Development of a blockchain-enabled smart contract framework for linear construction projects.

Abstract

Large-scale linear infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail corridors, metro systems, highways, and pipelines face major challenges in coordination, communication, material tracking, approval processes, and payment management due to their geographically distributed nature and involvement of multiple stakeholders. Conventional digital tools improve planning and monitoring but often fail to provide secure, transparent, and automated coordination across distributed project work fronts. Blockchain technology and smart contracts offer a decentralized and transparent solution for improving workflow synchronization, payment automation, material traceability, and progress verification in such projects. This paper introduces a blockchain-based smart contract implementation framework specifically designed for linear construction projects. The proposed framework deliberately avoids reliance on Building Information Modelling (BIM) and instead utilises chainage-based scheduling, integrated digital quantity and test records, and IoT/RFID-enabled logistics tracking. It adopts a seven-layer framework that segregates functions such as physical data capture, scheduling, quantity management, smart contract logic, blockchain infrastructure, user interfaces, and governance. The framework defines a segment-oriented workflow covering progress certification, material traceability, interface coordination across civil sub-zones and functional areas, and automated retention release. A schematic flowchart illustrates the end-to-end data and control sequence for a typical corridor segment. The paper further examines expected benefits—enhanced transparency, faster payment cycles, improved traceability, and better interface control—alongside key challenges in implementation, interoperability, scalability, and integration with existing construction management practises.