I-Corps: Building Information Model (BIM)-Driven Real-Time Mobile Asset Tracking System for Construction Safety

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

In the past two decades more than 26,000 U.S. construction workers have died at work. That equates to approximately five construction worker deaths every working day. About 90% of workplace injuries can be traced to unsafe work practices and behaviors. As these statistics indicate, safety in construction remains a big problem. The sad reality of frequent loss of life, injuries, near-misses, and collateral damages poses liabilities that can be prevented. The proposed innovation is to track and monitor location of mobile assets including workers and equipment for improved safety management in dynamic construction job sites with real-time visualization. Given the world's $4-7 trillion dollar construction market, large potential exists for this technology, if successful, to be used worldwide by virtually any owner, contractor, or city that needs or wants safe and healthy construction workplaces. The proposed technology utilizes wireless tracking sensors and positioning algorithms to display mobile resources in Building Information Models (BIM) in real time. The developed system will undertake safety and health hazard identification at the construction stage of a project and automatically locate workers in real-time, including sending alerts if a worker enters a hazardous area. As the added advantages, the proposed technology can 1) enhance efficiency and reduce time commitment of conducting job hazard analysis and management; 2) improve worker?' safety awareness and their understanding of a surrounding working environment; and 3) collect and store safety knowledge data which will assist to sustain the safety knowledge within the company and help knowledge transfer from experienced professionals to new generations.