IMRC Outreach: Application of Computer Vision/Photogrammetric Techniques to the Measurement of Work in Progress on Construction Sites

Site based managers spend a significant amount of time measuring, recording and analysing progress on site. Information is continuously being captured and exchanged between individuals, teams and firms for valuation purposes, productivity measurement, schedule control or for quality control. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Images of sites in progress can provide an enormous amount of information given that techniques of accurately analysing this information are feasible. The research proposed in this application aims at developing a system that will capture and measure construction progress based on images taken using digital cameras. The novelty of the research lies in the application of computer vision and close-range digital photogrammetry to the measurement of construction work in progress. The research embraces the expertise of Heriot-Watt University (Schools of the Built Environment and Engineering and Physical Sciences) and the University of Salford (the EPSRC funded SCRI).