Smart IoT-enabled vehicle-mounted weighing system for real-time monitoring and quantification of loose construction materials

Purpose In the construction industry (CI), inaccurate loose material measurements pose waste and economic challenges, accounting for approximately one-third of project cost overruns, representing 60% of the overall construction costs. Current practices for measuring loose construction materials are riddled with errors, direct adjustments and missing real-time oversight, resulting in waste, inefficiencies and cost escalations. This study aims to address this issue by automating the weighing mechanism of loose materials while regularly monitoring them during transportation from the source. Design/methodology/approach In this study, an innovative Internet of Things (IoT) solution: a smart vehicle-mounted weighing (VMW) system was developed using the smart sensors, Arduino while using C++ language. Initially, a prototype was developed and tested/ refined while experimenting on a Tractor trolley loaded with loose construction materials. Statistical methods were employed to test the validity of the developed system against traditional methods of weighing. Finally, the system was tested and optimized in a real project through a case study. Findings The empirical findings reveal that the IoT-enabled smart weighing system achieved an accuracy exceeding 95% during rigorous field assessments. A comprehensive case study highlighted significant cost savings, with 2.7% for subbase materials and 5.94% for aggregate base materials. These results validate the successful development of the prototype, demonstrating its potential to improve material management, minimize waste, and enhance operational efficiency in construction projects while promoting sustainable practices. Originality/value Few studies have addressed fully automated measurement of loose materials during transport to construction sites. This study introduces a novel IoT-enabled smart VMW system for real-time material monitoring and automated quantity takeoffs (QTOs). The system offers CI a reliable, transparent, and error-free material management tool, advancing current practices in material quantification thereby leading the CI toward sustainability using the latest technologies.