An Investigation into the Digital Construction Progress Monitoring Models

Abstract

Construction exhibits relatively low efficiency and a modest annual productivity growth rate despite being one of the largest industries. As digitalizing the construction progress monitoring process and ensuring the objectivity of the obtained data is considered as a critical area for enhancing efficiency of the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry, AEC companies invest in resources to extract and report construction data obtained from the site. This paper examines digitalization efforts in construction progress monitoring, focusing particularly on studies proposing new monitoring models. Articles focusing on studies proposing a specific model for digitalization of progress monitoring was searched in databases. A framed literature review study is conducted, bibliometric analysis is performed via keywords and the Vosviewer tool and finally semantic and methodological variations of models studied. An in-depth analysis of these studies reveals that the proposed models fundamentally consist of four different elements defined as: data collection methods, data processing methodologies, the specific construction areas they focus on, and the primary input objects they address. All studies were examined and categorized under these four distinct headings and mapped accordingly. The relationships between the emerging methods and their frequency of preference were also analyzed. Both more frequently and less commonly employed approaches have been identified in the literature. Additionally, this paper highlights potential research areas on possible data collection and processing ways, specific construction areas and input sources to focus in the literature by emphasizing the existing relationships and correlations between the mentioned categories.