A new bibliometric review published in Applied Sciences uncovers a 320 % increase in construction robotics research from 2015 to 2022, identifying key themes like human-robot collaboration, autonomous navigation, and sustainability-focused automation across 212 publications in Web of Science.
Study: Robotics in the Construction Industry: A Bibliometric Review of Recent Trends and Technological Evolution. Image Credit: ART STOCK CREATIVE/Shutterstock.com
Background
The construction sector has increasingly turned to robotics to tackle pressing challenges like labor shortages, safety concerns, and material inefficiencies. Technologies such as autonomous navigation, AI-powered modular prefabrication, and human-robot collaboration are now being applied across tasks ranging from 3D printing to real-time site monitoring.
Although several reviews have examined robotic adoption in construction, most focus on localized applications and overlook broader, global patterns. Additionally, the socio-economic dimensions of these technologies are often treated separately from technical innovation.
Recognizing this gap, the study offers a more holistic, data-driven view, aiming to bring together scattered research perspectives under a unified framework aligned with the transition toward Construction 4.0.
Methods
To map the research landscape, the authors evaluated several literature review methodologies, ultimately selecting bibliometric analysis for its scalability and ability to visualize complex trends. Using the WoS Core Collection, the team filtered publications using a focused keyword set (e.g., “construction robot,” “robotic in building”) and narrowed the dataset to 212 relevant articles after removing duplicates, non-English texts, and editorials.
The analysis followed a three-step screening process: initial filtering of non-technical publications, manual review by two independent researchers, and normalization of author affiliations and keywords. CiteSpace 6.3.R1 was used to generate visual networks highlighting author collaboration, keyword clustering, and emerging trends via burst detection.
Key Findings
The review underscores the influence of prolific authors such as Vineet R., Kamat, and Thomas Bock, who lead the field in publication volume. Meanwhile, researchers like Pan Wei, Xi Wang, and Houtan Jebelli are central to global collaboration networks, reflecting the international nature of current research.
Institutional analysis revealed that the University of Michigan and its broader system contribute the most collaborative publications—15 in total—underscoring their leadership in construction robotics innovation.
Industry partnerships are also gaining traction. For example, Built Robotics in the US has deployed autonomous excavators to cut labor costs by 30 %, while China State Construction Engineering Corporation is using 3D-printing robots for prefabricated housing, cutting material waste by 50 %. In Japan, Komatsu's Smart Construction initiative integrates AI-guided drones and bulldozers, boosting site efficiency by 40 %.
Geographically, China and the United States dominate the research landscape, followed by Germany, South Korea, and Japan, each making notable strides in developing and applying robotic technologies in construction.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
This study offers a comprehensive overview of how robotics is shaping the future of construction, while highlighting overlooked areas like ethical governance, interoperability, and AI adaptation. The dominance of hardware-based innovations points to a need for more research into flexible, AI-driven systems.
The authors recommend further investigation into the economic viability of robotics in construction through cost-benefit analyses. There's also strong potential for integrating technologies like IoT and blockchain to enhance supply chain oversight and on-site monitoring.
As the sector moves forward, bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application will be key to achieving efficient, scalable, and sustainable automation.
Journal Reference
Xu, L. et al. (2025). Robotics in the Construction Industry: A Bibliometric Review of Recent Trends and Technological Evolution. Applied Sciences, 15(11), 6277–6277. DOI: 10.3390/app15116277, https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/11/6277
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