Applications of RFID in Highway Construction
NCHRP's "Applications of RFID & Wireless Technologies in Highway Construction & Asset Management" addresses the significant gaps between the capability of existing wireless transmission technologies and their implementation through state DOTs.
Advancement in sensing and transmitting technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), barcodes, e-ticketing, global positioning systems, and other associated technologies, has significantly improved wireless transmission. Wireless transmission technology enables sensing, counting, measuring, locating, documenting, identifying, tracking, and transmitting information in real time. These features can significantly improve construction projects and infrastructure asset management.
As state DOTs seek efficiencies to better manage their infrastructure, a boom in wireless and sensing technology options has presented itself. However, too often technologies are not well understood, which leads to costly implementation efforts that occasionally fail. The overall objective of this report is to evaluate a series of sensing and wireless technologies for their application readiness in highway construction and asset management.
Supplemental to the report is NCHRP's web-only document "Applications of RFID and Wireless Technologies in Highway Construction and Asset Management: Conduct of Research Report", which develops guidelines for the applications of RFID and wireless technologies for highway construction and infrastructure asset management.
What is RFID?
Radio frequency identification uses radio waves to uniquely identify an object, animal, or person.
RFID is used in several commercial and industrial applications, from tracking items along a supply chain to keeping track of items checked out of a library.
State DOTs often use RFID tags for pipe tracking, temperature monitoring, and to track materials testing.
