ter Huurne, R and Coenen, T (2024) Exploring the barriers of ground penetrating radar adoption: A technological innovation system analysis. In: Thomson, C (ed.) Proceedings of 40th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2024, London South Bank University, UK.
Abstract
Rapid urbanisation, digitalisation, and ongoing energy transitions have increased excavation activities, thereby increasing the risks and consequences of utility strikes. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a promising innovation to enhance utility surveying, offering advantages over traditional methods like trial trenching. Despite its potential, widespread GPR adoption remains limited. This study applies the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework to uncover systemic barriers hindering GPR adoption within the broader socio-technical context of the Dutch utility sector. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, industry meetings, questionnaires, field observations, and a review of grey literature. Qualitative coding of this data revealed three systemic lock-in cycles. These cycles highlight that the limited adoption of GPR is primarily driven by institutionalised surveying practices that exclude GPR, a lack of legitimacy, and insufficient knowledge development and diffusion. By reframing the challenge of GPR adoption as one of social and institutional alignment, this study offers initial insights into systemic barriers in the Netherlands. It provides a foundation for developing comprehensive strategies to overcome these barriers and facilitate broader adoption of GPR within the utility sector.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | barriers; ground penetrating radar; technology adoption; technological innovation system; utility infrastructure |
| Index terms: | legitimacy, technology adoption, excavation, questionnaire, technological innovation, Netherlands, qualitative coding, strategy, interview, utility infrastructure, urbanization, socio-technical, surveying, digitalization |
| Subjects: | construction operations, data analysis and analytics, innovation and technology management, health monitoring assessment and metrics, digital technology, urban planning, construction type, data collection methods, sociology, Geography, management, research methods |
| Topics: | Site Management, Organizational Design, Digital Applications, Governance, Construction Technology, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here