Real-time Visualization of Crane Lifting Operation in Virtual Reality

In the construction domain, previous efforts in utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) mainly focused on training and education, pre-planning, and simulation. The understanding of their benefits in real-time applications during the construction phase is scarce. This research presents an approach to leverage VR for real-time sensor data visualization for the monitoring of equipment operations. Two critical components in this approach, 1) equipment motion visualization and 2) workspace condition visualization, are explained in detail. The effectiveness of the proposed real-time visualization approach is presented by a case study of crane lifting operations. The pipeline for developing real-time crane operation visualization is presented by the steps of sensor data visualization, point cloud processing and visualization, and the design of a graphical user interface. Results of a field test show that with the proposed approach, crane motion and workspace condition can be effectively visualized in real-time during the lifting operation, which has a positive impact on supporting timely decisionmaking of crane operators.