摘要: |
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, at the request of the Federal Highway Administration, has conducted a study of potential applications of automation and robotics technology in construction, maintenance, and operation of highway systems. The study included a workshop exploring industry perceptions of needs and barriers to adoption, a workshop and a literature search to assess current state of the art practices and trends, and site visits by automation experts to typical highway worksites. Potential technology opportunities were highlighted for short, medium, and long-term efforts in a matrix of intersections between common highway jobs and areas of current technological thrust. From among the opportunities identified, six potential research areas were developed as specific proposals, and subjected to life-cycle cost-benefits analysis. Four were projected to return significant savings by comparison with current practice. |