Interactive navigation with VR in substation construction

Sammanfattning

Background The construction industry has long experienced low productivity growth compared to other sectors, partly due to limited digitalization. Several reports highlight the potential of digital technologies such as BIM, AR, and VR to improve efficiency, planning, and communication in construction projects. VR technology can be especially beneficial during the design and production phases by enhancing visualization, simulation, and understanding of complex components. However, current VR workflows are often inefficient, requiring extensive manual work to integrate BIM data with game engines. A lack of smooth metadata integration presents a barrier to broader industry adoption. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how VR technology can improve the understanding, navigation, and use of detailed models in both the design and production phases. The focus is on finding simple methods for linking detailed drawings to a VR-model without requiring extensive programming. Method The study was initiated with a literature review to define the research problem and scope, using database searches and snowball sampling. This was followed by interviews with industry professionals and a mapping of the company’s current processes. For the prototype development, the Unreal Engine game engine was used to import an IFC model and connect it to detailed drawings via interactive menus. Evaluation and iteration of the prototype were conducted continuously in collaboration with the company and based on feedback from interview participants, with the goal of creating a useful VR solution for both planning and production. Results/Conclusions The study shows that VR technology has strong potential to enhance understanding, communication, and training in construction projects, particularly in early phases. The developed solution functions technically but involves many manual steps, which limits its practical use. Broader implementation requires more automated and user-friendly systems for linking drawings to models. VR is seen as most valuable for planning and education, but less relevant in daily on-site production tasks.