Computer Vision: where to look in engineering management

Where the senses fail, reason must intervene…

— Galileo Galilei

As different branches of development related to artificial intelligence (AI) emerged, so did new management tools in engineering. One of the earliest and most widely used is Computer Vision, which is being broadly applied in countries such as China for facial recognition of the population, or the United States, where autonomous vehicles are dominating the market with brands like Tesla.

Within civil engineering, ways to incorporate this technology have also been under investigation, given that construction is an industry worth around 11.4 trillion US dollars worldwide, according to data from the consultancy GlobalData.

It is inevitable that AI will expand into every field and every area of development. Computer vision adds significant value to the quality and efficiency of construction supervision, since a set of cameras installed on site allows the work to be tracked — particularly when combined with a hub of BIM (Building Information Modeling) files.

The process is as follows: the cameras installed on site capture images of construction progress, which are then analyzed through object-recognition AI algorithms via computer vision. Once processed, these can compare what has been built against what was designed in the 3D BIM models.

In addition, it becomes possible to track the number of people, vehicles, and the type and quantity of material entering the site, storing all of it in databases that can be analyzed for management purposes and corporate reporting.

The process is genuinely simple now that the technology is developed, and there are companies already offering these services. The cost? The cost will come down as demand for these technologies grows.

Construction project management has historically been a challenge, given the complexity inherent in coordinating human resources, materials and machinery. Traditionally, progress reports relied on manual inspections and periodic measurements, which often resulted in subjective reporting and delays in decision-making. With the arrival of computer vision, a new horizon of possibilities opens for construction management, enabling real-time supervision and data-driven decisions.

Objectives

• Monitoring progress and compliance with plans
• Detecting problems and quality deviations
• Improving safety in the workplace

Advantages

• Greater precision and transparency
• Resource optimization
• Improved safety

Disadvantages

• Initial investment
• Complex integration
• Personnel training

Conclusions

As the technology continues to improve and companies refine their applications, we can expect a significant increase in efficiency, precision and profitability in the construction sector.

In conclusion, computer vision is not only transforming the way we carry out construction project management — it is also redefining standards of excellence in the industry. Companies that adopt these emerging technologies will be better positioned to face current and future challenges, delivering construction projects more efficiently, safely and profitably.