Mapping Blockchain Research in Construction: Bibliometric Study

Technology usage in construction has increased since the beginning of the twenty-first century
through the transformation in personal computer hardware and software, as well as the
development of standards for information exchange. Breakthroughs in the telecommunication
industry have resulted in faster, more stable and affordable networks which have allowed new
collaborative work practices. The combination of a reliable internet connection and affordable,
powerful computers has enabled new technologies to emerge, such as cloud storage, cloud
computing or Blockchain. Blockchain is a broad term that refers to using a distributed file
system to manage, distribute and protect data. As a technology, Blockchain provides solutions
for different industries regarding trust, transparency, and traceability. Blockchain technology
provides the construction industry with solutions to improve the construction projects'
workflow and address broken trust issues between project participants.
This paper attempts to identify which fields are currently being investigated by the built
environment and construction researchers to implement Blockchain in the industry through a
bibliometric study. This study aims to clarify three aspects: (1) Blockchain uses in construction,
(2) research methods used in the literature, and (3) construction technologies that could be
empowered with Blockchain. Blockchain in construction is an emerging research field, and
there is a limited amount of literature available about the topic. Therefore, no restriction was
applied to the reviewed literature, such as journals impact factor or articles citations number.
Conference proceedings are also included. This review can serve as a guide for researchers who
are interested in Blockchain applications in construction.