If all goes to plan, the dam will become the world’s tallest structure using 3D printing processes, smashing the previous record — held by a 20-foot-tall two-story office building in Dubai.
The scientists behind the new paper say the completed Yangqu dam will provide 5 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually to China.
The process will be carried out by a central AI system that will manage an intricate automated assembly line, including a fleet of unmanned vehicles, according to the authors of the paper.
Unmanned trucks will be used to transport building materials, while driverless bulldozers and pavers will also help in the construction. Rollers equipped with sensors will help to press each layer of the dam. For each layer of the dam that is laid down, sensors will be analyzed by AI to make sure the construction process is going to plan.
According to the researchers, the use of AI will eliminate human error, making for a smoother construction process and also removing the risk of human injury inherent in any construction site.
If the reports come true, Yangqu Dam could be a landmark project, enabling the safe, efficient construction of massive infrastructure projects as China faces labor shortages caused by a falling birth rate.
According to interestingengineering
