scholarly journals The Use of Augmented Reality in Collaboration Within the Construction Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 2120 (1) ◽  
pp. 012032
Author(s):  
Vighnesh Sivanesan ◽  
Zhen Lu Ng ◽  
Tong Xir Lim ◽  
Hong Kai Tan ◽  
Kai Shen Yew ◽  
...  

Abstract Site visitation is a crucial aspect of civil engineers’ job scope as it provides them with first-hand construction data. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, construction site visitations are restricted, making the tasks of a civil engineer impossible to achieve. The main objective of this research is to find out and suggest a remedy to the problems commonly faced by civil engineers through the help of Augmented Reality (AR). Hence, the study’s objective is to analyse AR’s functionalities and suggest its best application to communicate spacious awareness via visual feedback for civil engineers. For maximum usability, an integrated software suite is proposed that provides access to AR worksites, measured data, and allows peer communication. This addressed the whole spectrum of problems faced by civil engineers with the switch to remote working. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the limitation of this project is that testing could not be executed to determine the efficacy of the said solution. Furthermore, the proposed solution has limitations, such as requiring pre-constructed infrastructure in applicable construction sites. Therefore, regular quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are required to ensure proper functionality. In the future, AR LiDAR sensors could be a possibility as it provides increased accuracy of AR measurements which is critical in engineering.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8905
Author(s):  
Wen Yi ◽  
Robyn Phipps ◽  
Hans Wang

This paper focuses on sustainable transportation of prefab products from factories to construction sites by ship. Since the transportation cost for all the prefab products of a construction site is mainly dependent on the number of cargo holds used on ships, a loading plan for prefab products that minimizes the number of holds required is highly desirable. This paper is therefore devoted to the development of an optimal loading plan that decides which prefab products are loaded into each cargo hold and how to pack these prefab products into the holds so that as few holds as possible are used. We formulate the problem as a large-scale integer optimization model whose objective function is to minimize the total number of cargo holds used and whose constraints represent the cargo hold capacity limits. We develop a heuristic to solve the problem and obtain a high-quality solution. We have tested the model and algorithm on a case study that includes 20 prefab products. We find that different cargo holds carry prefab products that have quite different densities. Moreover, the orientations of many prefab products are different from their default orientations. The results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model and algorithm.


2020 ◽  
Vol 312 ◽  
pp. 05005
Author(s):  
Lesiba George Mollo ◽  
Fidelis Emuze ◽  
Nicholus Sishuba

Productivity in the construction industry is declining in real-time. The decline in productivity is a source of worry for practitioners and researchers. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain major factors influencing productivity in relation to the notion of respects for people (RFP) in construction. The reviewed literature influences the semi-structured questionnaire used to survey construction professionals in Johannesburg, South Africa. The results reaffirm the tension productivity increment and the enhancement of RfP as both ideas appear to be moving in opposite directions on a typical construction site. It was discovered that respect for workers on a construction site is a major concern. The paper argues that ethical reasoning affects productivity. Therefore, an appropriate management system is required to improve the workers' perception of productivity and RfP working on construction sites.


1977 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph C. Thomas

The theft of heavy equipment from construction sites is an organized, systematic, criminal operation, encouraged and sustained by contractors within the construction industry and designed to enrich burglars, illicit salesmen, and seemingly legitimate businessmen. From information gathered directly from those affected and involved, the article shows how the system of organized construction site crime works, which institutions profit as a result, and how these institutions support one another to give organized theft the means to survive. Finally, it explains the reasons for failure of current attempts to fight this type of crime and suggests the types of institutional and societal changes needed to curtail it.


The construction industry plays a prominent part in the progress of a country socially and economically. Nowadays construction industry has grown profit driven and the management focuses more on completing the projects on time neglecting safety of the workers. Construction works involving intricate works leading to accidents or injuries resulting in loss of life and body parts are rampant. So a proper safety management system is required to avoid accidents and improve safety at construction sites. Factors affecting safety at construction workplaces were identified and was surveyed through a quantitative questionnaire and analysed to form a basis for the total construction safety management model. The Total Construction Safety Management (TCSM) based on the PDCA modelling is proposed to improve safety at construction sites. This model can act as a guide to the present organizations and helps them to implement safety in quicker manner at construction site.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimoh R.A. ◽  
◽  
Oyewobi L.O. ◽  
Uthman N.L. ◽  
Ibrahim K. ◽  
...  

Many countries have put in place policies and legislation to reduce accidents and diseases on construction sites though having varied degree of comprehensiveness, the extent of implementation, will and capacity of enforcement. In spite of these efforts, it has been revealed that the increase in the rate of unsafe acts and rate of fatalities in the construction industry is significant due to poor safety culture. Hence, this study assessed the level of health and safety (H&S) culture in construction firms in Abuja by self-administering a total of 152 questionnaires on H&S issues to construction professionals. It included Builders, Quantity Surveyors, Architects, Civil Engineers, and Project Managers/supervisors who were involved in construction works. The data obtained were analysed using percentages and mean scores. It was discovered that despite the increasing growth in the construction firms in Nigeria, the H&S culture practice in construction firms is highly fragmented and poorly implemented. It is recommended among others that there should be high commitment from the top of organisations which will in turn produce higher level of motivation and commitment throughout the organisations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Álvaro del Águila

Argentine enterprises subsume Paraguayan migrant workers into the construction industry in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, subordinating them to the demands of production by temporarily housing them on the construction sites themselves. Ethnographic fieldwork carried out on various construction sites between 2006 and 2015 shows how this practice overlaps with wider processes of global transformation in labor relations. The lodging of workers on construction sites is an increasingly widespread strategy for capitalist entrepreneurs to exploit the migrant workforce even further. Las empresas argentinas han incorporado a los trabajadores migrantes paraguayos a la industria de la construcción en el área metropolitana de Buenos Aires y los han subordinado a las exigencias de la producción, alojándolos temporalmente en las obras mismas. Un trabajo de campo etnográfico realizado en varias obras entre 2006 y 2015 muestra cómo dicha práctica se entrelaza con procesos más amplios en la transformación de las relaciones laborales a nivel global. El alojamiento de los trabajadores en las obras es una estrategia cada vez más extendida para que los empresarios capitalistas puedan explotar la mano de obra migrante aún más de lo que ya hacen.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (26) ◽  
pp. 300-310
Author(s):  
Nurul Ain Shuhada Azil ◽  
Izatul Laili Jabar

The construction industry is globally known as one of the most hazardous workplaces. Companies in the construction sector are undeniably often focused on completing projects on time, which results in tight work schedules and increases the risks of regular construction site activities, especially for the public who lives in the area. Inadequate rules and regulations in public safety and construction sites not practicing the safety practices to protect the public from harm are potential to cause public accidents to happen. Additionally, little improvement in safety practices at the construction sites and lack of awareness in implementing proper safety practices at a construction site could cause the increasing the rate of public accidents too. This study merely aims to explore the safety practices to be implemented at a construction site in a way to prevent public accidents from occurring. In order to achieve the aim, this study has two (2) objectives; 1: to determine the experience in handling accident cases involving the public at a construction site, and, objective 2: to explore the safety practices to be implemented at the construction site. For this preliminary survey, the qualitative research design was selected and the total number of five (5) professional individuals specialized in safety and health in construction sites were chosen as interviewees based on their experiences in handling public safety issues in construction sites. The results show the most recommended safety practices that need to be implemented which is barricade all entrances and exits of the construction site to prevent access from the public. This study provides good insights to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in identifying the need for safety practices to prevent public accidents at the construction site in congested urban areas.


Author(s):  
Nour Eldeen Abo Nassar

The construction industry is one of the most significant industries that contribute greatly to achieving economic development. However, it is also considered one of the industries that is always exposed to a high risk of hazards in addition to being full of risky activities. Accidents that occurred in construction industries have caused many defects in project progress, for example, delays in completing the project, increasing project cost, reducing productivity, and creating negative impressions about the company. The major reason for the accidents is poor worker safety performance, with a host of contributing causes. For improving safety performance, the root causes of incidents that occur in construction as well as the factors influencing them must be studied. Health and safety issues are the main problem and concerns in the building industry. Though much development has been made in construction safety, the industry still lacks a lag behind most other industries in terms of safety. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the factors that could affect the safety performance of a construction site to reduce the frequency of accidents.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hashim Ibrahimkhil ◽  
Laith Hadidi

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the safety level of construction sites in Afghanistan following the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) safety practices and compare this with other construction sites in Afghanistan that follow local government safety guidelines. The USACE oversees and funds many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and these projects are supposed to follow the same standards implemented in the USA, including safety standards. The local government of Afghanistan also funds infrastructure projects in Afghanistan; however, these do not follow USACE best practices. This research explores the question of whether the USACE standards provide a safer construction site. The effect of the USACE standards on safety practices in construction projects is also investigated in the Afghanistan construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and other safety checklists were used to develop a safety checklist containing 104 items (questions) in 17 categories. Subsequently, the checklist was used to assess the safety performance of 57 construction projects (25 USACE projects, and 32 governmental projects). Utilizing quantitative analysis, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out for correlation and statistical disparity between USACE and governmental projects.FindingsThe safety performance level of Afghan government projects was found to be poor in relation to other developing countries, while in USACE projects it was excellent. In addition, fire prevention, safety administration, PPE, heavy equipment, and handling and storage of materials for all types of contractors were the most overlooked aspects of Afghan Government projects.Practical implicationsThe findings clearly demonstrate the deficiencies in construction sites observed during this study and also support the adoption of USACE standards in Afghanistan projects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the safety of construction sites in Afghanistan. The study also demonstrates the benefits of adopting international standards (USACE) to improve the safety of construction sites in a developing country such as Afghanistan. The findings provide evidence of the safety of the Afghanistan construction industry compared to other developing countries. These findings will contribute to the Afghan Government's efforts to track injury statistics.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Jiang ◽  
Lieyun Ding ◽  
Cheng Zhou

PurposeConstruction safety has been a long-term problem in the development of the construction industry. An increasing number of smart construction sites have been designed using different techniques to reduce injuries caused by construction accidents and achieve proactive risk control. However, comprehensive smart construction site safety management solutions and applications have yet to be developed. Thus, this study proposes a smart construction site framework for safety management.Design/methodology/approachA safety management system based on a cyber-physical system is proposed. The system establishes risk data synchronization mapping between the virtual construction and physical construction sites through scene reconstruction design, data awareness, data communication and data processing modules. Personnel, mechanical and other risks on site will be warned and controlled.FindingsThe results of the case study have proved the management benefits of the system. On-site workers gradually realized that they should enter the construction site based on the standard process. And the number of people close to the construction hazard areas decreased.Research limitations/implicationsThere are some limitations in the technology of smart construction site. The modeling speed can be faster, the data collection can be timelier, and the identification of unsafe behavior can be integrated into the system. Construction quality and efficiency issues in a virtual construction site will also be solved in further research.Practical implicationsIn this paper, this system is actually applied in the mega project management process. More practical projects can use the management ideas and method of this paper to ensure on-site safety.Originality/valueThis study is among the first attempts to build a complete smart construction site based on CPS and apply it in practice. Personnel, mechanical, components, environment information will be displayed on the virtual construction site. It will greatly promote the development of the intellectualized construction industry in the future.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document