Future of Augmented Reality in Construction

Published by IBC Studio at April 26, 2021

21st century created a large number of technologies and advancements that have help progress in the construction industries in many ways. For example, the introduction of Augmented Reality. AR has also been making waves in the construction industry. In construction, AR has been used for everything from project planning to safety and communication.

What is Augmented Reality?

AR has already made huge impact on construction projects all around the world. This allows the person to see the 3D model of the structure before it is created. This type of tech allows the person to view detailed plans to be moved onto the site so that every person that is helping with the project can get a clear visual understanding of what to do and how the result should look like. The capability to see the project before it even starts helps find all the flaws in the structure before the construction project starts.

AR is the easiest and cost-effective resolve to find any errors or flaws that can be present while the project is being done before it starts rather than finding all those issues while the construction has begun. Augmented reality will reduce the chance of error at earlier stages of construction.

AR technology changes the building model design directly onto the building site surrounding them, improving accuracy and efficiency. In the future, this software will be developed more to allow employees to see information of the parts, warnings, and assembly instructions on the Augmented Reality interface. In Fact, 65% of construction workers think that VR (Virtual Reality) is going to play a big role in the future of construction and design and be normal within the next decade.

The uses of AR

Project Planning

Before, 2D projects were important in constructing projects and in the planning and designing phase. Now, however, modern technology has created ways that help engineers and designers create a 3D structure that is interactive, collaborative models with great detail. AR technology has innovated the process of planning and designing. It allows users to virtually take walkthroughs in buildings that are still under construction and see how changes can be made without causing delays and other issues.

Training
Employees can access a building and spot flaws or issues with the design and learn how to spot these in a neutral environment. AR can provide direct instruction and suitably act. This makes it simpler and better to have more hands-on classes in the educational environment. This can make the projects better if they have these training courses prior to doing these projects for educational purposes.
AR can become VR as training staff can use this technology to simulate accidents on site, whether that is a collapsed wall, flooding etc. this type of simulation is so help that not only warns workers of the potential hazards but also gives them a real understanding of how they should react if this happens on a real site.

Underground construction

There are high safety risks while doing construction work underground. With the help of AR, it can reduce that risk as it can provide all the important information before getting started on work.

Installation

With the help of AR, the workers can see the wires and pipes inside the walls that they normally would not be able to see, this will make sure that nothing is broken or damaged when the rest of the work is going on. AR will improve both the safety on site when construction is going on and the depth of training that workers in this field will get before, they go out into industry.

How AR will help Construction industry for the future

1. Reduces work time and increases efficiency

In construction, AR helps employees find any overlaps and avoid working on it again. It can also help manufacture parts and items beforehand after the employees see the plans of the project and the utilities.

2. Improved collaboration and project management

AR can strengthen the client and a contractor relationship. The client can see the building’s design before the construction begins, which allows them to change a design and remove misunderstanding.

3. Accurate measurements

Measurements in construction are very important because one error in calculation could put the entire project back. AR tech, like gear and wearables, will help measure physical elements of space with proper accuracy. By verifying the gaps dimensions, (height, depth, and width) contractors can carefully picture what the structure should look like.

4. Cost-saving

One of the important parts of a successful project is staying in budget. With the use of AR, it can help save significant cost by improving safety and caution and increase productivity. It can help uses the resources appropriately which will lead to not wasting materials and help reduce waste of money on extra materials.