Abstract Unmanned Intelligent Construction in Railway Infrastructure (UIC/RI) is rapidly emerging in China, driven by the increasing complexity of infrastructure projects (e.g. railway tunnels in extreme geological conditions) and a shrinking labor force due to an aging society. UIC/RI utilizes unmanned or remotely operated construction machinery, integrated with comprehensive monitoring systems, to replicate and augment human perception and control. This paper reviews the application of advanced technologies in UIC/RI, including unmanned intelligent machinery, real-time perception (e.g. LIDAR, camera and radar etc.), Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data analytics, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Digital Twins (DT). The review focuses on robotic autonomous operations and long-distance remote control, detailing unmanned systems for tunnels, and embankments. It also examines the role of monitoring and imaging technologies in enhancing construction safety. Finally, the paper outlines future research directions and prospects for the railway infrastructure.
Luo et al. (Fri,) studied this question.