Potential of Virtual Reality Based Application for Students' Construction Planning, Sequencing, and Safety Planning Performance

This study examined whether Virtual Reality (VR) technology affects the planning, sequencing, and safety planning of engineering students with a construction background. The sample for the study consisted of 20 engineering students currently enrolled at United Arab Emirates University. To determine whether the 4-D VR simulation of a building helps students' learn construction sequencing and scheduling and detect safety hazards, students were initially provided only with 2-D drawings of a project along with a lecture on how to determine construction sequencing and potential hazards of the project. In the next stage, they were provided with an opportunity to explore construction sequencing via a 4-D VR-based simulation. A mixed-method survey approach was used to determine whether VR is effective in comparison to traditional learning equipment (presentations, animations, lectures, and 2D drawings). The final feedback of the students pointed towards the efficiency of digital tools such as VR in increasing awareness for construction lifecycle processes such as construction and safety planning.