The renaissance of augmented reality in construction: history, present status and future directions

Purpose

Augmented reality (AR) has become one of the most promising technologies in construction since it can seamlessly connect the physical construction environment and virtual contents. In view of the recent research efforts, this study attempts to summarize the latest research achievements and inform future development of AR in construction.

Design/methodology/approach

The review was conducted in three steps. First, a keyword search was adopted, and 546 papers were found from Scopus and Web of Science. Second, each paper was screened based on the selection criteria, and a final set of 69 papers was obtained. Third, specific AR applications and the associated technical details were extracted from the 69 papers for further analysis.

Findings

The review shows that: (1) design assessment, process monitoring and maintenance management and operation were the most frequently cited AR applications in the design, construction, and operation stages, respectively; (2) information browser and tangible interaction were more frequently adopted than collaborative interaction and hybrid interaction; and (3) AR has been integrated with BIM, computer vision, and cloud computing for enhanced functions.

Originality/value

The contributions of this study to the body of knowledge are twofold. First, this study extends the understanding of AR applications in the construction setting. Second, this study identifies possible improvements in the design and development of AR systems in order to leverage their benefits to construction.