[Let's Run Again Construction Korea] POSCO Construction Leads Non-Face-to-Face Technology

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] POSCO Engineering & Construction is leading smart construction technology both domestically and internationally. By adapting new technologies to overseas environments, it is achieving effects such as cost reduction, shortened construction periods, and improved quality.

In particular, in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation, it has established an environment that enables remote technical support, continuing the reputation of Smart K-Construction.

The 'Contactless Plant Equipment Diagnosis and Management Platform' is a representative example. This platform integrates and manages equipment vibration defect issues occurring simultaneously at domestic and overseas sites on an online status monitoring platform, enabling real-time cause analysis and solution proposals without the need for actual site visits by specialized researchers.

To this end, a mobile-based diagnostic device that field workers can easily measure was developed in-house, and an online integrated management platform was established to remotely accumulate and manage big data measured in real time at the site.

This technology not only prevents delays and additional cost inputs by improving the efficiency of on-site technical response tasks but also enables equipment status management and rapid remote support in a contactless manner even under prolonged COVID-19 and other inter-country travel restrictions.

In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic in June, when a sudden high vibration occurred in a large blower at POSCO E&C’s overseas power plant site causing the power plant to shut down, the company resolved the issue using this technology.

Normally, to analyze and improve the cause of the problem, a vibration analysis expert from the R&D center would have to visit the site directly, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between countries, the equipment defect issue and power plant normalization delay could have been prolonged.

However, POSCO E&C’s R&D center was building the contactless plant equipment diagnosis and management platform as part of its smart construction and digital transformation activities. The in-house developed site-customized mobile diagnostic device enabled initial diagnostic response by on-site engineers.

Through the 'Equipment Diagnosis Integrated Management Server' established at the domestic R&D center, contactless defect analysis and improvement operations between the site and headquarters were possible, overcoming risks such as schedule delays and additional cost generation.

Additionally, POSCO E&C actively utilizes a weather information system that provides specialized weather information based on site location for schedule forecasting and progress management of overseas projects (PJTs).

For example, in the Philippines North-South Railway and Panama Metro PJTs, daily and hourly rainfall data analysis was used in the bidding and initial construction stages to estimate working days and calculate appropriate schedules.

In the Bangladesh Matarbari PJT, hourly and daily forecasts were used during the construction phase to establish construction plans and monitor safety status. In the Panama Colon Combined Cycle Power Plant and the Philippines Masinloc Coal Power Plant PJTs, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure data were referenced during the commissioning phase for power performance analysis.

A POSCO E&C official said, "We have proactively prepared future-oriented new construction technologies," adding, "In the post-COVID era, we are completing differentiated K-Construction technological capabilities that overcome the limitations of physical space."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.