The construction industry is experiencing changes in its processes and work methods, and the advancement of new technologies in recent decades has led to a new concept known as Construction 4.0, coined in 2016 in Germany. Since its definition is still diffuse, it was deemed necessary to conduct a review on the publications in this field to grasp how this concept is being understood. For that purpose, a bibliometric analysis was conducted among 260 research articles using seven keywords. The results reveal that the number of publications is growing exponentially, with the USA, the UK, and China being leaders in this field; besides, four technologies are essential to understand Construction 4.0 at present time: 3D printing, big data, virtual reality, and Internet of Things. The results of this review suggest that further reviews should be conducted every 3 years to grasp the rapid evolution of Construction 4.0.

Nowadays, BIM (Building Information Modeling) has steadily been introduced into the construction industry as a promising methodology for managing projects. Therefore, it is necessary to study the users of its processes. Worldwide, there are already systems that classify companies according to how they use BIM, although only a few studies have been conducted on how individual users are classified. Hence, the present study sought to develop a model that characterized BIM users based on several parameters. The methodology employed defined variables based on a literature review, which experts subsequently validated. These variables made it possible to develop the measurement instrument: a structured questionnaire applied to construction professionals. The necessary parameters for the user characterization model were extracted using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. This model met the structural evaluation and measurement criteria, which confirmed that it was valid and reliable. It was found that three main aspects mainly characterized users: (i) their use and command of the software and the methodology, (ii) the experience and degree of adoption of the technology, and (iii) the individual’s knowledge of process levels and standardization concerning BIM.

Vibrations on timber floors are among the most common serviceability problems in social housing projects. The presence of low damping levels on these floors could cause excessive vibrations in a range of frequency and amplitude that generate discomfort in users. This study focuses on the influence of the damping ratio in the dynamic serviceability of social housing timber floors due to walking excitations. More than 60 human-walking vibration tests were conducted on both laboratory and in-situ timber floors. The floors were instrumented with accelerometers, and fundamental modal damping ratios were estimated by applying Enhanced Frequency Decomposition Domain (EFDD) and Subspace Stochastic Identification (SSI) methods. The vibration dose value (VDV) was used to estimate the dynamic serviceability of floors. The results indicated that timber floors had an impulsive-type vibration response, with fundamental damping ratios between 1.9% and 14.8%, depending on their constructive characteristics. The in-situ floors had damping ratios between two to three times greater than the laboratory floors due to the presence of non-structural elements. Finally, it was possible to demonstrate that the floors with the highest damping ratios reached lower vibration dose values and, therefore, a better dynamic serviceability performance.

Eucalyptus nitens is a fast-growing wood species with a relevant presence in countries like Australia and Chile. The sustainable construction goals have driven the search of structural applications for Eucalyptus nitens; however, this process has been complicated due to the defects usually presented in these timber boards. This study aims to evaluate the dynamic elasticity modulus (E_xd) of Eucalyptus nitens timber boards through non-destructive vibration-based tests. Thirty-six timber boards with different levels of knots and cracks were instrumented and tested in a simply supported condition by measuring longitudinal and transverse vibrations. In the first stage, the E_xd was calculated globally through simplified normative formulas. Then, in a second stage, the local variability of the E_xd was estimated using operational modal analysis (OMA), finite element numerical simulations (FEM), and regional sensitivity analysis (RSA). The positive correlation found between the global static modulus of elasticity and E_xd suggests that non-destructive techniques could be used as a reliable and fast alternative for the assessment of bending stiffness. Finally, the proposed method to estimate the local variability of E_xdt based on the combination of OMA, FEM, and RSA techniques was useful to improve the structural selection process of timber boards for lightweight social housing floors.