Application of Information Technology for Visualizing

and Optimizing Construction Project Schedule

Hyeon-Seung Kim

, So-Yong Moon

, Hyoun-Seok Moon

and Leen-Seok Kang

Department of Civil Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea

ICT Lab. Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Ilsan, Korea

Department of Civil Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea

Keywords: Virtual Reality, Building Information Modelling, Simulation, Visualization, Construction Progress

Monitoring.

Abstract: Recently, various information technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) are

being used for visualizing construction information. Specially, BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a

representative tool for IT application in construction industry. Generally, BIM uses VR and nD CAD system

to visualize construction schedule data. This study develops a methodology and system to apply BIM

functions using 4D CAD simulation technique for risk analysis and schedule progress monitoring in the

construction industry.

1 INTRODUCTION

As construction projects grow in scale and

complexity, and new construction methods and

techniques are adopted, the quantity of data

generated at each of the construction phases is

becoming greater. As such, practicality of using VR

(Virtual Reality) and BIM (Building Information

Modelling) based on three-dimensional design is

expanding in the construction industry. Most

recently in particular, use of information technology

(IT) such as VR and BIM in the construction

industry is being an essential item for successful

project management in the construction industry.

4D CAD system is a representative function in

the BIM tool. 4D CAD means that construction

schedule as an another dimension is added in 3D

object. Project manager can visually check the

construction status using 4D CAD system because

3D object for the appearance of finished work is

continually simulated by construction date. Recently,

4D CAD system is being a useful tool for visualizing

construction schedule data. However, use of CAD in

civil engineering projects is relatively low compared

to building projects, which has led to insufficient

application of VR and BIM in real projects (Kang,

2010a, 2010b). Because civil engineering projects

consist of horizontal work area and non-repetitive

activities, it is difficult to make 3D objects of each

activity. Fischer et al. (2005) had suggested 4D

simulation examples and advantages of many large

projects by dividing design phase and construction

phase. Dawood et al. (2002) had developed

PECASO (Patterns Execution and Critical

Assessment of Spatial Organization) model that can

manage space crash and interference between

activities within 4D environment. PECASO model

realizes 4D object through four modules of space

crash process between activities generated in project

execution. This research develops a method and

functions for 4D CAD system using VR tool for

civil engineering projects.

2 VR FUNCTION FOR

CONSTRUCTION PHASE

2.1 IT Application in Construction

Industry

The goal during the construction phase is to reduce

schedule, minimize cost and ensure construction

quality through improved constructability and

mitigation of abortive work. To achieve this,

integrated management of construction information

is required. However, there are further challenges

329

Kim H., Moon S., Moon H. and Kang L..

Application of Information Technology for Visualizing and Optimizing Construction Project Schedule.

DOI: 10.5220/0004565303290332

In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS-2013), pages 329-332

ISBN: 978-989-8565-60-0

 2013 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

against collection and sharing of construction data as

projects have become larger and more complex, with

greater work scope and increased need for

collaboration between stakeholders including clients,

designers, builders and subcontractors.

As such, this research aims to propose an

operating process for construction VR for collection

and sharing of construction data during the

construction phase. This process first reviews the

project information and designs, and on that basis

establishes a construction plan that can enhance

work efficiency through identification of

information such as work sequencing errors, planned

vs. actual progress and construction risks using 3D

visual simulation applied to existing business

workflows. In particular, this process allows for data

extraction by sequence for expedited identification

of and response to issues analyzed.

The work sequence review simulation can

demonstrate hundreds of activities and their

predecessor/successor relationships to visually

identify errors in work sequencing. The module first

generates a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), 3D

model and schedule based on the project design, and

integrates them around the WBS.

In this research, we have developed an

automated module of our own for generation and

combined simulation of the WBS, 3D model and

schedule in order to increase usability and

efficiency. 3D and 4D objects can be simulated by

WBS level in this module. It would be helpful for

project managers to visualize project schedule by

work unit. Predecessor and successor relationships

by process can be determined using mouse controls

and the relationship entry module. Then the

activities were executed as simulations that not only

represented each process but also integrated the

overall schedule. By identifying the sequencing

errors in advance and re-adjusting the predecessor

and successor activities for each process

accordingly, the process can prevent abortive works.

The VR functions for current BIM systems are

focused on the simple simulation of finished

appearance by construction schedule. This study

suggests a VR function for visualizing construction

risk by construction schedule. Construction risk

means the risk in constructability of each activity.

VR function in the system represents different colors

of 3D object of each activity by risk level.

2.2 Application of Fuzzy Theory for

Quantifying Construction Risk

Construction risk information of each activity can be

visualized using Fuzzy analysis in the 4D CAD

system. Each activity has a risk degree that is

represented by different color. This study classifies

risk degree with 5 groups and each group has a color

from red color to blue color. Fig 1 shows 4D objects

that simulate the finished work by each risk degree.

Figure 1: Risk identification by Fuzzy analysis.

The fuzzy theory is used to obtain an objective

data from substantial and experienced data of risk

degree of each activity by field engineers. If a

finished activity simulates with red color in 4D

simulation system, project manager should monitor

the activity carefully because the activity has high

risk degree. In this 4D CAD system, all activities are

simulated with each color of 5 colors by each risk

degree that was analyzed using Fuzzy theory. Fuzzy

theory is used for verifying the subjective risk

degree with quantitative data.

The risk of each activity is analyzed by

multiplying risk probability to risk intensity. Project

manager should input those data for analyzing risk.

The developed 4D system in the study has a risk

analysis function using Fuzzy theory.

If project managers use this system, they can take

an intensive management plan for the activities with

risk degree of high level. And they can easily

identify those activities because the activities are

simulated in 4D CAD system with different color

such as red color or green color.

2.3 Visualization of Risk Information

for Construction Project

Fig. 2 shows a VR function for visualizing

construction risk analysis developed in this study.

The construction risk analysis module reviews

various internal and external risks on construction in

order to mitigate them in advance. To achieve this,

the module measured risk levels through Fuzzy and

risk analysis techniques, and simulated those risks

ICEIS2013-15thInternationalConferenceonEnterpriseInformationSystems

330

Figure 2: VR function for visualizing construction risk.

visually. Risk evaluation measured risks on factors

of cost, time and work condition in order to identify

activity sequences that had high probability of

schedule delays, cost overruns or accident

occurrence. The evaluation rated each activity on a

scale of five grades and displayed them in different

colors by risk level. This provides for an

understanding of risk management priority by

sequence, while also serving as an effective

communication using a 3D visual simulation

displaying risk levels by color.

3 4D FUNCTION

FOR SIMULATING

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS

The other VR function in the study is for visualizing

construction progress. Construction schedule,

specially progress situation between planned

schedule and actual schedule, needs to be visualized

for easy understanding of schedule delay. This study

uses to classify some colors by grouping delay

activities, normal activities and earlier activities

comparing with planned schedule. The each

activities are using red color, green color and blue

color in simulation function.

Fig. 3 shows processes of realizing telepresence

to visually compare the simulation realized in the

previous stage based on the planned schedule with

progress status of the construction at the site. 4D

CAD screen module, which is divided to show two

images simultaneously, is generated. These images

make it possible to visually check schedule progress

status in the construction site compared to the

planned schedule as of today.

The progress simulation module in Fig. 3 allows

effective progress management by visually

Figure 3: VR function for visualizing planned schedule

and actual schedule.

simulating the difference between planned and

actual completion over a large site area. Progress of

each activity was calculated using the start date, end

date and the required resource quantities. First,

actual progress was calculated with the schedule

module using the planned dates and actual resources

spent. The calculated progress was categorized into

normal, delayed and ahead vs. planned, and these

results were linked to 3D models and displayed in

blue, red and green to represent the progress status

visually.

4 4D FUNCTION

FOR OPTIMIZING

CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

To improve the constructability, the overlapping

between activity schedules should be reduced in

whole construction period. In order to minimize the

number of overlapping activities, a corresponding

analysis should be executed based on specific

constraints. First of all, overlapping duration for a

corresponding activity should be minimized

changing in ‘day’ units within a particular total float.

During this process, the relationships with

predecessor activities should be maintained. In

general, a project has diverse overlapping activities,

and solving the overlapping of individual activities

is meaningless. Therefore, all the overlapping

activities should be moved back and forth in ‘day’

units within the total float to search for an optimal

schedule that minimizes the overlapping level.

Because a series of these types of procedures are

repeated based the number of overlapping activities,

a methodology detects the optimization solutions of

ApplicationofInformationTechnologyforVisualizingandOptimizingConstructionProjectSchedule

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a schedule as per the change days of the total float is

required. This study suggests a genetic algorithm

methodology to resolve the optimized construction

schedule. That is, the number of a project’s activities

becomes a chromosome for each generation while

movable days for each overlapping activity within

the total float are regarded a gene. After an initial

solution is created, a project’s overall overlapping

level is repeatedly analyzed and an optimal solution

with the minimum overlapping level can be derived.

Thus, an optimal schedule that minimizes

overlapping activities can be created without any

change in the initial project duration. The VR

function for minimizing overlapping schedule using

genetic algorithm needs to be developed in improved

BIM systems.

5 CONCLUSIONS

This research presented a VR system for the

construction phase that can raise the usefulness of

BIM on the construction projects. The proposed VR

process enables integrated management of

construction data through analysis of progress,

sequencing errors and risks. A Fuzzy analysis and a

simple optimization concept that are linked with

BIM functions were suggested in the paper.

Considering that the existing studies for BIM are

focused on the visualization of work condition, this

approach can be a useful function for project

manager. Also as the system uses visual

representation of complex and numerical

information for a construction project, it can be

expected that the system will be actively used as an

effective decision making tool.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A part of this study was supported by the National

Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded

by the Korea government (No. 2011-0016064).

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