Integrated Augmented Reality and Cloud Computing Approach for Infrastructure Utilities Maintenance

Abstract

In the construction industry, technology plays a significant role. Techniques such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), holograms, and other visualization techniques have been primarily concerned with sectors such as sales, marketing, and real estate. This paper aims to develop a handheld mobile application that assists facility engineers in visualizing all underground utilities enriched with all inspection data using building information modeling (BIM) technologies. It outlines a process for developing a smartphone AR application that visualizes infrastructure networks to improve infrastructure operation and maintenance (O&M) workflows. Localizing precision is a significant issue for two reasons. The first is that virtual 3D graphics models are not stable via most AR applications. The second is that they make the user believe that the virtual model floats or does not represent reality. The BIM 360 Docs application is used to store and manage all project data such as drawings, reports, and 3D models, whereas BIM 360 Build is used in completing and sending inspection forms. Vuforia and ARCore software development kits (SDKs) are being comparatively researched. This study aims to measure the scaling and flickering of the ARField mobile application, virtual model consistency, and the mobile devices it supports. A survey was conducted between managers/engineers of installations and visualization experts. This survey emphasizes the usability, technicality, and probability of the application distribution. The findings show that 80% of visualization experts realized that the application developed by ARCore SDK is more robust than the application developed by Vuforia. It is worth noting that the proposed research is considered an integrated AR construction technology that facilitates asset management professionals’ tasks by providing an easy-to-use reliable solution.