Digitalizing Construction Management Transforms the Field: Explaining New Methods to Improve Quality and Efficiency in Civil Engineering and Construction

In recent years, the civil engineering and construction industry has rapidly adopted digital technologies for construction management tasks. It is now common to see site supervisors and construction managers checking drawings on tablets and sharing progress via the cloud. In response to labor shortages and demands for work-style reform, various new methods aimed at improving on-site efficiency and quality have emerged.

This article explains the latest digital methods in construction management for civil engineering and construction, including cloud-based progress management, digital sharing of drawings and forms, simplification of electronic site boards, daily reports and as-built management, integration with AR/BIM, and the use of smartphones and tablets. In particular, we focus on a new model of site management made possible by combining smartphones with high-precision GNSS receivers—so-called LRTK—and examine in detail how these technologies can improve quality and efficiency.

Challenges on Civil and Construction Sites and the Need for Digitalization

Longstanding issues on civil and construction sites include problems with information sharing and operational efficiency. Drawings and documents tend to be paper-based, and communication often relies on phone calls or verbal exchanges, leading to delays in information transfer and rework caused by errors. There are also many situations that depend on the tacit knowledge of experienced workers, making handovers difficult when personnel change.

More recently, labor shortages and an aging workforce have exacerbated the shortage of skilled technicians, increasing the workload on each individual. As a result, long working hours and weekend work have become commonplace, contributing to young workers leaving the industry and creating a negative cycle. With the 2024 overtime regulation (the so-called "2024 problem") requiring attention, work-style reform and productivity improvement are urgent priorities across the industry.

Against this backdrop, expectations for on-site digitalization and DX (digital transformation) are growing. Initiatives promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism such as "i-Construction" are also supporting this trend, advancing improvements in construction management through ICT. Introducing digital technologies can be expected to speed up information sharing to prevent mistakes, improve efficiency to reduce overtime, and further enhance quality and safety management. The next chapters examine concrete new digital methods item by item.

Cloud-Based Progress Management and Information Sharing

Traditionally, construction schedules and work plans were managed with Excel or paper tables and exchanged by FAX or email. This caused time lags in sharing the latest information and delays in conveying plan changes to the site. Cloud-based progress and task management systems were introduced to address this.

When schedules are created and shared on the cloud, everyone involved—site staff, headquarters, subcontractors, and clients—can always view the latest schedule. If the scope of work changes, the site can immediately enter the change information into the cloud system, which then notifies all stakeholders at once. As a result, other staff can promptly begin arranging materials or adjusting follow-on work, minimizing rework and waiting time.

Real-time progress sharing also reduces the stress of information transfer between the site and the office. Without relying on meetings or phone calls, anyone with an internet connection can access the same up-to-date information, reducing the risk that minor omissions will lead to major errors. For site supervisors overseeing multiple projects concurrently, cloud systems provide the advantage of centrally monitoring the status of each site. Cloud-based progress management contributes to overall productivity improvements and smoother communication on civil and construction sites.

Digital Sharing of Drawings and Forms and Paperless Workflows

Management of design drawings and various documents (forms) used on site has also been transformed by cloud adoption. Previously, the latest drawing copies had to be prepared in the site office and paper drawings redistributed to stakeholders each time a revision occurred. Paper processes always carried the risk that old drawings would be used due to missed updates or mistimed replacements. The burden of storing and transporting large volumes of paper documents also posed challenges for sites.

By using drawing management systems and cloud storage, all stakeholders can instantly share the latest drawing data and construction planning documents. For example, when a design change occurs, updating the drawing file on the cloud makes the latest version immediately available. On site, tablets or PCs can be used to view the new drawings right away, eliminating the need to discard or replace old paper. This reduces construction errors caused by misreading or miscommunication of drawings, directly preventing quality defects and rework.

Forms have also become more paperless through digitization. Inspection checklists, safety documents, and submission forms can be shared and completed as digital forms, allowing necessary information to be submitted from the site in real time. For example, if an inspection report is filled out on the cloud, supervisors or clients can remotely review and approve the contents. There is no need to wait for paper distribution and collection, speeding up decision-making. Digital sharing of drawings and forms not only improves efficiency through paperless workflows but also contributes to reliable quality control by centrally managing information.

Simplifying Electronic Site Boards, Daily Reports, and As-Built Records

Daily tasks such as taking photos and creating reports can be dramatically streamlined through digitalization. A representative example is the digitization of the site "blackboard" that appears in construction photos. Traditionally, a blackboard showing the project name and date was written each time a photo was taken, but with a camera app that supports electronic boards, entering items on a smartphone automatically composites the necessary information into the photo image. There is no need to carry a physical board, and mistakes or omissions in writing are prevented. Tags (project name, location, shooting date and time, etc.) are attached to the photo data at the time of shooting, greatly reducing the later work of classifying and organizing photos. As a result, creating photo ledgers becomes smoother and the time spent on document organization is reduced.

Creation of the daily report ("daily report") can also be simplified with dedicated construction management apps. Previously, a site supervisor would create a paper daily report or Excel file in the office after work and submit it to a superior. With digital daily reports, the site can complete the process simply by entering and sending the day's events and progress from a smartphone or tablet. Standard items such as weather and number of workers may be automatically acquired and aggregated by the app, reducing the supervisor's burden. Report contents are shared on the cloud immediately, allowing superiors and stakeholders to grasp the situation in real time. This prevents omissions in reporting and enables speedy decision-making (for example, quick responses to incidents). Time spent on after-hours reporting is reduced, contributing to work-style reform.

Digitization of as-built records (measurement records of dimensions and quantities after construction) is also progressing. Where measurements were once taken with surveying equipment and tape measures and recorded by hand, it is now possible to link laser measurement devices or high-precision GNSS devices with tablets for automatic recording. For example, when surveying pavement elevations or as-built dimensions of structures, the data can be saved to a cloud as-built management system and automatically reflected in forms. This eliminates transcription errors from manual calculation or handwriting, improving the accuracy and speed of inspection work. Accumulated as-built information as electronic data also facilitates later inspections and electronic delivery (digital submission of deliverables). In these ways, simplifying on-site record tasks such as photo shooting, daily reports, and as-built recording benefits both workload reduction for site staff and quality assurance.

Visualizing and Streamlining Sites with AR and BIM

Utilizing 3D models (BIM/CIM) is also bringing new value to site management. BIM (Building Information Modeling) refers to 3D design data in the building sector, while CIM (Civil Information Modeling) refers to 3D model utilization in the civil sector; both are increasingly being applied on construction sites. For example, BIM models of construction areas can be checked on a tablet, or AR (augmented reality) technology can overlay the model onto the real site view. This makes it possible to intuitively grasp the completed image and spatial relationships of structures that were difficult to visualize with drawings or photos alone, acting as a powerful bridge between the site and digital data.

Combining AR and BIM offers many benefits. First, stakeholders such as clients, designers, and constructors can share the same vision of the completed project on site, reducing discrepancies in understanding and smoothing consensus building. Spatial dimensions and finishes that are hard to convey on drawings can be appreciated by displaying life-size 3D models in reality, embodying the saying "seeing is believing." During construction, AR guides allow immediate confirmation that components are being placed at the designed positions and heights. Showing rebar or piping layouts via AR or providing navigation for installation positions helps prevent mistakes and misalignments that lead to rework. In practice, tasks that used to take half a day for layout marking have been completed in a short time using AR, greatly reducing errors. Furthermore, during post-construction as-built inspections, overlaying a BIM model on the completed structure enables visual checks of discrepancies from the design. Advanced methods such as color-coding differences between the model and the actual structure have emerged, contributing to more efficient inspection and documentation tasks.

Supporting technologies for on-site AR/BIM use include the evolution of smartphones and tablets. Recent mobile devices are equipped with high-performance cameras and LiDAR sensors, dramatically improving AR display accuracy. In addition, integration with the high-precision GNSS described later enables overlaying digital models outdoors with centimeter-level position accuracy (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy). This allows anyone on a construction site to easily use AR, further enhancing construction management quality and efficiency.

Growing Use of Smartphones and Tablets on Site

Using smartphones and tablets on construction sites is becoming standard practice. Not only site supervisors but also field staff now use a personal smartphone or tablet for information sharing and record-keeping. The spread and improved usability of mobile devices have produced apps that are intuitive even for veteran employees who are not highly IT-literate. Tasks that used to be possible only on office PCs (drawing viewing, email checking, etc.) can now be performed on site, reducing wasted time traveling between the office and the site.

A smartphone can be called a "versatile tool" equipped with a high-performance camera, various sensors, and internet connectivity. One device covers photography and video, chat and web meetings for communication, and dedicated construction management apps. For example, if a defect is spotted on site, capturing it with a smartphone and immediately uploading the image to a shared cloud folder allows remote sharing with an office-based designer to discuss countermeasures in real time. On tablets, large drawing PDFs can be zoomed in clearly and marked up on the spot to share instructions. This speeds up communication between the site and the office and quickly resolves minor questions.

Smartphones and tablets also function as hubs for connecting to other digital devices. Via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, they can connect to laser distance meters, sensors, and drone controllers to ingest data instantly. It is also easy to extend functionality by attaching a high-precision GNSS receiver to a smartphone to improve positioning accuracy, as described later. As mobile usage expands, the environment is being established where "anyone can be an information sender and recorder" on site. Site data that tended to be person-dependent is accumulated on the cloud and shared across the team, preserving knowledge within the organization even with personnel changes or generational turnover. Using smartphones and tablets on site contributes not only to efficiency but also to organizational knowledge transfer and stronger teamwork.

Geo-Tagging Photos and Streamlining Surveying Work

Many photos are taken on construction sites, and the need to attach location coordinate information to these photos is growing. Whereas the location a photo was taken used to be recorded manually on maps or drawings, smartphones' GPS functions and dedicated apps can now automatically record latitude and longitude for each photo. Adding high-precision location information in particular enables plotting shooting locations on a map to visualize progress across the entire work area, or allows one-click checking of the shooting location from a photo ledger. For example, on long roadworks, mapping the locations of each photo on a digital map makes it immediately clear which point the photo documents. Geo-tagging of photos achieves spatial visualization of site information and is useful for later investigations and explanations.

Meanwhile, surveying and as-built measurement tasks have been greatly streamlined by digital technology. Where surveyors once worked in pairs using transit instruments or levels, advances in GPS/GNSS positioning and 3D scanners now make fast solo surveying possible. Drone photogrammetry (creating 3D terrain models from aerial photos) is powerful for large-scale earthwork volume calculations and terrain understanding, enabling rapid grasp of extensive as-built conditions. Furthermore, by combining smartphones with high-precision GNSS devices, anyone can easily perform point surveying and layout marking at cm level accuracy (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy) that previously required specialized equipment. This reduces work interruptions waiting for surveying and allows site personnel to measure and confirm as needed. Simplifying surveying tasks is essential for maintaining accuracy while progressing construction quickly despite labor shortages.

Expanding Construction Management Possibilities with Smartphone + High-Precision GNSS (LRTK)

Combining a smartphone with a high-precision GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver further expands the possibilities of site management. A representative example is the solution called "LRTK." LRTK is a system that attaches a small RTK-GNSS receiver to a smartphone to achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy). This enables site personnel to easily carry out tasks that previously required specialized surveying equipment and skilled technicians. With a pocketable device and a smartphone, surveying equipment, drawings, a camera, and communication means are integrated into an all-in-one "universal site tool."

By using LRTK, the following operational efficiencies and enhancements are possible:

• 高度化 of as-built records: High-precision positioning allows accurate measurement and recording of the as-built shapes of structures. For example, pavement thickness and excavation depth can be measured on-site and digitized, directly linking to quality control.

• Coordinate tagging of photos: Photos taken with a smartphone can have centimeter-precision location information automatically attached. It becomes easy to plot photos on a map later for management or attach photos with precise location information to reports.

• Integration with progress quantity data: Measured dimensions, areas, and volumes can be linked to progress quantity management systems to automatically aggregate construction progress quantities. This enables more accurate and efficient daily progress reporting and progress-based payments.

• Position confirmation with AR: Based on accurate coordinate data, a smartphone’s AR functionality can overlay design models or installation positions on the site. It becomes possible to check the location of underground utilities via AR or to guide installation locations on-screen for intuitive position confirmation.

• Cloud integration: Positioning data and captured images obtained with LRTK can be uploaded to the cloud and shared immediately. Office supervisors and designers can check site measurement results in real time and quickly issue necessary instructions or approvals.

• Efficiency in field surveys: Pre-site surveys and ground condition investigations before construction start can be conducted efficiently with a small team using LRTK. Even on large sites, heights and positions at each point can be measured quickly, improving survey accuracy and speed.

• Simplification of surveying tasks: Without specialized surveying instruments, site staff themselves can perform necessary point measurements and layout marking. For example, using a smartphone with LRTK mounted on a monopod, a user can acquire coordinates and elevation of any point with one touch and then mark that position alone.

• Sharing on-site location information: Measurement points and photo points obtained by LRTK are plotted on a map and shared with the team. All stakeholders can visually grasp important points and measurement results on site, enabling smooth overall situation awareness and coordination.

In these ways, LRTK is an innovative tool that combines the versatility of smartphones with GNSS surveying technology, supporting a wide range of on-site tasks from as-built management to progress monitoring, inspection, and communication. Because it is inexpensive and highly portable, one-device-per-person use is realistic, making it a true embodiment of "site digitalization."

Conclusion: LRTK Adoption Contributes to Improved Quality, Speed, and On-Site Collaboration in Construction Management

As described above, digitalizing construction management brings significant benefits to civil and construction sites. Cloud-based information sharing reduces mistakes, paperless workflows eliminate waste, AR/BIM utilization improves quality by visualizing the site, and new technologies such as smartphones and LRTK dramatically enhance operational efficiency and accuracy. By comprehensively leveraging these technologies, the quality (safety and quality assurance) of construction management improves, speed (shorter schedules and faster response) increases, and collaboration among site, office, and stakeholders is greatly strengthened.

In particular, introducing smartphone + high-precision GNSS technologies like LRTK allows immediate acquisition and sharing of accurate data on site, dramatically improving the accuracy and speed of site decision-making. If each team member has an LRTK, high-quality information from every corner of the site can be aggregated in real time, allowing the team to proceed with construction while sharing situational awareness. This levels out surveying and management tasks that formerly depended on a few specialized technicians, boosting organizational capability.

Digital construction management methods are a trump card for maintaining high quality with limited personnel. Amid calls for work-style reform and concerns about a shortage of skilled workers, using these tools to improve productivity directly enhances corporate competitiveness. The civil and construction industry is now undergoing major transformation. By proactively adopting new technologies and effectively utilizing advanced tools like LRTK, we can achieve sustainable construction management that balances quality and efficiency.