A Framework for Real-Time Construction Project Progress Tracking

A construction project begins with a work plan that includes a budget, a schedule, and an engineered approach designed to complete the project in the most effective manner. Effective project management requires controlling all aspects of a construction project: quality and quantity of work, costs, and schedules to guarantee the success of the project. Performance monitoring of the entire construction project is crucial. One way of measuring overall performance is by using an aggregate performance measure called Earned Value. Earned value is used to measure cost and schedule performance against a baseline plan. All work is planned, budgeted, and scheduled in time phased planned value increments constituting a cost and a schedule measurement baseline. Earned Value is mainly used to monitor the progress of work and compare accomplished work with planned work. A proposed new model based on wireless communications technologies, to track the progress of percentage completed in a construction project is being investigated in this paper. The model is based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system. It will greatly increase productivity and efficiency, reduce labor hours and time required for tracking, and give more accurate result in estimation. This new technology includes an automated system of reading RFID tags placed on items that send out either a tracking number, or other information for that item, directly to the reader. Keeping track of the material used on site, based on the estimated quantity will permit making a better estimate of the amount of work done on a construction site.