Application of WiFi-based indoor positioning system for labor tracking at construction sites: A case study in Guangzhou MTR

For construction management, tracking the locations of construction resources such as labor, materials machinery, and vehicles is important. Some alternative form of location monitoring system is necessary for indoor environments such as tunnels and buildings under construction, because of systematic limitations of the Global Positioning System (GPS). This study investigated the feasibility of a WiFi-based indoor positioning system for construction sites. The system was developed using the fingerprint method of Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) from each Access Point (AP). A series of experiments were conducted at a shield tunnel construction site in Guangzhou, China. The results showed that the WiFi-based indoor positioning system was accurate within 5 m of error for that site, thus proving the utility of the system for tracking the approximate locations of labor at construction sites. Additionally, this system could be used for monitoring the locations of other construction resources such as vehicles and materials.