Leveraging GIS in Construction for Risk Avoidance and Mitigation
Infrastructure construction projects pose a significant risk for project owners and stakeholders. The complexity of these projects increases the likelihood of unforeseen events, which can result in costly delays, injuries, and even fatalities. However, technology has made it possible to mitigate and even avoid these risks entirely by leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data for planning and asset management.
Using GIS in construction offers a number of risk-mitigating benefits to owners, project managers, and their clients. By incorporating construction data into GIS processes, organizations can even stop problems in their tracks before they snowball into larger issues.
How? GIS enables project owners and stakeholders to visualize, interpret, and analyze data in real-time. This access to real-time information allows them to make informed decisions that can help avoid potential risks before they occur or mitigate them quickly with a quick share to a key collaborator. Here are some examples of how GIS can contribute to risk avoidance and mitigation in construction projects:
1. Site Selection Analysis with GIS
GIS can be used by site engineers to analyze various factors such as topography, soil type, water sources, access, and zoning regulations. This land use information can help project owners and stakeholders select the most suitable site for a construction project, reducing the risk of encountering unforeseen challenges during the construction process.
For example, GIS data can help a team assess what the traffic is like in an area and how that would impact the safety of materials deliveries.
2. Hazard Mapping with GIS
GIS can be used to map potential hazards such as geological faults, flood-prone areas, and landslide zones. This information can be used to design and implement mitigation measures such as retaining walls, drainage systems, and protective barriers to ensure the safety of the workforce and the project.
For example, GIS data can help you identify areas prone to landslides or flooding, allowing you to adjust your construction plans accordingly. Additionally, GIS data can provide real-time information about weather patterns, allowing you to adjust your construction schedule to avoid potential delays or safety hazards.
3. GIS-Powered Asset Management
GIS can be used to manage construction assets such as equipment, materials, and vehicles. This information can be used to track their movement, location, and condition, reducing the risk of theft, loss, or damage. It can also help ensure that the right equipment and materials are available at the right time and place, reducing the risk of delay and cost overruns.
Digitally tracking construction assets can vastly reduce risk to personnel on a job site. Material deliveries can cause injuries on hectic job sites when field personnel are attempting to capture paper ticket information. Thanks to evolutions in the e-Ticketing field, that information can be captured electronically with location information and incorporated into GIS-powered asset management platforms.
4. Real-time Monitoring with GIS
GIS can be used to monitor construction activities in real-time, enabling project owners and stakeholders to detect issues early and take corrective action promptly. This can help avoid costly delays, rework, and safety incidents.
Real-time job site data is one of the most valuable benefits of incorporating GIS on construction projects. Take it from the City of Muscatine, a municipality that recently piloted a GIS integration between Esri’s ArcGIS functionality and Appia, a construction administration platform that helps teams organize project data. Now, whether it’s a citizen looking for an update on a project timeline or someone in the local government checking on the budget, information is easy for anyone to access.
“Most of the time people ask about the budget and the schedule. How far are we into it? Are we under budget? All of that information is readily available,” said Yerington.
Prior to leveraging the GIS integration, the project management team would host biweekly meetings to pull together a summary of project progress, which took time out of inspectors’ days. With Appia, all stakeholders have access to a dashboard they can check at anytime without waiting for a summary report.
In conclusion, by leveraging GIS data, construction project owners and stakeholders can minimize risks and ensure the success of their projects. GIS provides an essential tool for visualizing, analyzing, and managing complex data related to construction projects. With the help of GIS, project owners and stakeholders can make informed decisions and take proactive measures to avoid and mitigate risks.
Incorporating GIS into your construction management process
Are you interested in learning more about using GIS in construction management practices? Infotech has partnered with Esri, the global leader in ArcGIS technology, to offer a comprehensive solution for geo-enabling your construction project data. By capturing and visualizing construction data for project and asset management, organizations are empowered to make insight-driven decisions, supported by real location intelligence. Learn more about our Construction Data Visualization Extension here.