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In recent years, the topic of climate change has been increasingly noticed by the public, and carbon emission reduction is one of the primary targets for various industries worldwide. The construction industry has a profound influence in this field, so it is significant to consider what kind of efforts can be made in building projects. Many scholars agree to promote prefabrication technology for construction, but its application still faces several challenges. By undertaking desk research, this paper explores the motivation and barriers to adopting modular techniques in construction projects under the lifecycle analysis. The preliminary information of the literature review is collated from dozens of peer-reviewed academic papers. Under the whole lifecycle thought, the PEST analysis tools also present the analytical results. This research finds that the top five barriers are the attitudinal resistance to using modular constructions, lack of sufficient modular expertise and practice, increasing costs and risks on supply chain management, insufficient government support and policy making, and high design and planning requirements. Moreover, the lifecycle analysis can divide the collated barriers into each stage, and adequate government support can assist in promoting the prefabrication in building projects in financial, legal, and technical aspects. The current findings can facilitate the broader use of prefabrication in building projects, improving the environmental sustainability of stakeholders. The process of proposed desk research can also be considered a referenced pattern for other related studies. More first-hand data should be collected and evaluated in further research to improve accuracy and adapt to the newest research field and industrial situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses three research questions: (1) According to the pertinent literature, what are the main causes of the current gender gap in the construction industry, particularly for management and leadership roles? (2) Is there a significant difference between male and female high-school-age students regarding their level of knowledge of the construction industry? (3) Is there a significant difference between male and female high-school-age students in their perception of the construction industry and factors impacting their career choice? These research questions are addressed by a review of the literature followed by a discussion of precamp survey results from two consecutive years of a two-week high school summer camp, which is focused on construction science and management. The literature review reveals that the issues are deep-routed and complex but can in general be categorized into two groups: the recruitment and retention of women in construction management and related careers. While the literature review summary in this paper addresses both categories, the focus of the paper remains recruitment, particularly through a study of high school students' level of knowledge and perceptions of construction management. The pre-camp surveys assessed the participants' baseline knowledge and perceptions of construction management as a career. The results showed that the knowledge of construction management as a career is very low, with no statistically significant difference between genders. It must be noted here that the participants are biased positively toward the construction management and related careers, as they chose to attend the camp for a variety of reasons, from wanting an experience on the campus of this university to parents' encouragement. Despite this baseline interest, however, the data show that the participants lacked clarity on what this career really entails. It is suggested, therefore that the general knowledge of this career path across larger and more randomized samples across U.S. will be even lower. The perceptions of the construction industry differed slightly between genders, with females perceiving it as more physically challenging and prioritizing family friendliness when considering career options. In conclusion, both the literature review and the survey data analysis show that the lack of knowledge of this career path, exacerbated by the negative perceptions of the construction industry, contribute to the problem of women not choosing to study construction management. The construction industry continues to make significant improvements in their diversity and inclusion efforts, and there are a variety of paths within the industry for graduates of construction science and management degrees. As such, significant work remains for both the industry and academia to overcome the lack of knowledge and negative perceptions of the industry through increased outreach to better inform high school students, parents, and counselors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As construction projects become increasingly complex, modular integrated construction (MiC) has emerged as a pivotal solution, driving integrated development in complex projects. However, the reliance on prefabricated modules underscores the crucial role of supply chain management (SCM) in MiC, necessitating strategic planning and operational control. This study aimed to use bibliometric analysis to map the SCM knowledge domain within MiC. Through the use of keywords related to "supply chain" and "MiC", 196 relevant papers were extracted from the Web of Science database. These papers were subjected to co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and time span analysis to elucidate the historical evolution, multidisciplinary domains, and future directions in planning and control within SCM-MiC. The research identified two milestones in SCM-MiC's historical trajectory, enhancing our understanding of its foundations. Moreover, 11 clusters were identified, illustrating the multidisciplinary nature of SCM-MiC. Dividing the literature into seven stages of the supply chain, the research outlined four research directions aligned with project complexity and technological development, highlighting current hotspots and gaps of the strategic planning and control. These directions bridge the construction management and information technology domains, guiding future SCM-MiC research within complex project management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry claims arise frequently, often resulting in disputes. Claim management should be efficient to prevent claims from escalating into disputes, and if disputes are still unavoidable, they should be resolved without delay for the construction process to resume. First, by conducting a bibliometric review, this paper attempts to investigate the literature on construction claims and dispute resolution practices by employing the Scopus database and VOSviewer to retrieve and analyze related sources. The overall trend of research by country, source, and authors is detected, and the emergence of novel technologies such as BIM, blockchain, and smart contracts appearing after 2020 concerning the investigation into construction claim management and dispute resolution was identified. Second, a content analysis on the most recent publications published between 2020 and 2022 was undertaken, indicating six main research themes that represent current research trends. The employment of novel technologies to enhance claim management and dispute resolution practices in the AEC sector is identified, as well. Finally, in order to assist construction professionals and researchers in their work to address construction claims and disputes more efficiently, potential research directions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of Industry 4.0, marked by the integration of digitization, automation, and data synthesis, emerging technologies play a vital role in mitigating ergonomic hazards within construction work environments. This study investigates the research trends encompassing the adoption of three categories of emerging technologies—(1) wearable sensors; (2) extended reality, which combines virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR); and (3) exoskeletons and robotics—as the means to mitigate the risk of occupational nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. Employing bibliometric and scientometric analyses, a quantitative examination of the relationship in the literature is performed. From the Scopus database, 347 papers were selected from a pool of 1603 publications from 2018 to 2022. The conducted scientometric analyses encompass annual publication trends, keyword co-occurrence analysis, journal-source analysis, author analysis, and country analysis using VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) and bibliometrix software (version 4.1.3). The findings highlight the crucial role of advanced technologies in enhancing safety and health management in the construction industry. Wearable sensors, for example, offer promising capabilities for real-time monitoring, potentially reducing the risk of onsite injuries by alerting workers to hazards. Extended reality, especially VR, can enhance the effectiveness of safety-training education by simulating realistic scenarios while minimizing exposures to hazardous conditions that workers may face onsite challenges. Furthermore, the integration of exoskeletons and robotics has the potential to reduce physical strain and injury risks among workers, particularly in physically demanding tasks. The review paper identifies current research trends in applying emerging technologies to occupational safety and health within the construction industry, while also suggesting future research directions in this dynamic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost overrun has remained a key risk of construction projects that can be prevented by utilizing new technologies. This paper aims to identify the gap in the literature, which can potentially be addressed by using digital tools and technologies, by reviewing the current and state of the art practices. The paper presents the results of a systematic and critical content reviews on cost overruns, to address the question of what factors are affecting the cost overrun. This paper also reviews how building information modeling (BIM) in conjunction with other tools, such as the common tools in the Asia and Asia Pacific regions, are used for cost estimation and monitoring. The paper presents the results of the content review, including their contributions and limitations, which are also used to set key directions for future investigations. A total of 176 papers was identified to develop the construction cost management (CCM) dataset. The method was a mix of systematic reviews, including co-authorship network analyses, co-occurrence analytical map development covering 5671 keywords, and content analysis including theme identification and a critical review of selected papers. The paper critically reviewed 63 selected papers from CCM, which are divided into four clusters based on their scopes: BIM adoption for cost estimation and quantity surveying; BIM implementation for a bill of quantity, risk paths, and cost overruns; cost control and management; and, finally, BIM, virtual design, and value management. A trend analysis using a set of 16 themes (e.g., 3D model, BIM, Decision, Energy, and Life Cycle) for all the papers over the past ten years was developed. The content of each cluster of papers was reviewed based on the frequency of the selected themes in each cluster. The content of each cluster of papers was also reviewed critically and gaps were identified, so a set of directions for future investigations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of an appropriate construction method stands as a pivotal decision in ensuring the success of any building project. This paper undertakes a comprehensive comparative analysis of cost and timeline implications between the top-down and bottom-up construction methodologies. The research focuses on ten distinct underground structure models, each characterized by varying depths and base areas. Through rigorous design and analysis, the cost and projected duration for each model are meticulously evaluated under the lens of both top-down and bottom-up construction techniques. The findings reveal that while the bottom-up approach emerges as the most cost-effective alternative at a depth of 8 m, the top-down method exhibits superior cost efficiency with increasing depth. Interestingly, alterations in the structure's base area exert a minimal influence on the cost differentials between the two methodologies. Moreover, the top-down construction method consistently outshines its counterpart in terms of project duration across all ten models examined, with the percentage increase in base area yielding insignificant impacts on project timeline discrepancies. This study furnishes construction project managers with invaluable insights to navigate the complexities of method selection. By judiciously considering parameters such as project scale, depth, and base area, managers can strategically optimize both cost and timeline outcomes, thereby facilitating the seamless execution of construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is a high-risk industry with many safety accidents. The popularity of Internet information technology has led to an explosion in the amount of data obtained in various engineering fields, and it is of necessary significance to explore the current situation of the application of big data technology in construction safety management. This paper systematically reviews 66 articles closely related to the research topic and objectives, describes the current status of big data application to various construction safety issues from the perspectives of both big data collection and big data analysis for engineering and construction projects, and categorically lists the breakthrough results of big data analysis technology in improving construction safety. Finally, the trends and challenges of big data in the field of construction safety are discussed in three directions: the application of big data to worker behavior, the prospect of integrating big data technologies, and the integration of big data technologies with construction management. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the current state of research on big data technology fueling construction safety management, providing valuable insight into improving safety at engineering construction sites and providing guidance for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of the climate emergency and different pandemics, systems that can provide an immediate response to housing needs are required. This paper aims to evaluate the use of fibre-reinforced plastic polymers (FRPs) to satisfy this need. In particular, a modular emergency housing system that utilises FRPs for structures and cladding is proposed, which proves adaptable to both different uses and different kinds of temporary or permanent buildings. By adapting modular emergency housing to different contexts, developing an integrated design process (IDP) and building information modelling (BIM) methodology, this research aims to provide innovations for the the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector, including FRPs, through a digitised approach, applied also to an experimental case study. A pilot unit of the modular emergency housing system, a nearly zero-energy building (nZEB), is described in detail, while laboratory tests are reported. Construction considerations confirm the sustainability and highlight the adaptability of the modular system to different housing needs conditions, justifying the possible future development of supply chain industrialisation supported by the presented methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time detection of workers is crucial in construction safety management. Deep learning-based detecting methods are valuable, but always challenged by the possibility of target missing or identity errors under complex scenarios. To address these limitations, previous research depended on re-training for new models or datasets, which are prohibitively time-consuming and incur high computing demands. However, we demonstrate that the better detecting model might not rely on more re-training of weights; instead, a training-free model can achieve even better performance by integrating head information. In this paper, a new head-detecting branch (55 MB) is added to the Keypoint Region-based Convolutional Network (Keypoint R-CNN, 226 MB) without altering its original weights, allowing for a less occluded head to aid in body detection. We also deployed motion information and anthropometric data through a post-processing module to calculate movement relationships. This study achieved an identity F1-score (IDF1) of 97.609%, recall (Rcll) of 98.173%, precision (Prcn) of 97.052%, and accuracy of 95.329% as a state-of-the-art (SOTA) method for worker detection. This exploration breaks the inertial attitudes of re-training dependency and accelerates the application of universal models, in addition to reducing the computational difficulty for most construction sites, especially in scenarios with an insufficient graphics processing unit (GPU). More importantly, this study can address occlusion challenges effectively in the worker detection field, making it of practical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The decoupling of energy consumption from economic growth in the construction industry is crucial to the sustainable development of the global construction industry. The existing studies focus on the advancements in energy efficiency by designers for building monoliths or construction techniques, involving no exploration of energy efficiency management from a regional perspective, which is unfavorable for the formulation of energy efficiency policies and systematic control of the construction industry by local governments. (2) Methods: From the perspective of regional management, this paper constructs an integrated analysis and application framework of "spatio-temporal characteristics + matching evaluation + policy design" based on the decoupling model and GIS tools. It studies the spatio-temporal characteristics of energy consumption in the construction industry in 30 provinces of China from 2010 to 2019, and its decoupling relationship with the economic development of the construction industry, and proposes an optimal zoning and recommendations for energy consumption in the construction industry, providing a reference for energy conservation management in the construction industry in China. (3) Results: First, the change of energy consumption amount (ECA) in the construction industry in the provinces was dominated by ascent, while the energy consumption intensity (ECI) predominantly decreased, and most provinces are still in a period of growth or plateau in energy consumption. Second, ECA and ECI had prominent spatial heterogeneity and aggregation. High-energy-consuming regions are concentrated along the coast and along the Yangtze River, while low-energy-consuming regions are mainly clustered in remote areas, such as the northeast, northwest, and southwest of China. Energy consumption shows a clear north-south difference in intensity, with high-intensity regions clustered in the north compared to low-intensity regions in the south. Third, most of the provinces were in strong negative decoupling, expansive coupling, and weak decoupling, and better decoupling regions were mainly gathered in south and central China. Nearly one half of these provinces showed decoupling degradation and only a few achieved evolution, with evolutionary regions clustered mainly in central and southern China. The northeast and northwest were the key problem areas of energy-saving transformation in China's construction industry. (4) Conclusion: The 30 provinces were divided into three types: leader, intermediate, and laggard, and the development goals and suggestions on low energy consumption in the construction industry for three zones were put forward, significantly improving the precision of policy design and implementation. The study in this paper expands the research perspective on energy saving management in the construction industry and provides a methodology and basis for developing energy efficiency policies and plans for the construction industry in China and similar developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, modular construction has been adopted for rapidly delivering healthcare facilities, but few have systematically explored the impacts of the pandemic and the contributions of modular construction. This paper aims to evaluate modular construction for delivering healthcare facilities in response to COVID-19, through the exploration of the challenges, strategies, and performance of using modular construction for emergency healthcare building project delivery. The study was conducted using 12 real-life healthcare building projects in Hong Kong with both within- and cross-case analyses. The results of the within-case study reveal critical challenges such as tight program but limited resources available and the corresponding strategies such as implementation of smart technologies. The results of the cross-case analysis indicate 106% improved time efficiency and 203% enhanced cost efficiency of using modular construction compared with conventional practices. Based on the multi-case studies, the paper develops an innovative framework which illustrates the roles of stakeholders, goals, engineering challenges, and management principles of using modular construction. Practically, the paper should assist both policymakers and industry stakeholders in addressing the critical challenges of delivering healthcare facilities under COVID-19 in an efficient and collaborative manner. Theoretically, it should set an exemplar of linking the building construction industry with emergency management and healthcare service systems to facilitate efficient response to pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a powerful artificial intelligence tool, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) has been increasingly applied in the field of construction management (CM) during the last few decades. However, few papers have attempted to draw up a systematic commentary to appraise the state-of-the-art research on ANNs in CM except the one published in 2000. In the present study, a scientometric analysis was conducted to comprehensively analyze 112 related articles retrieved from seven selected authoritative journals published between 2000 and 2020. The analysis identified co-authorship networks, collaboration networks of countries/regions, co-occurrence networks of keywords, and timeline visualization of keywords, together with the strongest citation burst, the active research authors, countries/regions, and main research interests, as well as their evolution trends and collaborative relationships in the past 20 years. This paper finds that there is still a lack of systematic research and sufficient attention to the application of ANNs in CM. Furthermore, ANN applications still face many challenges such as data collection, cleaning and storage, the collaboration of different stakeholders, researchers and countries/regions, as well as the systematic design for the needed platforms. The findings are valuable to both the researchers and industry practitioners who are committed to ANNs in CM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study survey is to close knowledge gaps by measuring the responses from construction experts and investigating the significant effects of using digital technologies in construction information management (CIM). This is attributed to the lack of thorough knowledge among construction professionals on the implications and efficacy of incorporating digital tools in construction information management. A thorough analysis of the literature on the use of digital technologies revealed outcomes related to digitized ways of managing construction information, which were then contextually tailored through a pilot study and presented in the form of a postulated model. A total of 257 stakeholders in the building industry were given questionnaire surveys to complete in order to gather primary data. The final model of the result of adopting digital technology was statistically validated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). By concentrating on the quantitative contribution of the most important result to the adoption of digital technologies throughout the process of CIM, this study closes this knowledge gap. The three primary benefits that digital technologies have the most influence on are communication, operational efficiency, and market intelligence, according to this paper's conclusions. The research showed that encouraging relationships that enable the use of digital technologies should be promoted between technology providers and construction companies. In order to adopt and improve digital solutions, construction firms and technology providers will be able to collaborate in an ecosystem. By shedding light on the implementation and impact of digital technologies in the construction sector, the study helps to close this knowledge gap. The study offers valuable information for upcoming initiatives that support digital transformation through construction methods. The results serve as instructions for the government authorities to help them focus their efforts and distribute their resources more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of major railway projects poses significant risks, which present considerable challenges to construction management. To accurately assess the level of construction management for these projects, this study incorporated resilience theory into the field. The grounded theory method was utilized to establish a resilience evaluation indicator system for managing a major railway project construction. Additionally, a resilience evaluation model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was proposed. This model was applied to evaluate the construction management resilience of a major railway project located in the mountainous region of southwest China. The results indicated that the project exhibits a very high overall level of construction management resilience. Specifically, it demonstrates high levels of ability to monitor and warn, an ability to resist absorption, and an ability to respond to emergencies. Additionally, it showcases high levels of ability to recover and rebuild, and an ability to learn to adapt. The evaluation results were consistent with the actual situation and verified the correctness and reliability of the method. Based on the aforementioned research findings, this paper puts forward recommendations on material redundancy and resource security from a resource perspective, and suggestions on organizational optimization and personnel capacity improvement from a subject perspective, thus indicating directions for enhancing the management level of major engineering railway constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazard identification is a fundamental step in safety management that has the potential to reduce the number and severity of occupational injuries on construction sites. Researchers have identified and evaluated some of the hazards, but few have extensively discussed all of them and none have classified them by sector. The goal of this paper is to fill that research gap by considering hazard identification through an organized synthesis of the existing literature. After a comprehensive literature review, 236 publications were deemed eligible for further analysis. Eighteen safety hazards were identified and then categorized into four groups based on their physiological impacts, ranked based on frequency of citation, and classified by sector. The results revealed that falls from heights, material handling, and heavy machinery were the most frequently cited hazards and the most likely to impact all sectors. Mitigation strategies were also identified, and it was determined that most hazards can be mitigated through the use of personal protective equipment, and effective training and supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the drastic changing process of the construction industry in China, construction program management has been given significant attention. Due to the complexity of construction programs, selecting competent managers is crucially important to its success. Therefore, based on a comprehensive literature review, this paper combines regret theory and the Fuzzy-DEMATEL method to develop a multi-attribute model for construction program manager selection. Firstly, six competence elements are extracted, then the manager selection and evaluation index system are constructed. Secondly, the regret theory is used to simulate the psychological characteristics of the decision makers, combined with Fuzzy-DEMATEL, the comprehensive weights for each element are calculated. Lastly, all alternatives for the selection are sorted and the competent ones are selected. A case study is provided to exam the effectiveness of the developed model. Results shows that the proposed model adopted multi-attribute evaluation and group decision making and took into account the psychological behavior of decision makers as well as influences from the relationships between different attributes. Such results indicate that the proposed model is able to provide more comprehensive and scientific construction program manager selections, which can further improve the management of construction programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In construction safety management practices, identifying key stakeholders and specifying their safety behavior patterns are critical to avoid unsafe practices, which are the major cause of construction accidents. This paper argues that the main contractor and construction workers are key safety stakeholders in the construction safety management in China. The purpose of this paper is to develop an evolutionary game model to explore the safety behavior strategies of the main contractor and construction workers. In this framework, we explored the effects of model parameter changes on the evolution of safety behavior strategies and verify the evolution paths under different initial values by numerical simulations. The findings of this paper are as follows: Firstly, the safety and stability of construction projects are related to the possible losses caused by accidents, the amount of work required by construction workers to comply with safety regulations, the gain of bravado, the probability of accidents, and cost savings from the main contractor's lax supervision. Secondly, the role of restraining the unsafe behavior of construction workers through the form of fines is limited, and increasing the fines to the main contractor cannot effectively reduce the unsafe behaviors. Thirdly, strengthening safety education, creating a safe atmosphere, and optimizing operating procedures are effective measures to improve the effectiveness of safety behavior. This study further extends the application of evolutionary game theory to construction safety management, and the findings can provide clear guidance for the development of effective incentives and constraints on safety behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction supply chain network has been facing challenges in relation to reducing cost and delivery time, increasing the quality of the built assets, and reducing environmental pollution. These issues have caused contractors and project managers in this industry to note the concept of green construction supply chain management (GCSCM). This study examined the most important challenges and barriers to the implementation of GSCM in the construction industry. In this paper, the components and sub-components of GCSCM were identified using the literature review and opinions of the experts according to the supply chain management. The opinions of construction experts and project managers were collected through focus group meetings. The components were categorized into five main and supporting groups, with "Green Design", "Green Procurement", and "Green Production" as the main components and "Green Management" and "Green Information" as the supporting components. Subsequently, the sub-components, in regard to each component, were distinguished. Finally, the fuzzy best–worst method (BWM) was utilized to determine the importance weights of the identified components and sub-components through the opinions of five experts with practical relevant experience. The findings of the fuzzy BWM method show that "Green Design" is the most important component, followed by "Green Management" and "Green Implementation". Additionally, "Lack of designers, contractors and planners" was ranked the first among the identified sub-components. This paper can assist construction managers, contractors, and policymakers with finding and overcoming the barriers and obstacles of implementing GCSCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies like modular construction are expected to increase the market share in developing countries with a high annual growth rate such as in Egypt. Modular construction solutions that have content depending on the process of off-site construction and on-site transportation gained prominence over recent years due to several benefits, especially their positive impact on the environment. Off-site manufacturing (OSM) and traditional technologies like on-site ones differ in many aspects of design, requirements, logistics, engineering, and others. Many researchers studied modular construction and they fall short of investigating modular construction processes comprehensively and completely. In this paper, the barriers and benefits of using off-site manufacturing (OSM) are collected from the previous studies (that focused on mega projects, high quality, and fast-track projects) to be analyzed using a social network analysis (SNA) to promote the implementation of this new technology mainly in high-annual-growth-rate countries. A survey was used to solicit the opinions of construction practitioners to identify the most significant barriers and obstacles, as well as the benefits of using OSM. Also, due to the capabilities of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to manage shared information and increase the cooperation among project parties, the integration of OSM and BIM is investigated as a promising approach to overcome OSM barriers and enhance its utilization. Analyzing the main barriers' density and finding out the main solution are involved. Applying this case to a real project in Egypt to study the impact of using (OSM) on-site and exporting the data are also involved. With some results related to the other results and disadvantages that were deduced, the most important advantages and most disadvantages emerged, as well as finding ways to solve them and practical application on the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of BIM technology in building construction provides the possibility to realize design accuracy, to visualize the construction details, to optimize construction schemes, and to enhance cooperation among various professionals. The Yancheng Nanyang Airport terminal 2 project, with its large span of steel roof structure, complex installation in mechanical and electrical pipeline (MEP) engineering, and difficulty in construction organization, is taken as the engineering background. The whole process application of BIM technology in the construction process is introduced. In structural engineering construction, the application of BIM technology can provide guidance for plane layout of the construction site, and can also assist in deepening the designs of irregular steel components. In steel construction, the application of BIM technology gives a commendable visual demonstration of the construction process of the metal roof system and the single-layer reticulated shell. In MEP engineering, the application of BIM technology provides a great approach to establish a synthesis of pipeline drawings to further form pipeline section diagrams and operation drawings. By integrating the dimension of time, precision control, and deviation rectification, a recursive construction drawing can be built. With respect to synergistic management, the quality and safety management in the construction site can be implemented on the basis of BIM terminal equipment as well. This paper will give a great reference on the application of BIM technology in the airport terminal construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-based techniques have become integral to the construction sector, aiding in project planning, progress monitoring, quality control, and documentation. In this paper, we address two key challenges that limit our ability to fully exploit the potential of images. The first is the "semantic gap" between low-level image features and high-level semantic descriptions. The second is the lack of principled integration between images and other digital systems used in construction, such as construction schedules and building information modeling (BIM). These challenges make it difficult to effectively incorporate images into digital twins of construction (DTC), a critical concept that addresses the construction industry's need for more efficient project management and decision-making. To address these challenges, we first propose an ontology-based construction image interpretation (CII) framework to formalize the interpretation and integration workflow. Then, the DiCon-SII ontology is developed to provide a formalized vocabulary for visual construction contents and features. DiCon-SII also acts as a bridge between images and other digital systems to help construct an image-involved DTC. To evaluate the practical application of DiCon-SII and CII in supporting construction management tasks and as a precursor to DTC, we conducted a case study involving drywall installation. Via this case study, we demonstrate how the proposed methods can be used to infer the operational stage of a construction process, estimate labor productivity, and retrieve specific images based on user queries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the architecture, engineering and construction industry, site management during construction is a key phase. Scheduling activities and monitoring their progress allow any deviations from the schedule to be identified so that timely action can be taken. Until now, the monitoring phase has mainly been characterised by inspections in which the construction site manager manually collects data and produces a summary report. This proves to be a time-consuming process and is prone to errors. The authors propose an innovative construction progress monitoring method that combines BIM-based construction scheduling (4D BIM) with periodic geometric surveying using an indoor mobile mapping system (iMMS). Ten surveys were carried out on a real case study, producing point clouds to be compared with the 4D BIM, thereby comparing the as-built with the as-planned. The comparison was carried out using Sitemotion exploiting a custom class, the work breakdown structure (WBS), added to the BIM to associate each element with its scheduled construction date. The results show how the proposed method can effectively support the evaluation of construction progress, allowing the monitoring to be performed digitally and linked to the BIM. The paper details the proposed methodology, highlighting the problems encountered and suggesting adjustments for future implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancements and lower production costs since the mid-1990s have dramatically improved opportunities for instructors to tailor self-made instructional videos for their students. However, video production technology has outpaced the development of educational theory, causing instructional videos to consistently fall short of their pedagogical potential. Responding to these shortcomings, scholars from various backgrounds have started publishing guidelines to help practitioners as they develop instructional videos for their respective fields. Using a rapid literature review, this article contributes to this ongoing effort by synthesizing theory-based, best-practice guidelines for a specific subcategory of educational videos called supplemental instructional videos (SIVs). SIVs are different from other types of instructional videos in that they are used to support and magnify other learning methods, mediums, and materials rather than substitute for them. Bringing the best-practice guidelines synthesized in this paper immediately into application, they were used to inform the production of SIVs for an undergraduate course that was held in the Building Construction Department of a major public university in the United States during the Spring 2020 semester. The methods used in the production of the SIV guidelines were systematically documented during the course for future researchers and practitioners to learn and build from. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risks hinder the role of prefabricated construction (PC) in promoting construction automation. Although existing research has focused on risk management (RM) in PC, the lack of a global perspective has affected the effectiveness of RM. Accordingly, this paper adopts a scientometric analysis to review the knowledge domain of RM in PC. A total of 144 articles were selected from the Scopus database for journal citation analysis, document co-citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The results show that since 2011, the annual publications show an overall upward trend. International Journal of Construction Management, Journal of Building Engineering, and Buildings have been cited more frequently recently. PC research, RM research, environmental sustainability research, and ergonomic research provide a solid foundation for the research on RM in PC. Existing studies are conducted from five knowledge themes, namely, Supply chain and industry, Decision and optimization, Safety and health, Environment and overheating, and Investment and cost. Further, current research content, future research needs, and RM strategies for PC practices are discussed. This study helps stimulate further promising research and enhance the effectiveness of RM in PC in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of data with information management are a significant challenge for the digital developing construction industry. The utilisation of data from a built asset's planning, design, and construction phases to the operations phase core and to the facility management function of building and integration in supporting core business and support services is frequently limited due to technical obstacles in information management. The paper presents the second of three stages of design science research to propose a conceptual approach for the implementation of the "as-a-service" method for the construction industry, namely "Building-as-a-Service" (BaaS). BaaS involves a shift in the concept of services: users become recipients of services generated by the building, not only services provided in the building. The paper shows the interdependencies between these various concepts and suggests a possible framework for the inclusion of these "as-a-Service" approaches for enabling a Digital Twin based on Building Information Modelling, which is becoming mandatory in several European states. The study gathered the foundational theoretical constructs through a literature review and elucidated them to make the proposed framework feasible. The theoretical foundations comprise Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Digital Twin (DT), the interconnecting technology of smart applications and the practical application in projects. The approach of "Building-as-a-Service" in combination with smart applications can be an approach to making the use of buildings available in a resource-saving way to clients, building owners and users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In construction engineering, there are many interactive and decision-making behaviors which could affect the progress and final performance. Based on the people-oriented concept, managing construction engineering should not ignore the understanding of individual behavior, and neuropsychology provides a refined microscopic perspective. This paper employed a bibliometric analysis of 1254 studies from the Web of Science related to behavioral research in construction engineering management using VOSviewer and summarized the neuropsychological mechanisms and research methods of behavior by systematic review. This paper found that: (1) Neuropsychological mechanisms of behavior include basic mechanisms about the brain and function and range from sensory to decision processes. Core factors are the functional ingredients. (2) Behavior research in construction engineering management is turning to neuropsychological experiments. Understanding the complex correlation mechanisms are the research trends in recent years. (3) Construction engineering management studies provide the means and methods to improve the validity and efficiency of management in the construction industry. The results confirm the impact of sensory perception on behavior and managerial performance. (4) The research trend in this field in the future is multidisciplinary. In total, this paper provides a potential effective reference for improving the performance of construction engineering management, developing sustainable construction production and consumption, and building a people-oriented livable city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prefabricated construction (PC) is an increasingly popular method of construction utilized globally due to its high productivity and efficient performance. PC as an advanced building technique is susceptible to problems such as the immaturity of the PC industry's development, inability to realize production benefits, and application-related risks and uncertainties. The management of PC (MPC) can be applied to resolve these difficulties and generally enhance performance. Reviews pertinent to the MPC are scarce, making it challenging to concentrate and comprehensively summarize the research situation of the MPC. The MPC review was conducted by Li et al. in 2014. However, there has been a lot of change in the MPC research field. Therefore, this study is an extension of the work of Li et al. (2014). This article aims to analyze and summarize the current research situation and future trends of the MPC, employing a bibliometric search and scientometric analysis from MPC-related publications between 2011 and 2021. This paper outlines current research topics, gaps, and future development from four perspectives based on publications gathered: (1) PC development, (2) PC performance management, (3) PC life cycle management, and (4) technological applications in the MPC. Based on the discussion of these four performance indexes, the following future research directions are proposed: (1) PC industry development considering a combination of Industry–University–Research, (2) the performance impact of management methods and technologies, (3) the rationality of management methods and technologies. This study is vital for scholars to understand MPC research and to conduct further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an analysis of collaborative processes in delivering mixed-use housing developments, with a focus on the adoption and roles of digital collaboration to address complex challenges. Extending the collaborative practice (CP) model, the research utilises a qualitative approach and an instrumental case study involving nine semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from an award-winning mixed-use housing development in Australia. The study identifies key collaboration elements, such as early project establishment, a well-defined brief, and an adaptive integrated digital plan relevant to the interdisciplinary team. The scarcity of successful "extreme" mixed-use cases globally highlights the need for a core conceptual model for collaboration in complex housing developments, focused on digital collaboration, to support future projects in the sector. The research emphasises social innovation in mixed-use housing developments and highlights the importance of effective digital collaboration for addressing environmental, economic, and social sustainability needs. Contributions to the field extend both theoretical and empirical aspects of the CP model, critically exploring the potential of digital collaboration in mixed-use housing projects. The findings reveal critical elements for establishing a digital collaboration plan, leveraging technology to enhance stakeholder experiences and project delivery. The research is especially relevant in the post-COVID era, where digital collaboration gains significance for the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have developed technologies intended to automate the process toward improving sustainability and achieving a circular economy in the construction industry. Despite some research works that have been recently conducted to help construction agents in the management of construction and demolition waste (CDW), developing new CDW monitoring and traceability tools—through a collaborative and integrative approach—is still an urgent challenge. This paper developed a hybrid mobile app for the real-time traceability of construction waste generation and management, where agents involved in CDW management can work together and trace the generation and management of waste. For this, a research method was developed following three stages: (1) planning and design, including identification of the information to be incorporated in the app and the output data; (2) development of the app; and (3) app testing by several construction agents, stressing the benefits and limitations. The developed app allows not only estimating but also tracing the amount of CDW generated in a construction project, ensuring the correct management and control of the waste. In addition, it promotes collaborative work, as the agents involved in CDW management, i.e., construction companies, site managers, truck drivers, waste managers, and management plants, can work together and see in real-time the management of the waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building industry is one of the largest consumers of materials resources and significant contributors to global waste. Applying core principles of circular economy (CE) could significantly help the environment by reducing waste and decreasing the life cycle cost of buildings. Several strategies to implement the concept of CE in buildings include design for deconstruction, adaptability, and flexibility. However, implementing these design strategies could face constraints. In this study, we identified 22 barriers related to the adoption of CE in buildings, as reported in the literature. We discussed the role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in overcoming those barriers. This paper demonstrates how BIM can facilitate the implementation of CE principles while providing critical insights into the life cycle costs of circular buildings. We identified 14 ways to use BIM to foster the implementation of a circular economy approach. To achieve these objectives, we have undertaken a thorough review of recent publications that explore CE design strategies, Life Cycle Costing in the circular construction of buildings, and BIM developments in the building industry. This literature review is based on 88 articles covering BIM's role in enhancing the management of a building's end-of-life while reducing the life cycle cost in the circular construction of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how the ÖNORM B 2203-1 model can complement the FIDIC Emerald Book contracts in conventional tunnel construction projects, specifically focusing on cooperation, project management, reimbursement, and dispute resolution. The complex technical nature of such projects requires collaborative stakeholder engagement, efficient project management, and effective dispute resolution mechanisms. This article enhances the current body of literature by undertaking a qualitative comparative analysis of the FIDIC Emerald Book and the ÖNORM B 2203-1 model within the specific context of conventional tunnel construction projects. The findings demonstrate that specific areas in the FIDIC Emerald Book exist where supplementary guidance is required. Compared to the FIDIC Emerald Book, the ÖNORM model offers a more extensive range of project management aspects, reimbursement guidelines, dispute resolution provisions, and comprehensive technical specifications, all supported by contractual provisions. The major limitation of this study is its focus on a literature review. Thus, including the qualitative analysis in an actual project and applying the study results would be advantageous for verifying the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) with concrete, also known as concrete 3D printing, is one of the most interesting approaches for disrupting the construction industry and is currently subject to numerous research activities worldwide. AM has great potential to decrease labour costs and increase the material efficiency and geometric complexity of non-standardised building components. Although prior investigations have shown various fields of application for AM with concrete, the full potential with respect to different structural component types has not been covered yet. With this paper, an up-to-date review of fabrication strategies for the main structural components, (1) walls, (2) columns, (3) slabs, and (4) beams, is provided to identify trends and existing challenges. Therefore, firstly, AM methods and their underlying principles and characteristics for concrete components are presented, and secondly, fabrication strategies for each AM method are shown. The investigation uncovers different AM strategies (direct part vs. indirect "permanent formwork"; in situ, on-site, or off-site), which are currently being used. As a result, future applications of AM will require a hybrid manufacturing strategy combining conventional and additive manufacturing to fully explore its potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amongst different aspects of a capital construction project, procurement is found to be the most important area and represents over 80% of the contract value. The selection of an appropriate procurement strategy is an important contributor to overall project success. Within several procurement methods, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), a relatively new strategy to procure a construction project, is becoming more popular for infrastructure projects across Australia. However, it appears that ECI has been adopted as a preferred procurement option with little research or piloting, and decisions to select ECI for a project have been mostly judgmental, and subject to biases of the decision-makers. This paper focuses on this important issue and proposes a conceptual model for selecting ECI for a construction project. Grounded Theory research methodology is employed for this study that facilitates the generation of categories and contextualises theory. Validation of the theory was ensured by carefully practicing the theoretical coding procedures through 'open coding', 'axial coding', and 'selective coding'. The data is collected through individual interviews with experts within client organisations who held senior management level roles in their organisations and were involved in the selection process of ECI and could provide input into their experience in that area. The proposed selection model integrates the procurement selection criteria specifically related to the project characteristics, client's objectives, and internal and external project environments with alternative selection approaches and practices. This paper also discusses the notion of social, process, and output control by using ECI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition and classification for construction activities help to monitor and manage construction workers. Deep learning and computer vision technologies have addressed many limitations of traditional manual methods in complex construction environments. However, distinguishing different workers and establishing a clear recognition logic remain challenging. To address these issues, we propose a novel construction activity recognition method that integrates multiple deep learning algorithms. To complete this research, we created three datasets: 727 images for construction entities, 2546 for posture and orientation estimation, and 5455 for worker re-identification. First, a YOLO v5-based model is trained for worker posture and orientation detection. A person re-identification algorithm is then introduced to distinguish workers by tracking their coordinates, body and head orientations, and postures over time, then estimating their attention direction. Additionally, a YOLO v5-based object detection model is developed to identify ten common construction entity objects. The worker's activity is determined by combining their attentional orientation, positional information, and interaction with detected construction entities. Ten video clips are selected for testing, and a total of 745 instances of workers are detected, achieving an accuracy rate of 88.5%. With further refinement, this method shows promise for a broader application in construction activity recognition, enhancing site management efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets, has revolutionized the way we experience the physical world by creating a virtual, interactive environment. In the field of education, this technology has immense potential to provide students with a safe and controlled environment in which to experience real-world scenarios that may be otherwise unfeasible or unsafe. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of integrating immersive technologies into technical education delivery. This research investigated the potential use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in university-level construction management courses, with a focus on integrating IVR technology into traditional education for construction project planning and control. The experiment involved comparing the students' learning and understanding of the subject matter using a set of two-dimensional construction drawings and a critical path method (CPM)-based construction schedule, with and without the use of an immersive environment. The findings suggested that the use of immersive technology significantly improved the students' ability to understand technical concepts and identify any errors in the construction sequence when compared to traditional teaching methods. This paper presents the details of the experiment and a comparative analysis of both approaches in terms of students' learning and understanding of project planning, sequencing, and scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of new technologies has made the acquisition and processing of big data much easier and more accessible to various domains including construction management. This trend has resulted in numerous new technical or management issues in the field, as well as increased research needs. Thus, it is very necessary to invest and assess the past, present, and possible future developments of construction management-related studies. This paper provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the articles published in this field over the previous two decades. The seven most popular research themes were identified and discussed with the data adopted in the related studies, including modern technology, waste management, performance management, risk management, project management, knowledge management, and organization management. Typical research data, research approaches, and future research directions were discussed. Emerging topics such as smart technology, sustainability, resilience, and human factors are suggested to be further explored in the domain. The review conducted in this study can provide some insights into what has been done and what can be achieved in future research in the construction management domain towards a data-rich era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participation of built environment (BE) professionals is essential in pushing the agenda of green buildings (GBs) in the construction industry. Considering willingness to pay (WTP) in light of these professionals plays a role in the management of the construction industry as one of the major energy consumers and emitters of greenhouse gases. This study, from an extended perspective of green building, seeks to examine the factors that influence Built Environment (BE) Professionals' willingness to pay for green buildings in Ghana. A questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of the professionals on the theme under investigation. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to obtain 153 responses from BE professionals such as architects, quantity surveyors, construction managers, and project managers in Kumasi and Accra. Both descriptive (mean, standard deviation, and standard error) and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test) were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that perceived benefit stood out as the topmost factor that BE professionals consider in their willingness to pay for green buildings. This paper could serve as an eye-opener to aid in the development of strategies and influencing mechanisms to stimulate the interest of various groups of BE professionals in delivering a more environmentally friendly construction system. This study contributes to the state-of-the-art studies regarding willingness to pay for GBs. The global literature is largely focused on the willingness of household consumers/clients to pay for GBs to the detriment of the BE professionals, who play key role in GB developments, and encourage their adoption. The novelty of this study stems from the fact that it is the first time the views of BE professionals are examined when it comes to their willingness to pay for green buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is a contribution factor leading to more effective and efficient construction safety management. Metro construction practitioners always find it difficult to determine what specialized knowledge is needed in order to lead to better safety risk management. Currently, domain knowledge elements are generally determined by experts, which is coarse-grained and uncomprehensive. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a structure of domain knowledge elements, using an automatic approach to expand domain knowledge elements (DKEs) from a big dataset of unstructured text documents. First, the co-word co-occurrence network (CCN) was used to find the connected knowledge elements, and then the association rule mining (ARM) was compiled to prune the weakly related subnetworks, leaving the strong associated elements. Finally, a list of DKEs in the metro construction safety risk management was obtained. The result shows that the obtained DKEs are more comprehensive and valuable compared to previous studies. The proposed approach provides an automatic way to expand DKEs from a small amount of known knowledge, minimizing the expert bias. This study also contributes to building a fine-grained knowledge structure for metro construction safety risk management. The structure can be used to guide safety training and help knowledge-based safety risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk management is one of the topical areas in construction project management research. However, no attempt has been made in the past decades to explore the emerging themes in this area. This paper reviews the research trends in risk management in construction. The bibliometric data of 1635 publications between 1979 and 2022 were extracted from Scopus using a set of keywords. The study used VOSviewer and Gephi to conduct a scientometric analysis on the extracted publications. The review outcome indicates a significant increase in publications on risk management in construction, with about 205 publications recorded between 2021 and 2022 alone. Based on this analysis, it is projected that the next decade will see significant research on risk management, especially as the construction industry moves towards Industry 5.0 with many uncertainties. Further, the most productive countries of risk management studies in construction include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Hong Kong. Emerging key research areas are discussed using network diagrams and clusters. These areas include the processes in risk management, risk analytical models and techniques, sources of risk and uncertainties, effective knowledge-based systems for improved risk management, risk contingency in construction contracts, risk-integrated project planning and scheduling, and stakeholder management. The findings of this study inform researchers on the current progress of risk management studies in construction and highlight possible research directions that can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire at a construction site usually results in serious accidents. Therefore, fire management at the construction site is critical to decreasing possible accidents. However, conventional fire safety management can be problematic in many aspects, such as visualization, multi-stage alarm systems, and dynamic escape route optimization. To solve these issues, this paper develops a platform for a BIM-based fire safety management system that considers the construction site. The developed platform contains four subsystems: a remote monitoring subsystem, a fire visualization subsystem, a multi-stage fire alarm subsystem, and an escape route optimization subsystem. It detects the fire hazard in the early stage of the fire by the remote monitoring subsystem and transmits this information to the fire visualization subsystem for displaying. Furthermore, the multi-stage fire alarm subsystem sends warnings or alarms based on the fire's severity. Moreover, the escape route optimization subsystem dynamically optimizes the evacuation routes by considering the actual number of people at the construction site and the potential crowding as people pass through the escapeway. Results show that this system can provide informative and on-time fire protection measures to different participants at the construction site. This study can also serve as a solution to improve fire safety management at the construction site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintenance is crucial for healthcare facilities in terms of both the continuity of operations and annual costs. Many maintenance issues are associated with design decisions that pave the way for added costs in later lifecycle stages. Some systems, e.g., elevators, are sources of maintenance costs; additionally, elevator outages are significant issues for multi-floor healthcare facilities. Considering the maintainability of elevators from the early design stages helps to highlight potential maintenance issues in later stages. This also assists in mitigating costs by avoiding design decisions that result in future maintenance costs. This research uses the expertise of facility managers who have experience with maintenance issues resulting from design decisions. A list of 35 elevator maintenance issues caused by design flaws is presented in this paper, based on the literature and semi-structured interviews with a representative sample of six healthcare facility management experts. Then, a questionnaire using convenience sampling was conducted with facility management professionals to evaluate and rank the maintenance issues. While 60 professionals responded, only 30 attempted the four-parameter evaluation of all listed maintenance issues. The results of the questionnaire determined elevator car jams, sudden stops, and working space conditions to be the most critical issues faced by facility managers in healthcare facilities. The output of this study can help designers of new healthcare facilities to avoid decisions that result in unwarranted maintenance issues with costly impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential uses of 3D scan data in the construction industry have been extensively researched in the last 20 years, with many benefits over traditional methods proclaimed by researchers. However, despite their advocated benefits, their implementation in actual construction sites remains low. This research aims to discover the potential uses of 3D scan data for construction management purposes and the limitations and barriers to their implementation and widespread adoption. Previous research into the topic was analysed to discover what technologies were used for generating 3D scan data, for what purpose and what issues were identified. These discoveries were then used to specify the potential uses of 3D scan data for, primarily, progress monitoring and quality control, which were then cross-referenced with all known limitations and barriers from the literature and the researchers' own experience. Research has shown that, currently, there are numerous issues with both the capabilities of current technical solutions and with the construction industry's readiness, which hinder mass adoption. Potential for breakthroughs, fortunately, does exist; however, greater impetus from the construction industry is needed to drive forward the demand for better technical solutions, which would resolve current issues and lead to the widespread adoption of 3D scan data for construction management-related uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction waste management is crucial to the sustainable development of the construction industry and environmental management, and China has the highest construction waste emission in the world, making it typical and representative globally. In this paper, we conducted an empirical study on the relationship between the change in construction waste and economic growth at the provincial level in China from 2009 to 2018 based on a decoupling model and spatial analysis methods, and we reached the findings as follows. (1) Most provinces in China are still in the stage of continuous growth of construction waste emissions, and about 30% have reached the peak (inverted U-shaped), prominently characterized by inter-provincial spatial heterogeneity and agglomeration. (2) The decoupling types between inter-provincial construction waste and construction economic growth in China are dominated by weak decoupling, expansive coupling, and recessive decoupling, and they are changing in general with positive signs but in a more diversified and complex trend. (3) Based on the analysis results, this paper classifies China into three types of policy zones, namely transformation, adjustment, and stabilization, and proposes differentiated and targeted recommendations to provide an important decision basis for the design of construction waste management policies in China and similar countries and to help achieve a "zero waste society" in early global development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents our findings from a three-stage research project, which consists of the identification, development, and evaluation of a defect management Augmented Reality (AR) prototype that incorporates Building Information Modelling (BIM) technologies. Within the first stage, we conducted a workshop with four construction-industry representatives to capture their opinions and perceptions of the potentials and barriers associated with the integration of BIM and AR in the construction industry. The workshop findings led us to the second stage, which consisted of the development of an on-site BIM-based AR defect management (BIM-ARDM) system for construction inspections. Finally, a study was conducted to evaluate BIM-ARDM in comparison to the current paper-based defect management inspection approach employed on construction sites. The findings from the study revealed BIM-ARDM significantly outperformed current approaches in terms of usability, workload, performance, completion time, identifying defects, locating building elements, and assisting the user with the inspection task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a pivotal component of rural revitalization, effective management of rural courtyard spaces is crucial for improving environmental quality and economic development. Utilizing the 2023 "Most Beautiful Courtyard" design competition in Guangze County as a backdrop, this study investigates the specific circumstances and practical challenges encountered during the courtyard transformation process. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this research establishes a unified indicator evaluation system; investigates the perspectives of villagers, designers, and managers; and conducts an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced in rural courtyard transformation practice. The goal is to offer substantial reference points for policy formulation and practical implementation, alongside recommendations for effective courtyard transformation. At the construction management level, the government should develop detailed operational guidelines for rural courtyard transformation, closely monitor construction progress, manage funds scientifically, and ensure efficient communication among the three groups. At the localization level, villagers' daily production and life should be integrated with village cultural symbols, respecting and exploring localization factors. Adequate consideration of the ecological environment and climatic conditions is crucial to promoting the sustainable development of rural courtyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Value Engineering (VE) to enhance cost management and project value optimization in residential construction. The primary aim is to develop a comprehensive framework that synergizes 5th Dimension Building Information Modeling (5D BIM) with VE processes to identify and evaluate the most cost-effective construction alternatives. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this research includes an extensive review of existing practices, an integrated BIM-VE framework proposal, and the application of 5D BIM principles to improve visualization, cost estimation, and scheduling. The findings reveal that integrating BIM and VE significantly enhances project efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the case study of a twin villa project demonstrates a 42% reduction in floor material costs and a 30% reduction in door material costs, resulting in an overall project cost savings of 35%. Additionally, the integrated approach contributes to a 15% reduction in project duration and a notable improvement in design quality and stakeholder collaboration. This research contributes significantly by providing a robust framework for BIM and VE integration, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize cost management practices in the construction industry. The novelty of this study lies in its detailed and practical approach to merging BIM with VE, offering a viable solution for resource optimization and sustainable building practices. This study highlights the transformative potential of BIM-VE integration, advocating for its broader adoption to achieve superior project outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building information modelling (BIM) is an appreciated technology in the field of architecture and construction management. Collaboration of information in BIM has not been fully utilized in the structural engineering stream as many engineers keep on working with previous prevailing design approaches. Failure to adequately facilitate automation in design could lead to structural defects, construction rework, or even structural clashes, with major financial implications. Given the inherent complexity of large-scale construction projects, the 'manual design and detailing' of structure is a challenging task and prone to human errors. Against this backdrop, this study developed a 4D building information management approach to facilitate automated structural models for professionals designing all the elements required in reinforced concrete (RC) structures like slabs, beams, and columns. The main contribution of this study is to obtain structural models directly from architecture models automatically, which reduces effort and possible errors in the previous prevailing approaches. The framework enables execution of all the model design works automatically through coding. This is achieved by executing a script which is beneficial for integrated project delivery (IPD). The 3D structural model in BIM software presented in this study extracts and transfers the geometrical data and links these data in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) files using integration facilitated by Python 3.6 and IFCopenshell. The developed automated programme framework offers a cost-effective and accurate methodology to address the limitations and inefficiencies of traditional methods of structural modelling, which had been carried out manually. The authors have developed a novel tool to extract structural models from architectural models without proprietary software, greatly benefiting BIM managers by enhancing 3D BIM models. This advancement toward Open BIM, crucial for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry's future, is accessible to educators and beginners and highlights BIM's effectiveness in improving structural analysis and productivity. The core finding of this study is to generate a structural model from an architecture model by automating the script with Python integration of IFC and IFCopenshell. The merits of the developed framework are reduced clashes, more economical structural modelling, and fully automated smart work as functions of the IPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swift integration of advanced technologies in the construction sector has significantly propelled the adoption of smart construction sites (SCSs). Quality management (QM), a critical endeavor within the construction domain, is central to the operational success of construction projects. The establishment of quality management in smart construction sites (SCS-QM) specifically seeks to delineate the principal factors influencing quality management in the context of SCS, with the objective of enhancing overall project quality. This study has identified 19 pivotal factors impacting SCS-QM by drawing upon the 4M1E quality management framework and an extensive review of the literature. Utilizing the hybrid DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC analytical framework, the research evaluates these factors in terms of significance, hierarchical structure, and interdependencies, thereby formulating targeted strategies for the advancement of SCS-QM. Through a systematic evaluation by nine experts, this study categorizes the influencing factors into nine levels, three layers, and four areas, further classifying them into four distinct impact typologies. The results underscore that those technologies, such as automation and intelligence, along with regulatory frameworks, comprehensive quality management standards, transparency of critical technologies, training of construction personnel, and effective process management, constitute the foundational elements crucial for enhancing SCS-QM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]