Factors affecting the selection of data storage approach in radio frequency identification applications

Purpose - The main purpose of this study is to present an overview of the state of the art of the RFID technology in terms of data storage approaches in construction cases, and to identify the factors that require different approaches to data storage (e.g. on tags or on a remote database) in RFID applications in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach - A literature survey was conducted and the contexts of 37 construction industry cases were investigated to determine the factors that affect the decision of data storage approach and the types of information groups that were stored in each case. Additionally, 79 cases were reviewed from other industries to provide insights. Findings - The literature review showed that, many cases in the construction industry preferred storing additional data on RFID tags such as identification, technical and historical information. The factors affecting the selection of data storage approach in RFID applications were identified: application environment, cost efficiency, multiple number of parties, need for monitoring up-to-date progress data, collecting environmental conditions, in situ (on-board) data storage, industry-related specifications, and reading range requirement. Practical implications - The high proportion of cases which stored data on tags demonstrate that there is a need for tags/storage media that are specially designed for the construction industry because most tags currently have either minimum or limited memories. Originality/value - The analysis of the investigated cases and the factors that were identified to be affecting the data storage approach decision making can assist construction practitioners and owners in selecting an appropriate data storage approach for their projects.