Progress Monitoring on Construction Sites

On large-scale construction sites, continuous monitoring of project progress involves significant effort. A semi-automated system can help record the current state of construction while conserving resources.

As part of Deutsche Bahn’s innovation programme DB Mindbox, the Q-tainer qualified as a promising innovation for the 100-day challenge. During this period, the Q-tainer project team had the opportunity to collaborate with DB InfraGO to discuss potential future applications and further develop the solution.

The use case developed during this initiative tackles one of the greatest challenges of linear construction sites: timely comparison of planned progress with actual on-site development. The system stands out by using stationary cameras and drone imagery to monitor large construction areas. The recorded actual data can be transmitted and analysed automatically and compared with the planned timeline. Construction monitoring teams and site management can track progress in real time and take targeted action in the event of deviations. This not only increases efficiency but also helps prevent costly disruptions and delays to the construction process.

To further develop the Q-tainer through real-world application and demonstrate its full potential, the project team is currently coordinating with DB InfraGO for deployment on a linear construction site — for example, during the station redevelopment in Büchen near Hamburg, part of the high-performance corridor project between Hamburg and Berlin.

The plan is to monitor and document the construction of noise barriers along a track section over a five-month period. In addition, the movement of heavy construction equipment used on site is also to be recorded. Looking ahead, the Q-tainer offers the potential to take construction monitoring and collaboration among various stakeholders to a new level in terms of effort, quality, and data currency.