BIM/CIM and the Fusion with AR Civil Engineering: Using 3D Models to Eliminate Construction Errors

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• What is BIM/CIM?

• What is AR technology? Why it’s attracting attention in civil engineering

• Benefits of integrating BIM/CIM and AR

• Efforts to achieve zero construction errors using 3D models

• Field use cases of AR in civil engineering

• Simple surveying with LRTK: high-precision site management starting with a smartphone

• FAQ

Introduction

On construction and civil engineering sites, there is often more information than can be conveyed by paper drawings or photos alone, which can lead to communication gaps among stakeholders and construction errors. For example, disagreements often arise over three-dimensional structures or the finished appearance that are difficult to understand from drawings, and rework on site with comments like “this wasn’t what we expected” is not uncommon.

One key to solving these problems that has attracted attention in recent years is the “on-site use of 3D models” through the fusion of BIM/CIM and AR (Augmented Reality). By overlaying detailed 3D models created with BIM/CIM onto the real world using AR technology, digital information is directly connected to the site, creating an environment where anyone can intuitively understand the space. Imagine looking through a smartphone or tablet camera and seeing a full-scale 3D model of a structure that does not yet exist, appearing in place. Because the completed image that used to be viewable only on drawings or a computer screen can now be checked “on site” and “at full scale,” this greatly accelerates consensus-building and reduces construction errors.

What is BIM/CIM?

BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a method of centrally managing buildings and civil structures by linking various attribute information to a three-dimensional digital model. By consolidating information that was traditionally managed separately—such as design drawings, construction drawings, and quantity lists—into a BIM model, project stakeholders can consistently proceed from planning and design to construction and maintenance while sharing the latest data. BIM’s characteristic is that it creates a “digital building itself,” not merely a 3D drawing, containing any information from component dimensions and materials to schedules, costs, and inspection histories.

In the civil infrastructure field, CIM (Construction Information Modeling or Civil Information Modeling) is essentially the same concept as BIM, referring to information management using 3D models for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and dams. In Japan, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been actively promoting the use of BIM/CIM as part of efforts to digitize construction sites, and from fiscal 2023 some public works began applying BIM/CIM as a principle. There is even a target to make the use of 3D models standard for virtually all future public projects, and the construction industry is currently undergoing a major transformation. As work shifts from a 2D-drawing-centric approach to one that leverages 3D data, BIM/CIM adoption is contributing not only to the design phase but also to productivity improvements and quality assurance on construction sites. For example, using BIM models for construction planning simulations streamlines schedule reviews and reduces the effort required for as-built inspections, leading to reduced rework on site in reported cases.

What is AR technology? Why it’s attracting attention in civil engineering

AR (Augmented Reality) technology overlays digital information on real scenes. Because it can composite CG 3D models or text information onto live camera images, it allows direct reference to digital data on site. While VR (Virtual Reality) immerses users in a virtual space, AR enables checking digital information while viewing the real world, which makes it highly compatible with fieldwork. In civil engineering, AR technology is expected to be a “bridge between the field and digital data.” For example, holding up a tablet at a construction site can display the completed structure model at full scale on the ground. Since all stakeholders on site can intuitively share the completed image, decisions can be made smoothly without relying solely on veterans’ experience. In recent years, improvements in smartphone and tablet performance have led to the inclusion of LiDAR sensors capable of scanning space in the latest iPhones and iPads, making high-quality AR displays easily achievable. Without special AR glasses or expensive equipment, AR can increasingly be introduced to sites using commonly used mobile devices. Against this backdrop, initiatives called “AR civil engineering” are beginning to spread in many places.

Benefits of integrating BIM/CIM and AR

Overlaying BIM/CIM 3D models onto the site with AR yields many unprecedented benefits. Here are some representative effects.

• Promoting consensus-building: With AR, all stakeholders—owners, designers, contractors—can share the same image of the completed project on site, reducing misunderstandings and speeding up decision-making. Spatial dimensions and finishes that were hard to grasp from paper drawings are instantly communicated and become far more persuasive when models are superimposed on the actual scene. For example, in road or bridge projects, using AR to display completed renderings on site at community briefings has helped smooth consensus with local residents. AR truly lets people experience “seeing is believing,” contributing to consensus-building.

• Reducing construction errors: Relying only on drawings and numbers inevitably leads to human errors and misunderstandings. But by using AR’s intuitive guidance, workers can immediately confirm on site whether elements are being installed at the correct positions and elevations according to the design. Placement of rebar and bolts, or positioning for pile driving, can be accurately performed even by less experienced workers by displaying guideline markers for design positions on a smartphone or tablet’s AR view. In practice, sites that introduced AR navigation to indicate pile or anchor installation locations reported that layout work that used to take veterans half a day was completed in a short time, drastically reducing measurement mistakes and positional errors. AR that shows “install here” on the spot is like digitizing the site supervisor’s instructions, a powerful ally. Reducing measurement errors and installation shifts prevents rework and leads to quality improvement and shorter schedules.

• Improving work efficiency: AR using BIM/CIM models enhances efficiency in many situations. For example, during as-built inspections, overlaying the completed model on the actual conditions allows discrepancies to be visualized on the spot. It is possible to display a heat map on AR to instantly identify areas where embankment or concrete placements are higher or lower than designed. Tasks that traditionally used levels or total stations can be checked on-site with AR, dramatically shortening inspection and surveying time. Simulating construction procedures in AR to verify heavy equipment placement and material delivery routes helps optimize staging and improve safety. In this way, AR use can eliminate waste in construction and become a trump card for digital construction that increases productivity.

• Strengthening safety management: Pre-simulating construction flows in AR allows verification of heavy equipment placement, material delivery routes, and safe workspaces. AR can display restricted-entry zones or highlight hazardous areas, helping prevent near-miss incidents and improving site safety management.

Efforts to achieve zero construction errors using 3D models

To bring construction errors close to zero, on-site use of 3D models is a highly effective measure. Allowing reference to BIM/CIM models on site can prevent “errors caused by misconceptions” before they happen. Especially for young or inexperienced engineers, it is not easy to accurately imagine the finished form from drawings alone. With AR, even newcomers can proceed while viewing a digital model of the completed product, so anyone can work with the veteran’s intuition borrowed digitally.

For example, if the locations of underground buried utilities are 3D-scanned in advance and that scan data is displayed in AR during excavation, the risk of accidentally damaging unseen buried pipes can be greatly reduced. There are reports of cases where AR displays immediately pointed out piping or rebar defects that even experienced workers might have missed. Thoroughly linking 3D models and the field in construction management eliminates “mistakes made unknowingly” and moves step by step toward zero-error construction. Thus, the combined use of 3D models and digital technology represents a major step toward eliminating construction errors.

Field use cases of AR in civil engineering

Accumulating AR use cases domestically and internationally are revealing unique effects specific to civil engineering. One application is to wide-area as-built and quality management. In one road widening project, linking AR glasses with surveying instruments succeeded in displaying the road surface and gutter finishes at full scale with an accuracy of about 5 mm (0.20 in). This made it possible to precisely confirm as-built conditions even over a large construction area, dramatically improving the reliability of site inspections.

In another case, a major general contractor developed a proprietary AR system that overlays BIM models on the actual scene on tablet devices and trialed it at multiple sites. It has been used to check piping in ceilings, confirm locations of buried objects, and share images of the next-stage completed form, contributing to rework reduction by enabling prior understanding of unseen parts. Sharing the completed form among different specialist contractors aligned their perceptions and smoothed coordination at the construction stage.

There are also increasing examples of AR being applied to safety management, such as simulating construction sequences in AR to verify heavy equipment movements and the safety of work areas. Additionally, AR civil engineering initiatives are expanding into education and public relations, including using AR displays of projected completion images to explain projects to local residents and recreating construction defect cases in AR for hazard-awareness training.

Simple surveying with LRTK: high-precision site management starting with a smartphone

A technology that has recently attracted attention for making digital construction that fuses BIM/CIM and AR more accessible is LRTK. LRTK is a solution that equips a pocket-sized high-precision GNSS receiver onto a smartphone or tablet, enabling real-time centimeter-level positioning (half-inch accuracy). This turns a smartphone into a “versatile surveying instrument,” allowing anyone to perform high-precision surveying and layout easily without specialized surveying skills.

For example, by simply walking to the point you want to measure with a smartphone, you can instantly obtain and record that location’s elevation and coordinates. Level measurements that used to require a level or total station can be completed on site with an LRTK-compatible smartphone. Combined with the iPhone’s LiDAR scanning function, you can perform on-site 3D point cloud measurement of embankments or excavation areas and instantly calculate earthwork quantities. Because LRTK obtains highly accurate position information, AR overlays do not drift when the device moves. Point cloud data and coordinate information obtained can be shared in the cloud, reducing the need to return to the office to create drawings and enabling on-the-spot data-driven decisions.

The greatest advantage LRTK brings is a dramatic improvement in on-site responsiveness and labor savings. By attaching a receiver to a smartphone and launching a dedicated app, the system automatically handles everything from receiving correction information to positioning, scanning, and cloud sharing, so it can be operated without special knowledge. Even in times when experienced surveyors are scarce, young staff and field personnel themselves can perform centimeter-level measurements (half-inch accuracy) and layout for pile driving, helping address labor shortages and facilitate skills transfer.

Moreover, real-time data linkage between the field and the office means everyone shares a single, up-to-date dataset, enabling smooth construction management without miscommunication. LRTK is thus a bridge connecting the field and design office, the physical and digital, and is a key technology that maximizes the value of BIM×AR. It is also a solution compatible with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s i-Construction initiative and is expected to accelerate future construction DX.

We recommend adopting cutting-edge AR civil engineering on your sites by leveraging simple surveying with LRTK. For details, please also visit the [LRTK official site](https://www.lrtk.lefixea.com).

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between BIM and CIM? A: The basic idea is the same. BIM is a term used in the building sector and refers to the method of integrating information into a 3D model of a building. CIM refers to the use of BIM in the civil infrastructure field. Although the targets differ, both share the principle of centrally managing project information using 3D models.

Q: What equipment is needed to use AR on site? A: Nowadays, common mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads are usually sufficient. The device camera and sensors enable AR display, and the latest models include LiDAR for high-precision spatial awareness. If you want higher-precision alignment, using a GNSS receiver such as LRTK that can be attached to a smartphone or tablet enables centimeter-level AR displays (half-inch accuracy).

Q: Is AR display on site truly reliable in terms of accuracy? A: Standalone smartphone GPS and sensors can sometimes produce slight offsets, but with appropriate measures AR can be brought to a practically usable level. To improve positioning accuracy, use ground reference markers or augment positioning with high-precision GNSS like LRTK. In practice, combining total stations or GNSS has enabled AR overlays on large civil works sites to be kept to errors on the order of a few millimeters (≈0.04–0.12 in) in some cases. With proper operation, AR can be a reliable technology for construction management.

Q: Can AR be used on sites without 3D models? A: While having BIM/CIM models or other 3D design data is ideal, there are still opportunities to use AR without models. For example, simple 3D models can be generated from 2D drawing data or site photos for AR display. Also, scanning completed structures to create 3D models for AR enables intuitive understanding of existing conditions for renovation or maintenance. In the future, advances in AI may make it common to instantly generate 3D models from drawings for immediate AR display.

Q: What challenges exist when introducing AR to civil engineering sites? A: Several challenges have been pointed out. Outdoors, AR displays can be hard to see under bright sunlight, presenting visibility issues. There are also environmental concerns such as battery depletion from long-term use and using devices in high humidity or rain. Positioning accuracy was a challenge for standalone smartphone AR, but improvements are being made using high-precision GNSS like LRTK and markers. Operational hurdles include training site staff and preparing 3D data in advance. However, these issues are steadily being resolved through technological advances and software improvements. With better device performance and the spread of auxiliary tools, AR introduction is now a realistic option at many sites.

Q: Aren’t AR and LRTK implementation costs high? A: Using specialized high-performance equipment can involve high initial costs, but AR solutions that leverage smartphones and tablets can be introduced at relatively low cost. GNSS receivers like LRTK are also inexpensive and easy to use compared with traditional surveying instruments. Considering productivity gains and cost savings from reduced errors, investment in digital technologies is likely to be worthwhile.