Mark E. Nichols

Applications for satellite positioning technology in the construction industry

For centuries man has been constructing roads, bridges and buildings. In each of these construction tasks, the process of implementing the design in the field has been labor intensive, involving the use of surveyors to mark out the design on the ground before construction could start. Today, satellite positioning technology is enabling the automation of these processes, making construction faster and more cost-effective. This paper describes the use of GPS as a tool that aids in the automation of construction projects. A number of recent pilot projects are briefly described that use GPS technology on construction projects.