“Cooperation is needed to make smart construction technology take root”

(Clockwise from top left)

Choi Moon-seok, Manager (The Sejong-Pocheon Expressway (14th Section) project)

Choi Jin-woo, Manager (The Sejong-Pocheon Expressway (14th Section) project)

Kim Ji-hoon, Senior Manager (The Infrastructure Competitiveness Team)

Noh Hyung-min, Manager (The Infrastructure Competitiveness Team)

Could you introduce yourself?

CHOI MSI am working as Manager at the design team of the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway (14th Section) project site. Since I was assigned to the construction site in September 2018, I have been reviewing various design-related issues and in charge of reporting and consulting design changes with the client.

CHOI JWI was assigned to the construction site in July 2018. I am working on the construction of Tower 1 and cable-stayed bridge structures through the FCM (Free Cantilever Method).

KIMI help the construction site use smart construction technologies at the Infrastructure Competitiveness Team of the head office. My main jobs include suggesting smart construction technologies for domestic and international bidding projects, and introducing and helping apply applicable smart construction technologies in project sites.

NOHI am doing similar jobs as Senior Manager Kim does. I am in charge of managing the construction site by using the high-precision GPS system and 360-degree cameras.

As this project is one of Hyundai E&C’s “smart innovation construction sites,” it appears that the head office and the construction site cooperate on a frequent basis.

CHOI MSTo apply BIM and other smart construction technologies to this construction site, I exchange calls and emails at least once in two to three weeks with the head office.

KIMThe Infrastructure Competitiveness Team monitors eight smart construction technologies, such as HIoS, A-Viewer, 360-degree cameras, high-precision GPS system, BIM, drones, smart concrete curing management system and VR simulation system, on a monthly basis and collects feedbacks from the construction site. We have actively cooperated to support business activities related to smart construction technologies in and outside of the company, including the smart construction technology demonstration held in 2020 and presentations for the client.

CHOI JWThe existing optical measurement equipment took a longer time to measure, and compelled workers to climb up and down the 165-meter towers for each measurement. However, the introduction of the high-precision GPS system could halve the time for measurement and decrease error values, which led to precise construction.

NOHBefore the introduction of the high-precision GPS system, I spent a lot of time with the measurement team of the construction site for about two weeks to understand and learn how the measurement was conducted in actuality. They might consider me as a newbie engineer. Because they taught me from A to Z amid hectic schedules, I could be more enthusiastic about the application of smart construction technologies. I take this chance to say thanks to them once again.

You all must be very proud of contributing to the construction of the concrete cable-stayed bridge with the world’s longest span.

NOHTo find out appropriate candidates for the installation of smart construction systems, I went around all the corners of the construction site, and pylons were one of the candidate places. The Godeok Bridge has huge tower structures as it is one of the biggest concrete cable-stayed bridges in the world. I moved up to the top of the tower via a temporary elevator, and a whole new world was up there. While I saw workers were busy in conducting the construction process on the top of the pylon with pinpoint precision, I felt respect for them and proud of Hyundai E&C at the same time.

CHOI MSConstruction of a long-span bridge may be one of the most interesting and overwhelming projects to a person who studied civil structural engineering. Among them, this project is to build a long-span bridge with “the world’s longest span.” I am definitely excited with the fact that I am here as one of members of this project.

Do you have something to say to your colleagues?

CHOI JWI witness innovation taking place in construction sites with each introduction of smart construction technology. I would like to express my appreciation for the Infrastructure Competitiveness Team who always do their best to make this construction site more effective and safer.

NOHTechnologies cannot be realized without the help and passion of workers at construction sites, however great they are. I thank our workers for their efforts to produce good results despite many inconveniences. I will strive to give technical support from perspectives of the field. With the hope that the construction of the concrete cable-stayed bridge with the world’s longest span will be completed safely, I will do my best.

CHOI MSI look forward to kind cooperation until December 2022 when the construction is scheduled to be finished. I hope this construction site will serve as a good example for introducing smart construction technologies to all our construction sites.

KIMThere is no perfect technology from the outset. Only when construction sites join hands with the head office to improve smart construction technologies, they can be better applied. I hope all of us make efforts to create a successful case that can appeal to both our employees and those in this industry. Go for it!