Real-time resource tracking on construction site: implementation practice and use cases in different projects

The goal of production control is to achieve the goals defined during the planning phase and bring order to construction sites, which are often known for their complex nature. Collaborative methods such as Last Planner System... [ view full abstract ]

The goal of production control is to achieve the goals defined during the planning phase and bring order to construction sites, which are often known for their complex nature. Collaborative methods such as Last Planner System (LPS) and Location-Based Management System (LBMS) have been implemented to improve the production control. However, parties are entering the collaborative planning process with incomplete and outdated information, usually obtained via manual data collection. There is a need of real-time tracking of labor, equipment and materials, in order to improve the production control processes and increase productivity.

This research introduces a real-time tracking scheme to monitor resources and onsite activities in construction projects. Real-time data were collected from construction projects and analyzed for different use cases from production control perspective. This paper presents how real-time tracking system can be implemented in different real construction projects to improve production control. In future research, data analysis can be automated and an intelligent system which manages resource flows following lean principles can be implemented.

Keywords: real-time tracking, production control, construction, implementation