce and plant machinery to increase productivity levels. In addition to saving costs and resources, health and safety is a key consideration. For instance, automated, remotely controlled machinery can take on the heavy asset movement, and workers can wear visor cams to share images with personnel elsewhere on site. One of the many benefits of automation is the precious time saved, cutting up to 30% of business time, just by using AI technology alone. With all this in mind, it is easy to see why more and more companies are transforming their sites to utilise advanced technology.
Telent’s 5G Private Network can change the way construction sites operate. A major infrastructure firm is using the technology to prevent accidents and to monitor productivity through location tracking of personnel and machinery. Using geo-fencing applications to automatically detect personnel in hazardous locations, managers can work in real-time to discuss plans as work goes ahead, utilising the built-in HD cameras. In tunnelling operations, Telent’s 5G Private Network also has many use cases. Automated drilling can be used in cable-layering operations and this can reduce health and safety risk and costs.
Gerard Donohue, Chief Technical Officer at Telent