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Dr Songbo Hu

Dr Songbo Hu

Lecturer

Bachelor of Engineering (Honour), University of Sydney

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Monash University

Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA)
School of Built Environment

Dr Songbo Hu is a Lecturer in Construction Management at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), specialising in construction robotics, intelligent safety and productivity analytics, and remote inspection technologies. His research integrates robotics, Building Information Modelling (BIM), computer vision (CV), Digital Twins (DT), and semantic reasoning to enhance operational certainty, site safety, and sustainable delivery across construction practice.

Dr Hu completed his PhD at Monash University, where he developed BIM-assisted robotic path planning and hazard-exposure analytics for tower crane operations. His work has since expanded to knowledge-graph-enhanced construction performance reasoning and technology-enabled regulatory inspection models, advancing a shift toward data-assisted, interpretable, and accountable project governance.

He has collaborated with international partners and industry stakeholders on automated safety and productivity monitoring, MMC production–assembly coordination, and digital inspection reform. His contributions have been recognised through competitive funding and international awards, with publications in Automation in Construction, Safety Science, Advanced Engineering Informatics, and the Journal of Management in Engineering.
E-mail
Songbo.Hu@unsw.edu.au
Location
Anita B. Lawrence Centre
  • Book Chapters | 2025
    Fang Z; Hu S; Wang J; Fang Y; Lu Q, 2025, 'Ontological models for construction scheduling and resource planning', in Routledge Handbook of Smart Built Environment, pp. 133 - 161, http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003383840-10
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Hu S; Fang Y; Windholz E; Khoshelham K, 2025, 'Factors Influencing the Adoption of Remote Visual Inspection in Building Regulatory Activities', Journal of Management in Engineering, 41, http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/JMENEA.MEENG-6559
    Journal articles | 2025
    Pfitzner F; Hu S; Braun A; Borrmann A; Fang Y, 2025, 'Monitoring concrete pouring progress using knowledge graph-enhanced computer vision', Automation in Construction, 174, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106117
    Journal articles | 2024
    Hu S; Wang J; Fang Y, 2024, 'Semantic web-assisted progress monitoring of crane operations in construction projects', Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Smart Infrastructure and Construction, http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/jsmic.24.00011
    Journal articles | 2024
    Jiang T; Fang Y; Goh J; Hu S, 2024, 'Impact of simulation fidelity on identifying swing-over hazards in virtual environments for novice crane operators', Automation in Construction, 165, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2024.105580
    Journal articles | 2023
    Einizinab S; Khoshelham K; Winter S; Christopher P; Fang Y; Windholz E; Radanovic M; Hu S, 2023, 'Enabling technologies for remote and virtual inspection of building work', Automation in Construction, 156, pp. 105096, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2023.105096
    Journal articles | 2023
    Hu S; Fang Y; Moehler R, 2023, 'Estimating and visualizing the exposure to tower crane operation hazards on construction sites', Safety Science, 160, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.106044
    Journal articles | 2022
    Rao AS; Radanovic M; Liu Y; Hu S; Fang Y; Khoshelham K; Palaniswami M; Ngo T, 2022, 'Real-time monitoring of construction sites: Sensors, methods, and applications', Automation in Construction, 136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.104099
    Journal articles | 2021
    Hu S; Fang Y; Bai Y, 2021, 'Automation and optimization in crane lift planning: A critical review', Advanced Engineering Informatics, 49, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2021.101346
    Journal articles | 2021
    Hu S; Fang Y; Guo H, 2021, 'A practicality and safety-oriented approach for path planning in crane lifts', Automation in Construction, 127, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.103695
  • Conference Papers | 2024
    Pfitzner F; Hu S; Braun A; Borrmann A; Fang AY, 2024, 'MONITORING CONCRETE POURING WITH KNOWLEDGE GRAPH-ENHANCED COMPUTER VISION: A CASE STUDY FROM MUNICH, GERMANY', in Proceedings of the European Conference on Computing in Construction, pp. 461 - 468, http://dx.doi.org/10.35490/EC3.2024.177
    Conference Papers | 2021
    Hu S; Fang Y; Moehler R, 2021, 'Estimating Hazard Exposure in Tower Crane Lift Operations Using BIM and Path Planning Algorithm', in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, pp. 576 - 582
    Conference Papers | 2020
    Hu S; Fang Y, 2020, 'Automating Crane Lift Path through Integration of BIM and Path Finding Algorithm', in Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction Isarc 2020 from Demonstration to Practical Use to New Stage of Construction Robot, pp. 522 - 529
    Conference Papers | 2019
    Goh JT; Hu S; Fang Y, 2019, 'Human-in-the-Loop Simulation for Crane Lift Planning in Modular Construction On-Site Assembly', in Computing in Civil Engineering 2019 Visualization Information Modeling and Simulation Selected Papers from the ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering 2019, pp. 71 - 78, http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784482421.010

Australian Public Policy Institute (APPI), “Safety Inspection Reform for NSW Household and SME Renewable Energy Upgrades” AU$100,000, 2025-2026 (CI)

Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre Australia, “Procuring buildings and infrastructure: Unlocking the value of ESG” AU$115,500, 2025-2026 (CI)

Best paper award, The European Council of Computing in Construction (EC3) in 2024