As-built Documentation of Construction Sequence by Integrating Virtual Reality with Time-lapse Movies

Previous research in the documentation and visualization of as-built construction sequences focused on time-lapse movies. However, a major drawback associated with this approach is the difficulty of interacting with the scene in the image. This does not aid comprehension and interpretation of the job site. In order to address this issue, this research proposes the integration of time-lapse movies with 4D virtual reality (VR) models in a complementary fashion. The VR model provides users with the functionality of interacting and exploring the scene, thereby improving comprehension of the job site. The paper presents the development and implementation of a model for documenting as-built construction operations by integrating time-lapse movies with 4D virtual reality models. First, the conceptual model is developed. Based on this, a Windows-based prototype is developed using Visual Basic.Net as a programming interface. The prototype was implemented and tested on a new postgraduate building at Heriot Watt University. The integrated model adequately captures the as-built sequence of construction and provides a quick and effective means of searching for images in an image database. The system has the potential to support education, claims investigation and dispute resolution.