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To improve construction productivity and performance, it must be measured. The Construction Sector Council (CSC) has started a Labour Productivity and Project Performance Benchmarking Program for the infrastructure sector of the construction industry in Canada. Metrics were developed for project cost, time, safety, and quality performance; labour productivity; rework; project conditions; and management practices related to health and safety. Data from 19 projects located in different regions of Canada were collected and analyzed. Based on the results and on industry feedback, additional metrics for practices related to project planning, materials management, and construction supervisory skills development were developed. This paper describes the development of the program. Lessons learned during the development and implementation of the benchmarking and metrics program are summarized and steps to establish a sustainable program are identified. It is concluded that a successful program is feasible and has the potential to have broad impact.

This paper explains the design and construction phases of the proposals accepted by the Client under the design : construct form on contract. The Engineer's brief had stated a preference for a horizontal swing bridge, but that with specific pre-tender submission an alternative form would be acceptable. Accordingly, swing bridges and other forms of moving structure were examined carefully to determine the most appropriate and economic solution in consideration of the constructional, aesthetic and maintenance viewpoints. A single (44m) span vertical lift bridge was concluded by the contractor to be the most desirable and economic solution, in spite of the fact that only one other reasonably modern example of its type exists in the UK. A perceived advantage of a vertical lift bridge was that all the mechanical equipment could be fully sheltered from the elements. The deck of the bridge is of all steel construction, designed for speedy erection over the canal during a possession period and balanced by counterweights housed within hollow reinforced concrete towers at each corner. Lifting is activated by synchronized winches through a rope drive connected to each counterweight and concealed within the abutments supporting the towers. Foundations comprise large diameter concrete piles taken into bedrock. New river walls are formed using tied sheet pile walls, and windwall approaches are of reinforced earth construction. (A)

This paper describes an on-going study that aims to develop a web-based spatial decision support system model for proactive health and safety management in linear construction projects. Currently, health and safety management is usually performed reactively instead of proactive management since hazard identification and risk assessment is mostly performed on paper based documents that are not effectively used at site. This leads to accidents and fatalities at construction sites. The proposed system automatically identifies the spatial risks according to the topographic and layout map of the site, project specification and health and safety regulations by means of spatial analysis. It enables the workers and management personnel to access the possible hazards and thematic risk map of any portion of the construction site for linear projects. Finally, the described approach provides the proposed mitigation measures for the identified hazards. The developed system is expected to raise awareness in H&S among workers and engineers, and increase participation of workers to health and safety management.

Tunnel monitoring and measurement is a very important part of the tunnel construction's safety,monitoring technology and information management technology is directly related to the tunnel construction's safety and quality, Although domestic and foreign scholars have done a lot of research on tunnel monitoring measurement technology and information management technology,because of the characteristics of invisibility, uncertainty and variability in tunneling, the level of the monitoring technology and information management are far from construction's requirements.This paper based on ACCESS and GTS, researching and developing automatic warning system of tunnel monitoring,and realizing the information management and early warning forecast of tunnel monitoring measurement data. Engineering practice shows that the system can processing and analyzingthe data fast, convenient and real-time , realize automatic early warning forecast, and provide reliable basis for information construction management of tunneling

This short paper introduces the key concepts behind RFID technology and presents a brief historical perspective. Examples of RFID applications are also given to highlight the developing popularity of the technology in many sectors. This paper will provide insights into the technology for the uninitiated reader without going into the technical and mathematical details. Over the next few years, this technology is expected to become ubiquitous in various forms and it is likely that everyone's lives will be affected in many innovative ways.

Despite the significance of resource levelling, project managers lack various ways to smooth resource usage fluctuation of a repetitive construction project besides changing resource usage. Tolerating interruptions is an effective way to provide flexibility for a schedule but is ignored when solving resource levelling problems. Therefore, this paper investigates the impacts of interruptions on resource usage fluctuation and develops an integrated approach that simultaneously integrates two scheduling adjusting processes: changing resource usage and tolerating interruptions. In this paper, two interruption conditions are proposed to identify which activities are suitable to be interrupted for smoothing resource usage fluctuation. The traditional resource levelling model is modified to a new scheduling model by incorporating interruptions. A two-stage GA-based scheduling algorithm is developed by integrating changing resource usage and tolerating interruptions. A commonly used pipeline project is adopted to illustrate the steps of the proposed approach and demonstrate its effectiveness and superiority through comparison with previous studies. A large-scale project further verifies the usability of the proposed approach. The results confirmed the feasibility to smooth resource usage fluctuation by interruptions, and the integrated approach can achieve a more competitive resource levelling result.

PurposeContingency studies within logistics and supply chain management have shown a need for longitudinal studies on fit. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the logistics strategy from a process of establishing fit perspective.Design/methodology/approachA large Swedish building contractor's logistics strategy process was analysed using a longitudinal single-case study for a period of 11 years (2008–2019).FindingsThe case study reveals three main constraints to logistics strategy implementation: a dominant purchasing organisation, a lack of incentives and diverging top-management priorities. This suggests that logistics strategy fit is not a conscious choice determined by contextual factors.Research limitations/implicationsEstablishing fit is a continuous cycle of regaining fit between the logistics context and logistics strategy components. Fit can be achieved by a change to the logistics context or to logistics strategy components.Practical implicationsLogistics managers may need to opt for satisfactory fit in view of the costs incurred by changing strategy versus the benefits to be gained from a higher degree of fit.Originality/valueThis paper adopts a longitudinal case design to study the fit between the logistics context and strategy, adding to the body of knowledge on organisational design and strategy in logistics and supply chain management.

This paper based on the Nepalese and Cambodian construction environment discusses some of the factors which affect the efficiency in project delivery system in the least developed countries. Only several infrastructure development projects were completed within the planned resources in the traditional project delivery system. In addition to the financial problem, lack of bridging the design and construction, inadequate construction management knowledge and skills in the construction engineers, and lack of appropriate human resource development system are the main reasons for poor performance of the Nepalese and Cambodian construction industry. Alternative project delivery systems are discussed and incorporation of the construction management system to improve the situation is proposed.

Building information modeling (BIM) can support effectiveness during many activities in the AEC industry. even when processing a construction-technological project. This paper presents an approach how to use building information model in higher education, especially during the work on diploma thesis and it supervision. Diploma thesis is project based work, which aims to compile a construction-technological project for a selected construction. The paper describes the use of input data, working with them and compares this process with standard input data such as printed design documentation. The effectiveness of using the building information model as a input data for construction-technological project is described in the conclusion.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to increase the knowledge of real estate firms’ capabilities to innovate and, consequently, their capacity to absorb new innovations and benefit from digital technologies in an ecosystem context. Design/methodology/approach The results are based on 32 interviews with representatives of Swedish real estate owners, real estate owner industry associations and suppliers of digital technology to real estate owners. The data are interpreted using theories on absorptive capacity (i.e. the capacity to absorb new innovations), innovation capabilities and innovation ecosystems. Findings The real estate owners, technology suppliers and real estate owner industry associations have expanded their innovation capabilities and reshaped their innovation ecosystem by initiating a number of different digitalization activities; for example, the development of new IT systems, digital platforms, services and business models. The absorptive capacity has been improved as the organizations have changed routines and structures related to innovation, and they have taken on new roles related to digitalization and innovation, making them better able to absorb new innovations. Also, this paper identifies several drivers and obstacles to digitalization in the real estate sector. Research limitations/implications The increased capabilities related to digitalization can lead to better absorptive capacity on an individual firm level, which can contribute to the overall development of these firms in a longer-term. Also, new capabilities may lead to better absorptive capacity in the real estate sector at large, as firms may benefit from each other’s capabilities through collaboration. The limitations are that this study does not interview tenants or facility management firms and that the findings represent the context of the Swedish real estate market. Originality/value This paper investigates innovation capabilities, absorptive capacity and innovation ecosystems of real estate owners, their technology suppliers and real estate owner industry associations on the organizational level and on the sector level, into which there is little previous research. Also, this paper highlights the novelty of digitalization as a phenomenon in the sector.

Photogrammetry is presently being used in the location and design of highways to achieve a saving in time, manpower, and cost. Considerable interest has been expressed in extending the use of photogrammetry to achieve a similar savings in the measurement of highway final pay quantities. This paper reports the results of an attempt to apply photogrammetric methods to the determination of several final pay quantities and to evaluate the accuracy obtained by comparison with quantities determined by normal field procedures. The final pay quantities concerned were earthwork, concrete pavement and appurtenances, paved side ditch, sodding, curbing, guard rail, and guide posts.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation is a dynamic process and there are a number of influential variables that may change throughout. There is little research on the dynamics of the change environment and the AEC organizations’ approaches to BIM adoption and implementation. A considerable number of BIM enablers have been identified and/or developed in the extant literature. However, stipulating BIM implementation enablers per se provides only a static view that is not adequate for describing effective management of BIM implementation in Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) organizations. This study is the second part of an ongoing research about BIM implementation enablers. In the first paper “Building Information Modelling (BIM) adoption and implementation enablers in AEC firms: a systematic literature review” (Abbasnejad et al., 2020) the organizational BIM enablers have been identified. The aim of this second paper is to (1) further review and validate the key BIM implementation enablers using both the existing literature and expert interviews, and (2) develop a structural model of the key enablers using the ISM technique to understand the mutual interaction of these enablers and identify the driving enablers and the dependent enablers. Twenty-eight enablers for BIM implementation were initially identified from the literature and subsequent discussion with experts from academia and industry has been conducted to select most key BIM implementation enablers. Eleven enablers were finally chosen based on the literature review and expert interviews and the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique has been adopted to evaluate the contextual interrelationships among them. MICMAC (Matrix Impacts Cross-reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification) analysis was employed to classify the eleven enablers based on their dependence and driving power. The results indicate that there is no enabler in the autonomous cluster and this therefore signifies that all enablers are required for the implementation of BIM. BIM leadership and top management support have been identified as the enablers with the highest driving power in the initial stages of the BIM adoption and implementation process and for that reason, these enablers demand a greater priority given that there are other dependent enablers that will be impacted.

For the prediction of economic expenses involved in construction industry, cost estimation has become an important aspect of construction management for the prediction of economic expenses and successful completion of the construction work. Cost analysis is crucial and require expertise for accurate and comprehensive estimation. In order to effectively improve the accuracy of construction project cost, this paper establishes an estimation model based on gray BP neural network. It combines the MATLAB toolbox for program design, and learns and tests the input and output of training samples. This article determines the application of grey system theory to optimize the estimation model of Back Propagation (BP) neural network. The viability of the method established in this article, is tested by collecting the engineering cost data in Zhengzhou city and comparing between the standard BP neural network and the gray BP neural network methods. The results show that the average error of the gray system theory optimized BP neural network model designed in this paper is 2.33%. The gray BP neural network model studied in this paper can not only quickly estimate the project cost, but also has high accuracy rate. The outcomes obtained establishes a model with scientific and reasonable construction project cost estimation.

Machine learning plays a vital role in construction industry which could make improve project’s safety, productivity, and quality. Many studies have attempted to explore the potential opportunities to adopt this technology in different aspects of the construction sector. However, no comprehensive study to review the global research trends on this technological advancement in construction management domain. The goal is to investigate and summarize the state-of-the-art knowledge body in this topic in a systematic manner. To achieve this, this paper considered 161 studies on machine learning in construction management related to bibliographic records retrieved from the Scopus database by adopting scientometric analysis approach. This paper found that since 2014, there has been a considerable increase in the number of publications on this domain. Researchers from the United States, China, and Australia have been the main contributors to this research area through regional analysis. This study also revealed that approximately 34% of all countries in the world are engaged in this domain research. In addition, five main aspects in construction management have been applied machine learning techniques, namely, assess and reduce risk, safety management for construction sites, cost estimation and prediction, Schedule management, and building energy demand prediction. Furthermore, three potential construction management research areas that can apply this technology were proposed for further studies. The findings will help both professionals and researchers more understanding how machine learning knowledge is evolving and its role played in the construction management domain, and this study thus offers a useful reference point to how can develop this area in the future.

Public actors are increasingly enforcing the use of specifically designed construction logistics setups (CLS) to cope with logistical challenges and minimising disturbances on third parties in large construction projects. The organising of these CLS is contingent on the interaction among several types of actors. The purpose of the paper is to advance the understanding of the design and use of CLS and the distribution of various outcomes of such arrangements on the actors involved. The paper analyses the role of public actors in the initiating of CLS and how this affects the relational interfaces in the CLS triad of developers, contractors and logistics service providers, and the outcomes of their interactions. First, the main reason for a public actor to initiate a CLS is not cost, productivity or innovativity gains, but to decrease disturbances on third parties. Second, developers and contractors are forced to use the CLS initiated by the public actor. This makes them take on a forced customer role, explaining why these actors are often resistant to adopt to a certain CLS. Third, ripple effects, such as unintended costs and productivity impacts, occur in the construction supply chain because of the use of CLS. MIMIC

The purpose of the Research was to examine current highway construction techniques which would reduce pavement costs without sacrificing pavement quality. It was believed that an investigation into the presently used methods for slipform paving and for installing reinforcing steel for continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) would help in satisfying the stated objective.

Purpose Successful execution of public–private partnership (PPP) projects is the most desirable outcome to all stakeholders. Previous studies show that one of the topmost obstacles to fulfil this desire on the project is financial risks. Nonetheless, inadequate holistic studies exist on linking the management of this challenge to the financial returns of the project. This study aims to develop a theoretical framework interrelating financial risks, financial controls and financial performance of PPP projects. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical framework is informed and supported by existing theories and previous empirical studies from construction management, finance and economics. The underlying theories captured in the framework were chosen for their relevance and applicability to PPP projects. The propositions developed from the analysis of the theories and the empirical literature are summarised in three main hypotheses and 26 operationalised sub-hypotheses. Findings The major elements of the framework include the financial risks and 12 sub-themes which are commonly experienced on PPP projects. Financial policies and procedures on controlling financial losses of the projects are also included in the framework. Lastly, this study creates financial criteria on the projects which are intrinsically embedded in the framework to serve as benchmark to support the measurement of financial success. Research limitations/implications This study is a theoretical review of classical theories and empirical studies, and therefore, not all researches and managerial controls have not been included in this framework due to restricted time and limited studies on the topic. Practical implications This paper would serve as a multidimensional guide to project managers to mitigate financial risks and hopefully enhance the financial success of PPPs. Theoretically, this paper outlines the dimensions of managing financial risks of PPPs that require valid and reliable measurement to test the interrelationships of the constructs by further studies in the construction research community. Originality/value This theoretical framework makes ambitious efforts to embrace multifaceted theories from different disciplines to shed light on holistic mechanisms to mitigate financial risks to improve financial returns of PPP projects.

PurposeBid/no-bid decision is a significant and strategic decision, which must be finalized at an early stage of the bidding process. Such decision-making may have significant impact on the performance of the contractors. Using Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) and Classification and Regression (CRT) decision tree algorithms, this paper aims to develop bid/no-bid models for design-bid-build projects for contractors.Design/methodology/approachThe models in this study have been developed using CHAID and CRT algorithms. Thirty-four bid/no-bid key factors were collected via extensive research. The bid/no-bid factors were listed based on their importance index as a result of a questionnaire distributed among the construction professionals. These factors were divided into five main risk categories – owner, project, bidding situation, contract and contractor – which were taken as inputs for the models. Split-sample validation was applied for testing and measuring the accuracy of the CHAID and CRT models. Moreover, Spearman's rank correlation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were employed to identify the statistical features of the received 169 responses.FindingsThe key bid/no-bid factors in construction industry were categorized in five related groups and ranked based on the relative importance index. It was found that the top 6 ranked bid/no-bid factors were (1) current workload, (2) need for work, (3) previous experience with employer; (4) timely payment by the employer; (5) availability of other projects for bidding (6) reputation of employer in the industry. Matrix comparison between all bid/no-bid groups was performed using Spearman's correlation to measure the relationship between each of the two paired groups. It was concluded that all the relationships were positive.Originality/valueExisting bidding models require many inputs and advanced understanding of mathematics and software to run the model. Contractors tend to use easy, fast and available support methods. Excluding a great number of the bid/no-bid factors may affect the final decision. This paper proposes a bid/no-bid decision tree models for contractors of different sizes. It is the first study in the literature, to the best of authors' knowledge, to study bid/no-bid decision with the proposed decision tree algorithm. The proposed models in this study overcome the shortfalls of most previous models such as avoiding the complexity and difficulties of applying the concept. The proposed model will provide the contractors with a bid/no-bid decision based on the input for the defined bid factor groups. The proposed models display the soft spots and hot spots between the independent and dependent variables, which leads to a better decision. The proposed models display the result effectively in visual terms, easy to understand and easy to apply. The proposed models are a form of multiple effect (or variable) analysis which allows the companies to explain, describe, predict or classify an outcome.

PurposeThe applications of multi-agent systems (MASs) are considered to be among the most promising paradigms for detailed investigations and reliable problem-solving methods, and MAS applications make it possible for researchers and practitioners to better understand complex systems. Although a number of prior studies have been conducted to address complex issues that arise from construction projects, few studies have summarised the applications and discussed the capacity of MASs from the perspective of construction management. To fill the gap, this paper provides a comprehensive literature review of MAS applications from the perspective of construction management.Design/methodology/approachWeb of Science and Scopus are the most commonly used international databases in conducting the literature reviews. A total of 86 relevant papers published in SCI-Expanded, SSCI and Ei Compendex journals related to the application of MASs from the perspective of construction management are selected to be analysed and discussed in this paper.FindingsBased on the 86 collected publications, the utilisations of MASs to support the management of the supply chain and the improvement of project performance are identified from the perspective of construction management, the characteristics and barriers of current MAS applications are analysed, a framework for developing agent-based models to address complex problems is proposed, and future research directions of MAS applications are discussed.Originality/valueThis review can serve as a useful reference for scholars to enhance their understanding of the current research and guide future research on MASs. The proposed framework can help build agent-based models to address complex problems in construction management.

Purpose Best value procurement (BVP) has been recognized for some time as offering significant opportunities to advance process excellence in the construction sector. As an innovative approach to strategic procurement, BVP has attracted attention from the New Zealand (NZ) Government. It has similarly been found that the most substantial benefit of this modified approach to procurement is in value creation and innovative organizational processes through identifying “best value.” Yet to date, there is a lack of robust evidence as to how BVP can exactly influence construction innovation. Accordingly, this paper aims to explore how to improve BVP implementation to promote construction innovation and what are the values to be achieved in BVP mega projects from the view of innovation. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with 22 participants, including project managers, procurement specialists, engineers and general managers from three organization types, were conducted to explore BVP implementation in a range of mega construction projects in NZ. Findings Barriers to BVP implementation and value innovation have been identified in this paper. Data analysis suggested traditional mindset in the procurement process, market constraints, mistrusts and fuzzy definition of BVP are the challenges for BVP implementation; BVP cultivates organizational competition because of diverse collaboration models and value attitudes; and BVP considers more values from the whole supply chain. To promote innovative construction, existing BVP should consider adopting progressive enhancements toward updating procurement guidance, encouraging effective communications, collaborating and promoting changes in stakeholders’ mindset. Practical implications Identified barriers to BVP implementation set up a platform for framing guidance, which could provide an effective approach as it enables a better understanding of what BVP means to NZ and what needs to be overcome. Taking this into account, similar small size markets around the world would be able to consider the applicability of BVP for innovative improvements. Originality/value This paper provides insights into value concepts in project procurement. It theoretically and practically possesses originality in linking BVP to innovative construction. The study of BVP and its application further reveals the importance of establishing a distinct regulation and fostering organizational competition from value aspects to achieve construction innovation.

This paper deals with sustainable design and construction, since the interest in and the awareness of green design has grown dramatically in the past several years and the different rating systems used worldwide the main focus will be on LEED; the different LEED certifications available, the process of the certifications, and the criteria on which the certification consider. Additionally, it will relate its new trends with each other by showing how building information modeling can be used to achieve a sustainable design. The powerful tools of building information modeling (BIM) will be discussed that can ease and aid the process of the LEED certification of a building. This paper also reports a demonstration pertinent to the implementation BIM can provide to achieve a sustainable green design. Two case studies are investigated; the first case study is a LEED Gold certified 128-story tower in Shanghai, China while the second is a LEED Platinum certified 13-Story building in San Francisco, USA.

A large proportion of apartment buildings in Europe were built between 1950 and 1990 and many of them are today in need of renovation due to inherently poor quality of design, a lack of subsequent maintenance and the present-day imperative of energy-efficiency. The limited extent of renovation compared with new-build projects suggests that developers find renovation unattractive. The purpose of this paper is to examine this reluctance by applying the theory of wicked problems. The paper discusses the wickedness of various aspects when doing feasibility assessments of renovation projects in a Swedish context, such as technical viability, financial viability, and environmental performance. The results show that most of these aspects are wicked and that attempts to manage the wickedness of renovation require both skill and knowledge, not to inflict harmful effects. For instance, it is necessary to do case-by-case assessments to determine if renovation is feasible. When planning for the renovation of several apartment buildings the complexity increases, because more stakeholders are involved. However, this also enables incremental approaches, continuous learning, and local adaptations. The insight that renovation is a wicked problem is important input for future research on renovation as well as for property owners when considering renovation. (Less)

Research methodology is an important and indispensable element in research design. However, designing research strategy such as case study has proven to be a difficult task among research students. Case study is one of the most frequently used qualitative research methodology in the field of construction management; however the design and implementation of case study remains a complex and contentious issue among researchers. Consequently, many students select case study strategy without understanding the array of factors that can affect the outcome of their research. This paper presents a practical, experience-based, step-by-step guide to select, conduct and complete a case study research in construction management. The paper justifies the rationale for adopting case study, explored the various stages in designing case study spanning from the theoretical framework, constructing research themes, data collection and analysis through to validity and reliability issues. This paper contributes in expanding the knowledge of upcoming researchers in the built environment on the design, applications, advantages, disadvantages as well as limitations of case study in construction management researches. The study recommends the research design for students undertaking construction management related studies.

Following manufacturing, construction is the industry that is responsible for the majority of work-related accidents due to the complexity and uniqueness of each construction site. The accidents that occur on construction sites reflect the safety culture and the general health and safety (H&S) policy in the construction field. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the frequency of accidents and their contributing factors in each stage of 9 different types of construction. This paper utilizes data from published scientific literature to extract the universal contributing factors to be evaluated in the Greek construction industry and to compare results with documented international accidents. The riskiest construction stages per construction type and the main factors behind them are determined. The results show contradictions regarding the contributing factors as perceived by Greek professionals and those verified by international real accident data.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the interdependencies between temporary and permanent aspects of project organizing and how they affect the management of public infrastructure operation and maintenance (O&M) activities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies a case study approach and uses Lundin and Söderholm's (1995) framework of the temporary organization (with the themes of time, task, team and transition) to distinguish between temporary and permanent aspects of organizing two infrastructure O&M projects.FindingsThis paper adds to the literature on temporary organizations by recognizing a mixture of temporary and permanent aspects of project organizing in an empirical project-level example. In line with previous research, the themes of time, task, team and transition were shown to be interdependent. Furthermore, the paper broadens the theory of temporary organizations by presenting a project organization with significant permanent aspects.Practical implicationsProject managers of public sector projects need to be aware of the possible mixture of temporary and permanent aspects of project organizing. Management of projects that are found to have a mixture of temporary and permanent aspects should combine the perspectives and management practices of both temporary and permanent organizing. Not acknowledging permanent aspects could lead to management that is not adapted to the prerequisites of project organizing in this context.Originality/valueThe findings further develop the literature on temporary organizations by recognizing that there is not only a mixture of temporary and permanent aspects between the temporary organization and its permanent environment but there is also a mixture of temporary and permanent aspects of organizing within project organizations.

This article paper has been provided and composed in the observation of technological innovation required in the building science as tools in the Architectural and Engineering Consulting Firm as well as in the construction industry to simplify all construction and design issues that we have experienced conventionally, however, in this article paper will discuss the benefits that can be achieved using BIM. The paper is part of the PUP’s MSCM and AIU’s Ph.D. in Building and Construction Engineering subject study and thesis that had been submitted in compliance with the required curriculum. Also, this had been published in the CEAI VIEWPOINT Journal September 2018 Edition and Durreesamin Journal December 2018 Edition as well as most read in the ResearchGate and Academia platforms.

Purpose The practice of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being promoted by technology developers. However, its adoption rate is still reported as low in the construction industry due to a lack of expertise and the limited reliable applications for AI technology. Hence, this paper aims to present the detailed outcome of experimentations evaluating the applicability and the performance of AI object detection algorithms for construction modular object detection. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a thorough evaluation of two deep learning algorithms for object detection, including the faster region-based convolutional neural network (faster RCNN) and single shot multi-box detector (SSD). Two types of metrics are also presented; first, the average recall and mean average precision by image pixels; second, the recall and precision by counting. To conduct the experiments using the selected algorithms, four infrastructure and building construction sites are chosen to collect the required data, including a total of 990 images of three different but common modular objects, including modular panels, safety barricades and site fences. Findings The results of the comprehensive evaluation of the algorithms show that the performance of faster RCNN and SSD depends on the context that detection occurs. Indeed, surrounding objects and the backgrounds of the objects affect the level of accuracy obtained from the AI analysis and may particularly effect precision and recall. The analysis of loss lines shows that the loss lines for selected objects depend on both their geometry and the image background. The results on selected objects show that faster RCNN offers higher accuracy than SSD for detection of selected objects. Research limitations/implications The results show that modular object detection is crucial in construction for the achievement of the required information for project quality and safety objectives. The detection process can significantly improve monitoring object installation progress in an accurate and machine-based manner avoiding human errors. The results of this paper are limited to three construction sites, but future investigations can cover more tasks or objects from different construction sites in a fully automated manner. Originality/value This paper’s originality lies in offering new AI applications in modular construction, using a large first-hand data set collected from three construction sites. Furthermore, the paper presents the scientific evaluation results of implementing recent object detection algorithms across a set of extended metrics using the original training and validation data sets to improve the generalisability of the experimentation. This paper also provides the practitioners and scholars with a workflow on AI applications in the modular context and the first-hand referencing data.

Based on the comprehensive application and bibliometrical analysis of the non-cooperative equilibrium theory of game theory, this paper takes the construction project group as the research background, analyzes the obstacles to the application of management informatization in the construction project, and conducts a pair game study on the application of management informatization by single or group subjects. Aims to provide a valuable reference for the application of management information in construction projects, in line with the policy orientation, and has a certain practical significance. On the basis of combing the relevant literature on the application of management information in the field of construction industry and game analysis, this paper first analyzes the appeal, current situation and obstacles of the application of management information in construction projects. The game results show that there are specific management inspirations for different subjects: the designer should change the way of thinking, control the cost of management information application, and carry out in-depth communication with other subjects on building information to ensure consistency; Contractors need to improve their own ability to apply management information, but also to coordinate and control the relative importance of the three objectives, so that efforts can be more easily converted into positive results.

The object of this paper is to analyze difference Human Resource allocation Guide, and suggest improved Human Resource allocation Guide to meet the owner’s needs. This paper analyzed the present situation of Human Resource allocation Guide by announcement and law through case study of construction management service about public office awarded by Public Procurement Service (PPS) from 2011 to 2013, and considered proper Human Resource allocation Guide in design process, during and after construction process. Based on the findings of current study, the following problems were identified; difference between announcement and legal Human Resource allocation, Human Resource allocation problem during the whole phase of project, and Human Resource allocation problem of work types. For the improvement, this paper suggests specifying minimum Human Resource requirement in RFP (Require For Proposal) so that it is available to manage flexible Human Resource allocation, proper Human Resource allocation Guide, in design process, to reduce the workload in construction process, and Human Resource allocation in construction process for appropriate compensation package. This study is anticipated to help the next following study to improve inefficient Human Resource allocation Guide.

Purpose This paper aims to identify and assess the key criteria for selecting green suppliers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A total of 20 criteria were identified and shortlisted through an extensive literature review. These criteria were grouped into four categories: technical and commercial bid, company characteristics, environmental and socioeconomic. A questionnaire was then developed and distributed to construction professionals in the UAE. A total of 39 professionals responded to the survey including contractors, consultants, owners and suppliers. The respondents performed pairwise comparisons among the selection criteria. Data was then analyzed using the Expert Choice Software. Findings The research findings highlighted that the technical and commercial bid category was ranked as the most important with a weight of 0.338, followed by socioeconomic, company characteristics and environmental categories weighing 0.239, 0.225 and 0.199, respectively. The UAE construction professionals also ranked health and safety, material’s quality and tender price as the top three most important criteria when selecting a sustainable supplier. Practical implications This research addresses the lack of literature toward green supplier selection in the UAE. In addition, it assists contractors in selecting the appropriate supplier and promotes sustainable practices in the construction industry. Originality/value Material suppliers play an important role in the successful delivery of construction projects. Selecting the appropriate supplier is of paramount importance to project success. Several methods can be used to evaluate and select the best-fit suppliers. However, the selection criteria in such methods are primarily based on traditional construction projects rather than sustainable construction projects. Recently, there is an increase in the number of sustainable construction projects in the UAE. Therefore, identifying and assessing the key criteria for selecting green suppliers is needed. This paper fills the gap in literature as to selecting green suppliers in construction projects.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the emergence of new success measures for buildings and infrastructure post-disaster reconstruction projects, beyond the traditional ”iron triangle”, which have gained prominence with the increased involvement of clients and end-users in these projects. Consequently, the industry is obliged to reconsider the critical factors regarding what constitutes a successful outcome from the perspectives of these stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachData was gathered from end-users in four Caribbean islands using a questionnaire survey on eight empirical success indicators obtained from an extensive systematic literature review. To elicit a ranking and correlations amongst the end-user’ perspectives on the indicators, factor analysis and structural equation modelling techniques (SEM) were conducted.FindingsThe factor analysis found “safety” to be the most important empirical success measure, while “change” ranked the least important. Correlation analysis using SEM identified two new composite indicators, namely, “competence” with delivering timely and quality environmentally friendly and sustainable projects and “adaptability” in ensuring project objectives reflect beneficiaries’ expectations amidst internal and external influences, to be critical of end-users’ measurement indicators that describe their assessment mechanism. Measurement and structural models validated “safety” and “satisfaction” to be the highest loading variables in the two composites, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsThe research focussed on findings in English language articles; therefore, any claim to a complete list of indicators from the literature can be amiss.Practical implicationsResults confirm the traditional “iron triangle” of time, cost and quality to be limited in assessing reconstruction project outcomes and the views and expectations of the potential beneficiaries need to be factored in the planning, design, execution and post-handover stages in all reconstruction projects.Originality/valueThis paper was very specific in its attempt to investigate new success indicators for reconstruction project outcomes, aiming to assist with developing comprehensive project objectives that resonate with all stakeholder groups.

Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is a modern multivariate analysis technique with a demonstrated ability to estimate theoretically established cause-effect relationship models. This technique has been increasingly adopted in construction management research over the last two decades. Accordingly, a critical review of studies adopting PLS-SEM appears to be a timely and valuable endeavor. This paper offers a critical review of 139 articles that applied PLS-SEM from 2002 to 2019. Results show that the misuse of PLS-SEM can be avoided. Critical issues related to the application of PLS-SEM, research design, model development, and model evaluation are discussed in detail. This paper is the first to highlight the use and misuse of PLS-SEM in the construction management area and provides recommendations to facilitate the future application of PLS-SEM in this field.

Purpose This paper aims to explore the ways innovation becomes enabled through knowledge management and sharing which has important implications for establishing and sustaining the culture of innovative thinking in project-based construction firms. This study adopts a reflective practitioner perspective to explore this relationship. Design/methodology/approach In total, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the construction sector professionals whose roles are most relevant in the connection between innovation and knowledge management. Thematic analysis and cognitive mapping techniques were used to analyse the interview data. Findings The research findings indicate that due to the complexity of project-based construction firms, a more holistic approach to knowledge management and organisational learning at the firm level is required. This would enable a culture of continuous and coordinated knowledge flow that facilitates innovation and continuous improvement in project-based firms. Practical implications This paper has important implications for practising managers in project-based construction firms. By better understanding the ways organisational knowledge can be managed to become an enabler of innovation would allow to build and enhance firms’ innovative capabilities, individual and team competencies. There is a real need for innovation knowledge managers as formal job positions in the construction sector. Originality/value This study contributes to construction innovation and project management research and practice by providing insights into establishing and sustaining the culture of learning and innovative thinking.

The continued adoption of singular paradigms in the study of construction phenomena has elicited dialectical debates in scholarly literature. Calls have been made for more adventurous research methods, beyond the positivist versus interpretivist philosophical divide traditionally embraced by the industry. This study analyses the extensive scholarly debates, advancing and advocating philosophical positions to understand construction phenomena, and further narrows down the argument to within the specific domain of cost overrun research. A systematic and chronological literature review of the methodological/philosophical underpinnings of 41 papers was carried out. The papers were selected by following a staged exclusion criterion. The study outcome reveals that similar dialectical debates and methodological conservatism are still evident, with the predominance of mono-paradigm studies in the bulk of the empirical literature. Most of the empirical literature either provides interpretivist theoretical explanations from qualitative data or positivistically analyses quantitative data to provide technical explanations. To this end, mixed paradigm examples are spotlighted, demonstrating the relevance of linking process and product via methodological adventure in cost overrun research. Transcending the paradigmic divide is necessary to develop a more useful and contextually anchored view of practice, essential to mitigate and provide a holistic understanding of what drives cost overruns in public projects.

Green building is the inevitable trend of the development of the construction industry. One of the key links to realize green building is green construction management. The poor economy of traditional construction hinders the smooth promotion of green construction in the construction industry. This paper mainly from the green building and green construction two concepts of related content research. Through the analysis and discussion of the main principles of project cost management in green construction, this paper briefly expounds some implementation measures of project cost management in green construction. This paper deeply discusses the current situation of green construction project cost management, and puts forward relevant improvement countermeasures. The experimental results show that: construction enterprises should make innovative thinking on construction management and bring green construction into project management. This can provide impetus for the sustainable development of the construction industry.

PurposeThis paper critically reviews economic impact assessment methods adopted in construction-related projects, to develop and present a novel bottom-up approach suitable to estimate regional economic impacts of building maintenance projects.Design/methodology/approachA thorough literature review of economic impact assessment in construction projects is carried out to identify the most relevant approach to estimate wider economic impacts of building maintenance projects. Based on these findings, a model based on the bottom-up approach to estimate wider economic impacts is developed. The applicability and face validity of the developed model is demonstrated through a case of cladding replacement program in Australia.FindingsThe literature review revealed that bottom-up models are better suited for estimating regional economic impacts of maintenance projects, given the challenges of obtaining micro-level economic data in the maintenance sector. In relation to the total economic impacts (direct and indirect), the results show that for every $1 of government spending on similar projects the Gross State Product would increase by $1.34. In terms of employment impact, over 70% of the direct economic value addition is driven by the increase in labour, where close to 3 FTE jobs will be required for each $1 million of spending on cladding replacement projects.Originality/valueThis paper presents a model to estimate the wider economic impacts of building maintenance projects, which is typically overlooked in the construction management field. The proposed model is developed to incorporate the variability of different building maintenance projects so that the economic impact resulting from these projects could be estimated more accurately. This model can be used by local government decision-makers to justify and prioritise maintenance projects in a similar manner to new construction projects.

Purpose Many aspects of social behaviour are manifested in project managers in interaction with team members in the construction sector. Proactive behaviour as a social behaviour impacts on project and organizational effectiveness. This paper aims to explore and explain how project managers’ proactive behaviour could be enhanced in a project by the use of integrated collaborative environments. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach To investigate this interrelationship, researchers used a survey methodology involving gathering both quantitative and qualitative data, and used regression analysis to assess the strength of impact of proactive behaviour antecedents on project manages’ performance on a construction project when using integrated collaborative technologies. For the qualitative data, researchers used content analysis. Findings The research showed that by developing a proactive personality, the construction project manager is more likely to pre-identify “accurately” project time and costs, and to identify project culture, collaboration strategy and project risks. Moreover, co-worker trust as a proactive behaviour antecedent has been shown to impact on raising quality issues in a project. Furthermore, project managers’ flexibility could assist them in designing procurement strategies as well as designing a project business plan and avoiding conflict. Nevertheless, flexibility, including self-efficacy, control appraisal, change orientation, job autonomy and supportive supervision, plays a significant role in the development of proactive behaviour in construction project managers and enhances project performance. Research limitations/implications The sample is limited, but the research methodology is acceptable because the authors use mixed approach to check the correlation. Practical implications How project managers can use integrated collaborative technologies on developing their proactive behaviour and thus impacting project performance is observed. Originality/value The value of this paper is to contribute understanding of the impact of the use of integrated collaborative technologies on developing project managers’ proactive behaviour and thus impacting project performance.

Purpose Although there are many challenges and constraints for construction organization operation and performance in a post-conflict condition, there is insufficient construction project management literature. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify a framework to understand and determine critical constraints and opportunities in a post-conflict condition facing local construction firms in Afghanistan. The proposed framework is composed of three major steps: identify and determine key performance indicators; identify challenges impacting organization operation and performance in post-conflict condition; determine critical constraints and opportunities based on prioritized performance measures; and organizational strength and weakness factors. Design/methodology/approach The strength, weakness, opportunities and threat matrix analysis has been used to determine post-conflict condition constraints and opportunities. Then the analytical hierarchy process has been used to prioritize the measures and identify the constraints and opportunities facing construction companies in a post-conflict situation. The mix-research method is applied to this study to analyse qualitative variables and quantitative variables obtained from the experts’ opinions and 51 filled questioners. Findings The study shows that there are a total of 11 critical constraints and three essential opportunities for construction companies that industry practitioners and policymakers should take into account while formulating the organizational strategy. Practical implications The developed framework will benefit construction companies in improving their performance and operation in after-conflict conditions. Originality/value This paper is the first to provide a comprehensive conceptualization of the challenges and constraints for construction organization operation and performance in a post-conflict condition. It also offers a novel conceptual framework to understand and determine critical constraints and opportunities in a post-conflict condition facing local construction firms in Afghanistan.

With the development and application of information technology, the digitization of information management and the virtualization of physical models have become very important technical application fields in the world. The establishment of the 3D landscape model and the realization of the 3D geographic information system (GIS) are based on this, and there is not only a wide range of development prospects in many aspects such as urban planning and management, planning and design, local government construction, housing industry development, land monitoring and management, and environmental monitoring and evaluation. There are not only research studies and formulations but also a practical significance in other analysis, evaluation, decision making, and other departments. In recent years, the research of 3D city modeling has been developed rapidly, and most of the existing 2D-GIS can be transformed into 3D visual landscape. Based on the three-dimensional geographic information system and desktop drawing software AutoCAD, this paper takes the two-dimensional line drawing (DLG) of a residential district as the base map, expounds the design process of the three-dimensional simulation model of the urban community from the aspects of map preprocessing, building simulation model construction, texture mapping, and virtual visualization, and discusses the problems encountered in it. The main contributions of this paper are that this technology puts forward a new solution for the integrated corridor operation and maintenance management, greatly improves the intelligent management level of the integrated corridor operation and maintenance work, and simplifies the complex integrated corridor operation and maintenance management. It is helpful to improve the work efficiency of operation and maintenance, reduce the dependence of personnel, and respond to the long-term construction needs of the smart city at the same time.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the construction process innovations that enabled the successful delivery of the hybrid mass timber high-rise building in Canada, the Brock Commons Tallwood House at the University of British Columbia. It is one of a set of papers examining the project, including companion papers that describe innovations in the mass timber design process and the impact of these innovations on construction performance. The focus of this paper is on innovation in the construction phase and its relationship to innovations implemented in previous project phases. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method, longitudinal case study approach was used in this research project to investigate and document the Tallwood House project over a three-year period. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques were used. Members of the research team observed prefabrication and construction, conducted periodic interviews and reviewed project artefacts. Findings The research identified three innovation “clusters,” including the use of innovative tools, techniques and strategies in the design and construction processes and the role they played in delivering the project. The “clusters” were further characterized according to the type of “connectivity” they afforded, either facilitation, operationalization or materialization. These two perspectives support a compounding view on innovation and help to understand how it can flow throughout a project’s life cycle and across its supply chain. Three process-based innovations were initiated during the design phase, integrated design process, building information modeling and virtual design and construction and flowed through to the construction phase. These were seen to enable the creation of connections that were crucial to the overall success of the project. These innovations were operationalized and enacted through the construction phase as design for manufacturing and assembly and prefabrication, staged construction and just-in-time delivery, integration of safety and risk management and a rigorous quality control and quality assurance process. Finally, a full-scale mock-up was produced for practice and constructability assessment, materializing the radical product innovation that was the mass timber structure. These strategies are used together for a synergistic and integrated approach to increase productivity, expedite the construction schedule and develop an innovative building product. Originality/value This paper details an in-depth investigation into the diffusion dynamics of multiple systemic innovations for the construction process of a unique building project, the tools and techniques used by the construction manager and team, and the challenges, solutions and lessons learned.

The construction industry lacks a comprehensive and overall scheme for the use and management of building information modeling (BIM) in the whole building life cycle, especially the use of BIM technology for asset management and facility management. However, there is little understanding and implementation of enterprise BIM. BIM influences and changes the new project management mode of the whole life cycle of construction projects from design to construction. The safety, audit, responsibility and value of BIM are the forward-looking problems in current BIM, but it is difficult to realize the whole process value management based on the contribution of all parties, it is not conducive to the popularization and application of BIM. From the perspective of new technology and the whole life cycle, this paper analyzes the development and promotion of Blockchain technology to construction projects, and puts forward the fusion point of BIM and Blockchain technology: multi-user, multi-stage, multi-target data fusion and traceability mechanism; It is a consensus process model of multi-party collaboration, interest balance, non-destructive transmission of building information, responsibility traceability and customer satisfaction. It realizes the supporting framework and implementation ideas of BIM and Blockchain technology in construction projects from the aspects of design technology, construction management, material scheduling and whole life cycle construction. This paper will provide some new ideas for the whole life cycle collaborative management of digital construction.

Information and communication technologies represent a set of people, processes, technical and software tools providing collection, transport, storage and processing of data for distribution and presentation of information. Particularly communication systems are the main tool for information exchange. Of the other part, these technologies have a broad focus and use. One of them is the exchange of documents in the management of construction projects. Paper discusses the issue of exploitation level of communication technologies in construction project management. The main objective of this paper is to analyze exploitation level of communication technologies. Another aim of the paper is to compare exploitation level or rate of document exchange by electronic communication devices and face-to-face communication.

PurposeAugmented reality (AR) has become one of the most promising technologies in construction since it can seamlessly connect the physical construction environment and virtual contents. In view of the recent research efforts, this study attempts to summarize the latest research achievements and inform future development of AR in construction.Design/methodology/approachThe review was conducted in three steps. First, a keyword search was adopted, and 546 papers were found from Scopus and Web of Science. Second, each paper was screened based on the selection criteria, and a final set of 69 papers was obtained. Third, specific AR applications and the associated technical details were extracted from the 69 papers for further analysis.FindingsThe review shows that: (1) design assessment, process monitoring and maintenance management and operation were the most frequently cited AR applications in the design, construction, and operation stages, respectively; (2) information browser and tangible interaction were more frequently adopted than collaborative interaction and hybrid interaction; and (3) AR has been integrated with BIM, computer vision, and cloud computing for enhanced functions.Originality/valueThe contributions of this study to the body of knowledge are twofold. First, this study extends the understanding of AR applications in the construction setting. Second, this study identifies possible improvements in the design and development of AR systems in order to leverage their benefits to construction.

Purpose The meaning of Industry 4.0 has started to be outlined for the construction industry, but there is still limited knowledge on the implications for the single-family wooden house building industry. The purpose of this paper is to expand the understanding of what the fourth industrial revolution implies for the single-family wooden house industry. The paper contributes with practitioners’ view of the content and meaning of a smart single-family wooden house factory. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory multiple case study was carried out at two Swedish single-family wooden house builders, combined with a traditional literature review. Findings As a result of a multiple case studies, the content and meaning of a smart single-family wooden house factory was elaborated on. In total, 15 components of a smart single-family wooden house factory were identified, of which 8 corresponded to the components of Industry 4.0 as described in other sectors. Research limitations/implications The study can be expanded to also include multi-family wooden house builders and other branches of the offsite wooden building industry. Practical implications Managers in the house-building industry who want to improve and strive for a smart single-family wooden house factory can learn from this study, get an insight of what other companies consider as important and how it relates to Industry 4.0. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is a first attempt to understand what Industry 4.0 mean and how it can be accomplished for the single-family wooden house offsite manufacturing industry.

PurposeProject management tools and techniques have been widely adopted in the construction industry; however, its combination with Six Sigma and application in construction procurement has not been widely researched. This paper explores the use of Six Sigma Project Procurement (SSPP) and its potential applications in public sector construction procurement.Design/methodology/approachThe role of Six Sigma and project management in construction is critically evaluated using three case studies to demonstrate their application in public procurement.FindingsThe use of SSPP by public sector organisations creates efficient and effective construction procurement processes by addressing delays. The proposed timelines for competitive tendering in the Ghanaian Public Procurement Manual are not realistic.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to and broadens the limited body of evidence and knowledge of applying SSPP to public procurement processes and identifies areas for further research.Practical implicationsProject management will continue to expand in the global construction industry. However, what will eventually determine if SSPP is embraced by public sector construction depends on the leadership and success of its execution. The application of SSPP to public construction procurement will address delays and lead to significant time reduction of the process. This will eliminate the major issue (delay) accounting for deficiencies in the process.Originality/valueThe paper yields immense value to construction project management researchers and practitioners, especially in the public sector. It recommends the inclusion of Six Sigma to promote focus on actual instead of perceived problems and advocates for decisions-making based on facts which will ensure continuous improvement.

PurposeClimate change and global warming have increased concerns over the influence of weather on workers' health and productivity in construction projects. A significant number of studies can be found in the weather and productivity interplay area. The purpose of this paper is to review the recently published papers in this area to explore the trends of research and topics discussed and to determine knowledge gaps and directions for future research.Design/methodology/approachRecent papers published between 2014 and 2019 were synthesized, reviewed and analyzed using bibliometric and text mining analysis.FindingsThe results revealed the trends of publications, the main authors contributed to this area and countries that attracted most of the research papers. Based on the review, this study presented a taxonomy of studies consisting of seven clusters, namely productivity management, seasons, weather factors, participants' conditions, uniform and clothing, work time and health and safety.Originality/valueThis review paper sheds a light into the topics discussed in this area, the interrelationship between the topics and the significant topics that should be continued in the future. Global warming concerns necessitate the need for more studies in tropical countries and countries that are expected to expose to high temperatures and heat stress, which greatly impact labor productivity. The paper highlighted the need to understand how weather influences workers' psychological conditions and subsequently their productivity.

The author’s provides a review of the literature using a systematic literature review of the lean tool and lean construction papers published in the time frame from 2008 to 2018. The papers selected from the Scopus database by using the following filters: ten top-rated journals selected on the basis of cite score form Scopus, the only article having a key words “lean construction”, or “Lean tool” were selected, only engineering and material science article selected, and the last only journal article was selected. The search result filters the 48 articles out of 944 articles. The findings of the study conclude that only a few tool and techniques were explored a number of times by the researchers. On the other hand, few countries were dominating in terms of publication were the UK, and the USA has 15, 14 articles respectively. There is not a single article from India in the selected papers.