Integrating wireless data capture technologies with construction and infrastructure management systems

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Construction and infrastructure management requires collecting and integrating huge amount of information about all the lifecycle phases including design, construction, operation, inspection and maintenance. The ability to collect and access this information in real time would provide great support to construction and facilities managers. Furthermore, this information is also very useful to emergency responders in case of extreme events, such as fires, especially when coupled with location information. Advancements in wireless sensors and tracking and identification systems using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) positioning technologies provide new opportunities to drastically improve the performance of integrated construction and infrastructure management systems. For example, UWB systems can be used to enhance safety in construction projects involving heavy equipments by detecting possible collisions. RFID systems can provide the ID and help in tracking the location of infrastructure components. The main objective of the proposed research program is to investigate how these technologies can better serve the purpose of construction and infrastructure management systems. More specifically the objectives are: (1) Investigating collaborative multi-agent systems for supporting construction equipment operators using real-time field data capturing; (2) Investigating methods for lifecycle management of facilities components using RFID technology and Building Information Model; and (3) Investigating indoor navigation methods for emergency response. Both laboratory and field testing will be used to study the characteristics of different types of sensors and tracking and identification systems under different conditions. This will be followed by defining a set of requirements and specifications of how these technologies can be used individually or in combination. Process re-engineering techniques will be used to study the methods of using these technologies in the processes of heavy equipment construction, infrastructure lifecycle management, and emergency response. Furthermore, cost-benefit analysis will be used to study the cost-effectiveness of their deployment in real projects.