BIM-based mixed-reality application for bridge inspection and maintenance

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a building information modelling (BIM)-based mixed reality (MR) application to enhance and facilitate the process of managing bridge inspection and maintenance works remotely from office. It aims to address the ineffective decision-making process on maintenance tasks from the conventional method which relies on documents and 2D drawings on visual inspection. This study targets two key issues: creating a BIM-based model for bridge inspection and maintenance; and developing this model in a MR platform based on Microsoft Hololens. Design/methodology/approach Literature review is conducted to determine the limitation of MR technology in the construction industry and identify the gaps of integration of BIM and MR for bridge inspection works. A new framework for a greater adoption of integrated BIM and Hololens is proposed. It consists of a bridge information model for inspection and a newly-developed Hololens application named “HoloBridge”. This application contains the functional modules that allow users to check and update the progress of inspection and maintenance. The application has been implemented for an existing bridge in South Korea as the case study. Findings The results from pilot implementation show that the inspection information management can be enhanced because the inspection database can be systematically captured, stored and managed through BIM-based models. The inspection information in MR environment has been improved in interpretation, visualization and visual interpretation of 3D models because of intuitively interactive in real-time simulation. Originality/value The proposed framework through “HoloBridge” application explores the potential of integrating BIM and MR technology by using Hololens. It provides new possibilities for remote inspection of bridge conditions.

Extended Reality (XR) for Condition Assessment of Civil Engineering Structures: A Literature Review

“…The authors of [ 130 ] presented a BIM-based application where HoloLens is used to improve and facilitate the management of bridge inspections and maintenance procedures from the office. The authors named the application HoloBridge.…”

“… ( a ) Damage visualization and ( b ) condition rating visualization of bridge structure in HoloLens [ 130 ]. …”

Integration of deep learning and extended reality technologies in construction engineering and management: a mixed review method

“…With the introduction of Microsoft HoloLens, the development of AR/MR-based inspection tools rapidly advanced as researchers realized that marker-based solutions were no longer necessary (Ali et al, 2020a;Loporcaro et al, 2019). Integrating BIM and AR/MR is also prominent in this area to facilitate information flow during the inspection process (Donghai et al, 2021;Kim and Olsen, 2021;Nguyen et al, 2021Nguyen et al, , 2020. Besides that, some researchers also demonstrated the benefits of deep learning techniques in inspection tasks (Saovana et al, 2020).…”

A survey of emerging technologies for the future of routine visual inspection of bridge structures

“…Inspectors have the potential to use AR to collect, interact with, visualise, and analyse inspection data on-site and in the office. In a pilot study that developed a bridge inspection process using AR, Nguyen et al (2020) concluded that 'information communication, visualization and collaboration in inspection work' (Nguyen et al 2020, pg. 43) is improved by making data more naturally interactive through real-time modelling.…”