**5. Conclusion**

In this chapter, we conceptualize an augmented GIS system called *GoogleEarthWork* for earthwork planning based on Google Earth and demonstrate great potential in site information management and visualization, especially the integration of site photos, 3D models, and 3D surrounding environment of the construction site. The system is capable of facilitating the identification of (1) quantitative constraints by image-based 3D reconstruction and (2) qualitative constraints through interactive VR and AR visual inspection within Google Earth. Coupled with an automated earthwork planning system, *GoogleEarthWork* holds the potential to provide an integrated project planning solution that assists project managers in information collection, data analysis, and construction planning. It also enables higher-level project management analyses such as scheduling and simulation by automatically generating project execution plans (e.g., AON network model). The results provide project managers with a sufficient basis for the development of a practical, dynamic plan. As construction unfolds and the site evolves over time, additional constraints can be further imposed in order to keep the plan up to date.

At present, application of *GoogleEarthWork* is confined to rough grading earthwork construction. In the future, the system along with its underlying methodology can be customized for other application domains. More importantly, a formal definition of the *GoogleEarthWork* application framework allows the representation of domain knowledge and facilitates the implementation of advanced planning techniques (such as resource-constrained scheduling optimization or operations simulation) in the specific application domain. This will ultimately result in optimized construction plans for performance improvement in field productivity and safety. Though automated tools have been proposed for site information processing, human interactions still remain crucial in site constraint identification and planning problem definition in reality. A comprehensive information system that assists project managers in updating site constraints through site information integration and visualization is thus indispensable to refining problem definitions and identifying practical constraints. In the near future, *GoogleEarthWork* will be further augmented with advanced quantitative methods and emerging AI techniques.
