FMJ.CO.UK MAINTENANCE FOCUS
MAY 2022 33
SMARTER APPROACH
Smart façade inspection using digital twin
technology can automate and improve
façade inspection quality, as well as save
costs and minimise safety risks. This
innovative approach to façade inspection
uses drones and artificial intelligence (AI)
to check for deteriorating materials and
underlying problems with building façades.
As it is equipped with a smart piloting
system, the drone ensures both operational
safety and high-quality inspection. Highresolution
visual and thermal cameras can
accurately scan the exterior of buildings,
with thermal cameras being particularly
e ective for the detection of any hidden
defects, capturing potential facade failure
points.
An advanced AI model will also ensure
that compliant inspection reports, which
meet the highest industry standards, are
delivered. This is achieved by using a drone
to capture images along the façade of
the building. AI can then be used to assist
human inspectors with data analysis. Raw
data, collected by the drone, is fed into
the AI platform, so that the algorithms
can be used to maintain privacy by
detecting and masking people that have
inadvertently been photographed by the
drone. At the same time, they identify
façade defects, classifying them by type
(cracks, decolouration, corrosion, sealant
deterioration etc) and severity, as well as
giving recommendations for repair. As
AI is not infallible, it is vital that a human
inspector reviews the results and uses
engineering judgement, giving feedback
that can be used to continually improve the
AI algorithm.
This means that façade inspection can
be conducted in a fraction of the time
and cost, as compared to the traditional
methods of inspection. The resulting 3D
representation of the building façade
is also helpful in better understanding
the building’s structure and will also
automatically update any detected defects.
Inspection reports are also able to make
use of an intuitive 3D model, so that the
state of the façade can be visualised,
and any necessary repairs tracked and
managed. This is because the façade
inspection platform constructs a 3D model
of the building façade, which helps to
better understand the building structure
and automatically locate the detected
defects on the building. As repairs and
follow-ups can be seamlessly managed
through the drone platform, along
the lifecycle of a building, e iciency is
improved, and costs saved.
Like all building elements, façades
will age and be subject to soiling and
structural deterioration, accelerated by
exposure to man-made pollutants and
other environmental factors. Damage or
deterioration to façade elements can result
in water penetration, falling debris and, in
extreme cases, façade failure - all of which
have the potential to cause harm. It is
therefore vital that any risks are mitigated
as early as possible in order to keep
buildings safe for occupants and people
within its vicinity.
www.tuvsud.com
part of any building survey, it helps to verify
the integrity of the building structure and
ensures safety for a building’s occupants
and people within its vicinity. However,
conventional façade inspection usually
requires roof access and involves the use
of gondolas all of which is time, labour and
cost intensive. It is also highly disruptive for
occupants, and dangerous for inspectors
due to the di iculty of accessing high-rise
buildings.
OPTIMISE ACCESS
Many building managers and owners will
already have access to or will have invested
in a façade access system for cleaning
and other maintenance needs, such as
checking lighting, photovoltaics, louvres
and vents. A good façade maintenance
solution should already optimise the access
equipment against the complexity of the
building’s façade. Such systems include
suspended platforms, roof trolleys and
dedicated platforms, and mobile elevated
work platforms. So, the question is, why
can’t these systems also be used to provide
detailed building surveys?
For the outside of a building to maintain
its aesthetic appeal, it must be regularly
cleaned and maintained. Also, insurance
warranties for facades usually mandate that
cleaning and maintenance cycles remain
una ected. Economical and e ective
façade maintenance is therefore now a
prime consideration within the overall
building design process. So, existing façade
maintenance systems cannot be diverted to
dedicate time to more detailed survey work
that could be easily completed by drones.
Likewise, employers must ensure, so far
as is reasonably practicable, the health,
safety and welfare of their employees and to
ensure that those a ected by their activities
are not exposed to risk. Falling from
height is likely to happen when operatives
are getting in to and out of the manned
platform, usually because safe access points
are not provided. They can also sometimes
become trapped in the manned platforms
due to a mechanical or operational failure,
and it has been known for equipment to
accidentally tip when it snags on something
protruding from the building. Using drones
takes away this additional risk for the
detailed surveying of façades.
For buildings that are 30 years or older, it
is highly unlikely that any digital information
about a building is available. Also, buildings
of historical interest will not be able to
use permanently mounted façade access
systems for maintenance and cleaning. So,
drones make sense in terms of reducing
any complexities and costs when detailed
surveys of the building are required.
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