Extended Reality (XR) for Condition Assessment of Civil Engineering Structures: A Literature Review

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science
• Immersive Technologies

Background:

• Growing concerns about the safety of aging and new civil structures necessitate advanced condition assessment methods.
• Immersive visualization technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) are transforming the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.
• Extended Reality (XR) unifies VR, AR, and MR, offering diverse applications within the AEC sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the lack of comprehensive review studies on XR technologies for civil structure condition assessment.
• To consolidate existing literature on the application of XR in evaluating the integrity of civil infrastructure.
• To offer essential information and practical guidelines for professionals and researchers in the field.

Main Methods:

• Conducting a systematic literature review of research papers and case studies.
• Analyzing the integration and application of various XR technologies (VR, AR, MR) in civil engineering contexts.
• Identifying common methodologies, challenges, and benefits reported in the literature.

Main Results:

• XR technologies offer significant potential for enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of civil structure condition assessment.
• Specific use cases include remote inspection, data visualization, and collaborative analysis of structural health.
• The review identifies a growing body of research but highlights the need for standardized practices and further validation.

Conclusions:

• Extended Reality (XR) presents a paradigm shift for the condition assessment of civil structures.
• Further research and development are needed to fully leverage XR for ensuring the long-term safety and maintenance of infrastructure.
• This review serves as a foundational resource for practitioners and researchers aiming to implement XR solutions in structural health monitoring.