Implementation of wireless and sensing technologies in highway projects: A SWOT approach

Abstract

The demand for safe, reliable, and higher-quality transportation and infrastructure systems often increases the complexity of constructing and maintaining highway projects and pressures Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to finish projects on tighter schedules and stricter budgets. Such complexities necessitate the use of technologies when constructing and maintaining transportation assets, notably wireless and sensing technologies. For the last few years, DOTs’ use of wireless and sensing technologies has been on the rise, with numerous research efforts aiming to explore applications and investigate case studies. Thus, this study buildings on the existing body of knowledge to develop a holistic Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) framework that aims to comprehensively understand the implementation of eight wireless and sensing technologies in highway projects including barcodes and readers, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), e-ticketing, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or Vehicles (UAV) or Drones, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Global Positioning System or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The SWOT framework was developed via literature and then distributed via an online survey to subject matter experts in different DOTs. Results from the survey provided comprehensive insights into the strengths of using the technologies in the project's construction and asset management phases, the weaknesses that these technologies may face, the opportunities that they provide DOTs with, and the threats that the DOTs may need to overcome for successful implementation.