A bibliometric and scientometric mapping of Industry 4.0 in construction

Abstract

Industry 4.0 embraces digitization and smart products or processes that are integrated with several technological developments to control the entire value chain of workflows. The construction industry is also captivated with the idea of Industry 4.0 transformation that changes the traditional system into digital and cyber-physical system that interacts and connects across the geographical and organizational borders. However, as construction is commonly known as a low-technologically advanced industry, studies on Industry 4.0 in construction still remains elusive, as compared to other sectors such as manufacturing, electrical and electronic engineering and computer science. Therefore, this study aims to explore the current state of Industry 4.0 application from the construction engineering perspective. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify publications related to Industry 4.0 in construction. A bibliometric analysis has been outlined through exclusion and inclusion principles, while a scientometric analysis has been further applied to enhance the SLR findings through ‘science mapping’ visualization techniques. This study presents the relevance, along with the movement, adoption and adaption of Industry 4.0 in the construction industry that further enables the spark of new ideas, in effort to realize and comprehend the current and future technological transformation in construction.