Digitalisation has completely transformed the way infrastructure projects are executed across the world. Its ability to promote collaboration, streamline building processes, assure safety and optimise long-term asset management makes it a vital tool in the construction industry. The deployment of digital construction technologies in infrastructure projects helps improve project planning and implementation, thereby reducing time and cost overruns for projects.
Roads
The road construction industry in India is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the adoption of new and emerging technologies. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, with technical assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has developed five guidelines for enhancing hill road infrastructure in India. The guidelines provide technical specifications and best practices for the planning of hilly roads, including the selection of alignment, geometric design and drainage. Moreover, Himachal Pradesh is set to implement full depth reclamation (FDR) technology for road construction. FDR is a pavement restoration technology that creates a homogeneous stabilised base course by uniformly pulverising and blending the entire flexible pavement section with a specified amount of the underlying materials. Roads built with this technology are better suited for automobile traffic and more resilient. Initially, about 666 km of roads in various districts will be constructed using this technology.
To build high-altitude bituminous road sections for the Sela tunnel and the LGG-Damteng-Yangste road, the Border Roads Organisation used an indigenous road construction technology, “Rejupave”. Despite the long haulage time amid snowfall, it reduces the production and rolling temperature of bituminous mixes by 30 degrees Celsius to 400 degrees Celsius, with negligible heat loss in the bituminous mix during transit. Meanwhile, Zydex Industries has developed nanotechnology for crack-resistant and moisture-resistant roads. It creates water-resistant roads by making the small, coarse particles used in the construction of roads waterproof. Although this increases the construction cost by 5 to 7 per cent, the road’s lifespan also improves by 2.5 times.
Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is at the forefront of deploying digital solutions to modernise its operations and drive efficiency across its rail network. IR is using automation and instrumentation to improve its maintenance practices for early detection of defects and deficiencies in rolling assets. For instance, an Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock System has been adopted by IR to enhance its operational efficiency and facilitate real-time monitoring of rolling stock. It is an automated system, placed at the wayside, that actively identifies defective wheels and bearings before they result in failures. Meanwhile, an indigenously developed automatic train protection system, “Kavach”, has been deployed to assist IR in eliminating accidents. It automatically activates the train braking system if the driver fails to maintain the speed limit. It also uses a network of devices mounted on two trains heading in opposite directions on the same track to avoid collision. These devices use radio technologies and GPS.
Other advancements in the sector include state-of-the-art smart coaches with special diagnostic systems; smart locomotives with new features such as asset performance monitoring and rail integrity monitoring; and smart yards with information and communications technology systems, sensors and data analytics for automatic gathering of information on rolling stock condition.
Ports
Digitalisation of ports is essential for modernising the maritime industry, which would lead to improved operational efficiency and reduced costs. Currently, many ports operate within information silos. However, digitalisation can streamline operations, reducing turnaround times for ships and cargo. Smart and digitalised ports are more attractive to shipping companies, as they boost economic competitiveness. For instance, customs authorities at Nhava Sheva port have set up drive-through container scanning for truck cargo passing through PSA Mumbai. This is expected to notably decrease cargo dwell times for import loads, in line with the growing trend of shippers requesting import clearance via the direct port delivery (DPD) window. Approximately 70 per cent of loaded imports at the port of Nhava Sheva are handled by DPD. Meanwhile, Chennai port has implemented a hybrid access control system, which allows both radio frequency identification (RFID) card- and quick response code-based harbour entry. It requires no physical connection with the port for services such as client registrations, pass requests, pass approvals and payments. In line with this, a number of port authorities are implementing RFID to streamline traffic passing through port gates, leading to a notable reduction in the quantity of documentation inspections.
Airports
Technology usage has accelerated in the past few years at Indian airports. Notably, 43 of India’s largest airports will receive digital solutions from SITA (a technological firm), according to an agreement signed with the Airports Authority of India. Furthermore, in the following seven years, the technology may be expanded to 40 more airports. SITA will implement its cutting-edge solutions as part of this agreement, such as SITA Flex, SITA Common Use Self Service, SITA Common Use Passenger Processing System and SITA Bag Manager. These platforms can enable scalable operations to address the unique operational requirements of airlines and ground handlers. The roll-out of new cloud technology will enable Indian airports to convert to common usage passenger experiences with numerous airlines accessing the same infrastructure, such as check-in counters, self-service kiosks and boarding gates. Moreover, many airports throughout the world have been built by employing building information modelling technology. The technology is being deployed in the new airport projects at Navi Mumbai and Jewar.
Tunnelling
New technologies and techniques are also being adopted to enhance the execution of tunnelling projects. The drill-and-blast method has emerged as the preferred technique for tunnelling across various sectors, especially in the Himalayan region, owing to its flexibility compared to other methods such as tunnel boring machines (TBMs). To enhance the effectiveness of TBMs, new technologies such as advanced blast fragmentation modelling software, the TUnIS Ring Sequencing System and the Automatic Tailskin Clearance Measurement System are being deployed. Besides, the implementation of a data management system in a TBM ensures efficient control of the TBM and facilitates the management of other operational processes in tunnelling projects. Micro-tunnelling is also experiencing increased acceptance in the country.
Water and waste
Geospatial technologie, such as geographic information systems (GIS), drones, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), have transformed water network management in India. Accurate geographic data gathering, remote infrastructure monitoring and problem identification have been made possible by these techniques. Drones and LiDAR enable high resolution mapping and inspection, while GIS offers a comprehensive framework for managing and analysing spatial data. The integration of georeferencing, geospatial tools and remote sensing enhances the planning, maintenance and decision-making processes, further improving water network management practices. Recently, the electro-microbiology faculty at IIT Delhi developed a sensor for real-time water quality monitoring using electroactive microorganisms. These bacteria create electric currents and have been widely explored for power generation, but can also be utilised for bio-sensing.
Smart water metering can be implemented to identify pipeline leaks, reduce water loss, improve billing efficiency and encourage water conservation. This can be done by utilising digital technologies such as supervisory control and data acquisition, and internet of things.
The way ahead
Data for and from construction sites are often kept in silos and not regularly updated or shared with stakeholders. Collaboration is minimal and restricted. With the adoption of cloud-based construction management tools, stakeholders can access relevant information and view the latest revisions in the data. This can be used for further analysis and project planning.
Going forward, the construction sector will rely heavily on data and technology to inform decision-making processes. Further, advanced technology utilising real-time location intelligence will be deployed to enhance situational awareness. In the years to come, the willingness to change and adopt new technologies will be an essential factor for the survival and prosperity of construction companies.
Sidra Siddiquie
