A Study AR Based Smart Device for Work Management at Plant Construction Sites

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35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
A Study AR Based Smart Device for Work Management
at Plant Construction Sites
Kyuhyup Leea , Soonwook Kwon*, Taekyu Koa and Youngsuk Kimb
aDepartment of Convergence Engineering for Future, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seoburo, Jangan-gu,
Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
*School of Civil & Architectural Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si,
Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
bDepartment of Architectural Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
E-mail: kyub@skku.edu, swkown@skku.edu, gtk101@skku.edu, youngsuk@inha.ac.kr
Abstract
One of the difficulties encountered at a plant
construction site is frequent changes to design, which
causes work overload. This can lead to increased
construction costs, delayed progress, inferior work
quality and poor productivity due to redundant work
among project participants or omission of work.
In this study, we propose a work management
system that uses smart devices based on augmented
reality technology, which provides real-time
information on plant construction so that site workers
and managers can reduce wastes and errors, as well
as check maintenance information more easily.
Keywords –
Augmented Reality; Smart-Device; Pipe-assembly;
DBS(Device Breakdown Structure)
1 Introduction
1.1 Research Background and Purpose
A plant construction project is large in scale than
general construction site, and involves complicated
planning and processes. At a plant construction site, work
data are generated for different stages of work, including
architectural work, pipe installation, electricity and other
facilities. During construction, massive amounts of data
are generated, and management of this data is
challenging. Thus, plant construction projects are harder
to implement compared to other construction projects.
Various research has been undertaken for efficient
management of plant construction, including studies on
MIS using QR codes, barcodes, RFID and cloud systems.
However, these technologies entail the problem of
redundant work due to delayed processing of real-time
data and duplicated systems. As a result, construction
time is stretched, and the same work is repeated
unnecessarily. Productivity also declines in the
maintenance and management stage, as a delay in the
resolution of troubled tasks spreads to other related tasks.
In this study, we gather construction site managers’
opinions to identify work processes that need
improvement and design a plant site information
management system accordingly, which can be useful for
site workers and managers. At a plant site, a manager
often works inefficiently due to poor processing of real-
time data and lack of communication between the
company and the site office. Moreover, construction
workers have difficulty communicating with a manager
due to complicated plant design. To address these issues,
we apply an AR (augmented reality)-based smart device
for pipe installation and construction management, which
account for the largest part of a plant project (43%), to
identify how to effectively install pipes and manage
object data.
1.2 The Scope and Methods of Research
As mentioned above, we propose a management
system for plant construction workers and managers that
uses an AR-based smart device. At a plant site, workers
install pipes based on drawings generated prior to the
implementation. However, there is a wide discrepancy
between drawings and the actual site, which makes it
hard to install pipes. Thus, it is important to establish an
information-sharing system between workers and
managers to deliver accurate information on the site
situation when installing pipes. To this end, we propose
using an AR-based smart device.
The method and process of this research is:
(1) Preceding Research Analysis
- Existing review of literature
- Analysis of management characteristic of plant
construction and process
(2) Requirement Analysis and Function Derivation
- Figuring out smart device applicability in the

35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
plant field
- Requirement analysis to solve problems
(3) Establishing DBS (Device Breakdown
Structure) for optimal plant construction
- Process Analysis at Plant Site
- Analysis of maintenance Work at Plant Site
- DBS Proposal by Different Work Processes
(4) AR Technology at Plant Construction Site
2 Research Trend
2.1 Literature Review
Since the mid-2000s, active research has been
undertaken to identify how to use various IT technologies
to improve plant construction, specifically, to shorten
construction time, reduce costs, ensure flawless
construction, engage in accident-proof planning, enhance
work predictability, eliminate wastes, improve
productivity, and reduce maintenance costs.
Most studies on plant construction and management
have been limited to proposing conceptual
methodologies or solving logistics issues (e.g. delivery of
materials). There are few studies on how to generate and
utilize real-time information on pipe work or how to
discover errors.
Table 1 Existing research
Area of
management
Research subjects
Construction
Ontology-based BIM modeling;
AR-based system framework
Site
condition
4D tools for greater efficiency in
site management
Use of smart phone to improve
management process; visualization
of project information using real-
time data sharing and management,
wireless communication; and
augmented reality
Safety
New 4D safety management and
monitoring system ‘C-RTICS2’ for
more efficient construction and
communication among work
partners
Behavior-based preventive safety
system, visualized management
with VCS (Virtual Construction
Simulation System)
Note
Construction
Marker-based AR: Research on
identification of objects, selection of
marker type, marker detection, and
marker-less AR technology
Site condition
Wearable device for real-time work
coordination
Wearable device; Cloud system for
massive data management
Safety
Set apart in terms of device and
visualization method, while similar in
technology for communication between
office and construction site
Partly applicable to safety management
in terms of carrying out preventive
safety management in visualized form
2.2 Plant Construction Management
Figure 1. Pipe construction process
At a plant construction site, pipe installation can be
divided into three stages: pre-installation, installation and
post-installation.
In the first stage, materials are delivered and detailed
2D drawings are produced, based on which the site is
surveyed, and 3D drawings are produced.
In the installation stage, workers install pipes based on

35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
the drawings. In the after-installation stage, managers
and workers carry out maintenance work.
In this process, workers and managers do not fully
share information, and it is hard for a manager to
accurately explain the installation process to workers
based on drawings. To resolve this difficulty, we propose
a new process and system.
3 Analysis of plant workers’ needs
Moon [16] conducted an interview with and surveyed
the project sites of S company, one of the country’s
leading construction companies, and found out that
workers needed smart applications for construction
assistance, data confirmation and checks and guidelines,
particularly for communication support and progress
management (Figure 2.).
He showed that, at plant construction sites, workers
need to have a smart device system to share information
during the design and implementation processes.
Table 2 Applicable work territories
Direction
Contents
1
Construction Assistance App.
2
Data confirmation and check App.
3
Data input App.
4
Guideline App.
5
Communication support App.
6
Progress management App.
At a plant site, workers need drawings and related
data to handle materials and make necessary installations.
Figure 2. Overall result
These data are generated in different forms and
communicated to workers in visualized forms. The
alteration of certain data affects other data and generates
new information. Using smart devices and applications
could support this process
4 Establishing DBS(Device Breakdown
Structure) for optimal plant
construction
4.1 Process Analysis at Plant Site
Figure 3. Construction work process of plant site
We analyzed the construction process at a plant site
to identify areas of work in which the use of a smart
device can be applied. The analysis was done for earth
work and architectural work, specifically for processes
such as architectural work and electricity, pipe and
facility installation.
The analysis results showed that, for earth work, it is
important to convert materials data and drawings into a
3D model to help workers’ understanding of the process.
For architectural work, it is important to produce
information on materials and processes that are in
progress or completed, and to provide a 3D model based
on augmented reality for review.

35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
Figure 4. Smart device & IT convergence
technology in plant site
4.2 Analysis of maintenance Work at Plant
Site
The analysis results showed that facilities
management companies, inspectors and facilities
managers need a maintenance system that uses an AR-
based smart device to inspect, maintain and repair plant
facilities.
More specifically, tasks that could use an AR-based
smart device included planning and review of facilities
maintenance, updating drawings/records for the facilities
management company, managing records and site
locations confirming maintenance results for inspectors
and conducting site check and maintenance work for
facilities managers. Smart devices can be used to track
records of materials and visualize related information.
Figure 5. Maintenance process of plant site
4.3 DBS by Different Work Processes
Based on interviews and analysis of plant processes,
we identified smart devices suitable for various
participants of a plant construction project, that is, plant
constructors, architectural workers, facilities supervisors
and facilities managers. Then we examined various
functions of smart wearable devices that can be used to
process data generated by site workers.
Our investigation showed that watch-type, band-type,
and glass-type devices are suitable for a plant
construction project. As for device sensors, bio
information, GPS/NFC, accelerometer, visual
information and Bluetooth are applicable to plant
construction. We matched site workers’ needs with
different types and functions of smart devices so that the
workers could choose an efficient device.

35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
Figure 6. Device breakdown structure
5 AR Technology at Plant Construction
Site
Figure 7. Augmented Reality System Diagram
To apply AR technology at a plant construction site,
we conducted an experiment (See Figure 7). First, image
input was made to use marker. Second, to check that
images were recognized as markers by the smart device.
If the image was recognized as a marker, save it in DB.
or if not, input the image again. Third, image data of
useful information were collected to generate an AR
marker file. Fourth, the stored image data is used to
improve the object recognition rate through machine
learning techniques. Fifth, the marker was linked with 3D
modelling/images, and sixth, the position of the object
was set on a smart device display. Lastly, AR data were
generated accordingly for use at a plant site
Through this process, the worker uses the camera of
the smart device at the plant construction site to
recognize objects from various angles as markers, and
links objects and 3D modeling information.

35th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2018)
Figure 8. Images for using marker
6 Conclusions
In this study, we analyzed traditional processes of
plant construction, conducted interviews to identify
difficulties and problems at plant construction sites, and
explored the applicability of smart device at plant sites.
To this end, we analyzed work processes at plant sites,
examined maintenance work, established DBS (Device
Breakdown Structure) for various participants of a plant
construction project and examined how to apply AR
technology.
Regarding work processes at a plant site, we
examined different stages of a construction project and
identified technological elements that can be applied to
earth work and architectural work. For analysis of
maintenance work, we identified areas of work that need
visualized information. Additionally, we established
DBS for site participants and examined how to adopt
marker-based AR technology at a plant construction site.
Based on the analysis of plant construction processes
and maintenance work, smart devices can be adopted at
a plant construction site according to DBS of different
work areas, and AR data can be generated through
marker-based image links. Using these data, workers can
check information and acquire better understanding of
the work process. Moreover, a Cloud system may be
introduced for real-time information sharing. Based on
these findings, we plan to conduct further research on
marker-less image tracking using deep-learning
technology.
Acknowledgements
This work is financially supported by Korea Ministry
of Land, Infrastructure and Transport(MOLIT) as
「Smart City Master and Doctor Course Grant Program」
"This work was supported by the National Research
Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea
government(MSIP) (No. NRF-
2016R1D1A1B03935868)."
This research was supported by a grant(17CTAP-
C133224-01) from Infrastructure and transportation
technology promotion research program funded by
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean
government.
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