Interactive Ubiquitous Visualization of Construction Progress Monitoring with D4AR (4 Dimensional Augmented Reality) Models

通过严格识别、处理和可视化计划和实际绩效之间的进度差异，进行系统的进度监控，是成功项目管理的必要条件。它向项目管理人员提供预警，使他们能够诊断业绩问题，并及时采取纠正行动，以减少进度差异的影响。然而，进度监测的系统实现具有重大挑战，因为：1）当前实践是耗时的，因为它需要大量的数据提取; 2）手动收集的数据的质量可能较低且主观; 3）现有方法也是非系统的; 4）报告在视觉上可能是复杂的，因此不能有效地表示多变量进度信息（即，5）此外，目前的报告方法增加了在协调会议上描述和解释进展情况所需的时间，从而可能延误决策。因此，以目前的机制，可能不容易清楚和迅速地了解进展情况。因此，拟议的研究将集中在通过使用四维增强现实（D4 AR）模型的施工进度监测的交互式可视化来应对这些挑战。在拟议的研究中，进展偏差（例如，时间表、成本和性能）将通过使用不同的可视化技术（如交通灯和天气比喻、鱼眼和x光）将计划模型叠加到现场照片上来可视化。在拟议的框架内，项目经理将能够：1）使用计划模型作为进度监测的基线; 2）在施工期间从现场照片中收集进度数据; 3）自动分析图像并量化已建成的组件; 4）自动测量计划进度和已建成进度之间的差异;以及5）通过将计划模型与结合交互式视觉图像的现场照片叠加来视觉地表示进度偏差。在这样的环境中，项目经理将能够浏览或浏览由增强的进度照片组成的丰富的视觉数据集，分析进度，做出控制决策，并与项目参与者进行有效的沟通。为了实现这些目标，拟议的研究方法将包括一个正式的周期的数据收集，正规化，测试，验证和完善。这将涉及在项目的每个阶段整合研究，教育和实践。通过这种整合，学生将通过让行业合作伙伴参与这一过程来获得宝贵的经验。为了接触到没有参与拟议活动的教育工作者、从业人员、研究人员和学生，将积极寻求广泛传播项目成果。最终，为了使研究真正成功，从不同群体的学生和从业者的参与，在经济，社会，文化，种族和性别背景方面，将是一个优先事项。这种多样性将从不同的角度为研究项目提供见解，为所有参与者提供新的视角。

Systematic progress monitoring through rigorous identification, processing, and visualization of progress discrepancies between planned and actual performances, is a necessity for successful project management. It provides an early warning to project managers and allows them to diagnose performance problems and to take corrective actions in a timely manner to reduce the impacts of progress discrepancies. However, systematic implementation of progress monitoring has significant challenges because: 1) Current practice is time-consuming since it needs extensive data extraction; 2) Quality of the manually collected data maybe low and subjective; 3) Existing methods are also non-systematic; 4) Reports can be visually complex and thus not effectively represent multivariable progress information (i.e., schedule, cost, and performance) in a holistic manner nor intuitively reflect information pertaining to spatial aspects of the construction progress and their associated complexities; 5) Furthermore, current reporting methods increase the time required to describe and explain progress situation in coordination meetings and in turn could delay decision making. Thus, with current mechanism, it may be not be easy to understand the progress situation clearly and quickly. The proposed research will therefore focus on addressing these challenges through an interactive visualization of construction progress monitoring using 4 Dimensional Augmented Reality (D4AR) models. In the proposed research, progress deviations (e.g., schedule, cost and performance) would be visualized through superimposition of planned models onto site photographs using different visualization techniques such as traffic light and weather metaphors, fish eye, and x-ray. Within the proposed framework, a project manager would be able to: 1) use the planned model as a baseline for progress monitoring; 2) collect progress data from site photographs during construction; 3) automatically analyze images and quantify built components; 4) automatically measure discrepancies between planned and built progress; and 5) visually represent progress deviations through superimposition of planned models with on-site photographs combining interactive visual imageries. In such an environment, project manager would be able to walk through or browse through a rich visual dataset of augmented progress photographs , analyze progress, make control decisions and effectively communicate with project participants. To achieve these objectives, the proposed research methodology will consist of a formal cycle of data collection, formalization, testing, validation, and refinement. This will involve integrating research, education and practice at every stage of the project. Through this integration, students will gain valuable experiences by having industry partners involved in the process. In order to reach educators, practitioners, researchers, and students who were not involved in the proposed activity, broad dissemination of the project results will be actively sought. Ultimately, in order to make the research truly successful, involvement from a diverse group of students and practitioners, in terms of economic, social, cultural, racial, and gender backgrounds, will be a priority. This diversity will provide the research project insights from different point of views, providing new perspectives for all involved.