A Web-Based GIS Tool for Progress Monitoring of Linear Construction Projects

Efficient project monitoring is a key to a project's success. Linear construction projects span across large distances and require similar activities to be carried out repeatedly over multiple small segments for project completion. Thus, monitoring their progress becomes challenging. This is a matter of concern since proper progress monitoring can aid in efficient utilization and distribution of project resources. Existing methods of monitoring are either time-consuming, expensive, or require significant human efforts. GIS has been used for monitoring linear projects, but the use has been limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential of using GIS for collecting and visualizing data for enhanced progress monitoring of linear projects. For this purpose, this study proposes a process incorporating GIS and various open-source platforms in the form of a figure. The open-source platforms used are Open Data Kit (ODK) tools, PostgreSQL (and its PostGIS extension), and different JavaScript libraries. The development and illustration of a Web-based GIS tool for progress monitoring of linear projects are the main objectives of the study. Visualization and quantification of project progress using this tool would result in time and cost savings due to reduction in manual efforts expended, manual errors in processing data, and time taken for the process. The developed tool would make progress monitoring easier, faster, and more efficient since site data can be recorded even in the absence of the internet and processed later.