Mini robots to repair potholes and pipes

Grant Prior 8 years ago
Share

Mini robots could be used to make Leeds a “self-repairing city”.

The University of Leeds is leading a £4.2m national infrastructure research project to develop small robots to identify problems with utility pipes, street lights and roads and fix them automatically.

The researchers will initially develop new robot designs and technologies in three areas:

• “Perch and Repair” – research to develop drones that can perch, like birds, on structures at height and perform repair tasks, such as repairing street lights.

• “Perceive and Patch”  – research to develop drones able to autonomously inspect, diagnose, repair and prevent potholes in roads;

• “Fire and forget” – research to develop robots which will operate indefinitely within live utility pipes performing inspection, repair, metering and reporting tasks.

The team will work with Leeds City Council and the UK Collaboration for Research in Infrastructure and Cities to ensure that the robots are thoroughly tested before being trialled in the city.

Professor Phil Purnell, from the School of Civil Engineering, is leading the research team. He said: “We want to make Leeds the first city in the world to have zero disruption from street works.

“We can support infrastructure which can be entirely maintained by robots and make the disruption caused by the constant digging up the road in our cities a thing of the past.”

Dr Rob Richardson, director of the National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems at the University added: “Detecting faults and weaknesses early and then quickly performing smart repairs is the key.

“Our robots will undertake precision repairs and avoid the need for large construction vehicles in the heart of our cities. We will use the unique capabilities of our robotic facility to make new, more capable robots.”

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said: “We are delighted to be working with the University of Leeds on this intriguing and groundbreaking project.

“We are very keen to explore new innovations and use the latest technologies to improve how the city runs through our Smart Cities programme, and this idea of turning science fiction into fact will be fascinating to watch.

“We look forward to following its development with interest as part of a relationship between the council and the university that continues to go from strength to strength.”

 

 

Latest news

Lonsdale went down owing £65m to supply chain

More than 600 firms owed money as reduced credit rating sinks M&E giant
2 days ago

Wates only bidder for £80m Cardiff estate rebuild

Council contacted 20 framework firms but received only one bid for 295-home Channel View estate rebuild
1 day ago

£21m legal battle over flawed concrete at Salford flats job

Developer in compensation battle with Arcadis after new concrete core demolished
1 day ago

Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties buys London Square

UAE giant swoops on resi specialist in vote of confidence for London market
1 day ago

Hunt for delivery partner to revive New Hospital Programme

Programme delivery partner to get £600m fee to get plans back on track
2 days ago

Green light for new £780m Essex garden village

3,700 homes and four new schools to be built at Dunton Hills
2 days ago

Laing O’Rourke makes a £288m loss

Rampant inflation on fixed-price jobs and problem contracts blow hole in accounts
2 days ago

Keltbray, OCU and Clancy clinch £1bn electricity network upgrade

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks awards biggest ever deals for central southern England
3 days ago

G&T enlisted for commercial review of HS2 main civils contracts

Phase 1 Main Works Civils Contracts to come under cost scrutiny
2 days ago

TClarke order books doubles to top £1bn for first time

M&E specialist on track to exceed £500m turnover this year
2 days ago

Wates signs Government safety remediation pact

Private builder belatedly signs fire safety developer remediation contract
2 days ago

Liverpool all-electric industrial park approved

McLaren and Caddick in chase for Sefton 800,000 sq ft Atlantic Park scheme
3 days ago

Former Buckingham Group MD to join John F Hunt

Simon Hyams is new Managing Director for Contracting
3 days ago

Three in race for retendered £150m A9 dualling job

Bidders take another look after client takes on more risk
3 days ago

Clancy tops £300m revenue in fifth year of growth

Civils contractor delivers £13.5m pre-tax from water and energy sector work
3 days ago

Tower crane collapses on Edinburgh resi site

Jib falls onto apartment block under construction: Video
4 days ago

Salboy drops office space from Viadux Phase Two

Developer to focus on Manchester residential towers of 76 and 23 storeys
4 days ago

Warwick Uni plan for science and engineering campus

370,000 sq ft science and engineering precinct submitted for planning
3 days ago

Morgan Sindall chalks up Greater Manchester schools treble

Bury, Stockport and Wythenshawe school jobs will create 1,600 pupil places
3 days ago

Plans in for £65m Blackpool multiversity campus

Council leads plan for Talbot Gateway learning campus
3 days ago

Laing O’Rourke wins first phase of £700m Oxford R&D district

Landmark Red Hall and two labs to be built in phase 1a of Oxford North scheme
5 days ago

Ardmore wins retrofit deal on £200m Chancery Lane office

Building will be transformed to provide 105,637 sq ft of office space
5 days ago

Construction’s “Leading Lights” recognised

More than 50 winners in latest Considerate Constructors Scheme awards
4 days ago

Balfour Beatty clinches £20m Norfolk coastal defence jobs

Firm will install rock armour at Cromer and Mundesley
4 days ago

Architects join construction union Unite

Section of Architectural Workers forms official branch
5 days ago

Boot to build £20m lightweight aviation composites factory

Work starts on Sheffield University's COMPASS R&D facility
4 days ago

GMI secures £27m Leeds City College job

Site clearance underway for new Mabgate campus
5 days ago

Balfour signs deal with Koreans for UK power transmission jobs

Contractor strengthens large-scale onshore power transmission capability
5 days ago

36 storey south London build to rent flats tower approved

Construction to start next year on £220m Croydon scheme
5 days ago

Hunt for firms for £400m volumetric offsite deal

Procurement for Housing aims to expand its pool of firms on major offsite framework
5 days ago

Contractor services