Quantification of constuction waste using digital images

Abstract

Construction industry produces not only buildings/ infrastructures but also construction waste. In addition, construction waste contributes to the environment disruption. However, there is less attention to proper waste management at the construction sites. The quantity of waste is known from the number of trucks carrying waste from the site to landfill. On the other hand, an environmentalist requires the information of construction waste to manage the environmental impact. There is no easy-to-use tool or method to quantify the waste production at daily or monthly, basis and the waste production at various places in the multi-storey building construction. This research proposes an alternative method for waste quantification in terms of volume and weight based on digital images. The quantification system consists of three modules; image acquisition, data transfer and image analysis. To obtain the objective, the research was done by pilot research, system design and development, prototype testing, implementation and validation at the construction site. The quantification system offered two approaches based on the simple image and the modified image. The validation of quantification system was compared with the truck capacity and the weight measurement at a weighbridge. The analysis using the 95% limit of agreement showed the level of confidence was about 60 % for volume (in cubic meter) and 70% for weight (in kilogram). The system provides an ease to use for quantifying construction waste at construction site.