Scientists involved in the project said that China is going to build a hydropower dam in two years using artificial intelligence, construction robots, and zero human labor.
The South China Morning Post reported on Sunday that a paper published in the Journal of Tsinghua University shows that the Yangqu dam will be assembled layer by layer.
The tallest structure built using 3D printing processes is likely to be the ambitious project. The current record is held by a two-story office building.
The paper said the dam will be 590 feet tall. The structural height of the Hoover Dam is 726 feet.
Scientists say that a central artificial intelligence system will be used to oversee a massive automated assembly line that starts with a fleet of drones.
Once the materials arrive, they will be turned into a layer of the dam, and then rollers with sensors will help to press each layer so that they become firm and durable, they said.
The paper states that when a layer is complete, the robots will send information back to the system.
The researchers noted that the mining of the construction material will have to be done manually.
The lead author of the study said that the artificial intelligence system will eliminate human error, such as when roller operators don't keep to a straight line or when truck drivers deliver materials to the wrong spot.
The researchers said that the system will allow on-site work to progress without safety concerns for human workers.
5 billion kilowatt-hours of power will be provided to China by the completed Yangqu dam, according to the scientists.
The building method could provide a template for other construction projects, if successful, according to the team.
China has turned to automation in recent years to keep its industries going as its birth rate plummets.
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