A GIS-based visual information model for buildng construction project management

Computer technologies have great potential to improve management practices in the construction industry. However, the exchange of information during the construction phases of a facility is still primarily paper-based. This paper presents a GIS-based integrated visual database model that allows for effective use of computer technologies for communication, project documentation, and knowledge sharing throughout the life-cycle of a facility. The model allows for (1) accessing and retrieving construction information related to a certain construction element; (2) reporting and providing feedback from the field on the work progress, quality assurance, and inspection; and (3) evaluating the performance of the construction crews and generating cost and historical data for future reference. The proposed model is built using GIS as the base platform, and uses the 2D visual representation of the construction element as the least common denominator. The paper also reports the results of an initial evaluation of the model on a construction project.