Digital technologies and robotics in mass-timber manufacturing: a systematic literature review on construction 4.0/5.0

The construction industry, renowned for its intense labor and historically low levels of automation for mass timber (MT), stands at the edge of robot-assisted transformative shift. This comprehensive review explores how the field of Construction 4.0 has changed Mass Timber construction, examining its key clusters: mode of construction, modern construction methods, and robotic technologies for this revolutionary material MT, focusing on cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction. Moreover, it presents a thorough examination of the latest robotic evolution specific to mass-timber construction, comprehensive both on-site and off-site applications. This study is based on the Protocol of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), employing 85 research articles from five sources: Emerald Insight, IEEE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Springer. The review highlights the pivotal role played by robots in enhancing productivity, safety, and environmental sustainability. It covers diverse robotic applications, ranging from collaborative efforts with human workers to fully autonomous systems, each presenting unique advantages and challenges. Also, the study explores how CLT, alongside robotic technologies, has the potential to revolutionize construction practices by reducing waste, improving construction speed, and offering environmental benefits. The paper concludes by underlining the transformative impact of robots in MT construction, envisioning a future where automation optimizes processes and redefines the industry’s productivity and safety.