BIM-Integrated Generation of Safety-Aware, Georeferenced Occupancy Grid Maps for Autonomous Masonry Robots
Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/Report › Conference contribution › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Bricklaying faces significant labor shortages, for which Mobile Construction Robots (MCRs) offer a promising solution. However, the absence of many building elements and hazards in brickwork environments, such as floor and exterior wall openings, which may be undetectable to robot sensors, poses safety challenges to the navigation system. This paper presents an automated workflow to integrate IFC-based Building Information Modeling (BIM) information into the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) navigation stack (Nav2) by generating compatible 2D Occupancy Grid Maps (OGMs) and safety-zone masks. To do so, navigation-relevant geometric, semantic, and georeferencing information is extracted from the IFC model and stored in dedicated data structures. Then, detectable and undetectable obstacles are classified based on the robot's mechanical structure and sensor configuration, including the traversability threshold and the 2D LiDAR scan plane height. This results in the generation of (1) a static main map containing detectable obstacles and (2) a keep-out mask encoding undetectable hazards, both of which are rasterized automatically and integrated into Nav2, where keep-out regions are enforced as costmap filters for global path planning and local path tracking. Simulation results demonstrate that this approach enhances operational safety in brickwork construction environments by increasing the safety success rate and eliminating intrusions into the safety zones.
Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 43rd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, ISARC 2026 |
| Editors | Qian Chen, Gaang Lee, Ci-Jyun Liang, Jiansong Zhang, Vineet R. Kamat |
| Pages | 602-609 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISBN (electronic) | 978-0-6458322-3-5 |
| Publication status | Published - 25 Jun 2026 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Publication series
| Series | The International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction |
|---|
Conference
| Title | 43rd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | Constructing the Future: Sustainable, Smart, and Lean |
| Abbreviated title | ISARC 2026 |
| Conference number | 43 |
| Description | co-located with the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group of Lean Construction (IGLC34) |
| Duration | 22 - 26 June 2026 |
| Website | |
| Degree of recognition | International event |
| Location | National University of Singapore |
| City | Singapore |
| Country | Singapore |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0002-9168-0835/work/219973641 |
|---|---|
| ORCID | /0000-0001-9650-3849/work/219975485 |
| ORCID | /0000-0002-7922-3041/work/219975908 |
| ORCID | /0009-0008-0505-7686/work/219977266 |
| Scopus | 105046012800 |
Keywords
Research priority areas of TU Dresden
DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards
Sustainable Development Goals
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Occupancy Grid Map, Safety Zone, Mobile Construction Robot, Navigation, BIM, IFC