Animation of Construction Activities in Outdoor Augmented Reality

This paper describes research that investigates the application of outdoor Augmented Reality (AR) for three-dimensional graphical simulation of construction activities. The objective of the research is an AR-based platform that can be used with corresponding peripheral equipment (Head Mounted Display, GPS receiver, orientation tracker, and a portable computer) to generate a mixed view of the real world and superimposed virtual construction graphics (CAD models) in an outdoor environment. What distinguishes the presented work from indoor AR applications is the capability to produce real time output as the user moves around by applying minimum constraints over the user’s position and orientation. In addition, the ability to operate independently of environmental factors such as lighting conditions makes the designed platform a powerful tool for outdoor AR applications. This paper presents the first results of our research and a prototype software called UM-AR-GPS-ROVER that is capable of interactively placing 3D CAD models at any desired location in outdoor augmented space. The concept and the prototype are demonstrated with an example in which scheduled construction activities for the erection of a structural steel frame are animated with the passage of simulated project time in outdoor AR.