A Framework Approach to Utilize Real-Time Spatial Labor Data from Construction Sites

Real-time monitoring and control of on-site resources is a developing field. In recent years, there has become a growing need for enhanced monitoring systems on construction sites using real-time technologies. Such technologies have been used heavily in fields like IT monitoring and healthcare industries. However, the construction industry is yet to seize the potential of deploying real-time monitoring systems on construction sites. Limited research has been done in the area of applying real-time monitoring, such as RFID tags and visual sensing, for the control of on-site safety performance and labor and earthmoving equipment productivity. Most of the studies delve into analyzing the data collected, with the data only used for verifying the accuracy of the used real-time monitoring technologies used. This study aims to uncover the potential outputs of utilizing real-time data collection and analysis of workers' locations on a construction site. The outputs are achieved by developing a semi-automated framework that studies the real-time data collected. The framework is divided into two stages. First, site data is collected semi-manually, and real-time workers' spatial data is collected using GPS tracking technologies. Second, the collected data is prepared for visual analysis. The proposed framework is then applied to a single case study for a commercial project in New Capital, Cairo, Egypt. Outputs from the case study reaffirm the feasibility of monitoring workers' productivity by identifying their GPS locations in real-time on-site. The framework aims to emphasize the potential benefits gained from using real-time technologies on construction sites. Thus, this research provides stakeholders with a tool that collects and analyzes data from construction sites for improved monitoring and control of workers' performance.