Construction Management AR Use Cases: 5 Success Stories That Transformed Sites with LRTK

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Success Story 1: Streamlining stakeout work with AR pile marking

• Success Story 2: Smartphone AR surveying shortens as-built measurement from half a day to 30 minutes

• Success Story 3: Improving consensus building and construction quality by visualizing BIM models in AR

• Success Story 4: Reducing accidental excavation risk by displaying buried pipes in AR

• Success Story 5: Rapid boundary confirmation by displaying boundary lines in AR

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Introduction

In recent years, construction site management methods have been changing significantly as the industry advances ICT and promotes DX. Yet on many sites, surveying and as-built confirmations still require considerable time and effort, and challenges such as labor shortages and the aging of skilled technicians remain serious. In addition, the application of overtime work regulations in 2024 (the so-called "2024 problem") is approaching, increasing the need to carry out construction efficiently with limited personnel.

A new solution attracting attention to address these issues is the introduction of smartphone-based AR (augmented reality) technology into construction management. In particular, combining RTK positioning (real-time kinematic) using a high-precision external GNSS receiver attached to a smartphone with AR offers the possibility of digitally transforming tasks that previously relied on manual labor and experience. By combining RTK’s centimeter-level positioning accuracy with AR’s on-site information visualization, a palm-sized smartphone can become an "all-purpose surveying instrument," enabling anyone—even non-experts—to easily perform site surveys, stakeouts, and design-data checks.

This article introduces five real-world success stories where LRTK (smartphone RTK × AR solution) was implemented on sites and brought innovation to construction management. From streamlining pile marking to speeding up as-built management, sharing completed-image visuals, visualizing buried assets, and accelerating boundary checks, we examine specific cases where productivity and accuracy improved. Finally, we touch on the new norm of "simple surveying" opened up by AR×RTK and hope these examples provide useful ideas for your own sites.

Success Story 1: Streamlining stakeout work with AR pile marking

On a tunnel road project with steep slopes on bedrock—an extremely demanding condition—AR pile marking was used for stakeout work that had been difficult with conventional methods. Coordinate data for pile locations defined in the design drawings were registered in the LRTK cloud. At the site, when workers looked through the smartphone (iPhone) camera, virtual pile markers appeared in AR at the installation positions on the screen. Workers used these virtual markers as reference points to accurately identify locations even on hard ground where physically driving piles was impossible.

As a result, stakeout work that had previously required survey teams to travel back and forth could be carried out continuously by a single person. By simply moving to the next position shown on the smartphone screen and marking it, a large area of pile locations could be completed in a short time. Not only was manpower reduced, but safety also improved because no helpers were needed in areas with poor footing. In addition, when a site supervisor wanted to indicate "place a pile here," the coordinate could be measured on the spot and immediately reflected in AR, improving communication. The use of single-person surveying × AR is an excellent example of achieving significant labor savings in surveying workflows while improving accuracy.

Effects:

• Stakeout work that previously required multiple people can now be performed by one person

• Wide-area pile locations can be marked in a short time, reducing personnel and shortening schedules

• Work can be performed safely without assistants even in areas with poor footing, improving safety

• On-site coordinate measurement and immediate AR display enable faster sharing of supervisor instructions

Success Story 2: Smartphone AR surveying shortens as-built measurement from half a day to 30 minutes

A construction company in Gifu Prefecture trialed a new point-cloud measurement method using smartphones and tablets for as-built (post-construction shape) measurement in small-scale earthworks. Survey work that previously took more than half a day with drone photogrammetry was completed in about 30 minutes by scanning the site with a LiDAR-equipped tablet (iPad). Specifically, for an excavation area of about 150 m², the conventional method required multiple steps—planning a drone flight → aerial photography → point-cloud generation from photos → drafting—which took more than five hours. By scanning the terrain while walking with an iPad fitted with LRTK, detailed point-cloud data were acquired in about 15 minutes. The point-cloud data were then immediately uploaded to the cloud and automatically processed into drawings and shared.

This smartphone AR surveying dramatically shortened processes that used to require manually observing each survey point. As-built measurements and earthwork volume calculations that used to take days could be completed on the spot, greatly accelerating construction management. Because the acquired point-cloud data already include high-accuracy position coordinates, there is no need for alignment work back at the office. By overlaying point clouds, embankment and excavation volumes can be calculated immediately, enabling real-time management of fill and excavation quantities and on-site as-built inspections. On-site staff were so impressed they said it felt "as if the workforce had doubled," reflecting the dramatic improvements in information quantity and speed achievable by one person.

Effects:

• As-built measurements that took more than five hours with drone + photogrammetry can be completed in about 30 minutes

• Acquired data are immediately shared in the cloud with absolute coordinates, eliminating post-site data processing

• Earthwork volume calculations and as-built checks can be performed on-site in real time, accelerating management decisions

• Dramatic productivity gains allow one person to work so efficiently that it feels like "doubling the workforce"

Success Story 3: Improving consensus building and construction quality by visualizing BIM models in AR

On a road construction site, an iPad equipped with an LRTK device was used to display the 3D BIM/CIM models from the design phase in AR for meetings. By overlaying the planned embankment shapes and structure models onto the actual terrain, clients, construction staff, heavy-equipment operators, and nearby residents could all intuitively understand the completed image. There was no longer a need to explain with paper drawings and point at them; standing on site and viewing the screen made it possible to share the plan, speeding up consensus building.

Using AR in this way resolved differences in perception among all stakeholders and greatly smoothed communication during construction. What had previously been explained with drawings and perspective images became something people could "understand by seeing" in AR, reducing the time required for explanations. In one site, this approach reportedly made design-intent communication mistakes almost zero and reduced rework in later phases. Also, during as-built inspection attendance, overlaying design data with the constructed elements on the tablet allowed immediate detection and correction of minor defects on the spot. AR visualization of the site supported consensus building and quality control, contributing to improved productivity and construction quality.

Effects:

• Overlaying 3D models on site allows intuitive sharing of the completed image and improves stakeholders’ understanding

• AR-enabled meetings smooth communication and reduce rework caused by misunderstandings

• Design-intent sharing mistakes are resolved, accelerating consensus building within the project

• During final inspections, AR overlay with design data enables immediate detection and correction of defects, contributing to construction quality assurance

Success Story 4: Reducing accidental excavation risk by displaying buried pipes in AR

On infrastructure projects and sites with many buried assets, understanding unseen underground pipes and cables is a major safety management challenge. At one site, 3D data of underground piping that had been installed and backfilled were projected in AR to visualize underground conditions. Because the smartphone’s LRTK high-precision positioning constantly corrects current position and orientation, virtual pipe models can be overlaid on the real world without special markers. Workers could verify the route of buried pipes on the camera view as if peering through the ground and visually grasp warnings like "a pipe exists 〇 m ahead."

This AR see-through significantly reduced the risk of accidentally damaging buried pipes. Knowing the precise location of buried items in advance eliminated the need for haphazard test excavations or overly cautious extra procedures, allowing excavation work to proceed efficiently and safely. On sites using this method, workers reported reduced stress from worrying about discrepancies between drawings and actual conditions and found it easier to brief newcomers about buried assets, improving both peace of mind and work speed. Additionally, even equipment buried and made invisible after backfilling can be accurately reproduced later with AR, creating information assets useful for future maintenance and additional work.

Effects:

• Intuitive on-site understanding of buried pipes and cables prevents accidental damage

• Fewer exploratory excavations for unclear areas, enabling safer and more efficient excavation and construction

• Easier sharing of buried-asset locations among all workers contributes to higher safety awareness and fewer near-miss incidents

• Visualized underground infrastructure location data support future inspection and renovation planning

Success Story 5: Rapid boundary confirmation by displaying boundary lines in AR

Accurate confirmation of site boundaries is essential in civil engineering and land development. At a development site, AR was used for boundary confirmation. Known boundary stake coordinate data were registered in the LRTK cloud, and when workers viewed the surroundings through a smartphone, the land boundary line was displayed in AR on the ground. This made it possible to intuitively verify on the spot whether temporary stakes or existing boundary markers matched the design boundary line.

This method greatly improved efficiency for boundary confirmation work that previously required calling a survey team to carefully check with a transit and tape measure. Even inexperienced staff can accurately perform confirmation tasks by simply referencing the virtual boundary line displayed on the smartphone screen, removing reliance on veteran visual judgment. Time required for reconciling design drawings with the site was reduced, preventing rework and disputes with neighbors related to boundary issues. By visualizing the boundary line with AR, this is an excellent example of reliably confirming boundaries with the minimum necessary personnel and time.

Effects:

• Tasks that once required multiple people and long hours for boundary checks and marking can be carried out smoothly by one person

• Discrepancies in temporary stake placement or boundary markers can be detected on the spot, reducing rework such as re-measurement

• Even inexperienced technicians can accurately grasp boundaries using AR lines, improving confirmation accuracy

• Prevents deviations from construction limits and neighbor disputes caused by boundary misunderstandings, enabling confident progress of work

Conclusion

Above, we introduced five cases where AR use in construction management and LRTK implementation brought innovation to sites. From stakeout and as-built checks to consensus building, buried-asset management, and boundary confirmation, AR×RTK technology has demonstrated its effects across a variety of scenarios. A common theme is the realization of a new site reality where anyone can "measure and confirm on the spot, immediately." If high-accuracy surveying and information sharing can be done with a single smartphone without relying on heavy equipment or specialized skills, site productivity will dramatically improve.

LRTK’s ushering in of a new norm of "simple surveying" is beginning to change construction management on a large scale. Tasks that once depended on veterans’ intuition or manpower can now be streamlined and enhanced through digital technology. Even amid labor shortages and tighter work-style reforms, AR×RTK enables efficient and safe site operation with limited personnel. In practice, the LRTK series is an easy-to-use solution supporting smart construction and aligns with initiatives such as i-Construction and site DX promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Going forward, AR technology will be an indispensable key in construction management. Please consider this opportunity to explore the effects of introducing AR at your sites.

FAQ

Q1. Do I need special equipment or advanced knowledge to introduce AR technology on site? A. No. You can get started without expensive specialized equipment or expert knowledge. For example, with solutions like LRTK, anyone can intuitively use AR functionality simply by attaching a small GNSS receiver to a smartphone and launching a dedicated app. Operation is simple, requiring little training for site staff; in most cases basic operation can be learned with a few hours of training. Compared to conventional surveying instruments, these devices are easier to carry and can be used casually across many site situations.

Q2. Can a smartphone’s AR display really achieve accurate alignment? A. Using a system that corrects the smartphone’s position with RTK-GNSS like LRTK makes it possible to overlay virtual objects on the real world with errors of only a few centimeters. A smartphone alone typically has position errors of around 5–10 m, but RTK dramatically improves positioning accuracy so the design positions on drawings and on-site locations are virtually indistinguishable. On actual construction sites, it has been confirmed that the AR-displayed model and real objects align closely enough for practical use.

Q3. Is AR-based position confirmation possible in places where satellite positioning is unstable or indoors? A. In environments where GPS satellite signals are difficult to receive, high-precision RTK positioning becomes challenging. In areas like streets of tall buildings or under trees, accuracy can temporarily degrade or positioning can be lost. In such environments, you can perform a reference alignment in an open area and then supplement with the smartphone’s inertial sensors and camera-based visual markers to continue short-duration tasks, but current AR positioning is difficult in fully GNSS-blocked indoor or underground spaces. In those cases, you may need to rely on conventional measurements using a total station or wait for future technological developments. However, LRTK can also support Japan’s quasi-zenith satellite system Michibiki (CLAS signal), so in mountainous or communication-poor areas positioning is still possible as long as satellites are visible, making it applicable to a relatively wide range of environments.

Q4. Are there benefits to introducing AR on small sites or short-term projects? A. Yes. In fact, small projects with limited personnel stand to gain the most from AR solutions that allow one person to perform surveying and as-built management. Tasks that previously required hiring external surveyors can often be handled quickly by in-house staff, reducing outsourcing costs and waiting time. Even on short-term projects, using AR for daily progress checks and as-built inspections enables rapid status recognition and recording, smoothing coordination with subsequent work. From small sites to large-scale projects, AR technology contributes to efficiency and quality improvement regardless of scale.

Q5. Is it possible to use AR glasses (smart glasses) instead of a smartphone? A. There are cases using see-through AR glasses or helmet-mounted displays. However, dedicated glasses tend to be expensive, may have a narrow field of view, and often require advanced user skill, making widespread on-site use challenging. In contrast, smartphones and tablets are devices many people are already familiar with, and their use keeps introduction costs relatively low. LRTK is designed as a smartphone-centric solution, balancing GNSS-based accuracy assurance with the ease of smartphone AR. It is realistic to start with familiar smartphone AR and consider other devices later as needed.