Masoud Gheisari

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for Construction Safety Applications

Researchers have suggested using different types of technologies, such as wireless sensors, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and global positioning system (GPS), to improve safety performance and reduce potential for human errors on construction job sites. One emerging technology that provides immense promise to positively impact safety performance is the unmanned aerial system (UAS). UASs, or drones, can provide several advantages for safety managers: they can move faster than humans, can reach inaccessible areas of job sites, and can be equipped with video cameras, wireless sensors, radar, or communication hardware to transfer real-time data. This study was conducted to identify safety practices that can be improved by using UASs and distinguish user and technical requirements to successfully assist safety managers in conducting their tasks using such aerial systems. These objectives were achieved by distributing an online survey among safety managers in Florida, Georgia, and Nebraska. In total, twenty-two safety mangers responded to the survey and rated as most important three hazardous activities that UASs have great potential to improve: working in proximity of boomed vehicles/cranes, working near an unprotected edge/opening, and working in the blind spot of heavy equipment. In terms of using UASs for safety inspection applications, the top three required technical features rated by safety managers were real-time video communication (video sensor), high-precision outdoor navigation, and sense-and-avoid. These findings can help professionals recognize potential applications and technical requirements and challenges in which UASs can be useful in construction safety practices.

Integrating BIM and Panorama to Create a Semi-Augmented-Reality Experience of a Construction Site

ABSTRACT A panorama is a continuous wide view of a real or virtual environment that provides the viewer with a natural feeling of being in such an environment. Panoramas can provide the visual backdrops and contexts for any augmented information such as audio, text, video, or 3D objects. This augmented panoramic environment can create an interactive space to provide information and bring the panorama to life. Having a panorama of a construction jobsite, and superimposing the building information models on it, would provide construction personnel with a simple way to access their required information in a natural and interactive environment. In this research, a workflow was developed to access building information augmented over the panoramic view of the real-world physical environment of the construction jobsite. A prototype was developed based on the created process and a user participation case study was conducted to test this system on a building renovation project. The results show that, an augmented panorama can provide a location-independent virtual reality experience, which is not significantly different from a pure-augmented-reality setting.

Using 360-Degree Interactive Panoramas to Develop Virtual Representation of Construction Sites

360-degree panoramic virtual reality is a ubiquitous technique for visualizing complex construction environments that can be augmented with different layers of information. Unlike the common virtual environments that provide unrealistic computer-generated simulation of the environment, panoramic virtual reality is able to create highly realistic and detailed representations of the real environment while giving users a sense of immersion. In this study, interactive panoramas are made of a series of panoramic videos and photos, which are captured from a construction site. Various types of time/location-specific information (e.g., audio, video, virtual 2D, or 3D models) can be augmented in such panoramic virtual environments to create a natural interactive experience. Users will be able to navigate through the panoramic virtual environment of a complex construction project while interacting with augmented information to learn more about the construction project and job site. In this research a 360-degree panoramic virtual reality environment of a construction job site is created. This paper describes the development of interactive panoramic scenes using panoramic photos and videos. The procedure of creating the panoramic experience, the process of augmenting the captured panoramas with different layers of information and an integrated pilot study are described in details.

Development and Usability Testing of a Panoramic Augmented Reality Environment for Fall Hazard Safety Training

Construction is one of the leading industries in terms of workplace accidents. Safety training provides workers and professionals with tools to actively prevent these accidents. However, previous research has highlighted deficiencies in current safety training methods. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies have been employed to address some of the limitations associated with traditional training methods. While these technologies enable users to safely experience the complex nature of construction sites, they deliver unrealistic computer-generated simulations of the environment. Panoramic augmented reality presents a novel alternative that addresses some of the challenges present in VR and AR techniques in visualizing safety-related information in real construction sites. A pilot study was conducted to assesses the use of this technology as a safety training method for fall hazards. This study describes the development of the prototype training platform, the generation of training materials, and the findings of usability testing performed with university students. The results indicated that the technology was viewed favorably by participants, as the augmentations provided a simple and easy method to learn fall hazard-related information. Using the platform, participants an average 52% of the hazards presented. Participants also indicated that several aspects of the platform required improvement such as image quality, safety information displayed, and user interface interactions.

Using Unmanned Aerial Systems for Automated Fall Hazard Monitoring

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Evaluation of Small UAS Acquisition Costs for Construction Applications

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technologies have rapidly evolved since the 1990Os. It is estimated that the 2016 market for such systems (

Site Visit Application in Construction Education: A Descriptive Study of Faculty Members

2.6 billion) will quadruple (

Integrating the Use of UAVs and Photogrammetry into a Construction Management Course: Lessons Learned

10.9 billion) by the year 2025 (Teal Group Corporation 2016). New technological advancements in UAS design, battery duration, GPS navigation capabilities and control reliability, have made possible the development of new low-cost, lightweight aerial systems. These advancements have also generated tremendous interest by academia and industry in the construction domain for different applications such as surveying, safety, and quality, and inspection and documentation. With hundreds of UAS manufacturers available in todayOs market, it is difficult to evaluate the life-cycle cost metrics of the such aerial systems. Wide differences regarding metrics such as aircraft weight, payload capabilities, and battery autonomy, make an objective assessment of expenses a daunting task. This pilot study explores the acquisition cost factors for the comparison of small UASs in the construction domain. As a result, a parametric model is presented to estimate the acquisition costs of small UASs for construction applications.

Using Panoramic Augmented Reality to Develop a Virtual Safety Training Environment

ABSTRACT Construction site visits are interactive experiences that enhance students’ understanding of real construction practices. Site visits create an interactive learning environment for students and provide exposure to a real-world spatiotemporal experience of a construction project. This article explores construction site visit application as an educational component in construction curriculum. An online survey was conducted to assess the current status of site visit application in construction education, benefits and barriers of their implementation, and the role of virtual site visits as alternative experiences to real site visits. This study focused on university faculty members in construction programs across the United States. The results of the study show that faculty members predominantly reported to have had zero or one to two site visits for each construction core subject areas taught throughout their careers. Furthermore, respondents indicated that the benefits of observing and interacting with the environment and the professionals present in a construction site are exceptionally important for the students. The respondents also remarked that the spatiotemporal challenges of construction projects are the most significant barriers for site visits. Finally, the study also revealed that a low percentage of the faculty have had educational experiences with virtual site visits.