Introducing CHAMFiT: A Decision-Making Tool for Optimizing the Use of Wireless and Sensing Technologies in Highway Projects

Although technologies benefit the horizontal construction sector, investing in them doesn't guarantee that state departments of transportation (DOTs) can reap the technologies' fullest potential. Thus, it is important to provide DOTs with proper guidance to match the capabilities of the technology to the requirements of the DOTs' tasks. As such, this study presents a tool to evaluate the fitness of transportation technologies for construction highway and asset management tasks (CHAMFiT). This tool focuses on wireless and sensing technologies, including radio frequency identification, e-ticketing, ground penetrating radar, unmanned aerial systems, light detection and ranging, geographic information system, and global positioning system. Drawing on previous research, surveys, interviews, and a workshop, CHAMFiT maps common activities performed by state DOTs during construction and asset management phases to the characteristics of the investigated wireless and sensing technologies. The developed tool will help state DOTs make insightful decisions to implement wireless and sensing technologies successfully.