Semi automatic construction progress measurement using a combination of CAD modelling, photogrammetry and construction knowledge

Project managers are lacking up-to-date information about the current stage of the work on the site and they are unable to take corrective measures for the planning variations promptly. It is proposed that the method created within this thesis will reduce this problem greatly by supplying project managers with the data they need to understand schedule and cost variances as early as they occur. This gives them the power to step in and act in good time against the problems by identifying the reasons of the variations much earlier. This thesis is one of the attempts within academia about integrating computer based solutions to monitor and visualise construction progress. Photogrammetric measurements offer reliable results at the cost of more human intervention. This approach offers the possibility of using a hand held camera as a measurement tool. This method also offers complete independence from reliance on the planning and design stage information. Hence, it can be used to re-evaluate, or monitor changes during the project life-cycle. Visible physical body of a superstructure level reinforced concrete frame structure consists of walls, floors, beams, and columns. The building regulations and local construction traditions impose the types and the shapes of these structural elements. The manufacturing industry produces building materials such as bricks and floor blocks in standard sizes. Therefore, it can be seen that knowledge about the design criteria of structural elements or the standard sizes of materials available on the market for construction can be used to create 3D models of building components. A Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code was created to support these theories and presented in this thesis. The code then was tested and proven to be useful. After comparing the manual measurement results against the outcomes of the case study done for testing the proposed model, it has been revealed that the proposed model can produce 3D model of construction with accurate sizes within similar mistake margins which can be achieved manually.