Economic and Operational Impacts of Three-Dimensional Engineered Models and Automated Machine Guidance on Statewide Roadway Projects
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 28, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper investigates the economic and operational impacts of two advanced technology initiatives at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). A three-dimensional (3D) engineered model (3D-EM) and automated machine guidance (AMG) are the results of the agency’s push to take existing 3D design software and create fully detailed 3D computer models for all applicable projects, leading the way for AMG to reach a highly accurate on-the-ground implementation of the project design. Following a case study approach, this paper presents a method to quantify the costs and benefits of this endeavor using return on investment (ROI) and benefit/cost (B/C) ratio, and a method to estimate the odds of PASS (success) for a grade verification point (GVP) using odds and odds ratio. The ROI showed a return of around $23 for every $1 invested in enabling 3D-EMs creation and thus facilitating AMG use on projects for the period from 2014 to 2016. The odds and odds ratio showed that AMG-equipped machines are much more accurate than traditional machines depending on Stakes. The odds of PASS for a GVP in AMG projects are estimated to be 416 times the odds of PASS for a GVP in Stakes projects. The primary contribution of this paper is that it shows how the two investigated technologies, especially when working together, positively impact a state DOT (in this case ODOT) economically and operationally throughout the construction phase of projects.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Oregon Department of Transportation, under Project 30530-16-14. The authors acknowledge the contribution of Rime Elatlassi and Siqi Wang in part of the data collection tasks for the study.
Disclaimer
This paper was written at the discretion of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the Oregon Department of Transportation. The State of Oregon assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof.
References
Barret, L. 2008. “Automated machine guidance: An emerging technology whose has come?” In Proc., Transportation Research Board 87th Annual Meeting. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). 2013. Automated machine guidance with use of 3D models. Washington, DC: FHWA.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). 2015. “3D engineered models for construction.” Accessed April 28, 2016. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc-2/3d.cfm#top.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). 2016. “3D engineered models: Schedule, cost and post-construction.” Accessed April 28, 2016. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/pdfs/factsheets/edc/edc-3_factsheet_3d_engineered_models.pdf.
Jahanger, Q. K., J. Louis, and D. Trejo. 2022. “Implementation framework to facilitate digitalization of construction-phase information management by project owners.” J. Inf. Technol. Construct. 27 (26): 529–547. https://doi.org/10.36680/j.itcon.2022.026.
Jahanger, Q. K., J. Louis, D. Trejo, and C. Pestana. 2021. “Potential influencing factors related to digitalization of construction-phase information management by project owners.” J. Manage. Eng. 37 (3): 04021010. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000903.
Jonasson, S., P. S. Dunston, K. Ahmed, and J. Hamilton. 2002. “Factors in productivity and unit cost for advanced machine guidance.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage. 128 (5): 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2002)128:5(367).
Maier, F., L. E. Chummers, S. Pulikanti, J. Q. Struthers, D. J. Mallela, and R. H. Morgan. 2017. Utilizing 3D digital design data in highway construction—Case studies. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Martin, M. A., Q. K. Jahanger, G. Zimmerman, A. Hadziomerspahic, D. N. Sillars, E. H. Ng, and J. Calvo-Amodio. 2020. “Case study: Economic analysis of statewide roadway 3D mapping using mobile LiDAR.” J. Transp. Eng. Part A: Syst. 146 (7): 05020004. https://doi.org/10.1061/JTEPBS.0000377.
ODOT (Oregon DOT). 2017. US 20 pioneer mountain to Eddyville project (US 20 PME: UPRR to Eddyville). Salem, OR: ODOT.
Ramsey, F. L., and D. W. Schafer. 2013. The statistical Sleuth: A course in methods of data analysis. Boston: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
Schneider, C. 2013. “3D, 4D, and 5D engineering models for construction.” Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/pubs/hif13048.pdf.
Sillars, D. N., E. H. Ng, J. Calvo-Amodio, S. Capalbo, M. Martin, Q. K. Jahanger, G. Zimmerman, A. Hadziomerspahic, S. Wang, and R. Elatlasi. 2017. Advanced technology: Return on investment at the Oregon department of transportation. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State Univ.
Simonovski, V. F., and C. Schexnayder. 2015. “Solving critical lifts utilizing 3D modeling software.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. 20 (3): 04014036. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000237.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 28 • Issue 3 • August 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 24, 2022
Accepted: Feb 19, 2023
Published online: May 27, 2023
Published in print: Aug 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Oct 27, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Automation and robotics
- Business management
- Computer models
- Construction engineering
- Construction equipment
- Construction management
- Economic factors
- Engineering fundamentals
- Equipment and machinery
- Highway and road management
- Highway transportation
- Highways and roads
- Infrastructure
- Model accuracy
- Models (by type)
- Practice and Profession
- Project management
- Systems engineering
- Three-dimensional models
- Transportation engineering
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.