Integration of Augmented Reality, Building Information Modeling, and Image Processing in Construction Management: A Content Analysis

Today, the advancement in digital infrastructure such as augmented reality (AR), building information modeling (BIM) and image processing (IP) are flourishing the construction industry. AR provides virtual information on physical surfaces which helps to interact with the real world through a combination of virtual information and real information. Advertisement, assembly of equipment, safety tips and facility management are good examples of current application of AR, while BIM has wider implementation in planning, visualization, and demolishing of construction waste. Image processing (IP) is the practice of analyzing an image or video in order to obtain information and set of different characteristics. While some studies have put an effort to take advantage of these advancements separately or in combination, the integration of AR, BIM and image processing can offer a huge advantage to the construction industry in such a way that BIM contains a huge amount of detailed information about building elements which can be imported along with data that can be captured by image processing into an AR application. This study presents a preliminary review of prior studies and current practices that has been conducted in these three areas and integration efforts.