Design and Delivery of Micropile Installation Leveraging Augmented and Virtual Reality-Paper

Paper

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The paper describes using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to support the design and delivery of a complex micropile foundation remediation project at a dam. The piles had to be drilled through the dam structure and an open gallery containing utilities and other obstacles, making it difficult to communicate the drilling path and construction sequence using 2D drawings alone.<br /><br />The team developed mobile-based AR and VR applications using an existing 3D model. The AR application displayed an animated, scaled model on a conference-room table, allowing clients, contractors, and regulators to view the installation sequence from different angles. The VR application provided a first-person view of the drill casing advancing through the structure, helping engineers assess drilling angles and clearances.<br /><br />VR was most useful during design, particularly for understanding depth and selecting a suitable drilling angle. However, limited headset availability, mobile-device processing power, and low frame rates restricted its use and could cause mild discomfort. AR was easier to share and proved more effective in meetings, helping stakeholders understand installation challenges and answer questions by exploring the model themselves. Its image-target system worked well but limited viewing when the target was out of sight.<br /><br />The authors conclude that AR/VR can complement, rather than replace, videos and conventional computer models. Its interactive, adjustable viewpoints can improve communication and reduce reliance on translating complex 3D conditions into 2D documents. For this project, mobile AR offered the greatest practical benefit at relatively low cost. The paper also identifies field-based AR as a promising future application, potentially helping crews visualize subsurface utilities and other obstructions during construction.

Keywords

augmented reality

virtual reality

micropile foundation

dam remediation

construction visualization

3D model

drilling path

installation sequence

engineering communication

field-based AR