Use of BIM and visual data collected by UAS and 360° camera for construction progress monitoring

Abstract

Despite progress monitoring is an essential practice for achieving the success of construction, traditional monitoring methods based on manual information gathered through visual inspections are error-prone, depending on the experience of those who carry them out. Furthermore, most studies of progress monitoring using digital technologies focus on activities carried out outdoors, limiting the application of these methods in residential construction sites, which have several indoor activities. This study proposes a method for outdoor and indoor visual monitoring of construction progress using Building Information Modeling (BIM), 360° camera, and photogrammetry aided by an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). For this purpose, exploratory case studies were carried out. The first exploratory study aimed to understand data collection and processing operationalization using the proposed technologies. Then, these technologies were used and evaluated to monitor progress in a second exploratory case study, enabling the development of a proposed method for using visual data collected by UAS and 360° camera integrated to BIM for progress monitoring. The status of the external area of the construction site was represented by point clouds generated through images collected by UAS. For monitoring inside the buildings, a 360° camera attached to the safety helmet was used. The results include evaluating the use of a 360° camera to monitor the internal progress of works, presenting its strengths, limitations, and use recommendations. In addition, the results also include the proposal of a method for visual progress monitoring of indoor and outdoor activities using BIM, UAS, and 360° cameras.