A Wireless Tracking System Integrated with BIM for Indoor Construction Applications

With enormous technological changes over the last decade, modern construction trends have become more complex and dynamic. This demands that construction professionals be more effective and organized to successfully complete their construction activities. However, recent research shows that current construction management techniques are ineffective. In addition, this research recognized the potential benefits of location awareness of construction resources in the construction management. The availability of location awareness information was identified to assist real-time decision making, provide more control over construction processes, and improve productivity and safety. In this context, this paper introduces an indoor location tracking system that integrates Bluetooth low energy (BLE) sensors and motion sensors with BIM. BLE Beacons were used to track a target by estimating its location. Motion sensors were used to enhance the quality of estimation. In addition, a BIM model was exploited to extract map knowledge for movement constraints. Two field tests were conducted at two indoor construction sites. Complex tracking scenarios were designed to thoroughly assess accuracy and reliability of the tracking system. The results demonstrated the capability of the proposed tracking system with an average accuracy of about 1~2 m, which indicated that the implementation of the BLE tracking system in construction applications would be effective and promising for potential widespread adoption.