Integrating Cyber-Physical Systems as a Bio-mimicking Construction System: Developing and Examining of a Knowledge-Based System

• Main Authors: Mostafa M. Metwaly, Mohamed M. Afifi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-12-01
• Series: Alexandria Engineering Journal
• Subjects: Sustainability; Bio-mimicking; Self-reconfiguring robotics; Innovative construction; Cyber-physical systems; Knowledge-based systems
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016820303628

The paper seeks to present an innovative Bio-mimicking approach that utilizes Cyber-Physical Systems technology as a construction system based on a Knowledge-Based System that can ease the integration of this technology to the built environment. The paper starts by reviewing the relation between biological and architectural systems. Then it moves to bio-mimicking as a sustainability achieving approach and executes a review for growth phenomenon and self-organizing process. It then tracks the current paradigms of architectural robotics, with a specific focus on cyber-physical systems. After that, it comprehensively analyses an especially developed knowledge-based system that is architecturally oriented to control the construction process based on cyber-physical systems. Finally, the paper presents a successful construction process simulation for a complex case study based on a previously developed cyber-physical systems prototype to examine the functionality of the knowledge-based system, especially on generating and modifying building configurations. The paper represents a benchmark for creating a comprehensive and functional software for the using cyber-physical systems on the built environment field; however, there are some remaining obstacles, especially on the hardware level. Additionally, there is a critical need for real-time experiments to validate the cyber-physical systems as a reliable construction system.