Blockchain-Based Onsite Activity Management for Smart Construction Process Quality Traceability

Abstract

Onsite construction activities (OCAs) are essential components affecting construction process quality. Tracing OCAs can control the construction process with high-resolution visibility, help stakeholders demonstrate their compliance with regulations, and reduce interorganizational quality disputes. Traditional technologies cannot meet the information recording demands for traceability, namely, immutability, transparency, and auditability. This work introduces a novel framework for the traceability of OCAs based on computer vision and blockchain technologies. First, cutting-edge deep learning algorithms are introduced to automatically extract OCA information from far-field surveillance videos. Second, a consortium blockchain system is built to record the identified OCA information and the hash value of the raw data for future review. Finally, a case of a high-rise office construction project is used to test and verify the feasibility of the framework, in which a blockchain prototype is developed based on a Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) platform, termly, PolyChain. The experimental results show that the BaaS-based prototype is an effective system architecture with good throughput and latency and can ensure the authenticity and transparency of OCA information for traceability demands.