CHAPTER 1

Introduction

1.1 Background

Construction is one of the most information-intensive industries: information must be readily available, accurate, complete, timely, and clearly formatted so that it is understood by the recipient. Project success relies heavily on management of the flow of information among players; furthermore, routine, consistent data collection and data consumption are necessary.

Existing and emerging digital technologies are transforming how departments of transportation (DOTs) are designing, planning, constructing, inspecting, maintaining, and documenting construction projects. With the advancements of smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices and data collectors, the potential exists to collect, input, and document rich data on transportation projects. Specifically, these devices are extremely useful in field inspection and documentation. A wide variety of digital tools is available to support construction inspection activities and collect digital data to estimate quantities, verify and accept work, and create as-built records. Research discussed in Chapter 2 suggests that these tools offer numerous benefits, including improved data quality and consistency, enhanced communication, transparency, and safety of on-site personnel.

1.2 Synthesis Objective

The objective of this synthesis is to document DOT practices for using mobile devices to support digitized project documentation and inspection. The following information regarding mobile devices was gathered:

• DOTs’ level of use of mobile devices
• Areas within DOTs using mobile devices for construction, documentation, and inspection
• Use of mobile devices and applications for various inspection functions
• Integration of mobile devices with other systems and technologies
• Automated or manual workflow with no-code or low-code applications
• Policies and practices regarding the use of personal or DOT-issued mobile devices
• Methods for data storage, object recognition, and feature extraction
• Cost implications for using mobile devices
• Barriers and challenges associated with using mobile devices for construction and inspection

1.3 Synthesis Approach

An extensive literature review on the topic provides an initial understanding of the current state of research and practice regarding mobile devices for inspection. The existing literature and previous discussions with DOTs assisted with the development of the survey questionnaire.

A survey was created to document DOT practices for using mobile devices to support digitized project documentation and inspection. Under the direction of the synthesis topic panel, the survey questions were divided into the following categories:

• Demographic Information for Respondents
• Mobile Device Use, Including Overview
• Where Mobile Devices Are Used
• How Mobile Devices Are Used
• What Policies Are in Place
• Mobile Device Data Storage
• Mobile Device Challenges and Implications

Once the final draft of the survey was approved, an email request with the online survey link and a fillable PDF document were distributed to the voting members of the AASHTO Committee on Construction (COC). The COC is constituted of members from each of the 50 U.S. state DOTs as well as the District of Columbia DOT. The COC members were asked to distribute the survey to individuals with knowledge of their DOT’s mobile device usage for inspection. The complete survey is provided in Appendix A.

A total of 43 responses were collected from the survey, which represented a total of 43 different DOTs participating, thus yielding an 84% response rate from 51 DOTs. The aggregate and individual results of the survey are presented in Appendix B.

Following the analysis of survey responses, follow-up interviews were conducted with state DOTs selected from the participating respondents as case examples to gather additional information on the topic. Interviews were conducted with four state DOTs with experience using mobile devices for inspection activities (Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia) and two state DOTs making progress with their use of mobile devices for inspection (Missouri and Montana). Details of the individual case examples are outlined in Chapter 4, and the questions asked during the interviews are provided in Appendix C.

This synthesis seeks to document DOT practices for using mobile devices to support digitized project documentation and inspection. The author’s charge in this report is to strictly present information collected void of opinion and bias. The opinions expressed in the synthesis from detailed case examples are those of the professionals from the six DOTs and should be viewed as such. The remainder of the synthesis is organized as follows:

• Chapter 2 is a review of existing work on mobile devices.
• Chapter 3 summarizes survey results.
• Chapter 4 provides six case examples of the use of mobile devices.
• Chapter 5 draws conclusions based on the findings in previous chapters.
• References and Bibliography lists sources cited or consulted.
• Appendix A provides the survey questionnaire for DOTs.
• Appendix B provides the results of the survey questionnaire.
• Appendix C provides case example interview questions.
• Appendix D provides additional resources related to the policies and procedures of several state DOTs.