Digital-physical integration for MEP-structural clash coordination using path planning and AR navigation

Abstract

In current construction practice, MEP-structural clash coordination remains a critical efficiency problem, where BIM-based detection methods suffer from excessive irrelevant clashes and inadequate management, particularly in complex intersection areas. This paper proposes a clash coordination system that integrates path planning with augmented reality (AR) navigation to optimize MEP-structural clash coordination in construction. The proposed system includes three parts: Lee and Kim (2014) (1) A* and genetic algorithm (GA) path optimization with multi-criteria constraints (i.e., path length, clash priority, and turning costs), Pärn et al. (2018) (2) AR-guided worker navigation using ORB-SLAM3 tracking, and (Akhmetzhanova et al., 2022 (3)) a synchronized digital-physical system connecting mobile application with AR HMD application. Experimental validation at a 1930.54 m2 construction site demonstrated a 51.0 % shorter coordination distance and 63.89 % faster coordination time compared to the conventional MEP visualization-only approach. Overall, these results demonstrate that the proposed system can enhance MEP-structural clash coordination efficiency through digital-physical task linkage, priority-based sequencing, and integrated collaboration between on-site and off-site teams.