The Immersive Virtual Environment Design Studio

Abstract

Well-depicted baseline, systematic data collection, rigorous comparison of the as-planned and as-built progress and effective presentation of measured deviations are key ingredients for effective project control. Existing construction progress monitoring techniques are constrained by their reliance on ad-hoc approaches. This chapter presents advanced computer visualization and color and pattern coding techniques to compare the as-planned with the as-built construction progress. Key objective is to provide a method for automated collection, analysis and visual reporting of construction progress to facilitate the decision-making process. Construction progress is visualized by superimposing 3D Building Information Models (BIM) over construction photographs. The framework uses context-aware technologies to capture user's context and the need for information. A complementary 3D walkthrough environment provides users with an intuitive understanding of the construction progress using color coding and patterns.