Cloud-based Materials Tracking System Prototype Integrated with Radio Frequency Identification Tagging Technology

Materials management in construction has become more complex as projects grow-in size and complexity with potential disruptions caused by participants in the supply network. IT-based solutions have been employed by large businesses; however, they are not affordable to small-to-medium businesses (SMB). This paper proposes a cost-effective materials management and tracking system based on a cloud-computing service integrated with RFID for automated tracking with ubiquitous access. The current workflow of a SMB contractor was investigated and system requirements were analyzed in order to enhance it. As a low-cost solution to fulfill the requirements and improve supply chain visibility, the proposed system was developed on the cloud and integrated with RFID technology. A simulation study was conducted to show the potential impact of the system on performance of the SMB. Finally, usability and environmental studies were conducted to show the feasibility of the system implementation in the real work environment. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.