###### Abstract
It is taking the center position in the digital transformation of the construction industry [23; 24]. In addition, it is designed to promote the quality, the efficiency and the productive capacity of construction [25]. BIM is a digital tool for integrated design, modeling, planning and integrated collaboration, which provides all people related to any of these phases with a digital representation of the characteristics of a building throughout its life cycle [24]. This exchange of information facilitates collaboration between different phases of the project, and, as a consequence, it allows increasing the efficiency as well as reducing the costs. Despite being very useful for the construction industry, BIM is adopted by the sector in a fragmented manner [18]. It is commonly utilized by architects, engineers and occasionally by contractors; nevertheless, operation and maintenance professionals have hesitations to use it and they have so far shown limited interest in integrating this digital technology in their process, therefore not allowing the sector to take full advantage of the benefits that BIM can provide [18]. Accordingly, European policy makers are promoting the use of BIM through the whole construction value chain. In Spain and in Europe, several regulations were established to implement this work methodology. In 2014, the European Parliament issued the Directive 2014/24/EU [24] whereby it urges member countries to implement the BIM methodology in all those construction projects financed by public funds. In Spain, the Public Sector Contract Law [25] establishes the use of BIM in public building tenders since December 2018, and in public infrastructure tenders since July 2019. In addition, worldwide, universities are gradually incorporating BIM methodology in their civil engineering teaching programs, encouraging teachers to develop more realistic, practice oriented educational examples and preparing the students to face with future challenges more efficiently [26; 27; 28]. The technologies that can be integrated within BIM are those related to the acquisition of terrain data (3D scanners, drones, etc. ), 3D printers and AR. The representation of natural phenomena and technical structures in civil engineering can be created using computer-based simulation models. This approach provides a considerable potential for the augmented reality (AR) applications in the sector [29; 30]. The virtual reality (VR) simulators have been presented as a tool train for providing risk-free training for the construction workers. However, VR is still a developing technology. It is too expensive and complicated to use for the average user. Some of its biggest limitations are that it can only be used by one person at a time and that it isolates the user from the real world. In this way, it limits the user's work environment to the virtual world, where interaction with others is limited to other people sharing the same virtual world and, therefore, requiring additional VR devices. These are the reasons the use of AR is increasing and it is quickly overtaking VR in the construction sector [31]. While VR builds a new environment which is entirely independent of the real world, AR consists of the virtual elements which actively interact with the elements that are present in the real world [32; 33]. Thanks to AR, virtual architectural designs can be merged with the reality of the construction site. This enables users to improve efficiency and accuracy, reduce errors and save time, money and resources [32]. AR can considerably improve the design and planning process, progress monitoring and provide support for construction operations (building, maintenance, repair and inspection) [33]. It can drastically increase safety on the construction site. AR ensures a very effective training using the actual equipment. It has a high potential especially in safety and equipment operator trainings for workers [30] as well as teaching the students in civil engineering schools [29; 34].