Uses of Mobile Information Technology Devices in the Field for Design, Construction, and Asset Management (2016)

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26 CHAPTER SIX MOBILE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USE IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND ASSET MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION One of the objectives of this synthesis was to review the prac- tices of progressive adopters and capture their programmatic applications of mobile IT in design, construction, and asset man- agement. The survey and interview process suggested that appli- cations used programmatically were less than progressive, while it was the ad hoc uses that appeared to be the most advanced. Through literature review, survey analysis, and interviews, this study identified several promising uses of mobile IT devices for the field in design, construction, and asset management. The practices presented here face their own inherent challenges and will not fit every STA model. Before discussing these practices, some pros and cons of progressive mobile IT use are noted. BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES Mobile IT faces several barriers or weaknesses for use in trans- portation design, construction, and asset management. Some of these barriers stem from resistance to change, connectivity and service issues, or from cost (considering the scale of pro- grammatic incorporation of mobile IT devices). The mobile devices available for use in transportation design, construc- tion, and asset management are primarily smartphones, tab- lets, and laptops. These devices offer a lot of opportunity and functionality, but they are dependent on applications. In other words, a smartphone, tablet, or data collector is only as good as the applications that allow the user to execute a task. A recurring comment of respondents was that application devel- opers often do not understand the needs of STAs. Perhaps as a result of the barriers and the lag in adoption, the technology and application development communities appear to have been slow to develop solutions for the transportation sector. In addition, mobile application development is often not a priority for transportation agency technology staff. These shortcomings offer opportunities for growth and development. When applications are available and easy to implement, use of mobile IT devices will likely increase in STAs. Progressive and Practice-Ready Mobile Information Technology Approaches The following practices are recognized as being progressive approaches among those that surfaced during the literature review, surveys, and interviews. These more progressive practices were typically in trial, with no documented, quan- tifiable benefits yet. In some cases, these technologies were adopted out of necessity to compensate for staffing or time demands. They suggest a direction and point out opportuni- ties for the transportation industry. Design In the overall highway design process, field practices (excluding surveying activities) are limited in scope and therefore limit the ability to use mobile IT devices. Survey- ing was not covered in this study; the remaining fieldwork involves site visits to verify the locations of features such as streams, entrances, and utilities, and to gain an in-person perspective on the site, project fit as designed, and construc- tability. These visits could also entail field verification for maintenance of traffic plans; existing infrastructure, such as drainage structures, guardrails, and cross-slopes; and any adjacent property concerns or needs. Designers value field visits for confirming site geometry and features that are only rudimentarily communicated through surveying models. The importance of the field visit is in these experiences and this kind of data collection, and this is where opportunities for mobile IT devices come into play. Devices for field use might include GPS-equipped cameras, tablets, and multi- functional data collectors. Mobile IT devices are generally used during the design process for communication and data transfer; the most progressive field approach in this study involved the use of a multifunctional data collector and vari- ous software applications to geospatially locate project and physical features. Geospatially Locating Project and Physical Features at KYTC The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported that on a case-by-case basis it has attempted separate trials with mobile Windows data collectors and smartphones. These trials have enabled designers to conduct field visits to take geospatially referenced photographs and notes. The trials required extensive conversion between the device and the in- office design software to transfer the data for usability. The smartphone/tablet trials used out-of-the-box applications with direct connectivity to the in-office design software, although the mobile application had limited functionality

27 geospatially referenced photographs; some devices have the capability to provide this service, but additional application development and compatibility are required to incorporate the information into individual STA systems. This practice is readily available for use with many devices but was spe- cifically mentioned by only a few STAs, such as Michigan DOT (13). Complete Mobile Construction Administration System Several STAs use highly complex construction administra- tion systems to manage record keeping, process payments, maintain materials testing and certification information, and conduct other construction management processes. Some STAs have worked mobile IT devices into these sys- tems. Many of these efforts can be attributed to the paperless e-construction initiative in the FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) program. EDC is currently in its third year of seek- ing to identify and deploy innovative technologies to STAs. Because these systems are so complex, compatibility and direct integration can be challenging or impossible. A few STAs have used web-based construction admin- istration systems. These are typically developed in-house, although commercially available packages are also moving to a web-based platform. North Carolina DOT uses an in- house-developed client-based solution called HiCAMS for construction and materials management. Because it is cli- ent-based but accessible through Citrix, the integration with mobile devices has been relatively easy, assuming that cellu- lar service is not an issue. Some agencies have compensated for the connectivity problem by creating standalone mobile applications that can function without connection and syn- chronize with the web-based system when connection is restored. Wyoming DOT uses a consultant-developed web application called ExeVision that runs project management software. It requires an Internet connection to run; however, it allows users to perform its functions in an offline state and will automatically process the data once an Internet connec- tion is established. Although the form and function of this solution vary, the benefits of immediate data entry and maintenance of data integrity will most certainly outweigh costs over time. Easy Access to References and Plans One simple yet recurring benefit mentioned throughout the study’s interviews was the use of mobile IT devices in the field for document, plan, and resource references. In the recent past, any documentation required in the field had to be transported there in hard copy. With the use of tablets, smartphones, laptop computers, and other devices, these resources are readily available in the field, assuming that they are accessible through the web or there is a digital copy on the device. These uses alone provide substantial benefits, and did not support the device’s GPS tagging. Although some benefits were realized in these trials, no programmatic adoption is planned. Construction The area of construction at STAs offers much more poten- tial for mobile IT field applications such as SiteManager by AAHSTO, Bentley Field Supervisor, Autodesk BIM 360, and Trimble Contractor. Construction has numerous func- tions and needs at the field level, including project docu- mentation; quality assurance; inspection; plan verification; as-built documentation; decision and change determination; plan, specification, and procedural reference; issue resolu- tion; and general administration (process workflows, etc.). All these activities can be complemented or supplemented with the use of mobile IT devices. The literature review, sur- veys, and interviews of STAs identified the following pro- gressive approaches to implementing mobile IT devices for construction field use. Issue Resolution Through Video Capture and Conferencing One of the most contentious and stressful aspects of a con- struction project is issue resolution. Many situations arise on a project site in which inconsistencies between documents, ambiguity in plans, unexpected field conditions, and so on lead to questions that need a quick resolution. In the past, resolution might incur phone calls, travel to offices, and other time-consuming activities. With the time sensitivity of construction projects, delays are a source of frustration for all involved. Several STAs noted that mobile IT devices can contribute to the timely resolution of problems; in fact, this was often the first benefit of mobile IT devices mentioned in the study surveys and interviews. The interview with Ohio DOT, along with literature review of successful use by Michigan DOT, highlighted the use of mobile IT devices such as smartphones and tablets along with videotelephony applications (sometimes supple- mented by Voice Over Internet Protocol where networking capabilities exist) to film and discuss problems in the field or to seek guidance, solutions, or references from staff who are not present at the site. Assuming that the application ser- vice is supported by the cellular or network services, this is a very powerful and easy-to-use solution that is readily imple- mentable. Many mobile devices already come equipped with the necessary applications. Georeferenced Documentation Another convenient use of mobile IT devices for construc- tion in the field is to document issues, landmarks, or features, including geospatial information. This allows for ease of relocating the feature, thus making the documentation very rich for future use. Postprocessing is typically required for

28 especially in time savings. States such as Idaho, Kentucky, Ohio, and Vermont specifically mentioned the AASHTO software to view project plans. E-construction One final practice to mention is the use of e-construction, which can be considered the culmination of all the aforemen- tioned uses plus many more practices that may or may not have anything to do with mobile IT devices. E-construction is a national initiative under the FHWA’s Every Day Counts program, which seeks to identify and inform STAs about effective and innovative technologies to improve business practices. Mobile IT devices are an important aspect of the program’s goal to move toward paperless projects. Some states have noted a high return on investment by using these strate- gies; for example, Florida DOT reported a 13.67% ROI (17). Iowa’s DOT contracted with a consultant to create paper- less construction administration software that has a strong mobile component. The consultant, InfoTech, created a web- based service that allows employees to securely store, easily find, and digitally sign documents. Asset Management Another area with a lot to gain from the use of mobile IT devices in the field is asset management. The main needs of this functional unit of the STA are to conduct inventories and to quickly compile condition, status, and needs reports on the assets of the agency. The ability to gather and dissem- inate field information quickly and accurately is essential. Mobile IT devices deliver an important time savings in data collection. Agencies that have this solution in place can cap- ture geospatially referenced information and have it imme- diately synchronized into reporting systems. The following are two specific uses noted in the study interviews. Geospatially Identified Inventory Nearly all the STAs that were interviewed commented that mobile IT devices help capture field data for asset man- agement. One use that many devices can perform easily is to inventory assets with geospatial locations. This is a drastic improvement over the use of DMIs (distance mea- suring instruments) or other devices to record locations on the basis of mile points. Typically, a GPS-equipped device has a mechanism that can record locations and find assets. Mobile IT devices equipped with these features will also be able to use in-house or commercial applications to quickly capture data for inventories and synchronize this information with agency databases. Beyond merely locat- ing assets, these applications can collect condition reports, photos, and other information. For example, Vermont DOT has a simple yet effective approach for conducting asset inventory. Using an out-of- the-box solution (ESRI’s Arc GIS) and GPS-enabled tablets, the agency is able to collect geospatially attributed inven- tories and quickly upload that information into its data- bases. Many other STAs discussed similar systems during the study interviews, noting that these approaches are easy to implement, may be commercially available, and provide immediate benefits over traditional methods. Geospatially Collected and Reported Asset Conditions Another use of mobile IT devices in asset management is to collect and report conditions on the fly. A few of the agen- cies interviewed said that mobile IT devices helped them respond to weather events. One progressive application is Idaho DOT’s use of ATRs (automatic traffic recorders) to track snow and ice removal and quickly report conditions to the public through 511. IDOT has developed a mobility index based on the amount of snow and ice on the road. Conditions are measured by operations field personnel and uploaded to a control center, where managers decide not only how to react but what forces to use. The ATRs and technology-equipped trucks transfer information, including their current location and operations under way, through a system of drive-by syn- chronization stations. Operations managers can then call on trucks in the closest proximity or those that have the capacity to respond. In snow and ice events, efficiency and timeliness are essential, and this technology is giving IDOT additional tools to get the job done. Some STAs have used mobile IT devices to capture asset condition data into reports of their current asset needs and priorities. One example is the Kentucky Transportation Cab- inet, which is using multifunctional data collectors to collect and input information into its maintenance rating program. This approach eliminates the need to sketch maps or actions required by previous methods, and pavement condition eval- uations can be quickly reported and made available in GIS- enabled maps. In the past, once data were collected, three to four staff members would work for 3 weeks to compile pavement rating information into an executive-level report. Using mobile IT enables fewer staff members to compile the report in 1 week. Additional savings of at least an hour a day were noted in field collection.