Improving Civil Engineering Productivity by 20% with ICT Construction! 5 Digital Technologies That Realize Efficiency

The civil engineering industry faces an urgent need to improve site efficiency and productivity against the backdrop of a severe labor shortage and the aging of skilled technicians. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has also set a target to improve construction site productivity by 20% by 2025 and is promoting ICT construction known as *i-Construction*. This article selects and introduces five digital technologies that are effective in improving civil engineering productivity by 20% through the use of ICT (information and communication technology). For each technology, we clearly explain its on-site applications, effects from implementation, usage tips, cautions at the time of introduction, and concrete examples as simply as possible. Whether you are a large general contractor, a small to mid-size construction company, a site supervisor, a construction management engineer, a municipal employee, or a surveying technician interested in improving construction efficiency, we hope you will find this useful.

1. Utilizing ICT Construction Equipment through 3D Design Data Integration

ICT construction equipment (smart machinery) refers to modern heavy equipment—such as bulldozers and excavators—equipped with GPS, sensors, and 3D design data, enabling high-precision construction via automatic control and monitor guidance. Tasks like grading and excavation that previously relied on an operator’s experience and intuition can now be carried out semi-automatically based on pre-created 3D design models. For example, when a hydraulic excavator is equipped with machine guidance (MG) or machine control (MC) functions, the monitor in the cab displays the design surface and the current bucket height, and automatically adjusts blade height as needed. As a result, batter board installation and intermediate elevation checks become unnecessary, allowing less experienced operators to achieve accuracy comparable to veterans.

Effects of implementation: Introducing ICT construction equipment dramatically improves productivity in earthworks. Because time spent on batter board setup and waiting for surveying is reduced, reports show that direct operating time of heavy machinery can be shortened by about 40%. There are also cases where heavy equipment work that previously required three people (one operator + two guides) was completed by a single person, reducing staffing by two-thirds. Efficiency gains from machine control can shorten overall construction periods by 20–30%, and a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism survey indicated that "the total work time from initial surveying to final inspection was reduced by an average of about 30%." Furthermore, precise automatic work by machinery reduces re-excavation and rework of fills, achieving the designed shape in one pass and cutting unnecessary rework. With reduced variability in quality, you can simultaneously achieve stable quality assurance and improved efficiency.

How to use and precautions: To use ICT construction equipment, the first step is to create the underlying 3D design data. Create a 3D model from design drawings and existing-condition survey data and load it into the machinery. Software and services for creating 3D data have become more widespread recently, lowering the barrier to data creation, and if in-house production is difficult, you can outsource to specialists. The purchase cost of ICT construction equipment itself is high, but national and local subsidies may be available. When introducing the technology for the first time, it is advisable to pilot it on large-scale earthwork projects where effects are expected to be high and then roll it out gradually while verifying ROI. Operator training is also important: initially receive manufacturer training or guidance from experienced ICT construction users to ensure smooth adoption on site. After implementation, work logs and as-built data are stored digitally, streamlining progress management and preparation of as-built verification documents.

Example: A mid-sized construction company introduced ICT equipment for earthwork in a road improvement project and achieved approximately 1.5 times the productivity of heavy equipment compared to previous methods, completing the schedule more than 10% ahead of plan. One operator could handle everything from staking to shaping, allowing other personnel to be allocated to parallel tasks and improving labor efficiency. As-built results were high-precision and uniform, and inspections required no corrective directives, demonstrating improved quality. In this way, ICT construction equipment has become a trump card directly linked to labor savings, schedule shortening, and quality stabilization and is increasingly used in many infrastructure projects.

2. High-accuracy Site Measurement Using Drone Surveying and 3D Point Cloud Processing

One of the quickest ways to improve efficiency in civil engineering is digitizing site measurement via drone surveying and laser scanners. Replacing conventional field surveys and as-built measurements performed by surveying technicians using total stations or levels with drones + cameras or terrestrial laser scanners greatly reduces labor. Photogrammetry with drones captures high-resolution aerial photos of an entire site, and software stitches many images together to generate 3D point cloud data (a collection of countless XYZ coordinate points). Laser scanners, whether ground-based or drone-mounted LiDAR, emit countless laser pulses and obtain precise point cloud data from reflected points. These digital measurement technologies allow you to create a digital replica of the site and structures.

Applications and effects: Drone and point cloud technologies can be applied to all surveying tasks. For pre-construction existing-condition surveys, they can capture terrain data quickly even for large reclaimed areas or forests. Tasks that formerly required several personnel and days to a week have been completed by a single operator in a flight of tens of minutes in some cases. Point clouds can comprise millions to tens of millions of points, providing a data density impossible to achieve manually, enabling later analysis of heights or cross-sections at arbitrary locations. They are also effective for progress quantity management—regular drone flights or laser measurements visualize earthwork volume changes and progress for schedule control. For as-built management, scanning the whole site after completion and overlaying the point cloud with design data allows planar understanding of finishing errors. For example, generating a difference heatmap between the design model and actual point cloud instantly highlights areas of excessive fill or insufficient excavation so corrective points can be identified immediately. Compared to traditional spot cross-section measurements taken manually, point cloud-based as-built management offers overwhelming speed and coverage for inspection while preventing missed measurements and mistakes.

Usage tips: When introducing drone surveying, compliance with aviation laws and regulations is essential. Flights over densely populated areas, night flights, or use of large drones may require notifications or permissions from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Since 2022, a licensing system for drone operation has also been implemented, and taking specialized courses supports safe operation. Data processing requires photogrammetry or point cloud processing software, and recent cloud services and user-friendly software make handling data possible even without deep expertise. Still, accuracy verification is indispensable: check errors against known control points and, if necessary, perform ground-based auxiliary surveying (GCPs: ground control points) to ensure reliability. Large point cloud datasets also demand high-performance PCs or cloud computing resources.

Implementation cautions: Consider the initial cost of digital surveying equipment: drones, high-performance cameras, and laser scanners often cost several million yen, which may be a burden for small and mid-size companies. However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and local governments have expanded subsidies for ICT construction adoption. You also don’t necessarily have to purchase equipment yourself; outsourcing to surveying firms to obtain drone survey data is an option. The important thing is to estimate how much time and labor savings digital surveying offers compared to conventional methods and to introduce it where cost-effectiveness is justified. Weather is another consideration: strong winds or rain prevent drone flights, so schedule measurements with buffer time and choose times with suitable weather.

Example: In experiments by the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, introducing drone photogrammetry at a dam construction site reduced the time to create existing terrain maps to less than one-fifth of the conventional time. A forested terrain survey that previously required a four-person survey team over five days was completed in half a day by one drone, and contour maps and cross-sections were generated automatically from the point cloud. At another road project, comparing pre- and post-construction point clouds automated the calculation of filled volumes, eliminating the need for manual calculations by staff. As a result, time spent preparing volume reports was substantially reduced and the preparation period before inspection shortened. These successful cases have led many public projects to adopt drone and 3D scanner measurements, realizing sites where "you don’t need to have people permanently assigned to surveying," thereby contributing to overall schedule shortening and labor savings.

3. Visualizing the Site with Cloud-based Construction Management Systems

Digitizing construction management tasks is essential to improve site efficiency. Many construction companies have recently adopted cloud-based construction management systems that centralize project information. By managing schedules, daily reports, as-built management sheets, cloud-sharing of drawings and photos, and even safety and cost control online in one place, significant efficiency gains are possible. When schedule, budget, and quality data that used to be managed individually by site managers with Excel or paper forms are centralized in a cloud system, the latest information is shared in real time among all stakeholders. For example, if progress is entered on a tablet at the site, headquarters or other locations can immediately understand the situation, preventing rework and oversights.

Effects of implementation: Here are some benefits of using a cloud construction management system:

• Improved planning through visible progress: Because each task’s progress is visible on the system, delays and risks can be detected early. One construction company reported that after implementing cloud schedule management, the ability to "visualize progress" allowed them to detect delays early and respond quickly, improving overall on-time completion rates. Managers overseeing multiple sites can view dashboards in parallel to manage resource allocation and support decisions accurately.

• Efficient information sharing: Drawings, construction plans, photos, and inspection records can be centralized in the cloud. This eliminates omissions in replacing documents with the latest versions and prevents knowledge gaps—anyone can access the latest drawings and forms from anywhere. When design changes occur on site, cloud sharing allows timely communication to distant subcontractors and workers, preventing mistakes caused by inconsistent understanding. Site supervisors who used to be overwhelmed by faxes and calls can use comment and notification features in the system to facilitate communication, reducing time spent on communications.

• Reduced paperwork: Daily reports, as-built management sheets, and safety documents can be digitized for automatic aggregation and automated reporting. If the accumulated on-site data can produce forms with one click, administrative work is greatly reduced. Especially for as-built and inspection reports, systems that automatically generate reports using 3D data and photos obtained via ICT construction are emerging, dramatically reducing time spent preparing inspection documents.

How to use and cautions: The key to successful adoption of a construction management system is to choose a tool that fits your site’s operational flow. Commercial cloud construction systems vary widely, from large integrated systems for major contractors to lightweight apps for small-to-mid-size sites. Identify your problems—"we want to strengthen schedule control," "we want to reduce paperwork"—and select services with matching features. Initial training for site staff is essential. In early stages, teams often want to operate paper and digital systems in parallel, but maintaining both creates extra work, so decisively standardizing operations on digital workflows is important. Also check the site’s communication environment: in mountainous areas or underground works, internet connectivity may be unstable, so select a system that can operate offline or consider installing pocket Wi‑Fi or a site wireless LAN.

Example: A local construction company B piloted a low-cost cloud schedule management tool. Site managers entered daily progress via smartphones and headquarters staff monitored all sites on a single dashboard, enabling early detection of minor delays and issues. As a result, they could arrange additional staff and replan schedules proactively, improving on-time performance across all sites. A large general contractor C established a dedicated DX promotion department and implemented a company-wide construction management system. Over three years they rolled the system out to hundreds of sites, integrated centralized construction data and automatic collection of heavy equipment operation data, and achieved an average construction efficiency improvement of 2.5 times. By adopting digital management methods suited to company scale and needs, you can eliminate waste and inefficiencies in site operations and directly boost productivity.

4. Real-time Site Information Sharing through Remote Inspections and Cloud Integration

One digital technology gaining attention is remote inspections combined with cloud-enabled real-time information sharing. Remote inspection refers to conducting site attendance, inspections, and meetings from a remote location, streaming site video and audio in real time using wearable cameras or smartphones so that the site can be verified without being physically present. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism piloted remote inspections for some public works from fiscal 2020, and during the COVID-19 pandemic remote attendance quickly spread as a new form of on-site verification. Typical use includes workers wearing small cameras on their helmets while clients or site representatives watch live feeds on office PCs to conduct inspections or meetings. Using a dedicated site-sharing cloud allows not only video but also drawings and documents to be shared on screen, and corrective items can be marked or instructions issued on the spot.

Effects of implementation: Benefits of remote inspections and information-sharing tools include:

• Reduced travel time: The biggest benefit of remote inspection is saving the substantial travel time required to visit sites. Previously, supervisors and inspectors spent hours driving between sites, but remote inspection allows them to check multiple sites from the office. The time saved can be devoted to other tasks, significantly improving efficiency. This is especially valuable for municipal employees who manage many sites alone: being able to attend sites without travel dramatically increases productive hours in a day.

• Effective use of personnel and training: Remote inspection lets expert technicians’ knowledge be shared across multiple sites. A veteran watching live footage from headquarters can advise on-site junior technicians, supporting decision-making and enabling appropriate responses. This allows transfer of veteran know-how while staying remote, and recorded videos can be used later as training materials to share special-case experiences across the company and raise overall technical capability.

• Improved safety: Frequent remote monitoring strengthens safety management. Because sites can be checked without traveling, small anomalies or unsafe behaviors are easier to detect early. For example, a headquarters safety officer who remotely checks morning briefings or work locations daily can prevent near-miss incidents that might have gone unnoticed. Reducing the number of people entering hazardous areas also lowers the risk of traffic accidents during travel and contact accidents on site. In large-scale disasters, fixed network cameras enable immediate remote assessment of site damage to support rapid initial responses.

• Addressing labor shortages: Remote inspection and cloud sharing help manage many sites with limited personnel. With remote technologies, a single supervisor can efficiently oversee multiple sites, contributing to solutions for the anticipated shortage of technicians. From the standpoint of work-style reform, the ability to verify sites directly from home or go straight to and from work reduces the burden of long drives and improves work-life balance, making the industry more attractive and aiding long-term human resource retention.

Cautions for introduction: Successful remote inspection requires securing the site’s communication environment. Stable network connectivity is essential for video transmission, so signal-challenged mountain areas or tunnels may require relay installations or prior radio-signal surveys. Equipment such as wearable cameras and communication terminals must be prepared, but low-cost monthly rental or smartphone-based solutions are now available. Consideration for workers wearing cameras is also important: some may feel uncomfortable being constantly recorded, so establish privacy-respecting operational rules and obtain clear explanations and consent regarding how recorded footage will be used (e.g., internal training and retention periods). Additionally, older technicians may be unfamiliar with IT devices, so prepare operation manuals and support systems to ensure smooth participation.

Example: A municipal government introduced remote inspection systems for construction inspection duties. Staff participated in multiple site inspections from a conference room at city hall, issuing instructions while viewing video, and were able to reallocate more than 10 hours per week previously spent traveling to other tasks, successfully reducing overtime. On construction sites, field managers used tablet video calls to consult distant veteran technicians in real time, enabling immediate guidance and prevention of mistakes. Triggered by the pandemic, remote inspections spread rapidly, and because of their convenience many companies continue to use them, making remote inspection a new normal for some site operations.

5. Using Smartphone + GNSS Labor-saving Measurement Tools (LRTK)

Complementing the advanced ICT technologies introduced so far, simple labor-saving measurement tools that are easy to use on site should not be overlooked. A recent example is the device called LRTK, which combines a smartphone with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) to perform high-accuracy surveying easily. LRTK is a small high-precision GNSS receiver attached to a smartphone that works with a smartphone app to achieve centimeter-class positioning in real time. Previously, achieving centimeter-level positioning and as-built measurements required expensive GNSS survey instruments or total stations and typically two survey technicians working as a pair. With LRTK, a single worker can carry a smartphone and quickly observe and record measurement points, enabling significant labor savings. For example, survey tasks that once required one person to operate equipment while another held a rod can now be completed by one person. Site supervisors or craftsmen can perform quick elevation checks or position measurements themselves, reducing waiting time for surveying.

Effects of implementation: Introducing smartphone + GNSS surveying tools yields benefits such as:

• Reduced manpower and time: Surveys that previously required 2–3 people can be done by one person, drastically cutting labor costs and time. On sites that adopted LRTK, manpower for surveying was halved and simple existing-condition surveys in some cases were completed in less than 50% of the previous time. Eliminating waiting for a survey lets other processes proceed without interruption, improving overall productivity.

• Immediate data sharing and utilization: Positioning data captured in the LRTK app are automatically uploaded to the cloud. Coordinates and elevations measured on site can be shared instantly with office staff, enabling real-time confirmation and instructions. For example, foundation elevation results can be sent immediately to head office for verification by design staff. Recording measurement points and attaching photos are automated, removing the need for handwritten field books and later transcription errors. Cloud functions for distance, area, and volume calculations allow immediate computation and drawing creation from field data, speeding up report preparation.

• Easy operation anyone can use: The intuitive smartphone app requires only pressing a measurement button, so non-specialists can use it. Even sites lacking experienced surveyors can empower younger staff or craftsmen to perform surveys, reducing training costs. When any team member can survey as needed, bottlenecks are eliminated. The ability to quickly respond to on-site "I just need to measure this" requests not only boosts productivity but also reduces employee stress.

• Improved safety: Because measurements use a lightweight smartphone and small device, measurements at heights or in hazardous areas can be taken from safe locations. For example, road surveys that previously required an escort and took considerable time can now be done quickly with LRTK, reducing workers’ exposure time and improving safety. AR features let you visualize design positions through the smartphone screen for stakeout and layout, enabling accurate positioning without prolonged presence in hazardous zones. Fewer trips to measure means reduced on-site safety risks.

How to use and implementation points: To introduce devices like LRTK, install the app on a smartphone or tablet (iOS devices are common) and connect to the positioning receiver via Bluetooth. Using the correction data from a base station (fixed station) enables high-accuracy RTK positioning. In Japan, support for correction signals provided by "Michibiki (Quasi-Zenith Satellite)" via services such as CLAS allows positioning even in mountainous areas without mobile reception by receiving satellite correction data, which is an advantage. Costs are limited to the GNSS receiver and smartphone, making it cheaper to start compared to traditional high-precision surveying instruments. No special qualifications are required, but for public surveying results used as official geodetic data (e.g., Geospatial Information Authority of Japan reference point surveys), work must be conducted under a licensed surveyor’s supervision. For routine on-site as-built checks or stakeout tasks, LRTK can be used by anyone. Provide operation demos to staff and let them practice: although the app is simple, its multifunctionality can be confusing at first, so hold internal study sessions to level up skills.

Example: A small-to-mid-size construction company D introduced LRTK to quickly perform stakeout for small structures that had previously been outsourced to a subcontractor. Site supervisors carried out surveys on their smartphones and immediately shared data with workers, eliminating waiting time for surveying and smoothing the construction cycle. For instance, for a retaining wall project, supervisors could quickly measure positions and as-built conditions from foundation layout through completion, completing inspection documentation on site and reducing post-site administrative work, which led to less overtime for supervisors. LRTK is also being adopted by municipal civil engineering departments for rapid on-site surveys in disaster response (e.g., estimating landslide volumes) and maintenance tasks (e.g., measuring roadway sinkholes), enabling prompt local responses. In this way, smartphone surveying tools complement ICT construction and can be incorporated into small sites and routine management tasks to raise overall site efficiency.

Conclusion: A Site Revolution through Combined Digital Technologies

We have introduced five digital technologies effective in improving civil engineering productivity by 20%. From core technologies such as ICT construction equipment and drone surveying to construction management systems, remote inspection, and smartphone surveying tools, each contributes to site efficiency from different angles. The key is to select the optimal technologies for your site’s challenges and combine them effectively. For example, large-scale earthworks can realize massive labor savings and schedule reductions by combining ICT construction equipment with drones while using LRTK for quick as-built checks—linking multiple digital tools creates synergies.

National and local governments are expanding measures to support digital technology adoption, and ICT construction is now an industry-wide challenge for not only leading companies but the entire sector. To improve site productivity, reform work styles, and enhance safety, consider introducing these digital technologies to your own sites. Start with partial implementations, verify effects, and gradually expand to manage risk while building competence. Improving site efficiency directly strengthens corporate competitiveness. Take this opportunity to actively leverage digital technologies and bring a new revolution to civil engineering sites.