Bottlenecks to the Implementation of Automation and Robotics in the Construction Industry

South Africa is increasing its use of technological innovation in the construction sector. Given the recent advancements, understanding how technology affects the construction industry is crucial. Industry related concerns include decreased quality and productivity, wastage, accidents, project delays, and unfavorable working conditions. A solution to these issues is the adoption of the implementation strategies of automation and robotics technologies, which have the potential to increase productivity, safety, and quality in the construction industry. However, there are barriers that hinder the progression of this implementation. This study aimed at evaluating the challenges of the implementation strategies of automation and robotics in the South African Construction industry. Corresponding literatures were reviewed, and a quantitative research methodology was adopted to extract information about the research question. To achieve this, a cluster sampling technique was used, and a survey questionnaire was distributed to 111 construction professionals, who were situated in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The data collected presumed that the most impactful challenge to the implementation of automation and robotics in the construction industry is the high costs of acquiring technologies. This could be based on existing corroborations that SMME’s and other small organisations struggle to obtain technologies due to lack of funding, and technologies are generally deemed to be very costly. The study concluded that innovative technologies are generally expensive and not easily attainable.