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1Â Â Technology solutions are in no short supply for state departments of transportation (DOTs) across the United States. With advancements in geospatial accuracy, cost reduction for technology components, and a need for effective staff utilization, a wealth of products and systems are becoming attractive options. These technologies and systems have been broadly referred to as advanced digital construction (ADC) systems. However, these are not strictly focused on technology used in the construction phase of highway projects. They also include technologies and systems that can support planning, design, maintenance, and asset management. With this flood of solutions comes a need to document successes and learn from issues, which this National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) synthesis seeks to accomplish. The objective of this synthesis is to document the use of ADC management systems and technologies by state DOTs in the delivery of highway projects. An electronic survey was created and distributed to voting DOT members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Construction (COC). A total of 42 responses were received across 51 DOTs, providing an 82% response rate. Subsequent case example interviews were conducted with five state DOTs to gather additional details. Results from the study showed programmatic and advanced use of technologies, such as electronic bidding, electronic construction document management systems (e.g., bidding and letting documents), mobile devices for inspection and acceptance, and construction administration software (e.g., AASHTOWare Project Construction & Materials). All of these technologies had at least one DOT note use for more than a decade. Technologies such as augmented reality (AR), digital as-builts, reality capture, intelligent compaction (IC), thermal profiling (IR), and 5G/small cell have seen mainly basic use at the pilot level. Electronic bidding was the technology most automated and integrated into the DOTs existing systemsâ9 DOTs out of 34 noted use. Compounding that issue, only five DOTs noted the existence of a strategic data-management approach or plan. Numerous benefits of ADC technologies and systems were noted; however, there was a disconnect between benefits that are perceived compared to benefits that have been quantified or realized. For instance, cost savings, reduced delays, reduced change orders, and reduced claimsâ 73%, 59%, 58%, and 53% of respondents, respectivelyâwere all highly noted as perceived benefits, but few DOTs said that they have actually quantified those benefitsâ14%, 5%, 6%, and 8% of respondents, respectively. Numerous challenges to ADC use were also noted by survey respondents; the most frequently noted were high cost for hardware and soft- S U M M A R Y Technological Capabilities of Departments of Transportation for Digital Project Management and Delivery
2 Technological Capabilities of Departments of Transportation for Digital Project Management and Delivery ware, insufficient knowledge or training for office staff, insufficient knowledge or training for inspectors, and inadequacy of information technology (IT) infrastructureâ23, 22, 22, and 22 responses, respectively. Despite the absence of quantified benefits, as well as noted challenges to ADC use, there was not a single DOT that stated their experiences have resulted in no performance improvement. Further, survey respondents stated that their use of 15 of the 16 ADC technologies or systems would expand or increase from current levels of use.
