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

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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 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.