Information Modelling on Mechanized Earthworks

Mechanized earthworks for post-disaster reconstruction largely forks into unmanned construction at hazardous working sites and manned one at less hazardous sites. In order to avoid secondary disasters, it is significant and required to compensate operator’s realistic sensation in order to enhance spatial awareness in the mechanized earthworks. The mechanized earthworks consist of a series of discrete works, which are sometimes independently and at other time interactively performed by different workers and managed by small and medium contractors. Generally, a variety of construction machines made by different manufactures are used there. On the other hand, diverse machine guidance systems come from different vendors. Most of them are self-contained and constitute an independent unit in and of itself. Here, are demanded inexpensive and easy-to-use software systems with sensors capable of easily mounting and demounting. The software systems of those should be not embedded in specific construction machines but available to multiple ones. To overcoming problems like those, our primary efforts target on fabricating information modelling system for mechanized earthworks by utilizing open source software. The information modelling here means a process involving acquisition of field data and feedback of relevant digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of works in progress. This paper presents framework of field data acquisition and exploratory spatio-temporal visualizations, enhancement of spatial awareness, enhancement of communication, and conclusions with a discussion of the contributions included in this paper. Finally, some open problems are also pointed out.