Papers for
construction site managers
Papers whose findings have a practical use for this group, as judged from the abstract. Open a paper to read what it means in practice.
Residential construction images labeled by industry standard for ai detection
Residential Construction Image Dataset Using CSI Divisions for Deep Learning-based Object Detection
Abstract: Accurate recognition of construction site elements is essential for the application of deep learning (DL) in the construction industry. Despite rapid advances in computer vision, the adoption of DL in construction has been limited by the lack of structured, publicly available datasets aligned with established industry standards. To address this gap, we introduce the Residential Construction Dataset Using CSI Divisions (ResCD-CSI) image dataset, a manually labeled image benchmark organized according to the divisional structure defined by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). The dataset comprises high-resolution images collected from active residential construction sites across the United States, capturing diverse building components, materials, and equipment under real-world conditions. In total, 16,365 objects spanning 14 major CSI divisions were precisely annotated using bounding boxes, ensuring consistency and reliability for object detection tasks. By aligning with the CSI divisional framework, ResCD-CSI establishes a standardized resource that bridges construction practice with computer vision research and supports the development of Artificial Intelligence-driven solutions for residential construction monitoring.
Wearable system tracks workers safely inside and outside buildings
Location-Based Safety Management with Wearable Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Positioning
Abstract: Reliable worker localization is essential for real-time industrial safety management, but seamless outdoor-indoor positioning remains challenging. GNSS performs well outdoors yet degrades near buildings and fails indoors, while many indoor systems require costly infrastructure or extensive calibration. This paper presents a practical safety-oriented positioning system that uses resource-constrained wearable tags and a device-cloud split architecture for continuous outdoor-indoor worker tracking. The tag integrates GNSS, IMU, barometric sensing, LTE Cat-M communication, and performs lightweight sensor fusion, while the cloud server executes map-aware fusion for continuous tracking. Developed as an operational platform, the system also includes a database, a map tool, and a dashboard that provide real-time monitoring, geofencing-based access alerts, and safety and productivity analysis. Experiments with multiple participants, each walking an approximately 1400 m outdoor-indoor route, using LTE Cat-M communication, achieve mean errors of 1.32 m indoors and 3.30 m outdoors, while maintaining low positioning latency and efficient power consumption. These results demonstrate the feasibility of wearable-based seamless positioning for scalable real-time safety management.
Semantic 3D model improves interactive building inspection accuracy
Measurable Semantic 3D Gaussian Splatting with Joint Region and Depth Supervision for Interactive Building Inspection
Abstract: Image-based 3D reconstruction provides a scalable representation for building inspection and maintenance. However, photorealistic reconstruction alone does not fully provide the geometric measurability, semantic structure, and interactive information access required for engineering applications. This study proposes a measurable semantic 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) framework with region and depth supervision for interactive building inspection from multi-view imagery. Mask-based region supervision suppresses irrelevant backgrounds and focuses optimization on target regions. Point-wise depth supervision guides Gaussian centers toward physical surfaces using reference geometry derived from multi-view stereo (MVS) point clouds, providing geometric anchors for measuring physical dimensions and areas. A semantic Gaussian field associates learnable class features with individual Gaussian primitives, enabling semantic rendering and component-level inspection. These capabilities are operationalized through AEC-SplatTwin, an interactive building inspection platform supporting real-time visualization, semantic analysis, quantitative measurement, and multimodal large language model (MLLM)-assisted interaction. On the synthetic UAV-inspection QuakeCity and smartphone-captured HKUPB datasets, the framework reduces Gaussian-center depth MAE by 58.1% and 86.8%, while its semantic field achieves mIoU values of 0.8529 and 0.8642. On HKUPB, the mean relative errors for height, width, and area measurements are 0.33%, 1.07%, and 0.60%. These results show that the proposed framework extends 3DGS beyond visual reconstruction into a measurable, semantically structured, and interactive engineering representation for building inspection.
Construction site safety helmet detection with vision and machine learning
Vision-enabled detection of safety helmet compliance in construction zones
Abstract: In the rapidly evolving field of construction management, worker safety remains a top priority. This paper introduces an innovative vision-based system for real-time detection of helmet compliance, specifically designed for construction sites, utilizing advanced computer vision techniques and machine learning algorithms within the YOLO (you only look once) framework. Our system leverages high-resolution video feeds from strategically positioned cameras to monitor adherence to safety regulations regarding helmet usage. By employing deep learning methodologies, the system effectively identifies individuals not wearing helmets, thereby significantly mitigating the risk of head injuries among workers. Our training and validation results revealed an impressive precision exceeding 97% at mAP@0.5 for both helmeted and non-helmeted individuals. Furthermore, our experiments demonstrate exceptional detection accuracy, demonstrating the system's resilience under varying lighting conditions and diverse worker movements. The consistent decrease in loss and improvement in metrics throughout training validates the effectiveness of the YOLOv8 model in enhancing recognition performance. The implications of this research extend beyond mere regulatory compliance, opening avenues for innovative applications in occupational safety management. This study highlights the critical role of technology in protecting lives and lays the groundwork for future advancements in smart construction environments.
Teleoperated humanoid robot successfully completes construction tasks
Toward Humanoid Robots in Construction: A Teleoperation Feasibility Study
Abstract: We present a teleoperation system that enables a single operator to perform construction tasks on a Unitree G1 humanoid, combining extended reality (XR) based upper body control with pedal-based locomotion to enable simultaneous manipulation and locomotion. Motivated by persistent labor shortages, hazardous working conditions, and challenges in humanoid autonomy, we investigate teleoperation as a practical near-term approach for reducing physical strain on workers while generating high quality demonstration data. We evaluate the system on two representative construction tasks drawn from O*NET occupational database, and report task success and completion time relative to a manual baseline. The system achieved 100% success on tool transport and 80% success on surface painting, with teleoperation requiring substantially more time compared to manual execution.
Lidar mapping improves with submap anchoring for lifelong accuracy
SEAM: Submap-Anchored Evidence for Lifelong LiDAR Mapping under Trajectory Deformation
Abstract: We propose SEAM, a LiDAR-based lifelong mapping framework. Instead of relying on a single anchor spanning the entire session, SEAM generates evidence based on a trajectory optimized with submap-level anchors, and performs dynamic object removal and change detection. Through submap-level reprojection, the generated evidence remains usable even if the trajectory is subsequently modified by a new session, eliminating the need to recompute the entire process from scratch. SEAM suppresses geometrically unreliable inter-session loop edges using a DOP-based confidence measure. Suppressing unreliable loop edges prevents alignment errors. SEAM also uses a directional voxel-wise evidence model. The model accounts for occupancy patterns that vary with ray direction. Direction-aware evidence separates dynamic objects from environmental changes more precisely. Experiments on a real construction-site dataset and a long-term multi-session dataset show that SEAM achieves higher accuracy and faster processing than existing methods.