Latest VR and AR Applications in Architecture and Construction: Research-Based Case Studies

As VR and AR devices grow more diverse and more affordable, they are expected to find use across a wide range of situations in architecture and civil engineering. In this article, we take a comprehensive look at how VR and AR are being put to work, drawing on the latest research and commercial services.

What Are VR and AR?

Defining VR and AR

VR and AR can be defined as follows (X. Li et al., 2018):

• VR (virtual reality) generates an immersive environment.

• AR (augmented reality) integrates images of virtual objects into the real world.

A Brief History of VR and AR

The concept of VR first emerged in the 1960s, when the earliest immersive human–computer interaction (HCI) mock-up, dubbed the "Man-Machine Graphical Communication System," was invented (X. Li et al., 2018). The term "virtual reality" itself was formally introduced in 1989. More recently, cloud VR/AR solutions have appeared that build on fifth-generation (5G) networks and edge-cloud technology to accelerate VR/AR applications and enhance the user experience (Pan & Zhang, 2021).

Types of VR and AR

• Desktop VR: VR that uses an ordinary computer monitor as the platform for hosting virtual activities. Desktop VR displays a 3D virtual world on the desktop screen without any tracking equipment.

• Immersive VR: VR that uses specialized hardware such as head-mounted displays (HMDs) and sensor gloves to cut users off from the physical world and place them in a fully immersive environment.

• 3D game-based VR: VR built on 3D gaming technology designed to heighten user interaction, enabling game-like experiences that integrate video, interactive, networking, and multi-user operation technologies.

• BIM-enabled VR: VR that places greater emphasis on linking the underlying data than the other VR categories, making it possible to simulate construction processes and tasks based on a BIM model.

Off-the-Shelf VR and AR Devices

The figure below lists the main VR/AR systems and their providers.

Benefits of VR and AR in Architecture and Civil Engineering

The benefits of VR and AR in architecture and civil engineering can be grouped by stakeholder—clients, construction companies, and workers—as follows.

• From the client's perspective

• A deeper understanding of the project (Pan & Zhang, 2021)

• From the construction company's perspective

  • Easier inspection, management, and progress evaluation (Pan & Zhang, 2021)

  • VR and AR can be used to simulate hazardous construction scenarios, helping managers readily recognize the underlying hazards and problems in the work environment and formulate sound plans and countermeasures before accidents occur, in a visual and interactive way (X. Li et al., 2018).

  • By integrating cloud VR/AR with BIM, the physical context of construction activities can be visualized and users immersed in the real environment, which makes the complex interdependencies between tasks clearer, reduces avoidable errors, and simplifies on-site assembly (X. Wang et al., 2013, 2014).

• From the worker's perspective

  • Better training (Pan & Zhang, 2021; P. Wang et al., 2018)

Use Cases of VR and AR in Architecture and Civil Engineering

This section describes how VR and AR have been used in architecture and civil engineering. We break the field down into three phases—planning and design, construction, and operation and maintenance—and look at each in turn.

Planning and Design

• Architectural and Urban Design

  • In architectural design, used to enhance design graphics, verify models, and model objects (Zhou et al., 2012)

  • Demonstrated the use of BIM-based games in the architectural design process, allowing users to review the model from both first-person and third-person perspectives (Yan et al., 2011)

• Risk Assessment

  • Using a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE), users rated risk levels higher and identified more hazards than users who reviewed photographs and documents (Perlman et al., 2014)

• Structural Analysis

  • Used 3D representations of structures, including animated processes showing stress and strain, to support students learning structural analysis (Young et al., 2012)

• Client Interviews

  • Used in studies that quantify participants' responses through interviews, questionnaires, and Likert scales (Salinas et al., 2022)

Construction

• Education and Training

  • A system (MVSTS) for training workers in tower crane dismantling procedures; post-training questionnaires showed that this method outperformed conventional training approaches (H. Li et al., 2012)

• Safety Inspection and Guidance

  • AR-Based Building Assessment

  • Building inspectors used AR to rapidly assess and quantify structural damage sustained in seismic events such as earthquakes and blasts (Dong et al., 2013)

• Measuring Biometric Data

  • Measured heart rate while participants performed work at heights in an immersive VR environment (Jeon & Cai, 2021)

Operation and Maintenance

• Structural Health Monitoring

  • Data management and visualization for structural inspection monitoring using BIM together with virtual and augmented reality

  • Used in surveys for heritage and archaeology (Remondino & Campana, 2014)

Conclusion

In this article, we have organized VR and AR use cases in architecture and civil engineering across three phases: planning and design, construction, and operation and maintenance. VR and AR are expected to continue developing rapidly and to be adopted in an ever-wider range of settings.

References

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• Jeon, J., & Cai, H. (2021). Classification of construction hazard-related perceptions using: Wearable electroencephalogram and virtual reality. Automation in Construction, 132, 103975.

• Li, H., Chan, G., & Skitmore, M. (2012). Multiuser virtual safety training system for tower crane dismantlement. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 26(5), 638–647.

• Li, X., Yi, W., Chi, H.-L., Wang, X., & Chan, A. P. C. (2018). A critical review of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) applications in construction safety. Automation in Construction, 86, 150–162.

• Pan, Y., & Zhang, L. (2021). Roles of artificial intelligence in construction engineering and management: A critical review and future trends. Automation in Construction, 122, 103517.

• Perlman, A., Sacks, R., & Barak, R. (2014). Hazard recognition and risk perception in construction. Safety Science, 64, 22–31.

• Remondino, F., & Campana, S. (2014). 3D Recording and Modelling in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage: Theory and Best Practices. Archaeopress.

• Salinas, D., Muñoz-La Rivera, F., & Mora-Serrano, J. (2022). Critical Analysis of the Evaluation Methods of Extended Reality (XR) Experiences for Construction Safety. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215272

• Wang, P., Wu, P., Wang, J., Chi, H.-L., & Wang, X. (2018). A Critical Review of the Use of Virtual Reality in Construction Engineering Education and Training. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061204

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