Safe and Lean Location-based Construction Scheduling

Based on case studies within the construction industry, the application of location-based construction scheduling and utilizing software-based rule checking has delivered promising research results. We first explain a path on how the lessons from existing work practices can be used in digitalizing construction processes. This includes the objective of describing how the digital transformation of construction drawings and work break down structures lead to safe and lean work environments that crews ? according to occupational laws and regulations ? should face. To achieve this objective, we present our ongoing work towards a unifying formal (logic-based) domain model that consists of: (1) a semantically rich ontology of construction schedules, work breakdown structures, and safety concepts; (2) rules for undertaking construction activities that avoid unsafe and wasteful situations. This paper displays the case study of a newly built fire station for validation of the developed prototype. This experience illustrates that safe and lean allocation of work crews can be planned before construction starts. The outlook presents it's potential in future applications in the construction industry, e.g. resource allocation, as well as in research, e.g. automated work progress tracking by comparing actual vs. planned data.