Hoban Construction develops AI tool to automate ready-mix concrete ordering

Hoban Construction has developed an AI-powered system that automatically calculates the volume of ready-mix concrete required at construction sites. The technology analyzes blueprints and identifies pour zones to compute concrete needs in real time, reducing the workload on site engineers and improving process efficiency.

The builder announced Tuesday that it has developed an AI-based automated ready-mix concrete quantity calculation technology to streamline concrete pouring operations and is currently piloting it at select sites.

The system uses AI to automatically determine how much ready-mix concrete is needed for structural pours, including those on below-ground floors. Once a site engineer uploads blueprints to the server and marks the pour zones on the processed drawings, the AI calculates the required concrete volume in real time.

Engineers can review the results broken down by structural element — floors, columns and beams — as well as by concrete strength grade, allowing them to draw up more accurate ordering plans.

Under the previous method, engineers manually reviewed blueprints and calculated concrete volumes for each pour zone before placing orders. Less experienced workers often spent considerable time on the calculations and faced a higher risk of errors. When estimated volumes did not match actual needs, the result could be delayed pours, excess leftover concrete and broader inefficiencies on site.

Hoban Construction said it expects the technology to cut working hours, improve quantity estimation accuracy, reduce concrete waste and enhance overall process efficiency.

The company is running technical validation at two Hoban Summit construction sites throughout July. The CA team that led the development plans to incorporate feedback from site users before rolling out the system across all sites in August.

Hoban Construction also developed an AI-based automated window and door quantity estimation technology last year and deployed it at its sites. That system uses AI to analyze blueprints and automatically calculate material volumes, cutting what had been a three-day-plus estimation and ordering process down to roughly half a day.

Building on the automated concrete quantity tool, Hoban Construction plans to expand its AI-based quantity calculation systems — including the window and door estimation technology — in stages, with the goal of upgrading its overall construction volume management framework. The company said it will continue developing AI tools to raise productivity and operational efficiency at Hoban Summit construction sites.

"We are using AI not merely as a support tool but as a practical instrument for raising on-site productivity," a Hoban Construction official said. "We will continue to expand the adoption of AI technologies that reduce the workload on field workers and improve the accuracy of process and cost management."

Meanwhile, the first-priority apartment subscription for Hoban Summit Pungmu III, held July 21, drew 2,443 applicants for 266 units on offer — excluding special supply allocations — for an average competition ratio of 9.2 to 1. The 59-square-meter Type A units posted the highest ratio at 21.5 to 1.