The Future of the Civil Engineering Industry and the Role of AR + RTK

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In the future of the civil engineering industry, the combination of AR and RTK is expected to make a significant contribution to solving various challenges on job sites. First, let’s outline the current challenges faced in construction management and surveying.

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• Labor Shortages and Knowledge Transfer:While the aging of experienced workers is advancing, there is a serious shortage of younger workers. As the number of individuals able to inherit the knowledge of seasoned professionals decreases, there are concerns about the growing reliance on specific individuals and a decline in efficiency.​

• Limits to Surveying and Construction Precision:Manual staking and surveying make it difficult to achieve millimeter-level accuracy, and even minor surveying errors can lead to rework or defects in structures. Currently, much of the process still relies on surveying equipment and human judgment, making it challenging to ensure complete accuracy.​

• Challenges in Information Sharing and Communication:It is not easy to visualize design drawings and construction plans in 3D in one’s mind, which can lead to delays in reaching agreement among stakeholders with different perspectives, such as clients, local residents, and workers. Many clients express the concern that "we won’t know until it’s finished," and misunderstandings during construction often result in rework.

​In response to these challenges, AR + RTK technology will play the following roles on future job sites:

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1. Automated Construction and Machine Guidance:With the increasing use of construction machinery equipped with high-precision RTK, an era where construction is carried out through automatic control based on 3D design data is approaching. During this process, site managers will be able to monitor and direct heavy machinery movements in real-time through AR glasses or tablets. Virtual guide lines or excavation areas can be projected onto the site, offering intuitive instructions to machinery operators. As a result, robot-assisted construction will enable high-quality work even with labor shortages.

2. Remote Construction Management:Construction managers will no longer need to be physically present on-site. Instead, design information can be overlaid onto the live video feed from workers equipped with AR devices, allowing managers to give instructions from the head office or remote locations. For example, real-time arrows or annotations can be displayed in AR on the video the worker is seeing, enabling remote site supervision where experienced technicians provide support. This will allow less experienced workers to carry out tasks accurately, optimizing the use of skilled technicians and contributing to workforce development.

3. Real-Time Surveying and Immediate Feedback:The integration of real-time 3D scanning of the site by drones or pedestrians with precise RTK positioning will enable continuous as-built measurement during construction. For example, during construction, the progress can be regularly compared with the completed model in AR, and any discrepancies can be detected and corrected immediately, enabling real-time as-built management. This eliminates the inefficiency of "measuring and finding a discrepancy later, requiring rework," and ensures that the quality remains consistent with the original plan.

When envisioning the future, it is clear that AR + RTK technology is not just a gadget, but a key to transforming the entire civil construction workflow. In fact, systems combining GNSS and AR have already emerged abroad and are being used for pre- and post-construction verification, as well as for checking underground utilities. In Japan, similar practical examples are already underway, signaling the beginning of a new era in construction.
 

Current Practical Use Cases

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Even though AR + RTK is considered cutting-edge technology, its use has already begun. Here are some concrete examples of how it is currently being applied on civil engineering sites.

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Improving Construction Management Efficiency: On-Site Visualization and Quality Checks

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The use of AR for progress and quality management on construction sites is increasing. For example, a major general contractor has developed an automated quality inspection system that combines BIM data with AR, allowing the quality of concrete placement and other aspects of the construction process to be checked with just a tablet. This has significantly sped up what was once a labor- and time-intensive process, while also improving inspection accuracy.

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Additionally, systems that combine real-time site footage with BIM models of buildings are now in use. Site supervisors can overlay 3D models of the completed structure onto the actual site through a tablet, allowing them to immediately check if the rebar and formwork are placed according to the design. Compared to traditional methods of comparing drawings to the physical site, the AR-based verification process is more intuitive and makes it harder to miss errors. Furthermore, when combined with RTK positioning data, the accuracy of the AR display is guaranteed, ensuring that the construction is aligned with the design with high reliability.

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Another notable point in improving construction management efficiency is the application of AR in safety management. For example, if workers wear AR glasses, hazardous areas or no-entry zones could be marked in their field of view with red lines or polygons. With the precise location data provided by RTK, dangerous areas can be marked with no more than a few centimeters of error, helping reduce near-miss incidents. The future of construction management includes site supervisors being able to overview the entire site through an AR map, simultaneously checking safety and progress.

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Improving Surveying Accuracy: Smart Surveying and Point-Cloud Data Utilization

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Traditionally, earthwork measurements required a total station and additional personnel, but with AR apps, a single person can complete the task using just a smartphone.

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However, GPS accuracy with a standard smartphone is typically off by several meters, making it impossible to obtain precise coordinates. When RTK correction is added, smartphone-based surveying can achieve practical-level accuracy. For example, Lefixea's LRTK combines LiDAR scanning on a smartphone with VRS-RTK correction to successfully apply high-precision global coordinates to all the obtained point-cloud data. This eliminates the need for manual point-cloud alignment after scanning and allows the 3D data collected on-site to be immediately overlaid and compared with the design model.

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Similarly, using RTK-enabled AR surveying devices, the location of any point measured on-site can be determined in real time within the design coordinate system. This method, which simultaneously improves surveying accuracy and operational efficiency, is expected to become the standard in the future.

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Furthermore, the scope of using survey results has expanded. By sharing high-precision point-cloud and survey data in the cloud, even remote offices can instantly grasp the terrain and as-built conditions. There are also efforts underway to automatically generate as-built or cross-sectional drawings from data collected on-site and provide feedback for construction management. The shift from “measure and finish” to “measure and immediately use” is transforming the way surveying is done, with AR and RTK driving this change.

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Streamlining Consensus Building Between Clients and Contractors: Information Sharing through Visualization

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AR + RTK technology is highly effective in facilitating consensus building between clients and local residents. In civil engineering projects, it is crucial to help stakeholders understand the final design, but it is often difficult to convey this with just drawings or renderings (perspectives). This is why projecting the completed design onto the actual site from the planning stage using AR, and having all stakeholders review it together, is gaining attention.

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For example, during a pre-construction briefing for a road widening project, imagine holding up a smartphone or tablet to display a 3D model of the completed road or bridge on the actual landscape. Viewers would no longer need to imagine the final result in their minds; they would be able to intuitively understand it on the spot.

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The high-precision AR system from Lefixea, LRTK, allows 3D models to be overlaid onto real-world visuals via a smartphone, making complex design data easily understandable for everyone. Using this tool significantly smooths the process of design verification before construction and progress sharing during construction. For clients, this reduces concerns such as "the finished product is not what I imagined," and for contractors, it makes it easier to reach pre-agreed terms.

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Additionally, AR can be used to visualize the location of underground utilities, aiding in consensus building. For example, a major construction company has developed a system to visualize underground utilities on a tablet, allowing clients and contractors to share potential risk areas in advance.

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This enables everyone to be aware of issues such as "there’s an old water pipe here, so let’s be cautious," allowing for quick agreement on safety measures and construction methods. With AR enhanced by RTK for higher positioning accuracy, discrepancies in the location of buried utilities can be minimized. By reviewing the site together with all stakeholders before excavation, potential issues like "I wasn't informed" can be prevented, helping to build trust.

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In this way, AR-based visualization and RTK-enhanced precision directly contribute to smoother communication. The shift from paper drawings to real-world AR views in civil projects is transforming the consensus-building process itself.

Introducing LRTK:

The Only Tool That Requires No Coordinate Alignment On-Site and Makes AR Easy for Everyone

The combination of AR and RTK technology is set to support the future of civil engineering, and there is already a pioneering tool in this field—LRTK, provided by Lefixea, a startup from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. LRTK is a groundbreaking system that integrates a compact RTK-GNSS receiver with smartphones and tablets, enabling high-precision positioning and AR functionality. With this device on-site, you can project 3D models directly to their correct location without the need for complex coordinate alignment.

Previously, using AR on-site required setting up markers or manually aligning known points, but with LRTK, design data and coordinates are automatically synchronized. This means that by simply visiting the site and launching the app, the model is projected exactly at the correct position.

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The LRTK device is pocket-sized and attaches to an iPhone via a special cover. Weighing only about 125g, this small device serves as a versatile tool, combining a surveying instrument, camera, and AR display into one. The developers aimed to create a tool that could be carried at all times, easily used by anyone, and be ready whenever needed. With the dedicated app, users can obtain high-precision location data with a single press of the positioning button and can even place AR markers or virtual piles at distant locations. For example, by specifying the coordinates for where a pile should be driven, a virtual pile can be displayed in AR to mark the exact position. Even on steep slopes where surveying was previously difficult due to poor footing, using AR piles allows users to identify pile locations from safe spots, making new construction methods feasible.

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Moreover, LRTK enables the immediate sharing of data collected on-site via cloud integration. The coordinates of surveyed points are uploaded to the cloud and can be instantly accessed on office PCs. This allows for centralized management of data from multiple sites and makes the accumulation and use of surveying data more efficient. As a tool for "visualizing" the future of construction sites, LRTK has the potential to become a key player in the civil engineering industry moving forward.

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Currently, LRTK is the only tool that combines the features of "no on-site coordinate alignment required" and "easy AR use for anyone." While other systems require specialized equipment and advanced skills, LRTK can be implemented immediately as long as you are familiar with using a smartphone. With its widespread adoption, it may soon be possible to manage construction sites without paper drawings or measuring tapes. The future of civil engineering, driven by high-precision RTK and AR, is already on the horizon. As a first step, why not introduce LRTK on your site and experience the next generation of construction management?