Article

Mobile communications in construction - Trends and prospects

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... Very often chain members are involved in several supply processes at the same time. Under these circumstances, communications and real-time coordination between mobile and distributed supply chain members is difficult, making the need for an efficient communications infrastructure that provides reliable on-demand access to both supply process information and related personnel more acute [5]. ...
... Such transfer of information between agents is possible using the Semantic Web technologies, which provide the framework for typical processes involving a number of agents, in which sub-assemblies of information are passed from one agent to another, each one ''adding value" to construct the final product requested by the end user [55]. (5) In this scenario, the mobile worker decides to make multiple request calls to three approved suppliers to provide their quotes in accordance with the specifications. Data are exchanged between the corporate procurement application and suppliers through a shared ontology, e.g. ...
Article
Intelligent Wireless Web (IWW) employs the capabilities of high speed wireless networks and exploits the parallel advancements in Internet-based technologies such as the Semantic Web, Web Services, Agent-based Technologies, and context awareness. Considering its great potentials to be applied in business systems, we have devised an innovative model, based on the IWW services, for a typical mobile real-time supply chain coordination system which has been developed and tested in a real operational environment. Our article investigates the proposed system in this way: at the start, the building blocks of the IWW are discussed in detail. Then, we fully explain the basic concepts of mobile real-time supply chain coordination and concentrate on the motivations to implement such a modern system. The vision of intelligent wireless web services, as discussed in this paper, centers on the need to provide mobile supply chain members highly specific data and services in real-time on an as-needed basis, with the flexibility of use for the user. In this regard, we investigate nine enabling technologies of the IWW for our system and discuss how, by exploiting the convergence and synergy between different technologies, it has become possible to deliver intelligent wireless web support to mobile real-time supply chain coordination. Afterwards, a practical framework is clearly established in four phases. This initiative system has been implemented in the laboratory and has passed the evaluation processes successfully. Further details will be announced in near future in another research article.
... In addition, the construction industry has as vision the integration of the construction processes using mobile technologies. In this case, the cooperation between the people of the construction team will be more effective [Aziz et al., 2003]. The desire of the construction industry to explore innovative technologies can be shown by the organisation of conferences and workshops related to such technologies and by the realisation of research related to such technologies from civil engineering departments and research organisations [Turk, 2006]. ...
... temperature, humidity, dust, etc.) and organisational issues such as the industry's fragmentation and low risk tolerance. Key challenges of mobile computing in construction discussed by Anumba et al. [2] include the complexity and cost of developing mobile application, the need to focus on the users' requirements, the need for integration with existing applications, the adaptation of content to fit multiple device types, and the choice of wireless technologies. ...
Article
The application of mobile computing in construction is becoming a major research theme in the domain of Information Technology in Construction. However, most research in this area focuses on a detailed aspect or single facet of a mobile computing technology. This paper introduces a framework for the implementation of mobile computing on construction sites, which comprises an application model and a technical model. The application model identifies the features of mobile computing, construction personnel, construction information, and construction sites, and explores the interactions that are likely to affect the implementation of mobile computing. The technological model generalizes mobile computing technologies and gives system designers a clear structure for designing mobile computing systems from a technical perspective. Finally, a case study of a real construction situation is used to validate this framework.Research Highlights► Mobile computing has a great potential to improve on-site construction information management. ► We develop a framework for the use of mobile computing on construction sites. ► It can provide the ways using mobile computing in the construction industry. ► It can help users to select a mobile computing strategy for managing information. ► It provides guidance for users to select appropriate mobile computing technologies.
... In addition, the construction industry has as vision the integration of the construction processes using mobile technologies. In this case, the cooperation between the people of the construction team will be more effective [Aziz et al., 2003]. The desire of the construction industry to explore innovative technologies can be shown by the organisation of conferences and workshops related to such technologies and by the realisation of research related to such technologies from civil engineering departments and research organisations [Turk, 2006]. ...
Thesis
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A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University. The construction industry is characterised by a number of problems in crucial fields such as health, safety and logistics. Since these problems affect the progress of construction projects, the construction industry has attempted to introduce the use of innovative information and communication technologies on the construction site. Specific technologies which find applicability on the construction site are wireless sensors, and especially radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. RFID tagging is a technology capable of tracking items. The technology has been applied on the construction site for various applications, such as asset tracking. There are many problems related to health, safety and logistics on the construction site which could be resolved using RFID technology. In the health and safety field, the problems which exist are the monitoring of dangerous areas on the construction site, such as large excavation areas, the collisions between workers and vehicles, between vehicles and equipment and between vehicles, the detection of hazardous substances on the construction site when the construction work has been completed and the collection of hazard notifications from specific areas of the construction site as feedback for the prevention of future accidents. In the logistics field, the tracking of a material during its delivery on the construction site, its transportation to specific subcontractors and its future utilisation as well as the monitoring of the rate of use of materials on the construction site, the checking of the sequence of steel members and the monitoring of the temperature of porous materials are issues which can be realised using RFID technology. In order to facilitate the use of RFID technology for the specific health, safety and logistics problems, a system has been developed. The operation of this system is based on the combined use of hardware and software elements. The hardware elements of the developed system are a wireless local area network, RFID readers and tags. Its software elements are a software development kit based on which, a number of graphical user interfaces have been created for the interaction of the users with the REID tags, and Notepad files which store data collected from REID tags through the graphical user interfaces. Each of the graphical user interfaces is designed in such a way so that it corresponds to the requirements of the health, safety or logistics situation in which it is used. The proposed system has been tested on a simulated construction site by a group of experts and a number of findings have been produced. Specifically, the testing of the proposed system showed that RFID technology can connect the different stages which characterise the construction supply chain. In addition, it showed the capability of the technology to be integrated with construction processes. The testing of the system also revealed the barriers and the enablers to the use of RFID technology in the construction industry. An example of such a barrier is the unwillingness of the people of the construction industry to quit traditional techniques in favour of a new technology. Enablers which enhance the use of RFID technology in the construction industry are the lack of complexity which characterises the operation of RFID tagging and the relatively low cost of RFID tags. In general, RFID technology is an innovative sensor technology which can help the construction industry through its asset tracking ability. However, further research should be done on the improvement of RFID technology on specific characteristics, such as its inability to provide location coordinates and the resilience of the electromagnetic signal emitted by the RFID reader when there are metallic objects around the reader.
Conference Paper
Location and time independent interaction and collaboration among the multidisciplinary competencies within a construction project is crucial to the success of the construction projects. Existing information and communication technologies (ICTs) have done much to address these interaction issues and provide an appropriate collaboration infrastructure when face-to-face meetings are impossible, expensive difficult or simply inconvenient. However these systems still do not adequately meet the requirements of site-based team members and busy mobile project team members. Emerging technologies such as 3G wireless devices and the Semantic Web have the potential to overcome the current shortcomings of ICTs in terms of supporting mobile project team members. This paper reviews these technologies and describes the potential for the future application of 3G wireless and Semantic Web technologies within the construction sector, particularly in the creation of a Web of Construction Knowledge and Services. It concludes (from a global perspective) that the use of Semantic Web technologies will in future offer considerable benefits in terms of project management, knowledge management, supply chain management, integration of distributed applications and services and improved efficiency of construction project delivery.
Article
Intelligent Wireless Web (IWW) integrates artificial intelligence and wireless technology into the World Wide Web in order to make it more powerful and more tuned to the real needs of the user. In this paper, first we discuss this next generation of the Web in detail and propose a practicable development process for it. Most of the important concerns regarding the IWW and implementation of applications based on its services are addressed here. After providing a comprehensible illustration of the IWW, the concept of Mobile Real-time Supply Chain Coordination is introduced. Next we demonstrate how the Intelligent Wireless Web services and capabilities may be used to make the achievement of mobile real-time coordination in supply chains feasible. Another section is devoted to the suggestion of the practical framework. There we investigate the most significant issues concerning the application of the IWW in mobile real-time supply chain coordination. Technology convergence, semantic integration, implementation scenario, and discussion on the aspects of intelligent response are four major topics considered in this section. The paper ends by concluding remarks.
Article
Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to discuss the scope for improving the delivery of FM services through the use of wireless web‐based communications infrastructure, delivered via an application service provider (ASP) business model. This paper discusses the findings from case studies of three organisations and their approach to the management of facilities. Design/methodology/approach – An investigation was undertaken to ascertain the current state of play in terms of managing and tracking processes within the facilities management department of three different organisations. These case studies were chosen from distinct sectors, namely health care, higher education, and banking. Emphasis is placed on analysing how the organisations currently operate with their existing FM systems and the degree of influence technology has on existing processes. This was considered mainly in terms of computer‐aided facilities management (CAFM) and computer‐integrated facilities management (CIFM). Findings – The study found that a new wireless web‐based service for FM systems would be considered useful. Although notoriously slow adopters of new technology, there was an acceptance by the facilities managers interviewed that a wireless web‐based approach would improve current practice, especially with respect to real‐time job reporting and tracking and in the determination of FM operative working time utilisation. Practical implications – Further work by the author is focusing on the development of a suitable demonstrator to illustrate the key concepts of a wireless web‐based FM service which will then be tested and evaluated. For further information, visit the research project web site at www.wirelessfm.org Originality/value – The paper hopefully stimulates discussion in the area of emerging wireless technologies that have the potential to streamline and improve current practices for the management of facilities, in particular that of real‐time job reporting and tracking.
Article
Construction projects have become larger and more complex and yet still maintain a high drive for quality. As a result of this increase in size and complexity, the quantities of documentation and information required to control the overall project process have themselves become more complex. Underpinning the goal of construction quality is real time information flow to and from the construction site along with communications between all the parties involved. Project information integration and collaboration is the key to achievement of coherent quality management and this can be attained through electronically sharing of information during the construction process. The residential sector of the construction industry continually experiences significant numbers of “snags”. Many site issues including snagging need to be resolved quickly and efficiently to avoid dispute and more importantly cost overrun. However, the distinct professions and artisans within the industry rarely acknowledge the needs of others. Indeed the snagging information they produce is often so incompatible that the next stage in many processes is to reconstruct the information into a workable format. Analysis of a range of organisations' approaches to snagging shows that they have their own distinct snagging process. What is required is a coherent approach to the use and implementation of an IT based, industry wide, snagging format which would revolutionise and streamline the recording and approval process of construction snagging.
Article
Many R&D projects aim at developing Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) systems for enhancing productivity and performance levels in certain operations within specific segments of construction supply chains e.g. for improved collaborative design management, enhanced material control systems, and streamlined communications management. It is proposed that related R&D outputs now need to be brought together, and efforts made to align future inputs towards a consolidated cluster of systems and tools that could be applied to management support systems across the entire construction supply chain in general. In this context, two ongoing exercises to develop IKM based management support systems for large clients and small and medium contractors respectively are described, and a suggestion made for eventually linking and synergizing the two systems on specific projects through an e-platform for project-based collaborative IKM. This provides an example of the potential synergies in aiming for a convergence of some of the many hitherto parallel (or even divergent) R&D endeavors in construction academia and industry. This should help to overcome some of the obstacles impeding progress towards e-enhanced transactions across the entire supply chain, aiming at efficient e-procurement and e-delivery of construction projects.
Article
The vision of intelligent wireless web services, as discussed in this paper centres on the need to provide mobile construction workers highly specific data and services on an as-needed basis, with flexibility of use for the user. With the emergence of high speed wireless networks, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G, and parallel advancements in Internet based technologies such as the Semantic Web, Web Services, Agent based technologies and Context Awareness, the realisation of the vision of the intelligent wireless web has become a possibility. The paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the enabling technologies and discusses how, by exploiting the convergence and synergy between different technologies, it has become possible to deliver intelligent wireless web support to mobile construction workers.
Article
Construction defects are always the key concern of the construction industry. Different constructed facilities generate different types of defects and demanded different levels and types of quality, depending on the functions, system types, an, materials used. Nevertheless, construction projects was typically take place in an environment where it is difficult to gain access to conventional computers for use as real-time decision aids as gone through the project quality inspection. The objectives of this study was to identify the inspection process and standard check list used in practice at construction site; to identify the potential and requirement for mobile inspection system at construction site and to develop a prototype of a mobile inspection system for construction site. Data was gathered from the literature study and also through local construction organizations by means of interview questionnaire. A prototype was developed using rapid prototyping method in a final phase. The finding revealed that generally construction industry does not have its standard inspection process and standard check list in practice. Besides this, the study also reveals that there was a potential and requirement for mobile inspection system at construction site. Finally a mobile defect inspection which consists of a sub system checklist and reference system was developed to suit the need of industry. The developed prototype will standardize the way of managing building defects and improve quality, increased productivity of inspectors, accurate photographic records and improved building defect communication.
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