Factors Influencing Advanced Construction Technology Integration

For decades the integration of advanced construction technologies (ACTs) has been slow in the construction industry and is undertaken in a largely ad-hoc manner by individual organizations. ACTs, for the purposes of this study... [ view full abstract ]

For decades the integration of advanced construction technologies (ACTs) has been slow in the construction industry and is undertaken in a largely ad-hoc manner by individual organizations. ACTs, for the purposes of this study are defined as a novel information technology which provides either a more efficient means of collecting, accessing or distributing data, or an original data stream which has the potential to add efficiency and provide value to a construction project. For years, execution plans have been developed and used to guide the integration of building information modeling (BIM) processes, yet these plans do not provide a means for assessing and integrating other ACTs, such as laser scanning, unmanned aerial systems, or robotic total stations. Ineffective ACT integration and planning strategies have led to sporadic success and frustration in an industry which is already considered a laggard in the integration of new technology. The successful integration of ACTs into a company or project team’s workflow can improve overall efficiency and, if effectively planned for, can offer maintainable benefits into the future. The goal of this overall body of research is the development of a construction technology integration guide (C-TIG), designed to help improve the decision making process related to ACT integration. To accomplish this the researcher conducted industry interviews and a Delphi study to evaluate integration factors which influence, either impede or promote, the integration of ACTs into construction workflows. The objective of the interviews and subsequent Delphi study was to further define and rank influencing factors based on the experiences of an expert panel, made up of construction industry professionals in the U.S. familiar with ACTs. The Delphi study was conducted through a novel web-based continuously-iterative Delphi Management System, which was developed by the researcher and staff in the Center for Advanced Construction Information Modeling (CACIM). The continuously-iterative online Delphi process provided instant feedback to participants and was developed to be as efficient as possible in order to maintain the highest quality and retention of participation while evaluating ACT integration factors. In this regard, the specific goals of this paper are to identify the ACT integration factors identified during industry interviews, while presenting the specific Delphi study used to further this work. The findings in this paper served as the foundation for the accomplishment of the overall study goal of C-TIG development. While no single solution for ACT integration exists, since every project is unique, themes emerged during this study which provide insight into fundamental considerations which must be made for effective ACT planning. The gathered data during the phase of the research discussed in this paper highlighted crucial influencing factors for consideration during the development of the C-TIG, focused on facilitating a data-driven ACT integration decision making process for construction professionals, and provided a basis for continued research in the field of ACT integration practices