Survey of construction metrology options for AEC industry

Techniques for measuring distances, relative heights, and angles have improved significantly during the last decades. Some of these techniques can be used in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry to improve the precision of measurements being made currently using traditional equipment. Other techniques can be used to record information that could not be obtained practically using the traditional equipment. Cost comparisons are made for different scenarios to show that the substantial initial cost of the new hardware can be compensated for by lower labor cost and shorter duration. This paper also points out some of the salient features of the new metrology options. For example, locating the three-dimensional coordinates of a point is necessary for robotic control. In this case, new equipment must be used if the traditional equipment cannot obtain the coordinates at a rate that is useful to control the movement of the robot.