Abstract:

Digitisation is one of the largest technical challenges of our time. It takes places in many different lines and on different manner. In this context, also the qualification of the employees on major construction sites of large scale projects in Germany, Europe and the earth has room for improvement. Virtual Reality technologies can make a big contribution for the initial and continuous qualification.

Nowadays, paper plans and experienced employees are the basis for the instruction and qualification of the worker before the construction sites starts-up. In this context, the heterogeneous and steady changing qualifications of the major construction site staff represent a special challenge. There are workers available from all over the world not speaking the same language. In times of globalisation staff arrives from many different countries – they speak several languages and they have a different educational background.

During the start-up of the major construction sites daily briefings and trainings are requirements causing a big effort in terms of time and manpower. Complex learning content like safety regulations but also daily tasks must not only be communicated but also understood.
Additionally, there exists a substantial control effort for experts to check single working steps and working processes. They have to document results as well as the individual learning progress. That causes long chains for the transportation of information about the current working and knowledge state of individual workers.

An information system based on Virtual Reality technologies with a focus on working, learning, reviewing and documentation of processes on major construction sites is subject of research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF in Magdeburg, Germany. The system consists of a number of modules that are available individually as well as in combination. The digital site plan is the central module. It is created semi-automatically based on a geo-referenced virtual ground model. There exists a number of functionalities to support the planning processes of users. As a result there will be a digital representation of the construction site with all its facilities. This virtual representation is used for safety instructions for the staff. Without being personally at the construction sites the workers can get an overview about their future working place and the existing facilities. Important safety regulation can be added to the system and can serve as a preparation for multi-lingual tests.

Currently, the Fraunhofer IFF works on additional modules. In their entirety the modules will form a system for digital VR-based construction site management that will reduce non-productive times, increase safety at work, improve work quality and enable a substantial progress monitoring.

Keywords:

Major Construction Sites, Virtual Reality, Qualification.