Augmented Reality in the Construction Industry

In the construction industry, augmented reality (AR) is one of the most promising technologies that has the potential to streamline planning and operations, improve accuracy and efficiency.

However, some obstacles must be addressed before AR becomes a standard construction practice. Using industry data, this study explores the applications, benefits and obstacles of AR in the construction industry.

Visualization

Visualization has been proven to be an effective way to increase optimism and reduce negative emotions such as anxiety or overwhelm. In addition, it can also be used to activate neuroplasticity in people who have suffered a stroke or other brain injury.

AR can help construction teams to visually see the progress of their work, enabling them to identify any mistakes or issues with their plan, and improve their understanding of how the project will look when completed. This can lead to better decisions about the project, reducing the likelihood of errors occurring during construction and ensuring that the project is delivered to the highest standards.

Another significant benefit of visualization is that it can improve communication and collaboration within a team. This is especially important in a high-risk industry such as construction, where it is critical to communicate and collaborate effectively to avoid costly delays and errors.

Through a combination of BIM and AR, architects and construction firms can display working models to their clients in order to provide them with an accurate idea of what the building will look like before work begins. This allows clients to make informed decisions and enables designers and engineers to make modifications to the design before the construction process starts.

This can also be done in the inspection phase, where building inspectors can compare physical structures against their digital twin models augmented reality in construction industry to ensure that they are up to par with current standards. This can improve efficiency and reduce the number of mistakes that occur during inspections, as well as allowing the construction teams to quickly identify and report any concerns that they might have.

In addition to this, augmented reality can be used to enhance safety on-site by facilitating on-the-job training and allowing workers to inspect job sites in virtual reality without the risk of being injured or becoming ill. This is particularly beneficial for projects that involve hazardous materials such as asbestos or lead paint.

Despite the many benefits that AR has for the construction industry, its widespread adoption remains low. This is likely due to a number of factors. One reason is that the technology is relatively new and has a learning curve, which may discourage companies from investing in it. Others include a lack of experience with AR hardware and software, as well as the financial implications that come along with the technology.

Collaboration

In construction, project teams rely on collaboration to complete tasks and stay within budget. However, collaboration between different teams can be challenging as members often work remotely and cannot always see each other’s work. This can lead to delays and mistakes during a project.

AR has the potential to solve this issue by enabling project teams to collaborate and share information on projects in real-time. It can also improve safety on job sites by allowing workers to receive immediate notifications about possible hazards or dangers, such as gas leaks.

Architects and engineers can use AR to visualize building designs by placing digital models onto existing, real-world environments. This can help them create a more realistic experience for clients and ensure that they are able to make useful suggestions during pre-construction.

Another benefit of augmented reality is its ability to increase efficiency on job sites. It can provide step-by-step instructions overlaid with the user’s view of their surroundings, helping them complete their tasks more quickly and safely.

It can also allow workers to automatically measure and compare the measurements of components in their building models to the actual ones on-site. This can identify any inconsistencies that could result in a larger project cost or delay.

Overall, augmented reality is expected to have a significant impact on the construction industry. It can streamline the entire project process from design to completion.

Many contractors are already using augmented reality in their construction practices. It can increase productivity and reduce project costs, and it will continue to grow in popularity as 5G networks expand and the technology becomes more affordable.

A survey of construction professionals revealed that the majority of respondents expect to see more use of augmented reality in their work. They reported that augmented reality can help improve the visualization of projects, facilitate communication between project team members, and promote collaboration (Nassereddine et al., 2019b).

Despite the many benefits that AR can offer to the construction industry, some people are hesitant to adopt the new technology because they may not understand how it works or why it would be beneficial for their company. This hesitancy can be overcome with research into the technology’s application and acceptance from the users’ perspective, ensuring that it will be adopted successfully.

Efficiency

With augmented reality, workers are able to view a virtual version of the building they will be working on and make changes without disrupting the actual construction. This saves time and money since it reduces rework. In addition, it ensures that the project is on schedule.

One of the most important benefits of using augmented reality is that it can help workers to spot errors and design issues quickly. This allows the entire team to work together more efficiently and accurately, avoiding costly delays and errors that can lead to project cancellations or budget overruns.

Another benefit of augmented reality is that it can incorporate all of the digital information and documentation associated with a construction project into the physical environment. This helps team members to see if any elements overlap or if the piping or wiring are incorrectly installed. It also helps them to prefabricate parts and avoid rework by having the right measurements in advance.

It is also an excellent tool for training, as it allows workers to practice on-the-job skills in a safe environment. In addition, it can help teams to collaborate more effectively by providing access to shared notes and videos of mistakes or design issues.

Despite the many benefits of augmented reality in the construction industry, it is still relatively new. This has resulted in some challenges, such as the lack of knowledge about how to integrate AR into existing processes and the difficulty obtaining needed skills.

These obstacles can be grouped into five categories: Financial, Human, Organizational, Technological, and Others. They can be addressed to increase the use of augmented reality in the construction industry and to allow more AR use-cases to become reality.

The results of this study show that augmented reality is highly perceived by industry practitioners and has the potential to transform the construction industry. However, more research is needed to determine how to assess where to implement AR, how to promote its use, and how to prepare the workforce for its implementation. As the technology continues to evolve and more researchers continue to explore its potential, many obstacles can be overcome and more AR use-cases can be implemented, leading to more benefits for both users and construction firms.

Safety

Occupational safety is a critical issue in construction, which often involves working in hazardous environments augmented reality in construction industry or on multi-story structures. The industry has an average fatality rate of nearly three times the average for all occupations combined. With a high risk of injury or death, construction companies are always on the lookout for new ways to keep their workers safe.

AR technology can help construction companies improve safety and efficiency on their job sites by providing virtual representations of a finished project. This helps to ensure that all plans and designs are correct before the start of construction. It can also prevent rework and ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.

Augmented reality headsets can also be used for training. They can display instructions and diagrams that overlay onto the work site, which helps employees learn new tasks more effectively.

For users wearing AR headsets for long periods of time, comfort and safety are major concerns. The equipment is frequently exposed to inclement weather and requires a stable environment with a strong internet connection to function properly.

In addition to enhancing safety, AR can help construction teams streamline collaboration in remote areas by allowing team members to share 3D images and videos without needing to be present at the project site. This can also provide more accurate feedback to clients, which can improve client relations and create a long-term ROI for the company.

Architects and engineers can use AR to create digital models of their projects that they can interact with in real-time. This can save time and money by reducing errors and allowing them to make changes to their designs in real-time.

This can also help architects and engineers to identify issues with their designs before the start of construction, which can ensure that the project is designed correctly from the beginning. It can also be used to train new employees by giving them a virtual tour of a construction site before they begin.

While augmented reality is still in its infancy, the technology has potential to revolutionize the construction industry. It can improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of construction processes, allowing the industry to finish projects on time and within budget while reducing building costs. This can lead to improved client relations, increased profitability, and a long-term ROI for the company.