Manitowoc to Work with University Engineers on Improving Construction Site Safety

October 28, 2015 - Manitowoc Cranes is collaborating with university research teams on a three-year, $650,000 grant to improve the safety and efficiency of construction equipment. Penn State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will initially focus their efforts on mobile cranes in the project, titled, "Safe and Efficient Cyber-Physical Operation System for Construction Equipment," which begin Jan. 1, 2016.

 

"Construction is a $950 billion industry in the United States and operating equipment represents one of the most dangerous tasks on a construction site. In 2013 alone, 4,045 people died as a result of construction site accidents," said Chimay Anumba, head and professor of architectural engineering at Penn State.

 

Anumba and his colleagues plan to develop an equipment system that combines interacting cyber and physical components, reports Penn State News. The system's physical components will include an omnidirectional camera to provide a better perspective on the work environment, and sensors that will enable monitoring of conditions such as equipment-soil interaction, equipment stability, and safety of material pickup.

 

One scenario in which the physical and virtual components will work together is in performing a blind lift. "By integrating cameras with the virtual model of the environment, the operator can have a much better understanding of what they are lifting in relation to other physical components on site such as workers, other equipment, materials, and power lines," said Anumba.

 

Part of the team's research will involve determining how to integrate components — a camera, sensors, virtual models of the construction site and the intelligent reasoning mechanism — into an effective system.

 

Representatives from Manitowoc Cranes and HIGH Steel Structures Inc. will provide access to cranes and to project sites for the research. The team is also collaborating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology construction metrology group, focusing on reliable monitoring and data collection for construction applications, and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.