Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of recent research and industrial developments on
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use for improving the efficiency
of the construction process. ICT applications in construction include Electronic
Document Management Systems (EDMS), Web-based Project Management
Systems (WPMS), Application Service Providers (ASP), E-work and E-business
applications, Virtual Reality (VR) applications, mobile computing, and wireless
communication. It is believed that ICT, when appropriately used, can significantly
contribute to the timely, economical, and successful deployment of construction
projects. Main constraints in its use are the reluctance or difficulty of the
construction industry to adopt new technologies in conjunction with a difficulty in
identifying clear benefits of ICT use, the limited budget for ICT investment, the
need for computer-skilled staff, issues of ICT standardisation, and technological and
financial constraints.
1 Introduction
The development of construction projects includes several stages during which a
large number of human resources of different specialties interact and cooperate. An
important element in this interaction is the information management and
communication process which constitutes a determinant factor for the efficiency of
human resource cooperation. Enhancing communication among project participants,
however, proves to be a challenging task due to the extended fragmentation of the
123
construction industry and the huge amount and wide dissimilarity of the information
involved in the construction process. The wide variation of specialties, expertise,
educational background, professional skills, computer acquaintance, and working
environment among the project participants impedes the information management
and communication of the project team. The distance between the construction
company headquarters and the (often remote) construction sites renders the
communication even harder. The information types and volumes associated with
construction projects are such as to make information management a difficult task
while the uniqueness of such projects makes the effort for information
standardisation arduous. Effective information communication requires the existence
of structured and reliable information. As construction projects become larger and
more complex, an efficient way to provide such information is through the use of
information management systems.
In order to surmount these information management and communication
deficiencies, more emphasis is given to ICT tools. Both researchers and
software/hardware developers have recruited several ICT tools for providing
solutions to the construction industry. This paper aims to present an overview of
recent research and industrial developments on ICT use for improving the efficiency
of the construction process. As a result of the amount of existing work and paper
length limitations, this paper concentrates on more recent work.
A number of research efforts and industrial advancements have dealt with the
information management and communication needs of the construction industry and
the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for improving the
efficiency of the construction process. To provide a better illustration of specific ICT
advancements in construction, a number of development directions have been
identified and an attempt to group existing works according to its main targets and
content has been made. In general, academic/industrial efforts that relate to
information and communication technology applications in construction can be
classified as follows:
• Information analysis in construction
• Electronic Document Management (EDM) systems
• Web-based information management in construction
• Application Service Providers (ASP)
• Construction Information Standardisation
• E-work and e-business in construction
• Virtual reality in construction
• Mobile computing and wireless communication
• Reviews, discussions, and case studies
Table 1: Indicative commercial web-based systems for the construction industry [31]
12 Conclusions
Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) for improving the efficiency of the construction
process. This is due to the fact that ICT, when appropriately used, can significantly
contribute to the timely, economical, and successful deployment of construction
projects. ICT research and industrial advancements have pointed toward several
development directions such as Electronic Document Management Systems
(EDMs), Web-based Project Management Systems (WPMS), Application Service
Providers (ASP), E-work and E-business, Virtual Reality (VR) applications, mobile
computing, and wireless communication.
Electronic document management systems (EDMs) have been developed to track
and store electronic documents, providing storage, versioning, metadata, security, as
well as indexing and retrieval capabilities. Web-based project management systems
(WPMS) combine databases with web technologies for remote information
management and sharing. Many contractors have also Enterprise Web Sites or use
Project Specific Web Sites (PSWS) to share information with other partners,
customers and suppliers. Application Service Providers (ASPs) are professional
information technology companies that provide computer-based services to
Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) customers through the internet.
E-hubs are business-to-business web portals that provide a meeting ground (e-
commerce, e-procurement, e-tendering, and e-contracting) for buyers and sellers in
the construction sector. Virtual Reality (VR), 4D and nD modelling represent
computer generated environments that combine 3D CAD visualization with multi-
aspects of construction information such as scheduling, costing, etc. Mobile devices
such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), wearable computers (computers that are
worn on the body to allow hands-free operation), or mobile phones are used to
remotely monitor the site and collect data in real-time as well as to communicate
information between the project sites and the decision making office.
Teleconferencing/videoconferencing is another tool used in construction to facilitate
collaboration on complex or large projects.
ICT solutions and tools have been proved to be advantageous for the
construction industry. However, the review indicates a number of limitations and
barriers to their wide acceptance and implementation. Among them, one can
highlight the following:
• Construction is known for its conservative attitude towards adopting new
technologies. The main obstacles for ICT use are the reluctance or difficulty of
the construction industry to modify its current ways of operation, the high
investment costs, and the need for computer-skilled staff.
• The effectiveness and usefulness of web-based project management applications
in construction projects are still not as high as initially expected, mainly because
many important factors that can greatly impact on system performance are
unknown or misunderstood by most practitioners.
• The lack of information standardisation has been a major obstacle for computer-
integrated construction management.
• E-commerce technologies, although significantly improved in recent years and
perceived as a mainstream to improve productivity, information flow, and
communications, have not been adopted widely in the construction supply chain.
• While existing communication technologies (wired, mobile, and wireless) offer a
wide range of information transmittal alternatives to the construction industry,
technological and financial constraints limit their availability to particular
classes of users and circumstances.
• Although many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and
communication technologies to obtain or sustain a competitive advantage in their
respective marketplaces, they have often been left in the quandary of how to
evaluate these investments.
Indicative priority areas for further research advancements with the potential to work
out ICT related problems of the construction industry include knowledge
management, legal and contractual aspect management, quality and performance
management, total life cycle management, and human aspect management.
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by the Research Committee of the University of Patras,
Greece under the program “K. Karatheodoris”.
References
[1] B. Atkin, “Information management of construction projects”, in “Integrated
Construction Information”, P. Brandon, M. Betts, (Editors), London, 291-315,
1995.
[2] A.P. Chassiakos, “Information management for the construction industry: a
review”, in “Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Civil and
Structural Engineering Computing”, B.H.V. Topping, (Editor), Civil-Comp
Press, Stirling, United Kingdom, 55-82, 2001.
[3] T. Froese, J. Rankin, and K.Yu, “Project management application models and
computer-assisted construction planning in total project systems”, International
Journal of Construction Information Technology, 5:1, 39-62, 1997.
[4] S. Shahid and T. Froese, “Project management information control systems”,
Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 25:4, 735-754, 1998.
[5] S. Shaaban, J. McKechnie, and S. Lockley, “Modelling information seeking
behaviour of AEC professionals on online technical information resources”,
ITcon 8, 265-281, http://www.itcon.org/2003/20, 2003.
[6] B.C. Björk, P. Huovila, and S. Hult, “Integrated construction project document
management” in “Proceedings of the EuropIA'93 Conference”, M. Behesti and
K. Zreik, (Editors), Elsevier, Delft, Holland, 135-146, 1993.
[7] E.F. Finch, R. Flanagan, and L.E. Marsh, “Electronic document management
in construction using auto-ID”, Automation in Construction, 5:4, 313-321,
1996.
[8] Y. Rezgui and P. Debras, “An integrated approach for a model based
document production and management”, ITcon 1, 1-24, 1996.
[9] P. Hayes, Y. Rezgui, G. Cooper, and N. Mitev, “Information technology –
enabled BPR in the construction industry”, Knowledge and Process
Management, 5:3, 172-184, 1998.
[10] D. Hajjar and S.M. AbouRizk, “Integrating document management with
project and company data”, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 14:1,
70-77, 2000.
[11] M. Bäckblom, A. Ruohtula, and B. Björk, “Use of document management
systems - a case study of the Finnish construction industry”, ITcon 8, 367-380,
http://www.itcon.org/2003/26, 2003.
[12] C. Sionti, S. Sakellaropoulos, and A. Chassiakos, “An electronic document
management system for public construction projects”, in “Proceedings of the
Second International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century,
Sustainability and Innovation in Management and Technology”, Hong Kong,
China, 535-540, 2003.
[13] B.C. Björk, “Electronic document management in construction - research
issues and results”, ITcon, 8, 105-117, http://www.itcon.org/2003/9, 2003.
[14] M. Hjelt and B-C. Björk, “Experiences of EDM usage in construction
projects”, ITcon 11, http://www.itcon.org/2006/9, 2006.
[15] A.P. Chassiakos and S.P. Sakellaropoulos, “A web-based system for managing
construction information”, in “Proceedings of the Tenth International
Conference on Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Computing”,
B.H.V. Topping, (Editor), Civil-Comp Press, Stirling, United Kingdom, paper
81, 2005.
[16] C. Garcia, G. Garcia, F. Sarria, and D. Echeverry, “Internet-based solutions to
the fragmentation of the construction process”, in “Proceedings of the
Congress on Computing in Civil Engineering” Reston, 573-576, 1998.
[17] O. Abudayyeh, “Intranet-based project control systems for the construction
industry”, in “Proceedings of the Congress on Computing in Civil
Engineering”, Reston, 577-583, 1998.
[18] Q. He, “Internet-based information communication and management - the
application of project information portal” in “Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century”, Hong Kong,
517-522, 2003.
[19] C.M. Tam, “Use of the Internet to enhance construction communication: total
information transfer system” International Journal of Project Management,
17:2, 107-111, 1999.
[20] Z.M. Deng, H. Li, C.M. Tam, Q.P. Shen, and P.E.D. Love, “An application of
the Internet-based project management system”, Automation in Construction,
10:2, 239-246, 2001.
[21] I. Faraj, M. Alsawi, G. Aouad, T. Child, and J. Underwood, “An industry
foundation classes web-based collaborative construction computer
environment: WISPER”, Automation in Construction, 10:1, 79-99, 2000.
[22] O. Abudayyeh, B. Temel, H. Al-Tabtabai, and B. Hurley, “An Intranet-based
cost control system”, Advances in Engineering Software, 32:2, 87-94, 2001.
[23] N. Dawood, A. Akinsola, and B. Hobbs, “Development of automated
communication of system for managing site information using Internet
technology”, Automation in Construction, 11:5, 557-572, 2002.
[24] A.H.M. Mokhtar, “Coordinating and customizing design information through
the Internet”, Engineering Construction and Architectural Management, 9:3,
222-231, 2002.
[25] S.L. Chan and N.N. Leung, “Prototype web-based construction project
management system”, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management,
130:6, 935-943, 2004.
[26] S.O. Cheung, H.C.H. Suen, and K.K.W. Cheung, “PPMS: a web-based
construction project performance monitoring system”, Automation in
Construction, 13:3, 361-376, 2004.
[27] M. Zhiliang, L. Heng, Q.P. Shen, and Y. Jun, “Using XML to support
information exchange in construction projects”, Automation in Construction,
13:5, 629-637, 2004.
[28] D. Castro-Lacouture and M.J. Skibniewski, “Quantitative assessment of web-
based construction management systems: application in rebar design and
estimation”, ITcon 10, 229-244, http://www.itcon.org/2005/16, 2005.
[29] E.H.V. Chan and C. Liu, “Corporate portals as extranet support for the
construction industry in Hong Kong and nearby regions of China”, ITcon 12,
181-192, http://www.itcon.org/2007/12, 2007.
[30] S. Scheer, Jr.R. Mendes, J.R.S. Quevedo, Jr.J. Mikaldo, and P.S. Fontoura,
“The necessary background for implementing and managing building design
processes using web environments”, ITcon 12, 221-230,
http://www.itcon.org/2007/15, 2007.
[31] S. Sakellaropoulos, “Design and implementation of a web-based information
management system for the construction industry”, Ph.D. Dissertation,
University of Patras, Greece, 2006 (in Greek).
[32] Y. Zhu and Y. Wang, “The organization of information standards in the
Chinese construction industry”, ITcon 12, 207-219,
http://www.itcon.org/2007/14, 2007.
[33] P.X.W. Zou and Y. Seo, “Effective applications of e-commerce technologies
in construction supply chain: current practice and future improvement”, ITcon
11, 127-147, http://www.itcon.org/2006/10, 2006.
[34] C. Carter, T. Hassan, M. Merz, and E. White, “The eLegal project: specifying
legal terms of contract in ICT environment”, ITcon 6, 163-174,
http://www.itcon.org/2001/12, 2001.
[35] R.R.A Issa, I. Flood, and G. Caglasin, “A survey of e-business implementation
in the US construction industry”, ITcon 8, 15-28, http://www.itcon.org/2003/2,
2003.
[36] C. Lima, T. El-Diraby, and J. Stephens, “Ontology-based optimisation of
knowledge management in e-Construction”, ITcon 10, 305-327,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/21, 2005.
[37] Z. Ren, T.M. Hassan, C.D. Carter, and C.J. Anumba, “E-contracting for SMES
through an engineering e-hub”, ITcon 11, 161-173,
http://www.itcon.org/2006/12, 2006.
[38] J.H. Rankin, Y. Chen, and A.J. Christian, “E-procurement in the Atlantic
Canadian AEC industry”, ITcon 11, 75-87, http://www.itcon.org/2006/6, 2006.
[39] M. Betts, P. Black, S. Christensen, E. Dawson, R. Du, W. Duncan, E. Foo, and
J. González, “Towards secure and legal e-tendering”, ITcon 11, 89-102,
http://www.itcon.org/2006/7, 2006.
[40] N. Costantino, and R. Pietroforte, “The adoption rate of e-commerce in the
U.S. and Italian construction markets: some reasons for its variability”, ITcon
11, 103-111, http://www.itcon.org/2006/8, 2006.
[41] G. Aranda-Mena, R. Wakefield, and R. Lombardo, “A diffusion theoretic
approach to analysing e-business up-take in small building enterprises”, ITcon
11, 149-159, http://www.itcon.org/2006/11, 2006.
[42] R. Eadie, S. Perera, G. Heaney, and J. Carlisle, “Drivers and barriers to public
sector e-procurement within Northern Ireland’s construction industry”, ITcon
12, 103-120, http://www.itcon.org/2007/6, 2007.
[43] R.S. Kalawsky, “The Science of Virtual Reality and Virtual Environments”,
Addison-Wesley, 1993.
[44] K. Kähkönen, “Editorial: virtual reality technology in architecture and
construction”, ITcon 8, 101-103, http://www.itcon.org/2003/8, 2003.
[45] N. Dawood, D. Scot, E. Sriprasert, and Z. Mallasi, “The virtual construction
site (VIRCON) tools: An industrial evaluation”, ITcon 10, 43-54,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/5, 2005.
[46] G. Aound, A. Lee, and S. Wu, “From 3D to nD modelling”, ITcon 10, 15-16,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/2, 2005.
[47] J. Whyte, “Industrial applications of virtual reality in architecture and
construction”, ITcon 8, 43-50, http://www.itcon.org/2003/4, 2003.
[48] R. Lipman and K.A. Reed, “Visualization of structural steel product models”,
ITcon 8, 51-64, http://www.itcon.org/2003/5, 2003.
[49] V.R. Kamat and J.C. Martinez, “Automated generation of dynamic, operations
level virtual construction scenarios”, ITcon 8, 65-84,
http://www.itcon.org/2003/6, 2003.
[50] L. Savioja, M. Mantere, I. Olli, S. Äyräväinen, M. Gröhn, and J. Iso-aho,
“Utilizing virtual environments in construction projects”, ITcon 8, 85-99,
http://www.itcon.org/2003/7, 2003.
[51] S. Woksepp and T. Olofsson, “Using virtual reality in a large-scale industry
project”, ITcon 11, 627-640, http://www.itcon.org/2006/43, 2006.
[52] J.I. Messner, D.R. Riley, and M. Moeck, “Virtual facility prototyping for
sustainable project delivery”, ITcon 11, 723-738,
http://www.itcon.org/2006/51, 2006.
[53] Y. Rezgui, “Exploring virtual team-working effectiveness in the construction
sector”, Interacting with Computers, 19:1, 96-112, 2007
[54] A.Z. Sampaio, P. Henriques, and P. Studer, “Learning construction processes
using virtual reality models”, ITcon 10, 141-151,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/11, 2005.
[55] M. Horne and N. Hamza, “Integration of virtual reality within the built
environment curriculum”, ITcon 11, 311-324, http://www.itcon.org/2006/23,
2006.
[56] C. Kam, M. Fischer, R. Hänninen, A. Karjalainen, and J. Laitinen, “The
product model and Fourth Dimension project”, ITcon 8, 137-166,
http://www.itcon.org/2003/12, 2003.
[57] E. Sriprasert and N. Dawood, “Multi-constraint information management and
visualisation for collaborative planning and control in construction”, ITcon 8,
341-366, http://www.itcon.org/2003/25, 2003.
[58] L.S. Kang, B.C Paulson, J.M. Kwak, and C.H. Kim, “Business breakdown
structure for construction management and web-based application system”,
ITcon 10, 169-191, http://www.itcon.org/2005/13, 2005.
[59] S. Riendeau, “Space-time navigator for architectural projects”, ITcon 11, 1-15,
http://www.itcon.org/2006/1, 2006.
[60] N.B. Bouchlaghem, M. Holmes, D. Loveday, and A. Bennadji, “The
engineering dimension of nD modelling”, ITcon 10, 17-25,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/3, 2005.
[61] R. Jongeling, M. Emborg, and T. Olofsson, “nD modelling in the development
of cast in place concrete structures”, ITcon 10, 27-41,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/4, 2005.
[62] Hamilton, H. Wang, A.M. Tanyer, Y. Arayici, X. Zhang, and Y. Song, “Urban
information model for city planning”, ITcon 10, 55-67,
http://www.itcon.org/2005/6, 2005.
[63] T.K. Tse, K.A. Wong, and K.F. Wong, “The utilisation of building information
models in nD modelling: A study of data interfacing and adoption barriers”,
ITcon 10, 85-110, http://www.itcon.org/2005/8, 2005.
[64] http://www.technology-watch.info/technologies.asp
[65] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_computer
[66] J.E. Pakanen, V.J. Möttönen, M.J. Hyytinen, H.A. Ruonansuu, and K.K.
Törmäkangas, “A Web-Based Information System For Diagnosing, Servicing
And Operating Heating Systems”, ITcon 6, 45-56,
http://www.itcon.org/2001/4, 2001.
[67] K. Menzel, M. Keller, and K. Eisenblätter, “Context sensitive mobile devices
in architecture, engineering and construction”, ITcon 9, 389-407,
http://www.itcon.org/2004/28, 2004.
[68] Z. Aziz, C. Anumba, D. Ruikar, P. Carrillo, and D. Bouchlaghem, “Semantic
web based services for intelligent mobile construction collaboration”, ITcon 9,
367-379, http://www.itcon.org/2004/26, 2004.
[69] M. Ward, T. Thorpe, A. Price, and C. Wren, “Implementation and control of
wireless data collection on construction sites”, ITcon 9, 297-311,
http://www.itcon.org/2004/21, 2004.
[70] S. Beyh and M. Kagioglou, “Construction sites communications towards the
integration of IP telephony”, ITcon 9, 325-344, http://www.itcon.org/2004/23,
2004.
[71] Kondratova, “Voice and multimodal technology for the mobile worker”, ITcon
9, 345-353, http://www.itcon.org/2004/24, 2004.
[72] M. Johanson and P. Törlind, “Mobility support for distributed collaborative
teamwork”, ITcon 9, 355-366, http://www.itcon.org/2004/25, 2004.
[73] I.K. Brilakis, Long-distance wireless networking for site – office data
communications”, ITcon 12,151-164, http://www.itcon.org/2007/9, 2007.
[74] K. Kuladinithi, A. Timm-Giel, and C. Görg, “Mobile ad-hoc communications
in AEC industry”, ITcon 9, 313-323, http://www.itcon.org/2004/22, 2004.
[75] G. Elvin, “Integrating Design and Construction with Wearable Computers”,
International Journal of Architectural Computing, 2:2, 177-187, 2004.
[76] C.J. Anumba, D. Ruikar, Z. Aziz, P.M. Carrillo, and N.M. Bouchlaghem,
“Towards a Web of Construction Knowledge and Services”, in “Proceedings
of the Fourth Joint International Symposium on Information Technology in
Civil Engineering”, 177-187, 2003.
[77] J.L. Andresen, K. Christensen, and R.W. Howard, “Project management with a
project web”, ITcon 8, 29-41, http://www.itcon.org/2003/3, 2003.
[78] P. Nitithamyong and M.J. Skibniewski, “Key success/failure factors and their
impacts on system performance of web-based project management systems in
construction”, ITcon 12, 39-59, http://www.itcon.org/2007/3, 2007.
[79] H. Rivard, T. Froese, L.M. Waugh, T. El-Diraby, R. Mora, H. Torres, S.M.
Gill, and T. O'Reilly, “Case studies on the use of information technology in the
Canadian Construction industry”, ITcon 9, 19-34,
http://www.itcon.org/2004/2, 2004.
[80] M.S El-Mashaleh, “Benchmarking information technology utilization in the
construction industry in Jordan”, ITcon 12, 279-291,
http://www.itcon.org/2007/19, 2007
[81] B. Duyshart, D. Walker, S. Mohamed, and K.Hampson, “An example of
developing a business model for information and communication technologies
(ICT) adoption on construction projects - The National Museum of Australia
project”, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 10:3, 179-
192, 2003.
[82] M. Naaranoja, “Success or failure in ICT - A construction perspective”, in
“Proceedings of the 10th ISPE International Conference on Concurrent
Engineering: Research and Applications, Advanced Design, Production and
Management Systems”, 673-677, 2003.
[83] V. Peansupap and D. Walker, “Factors affecting ICT diffusion: A case study of
three large Australian construction contractors”, Engineering, Construction and
Architectural Management, 12:1, 21-37, 2005.
[84] V. Peansupap and D.H.T. Walker, “Information communication technology
(ICT) implementation constraints: A construction industry perspective”,
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 13:4, 364-379,
2006.
[85] V. Peansupap and D.H.T. Walker, “Innovation diffusion at the implementation
stage of a construction project: A case study of information communication
technology”, Construction Management and Economics, 24:3, 321-332, 2006.
[86] O.O. Ugwu and M.M. Kumaraswamy, “Critical success factors for
construction ICT projects – some empirical evidence and lessons for emerging
economies”, ITcon 12, 231-249, http://www.itcon.org/2007/16, 2007.
[87] P.E.D. Love, Z. Irani, A. Ghoneim, and M. Themistocleous, “An exploratory
study of indirect ICT costs using the structured case method”, International
Journal of Information Management, 26:2, 167-177, 2006.
[88] C.E.H. Anumba, A. Dainty, S. Ison, and A. Sergeant, “Understanding
structural and cultural impediments to ICT system integration: A GIS-based
case study”, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 13:6,
616-633, 2006.
[89] O. Wikforss and A. Löfgren, “Rethinking communication in construction”,
ITcon 12, 337-346, http://www.itcon.org/2007/23, 2007.
[90] Y. Rezgui and A. Zarli, “Paving the way to the vision of digital construction:
A strategic roadmap”, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management,
132:7, 767-776, 2006.