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The available studies on contingency planning in projects lack an effective method for accurately estimating time contingencies because they (1) do not account for historically unprecedented disruptions, (2) produce estimation errors for low-probability and high-impact events and (3) do not consider the disproportionate impact of disruptive events on project resources. With this in mind, this research posits that the notion of resilience is central to contingency planning because understanding disruptions is directly interconnected with modelling and measuring resilience to disruptions. As a result, a method for estimating time contingency is presented in which resilience is used to describe the disruption and recovery profiles of project activities. The proposed method is applied in a real-life construction project to demonstrate its capability. In addition, a case study from the literature is selected to compare the proposed method with a critical chain project management solution. The results show that an accurate forecast of time contingency requires precise information about the specific impact of a disruptive event on project resources across various stages of disruptions. From a practical standpoint, the proposed method assists project managers and key stakeholders in the delay analysis of disrupted projects, as well as in developing cost-effective resource management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-based carbon dioxide removal encompasses a range of (1) natural sink enhancement concepts in agriculture and on organic soils including peatlands, and in forestry, (2) bio-based building materials, and (3) bioenergy production with CO2 capture and storage (BECCS). A common database on these concepts is crucial for their consideration in strategies and implementation. In this study, we analyse standardised factsheets on these concepts. We find different dynamics of deployment until 2045: for CO2 removal rates from the atmosphere, natural sink enhancement concepts are characterised by gradually increasing rates, followed by a saturation and potentially a decrease after few decades; forest-related measures ramp up slowly and for construction projects and bioenergy plants, annually constant removal rates are assumed during operation which drop to zero afterwards. The expenses for removing 1 t CO2 from the atmosphere were found to be between 8 and 520 € t CO2−1, which arises from high divergence both in capital and operational expenditures among the concepts. This high variability of expenses seems to suggest the more cost-effective concepts should be implemented first. However, aspects from economics, resource base and environmental impacts to social and political implications for Germany need to be considered for developing implementation strategies. All concepts investigated could be deployed on scales to significantly contribute to the German climate neutrality target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The construction industry has been observed to be one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work; thus, it has struggled to attract new employees and suffered from skill shortages. Another characteristic is adopting a reactive approach to preventing accidents instead of a proactive approach that implements safety-leading indicators. In contributing to achieving a safer construction industry, this study investigated the barriers to achieving a proactive approach to safety in the construction industry. Method: The study adopted a quantitative approach. Data was collected by randomly administering a well-structured questionnaire to industry professionals in South Africa. One hundred and two questionnaires were collected and used as the basis for data analysis and interpretation by the study. Result: The analysis of the collected data identified nineteen significant barriers which were clustered into two based on an exploratory factor analysis. The top three ranked significant barriers are Lack of Top management's commitment to safety, Lack of leadership training and Prioritising productivity over employee safety. The two clusters formed from the nineteen barriers through factor analysis are top management approaches to safety and Safety culture through employee-centric training and accountability. Originality: Considering the accident data from South Africa, and the inherent benefits of implementing SLI to overcome this, this study provides critical insights for industry stakeholders and policymakers. It fills a gap that has not been filled in the developing country context before now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As construction projects have become larger and more complex, collaboration between project participants and the integration of work processes have become essential elements in delivering a successful project. Collaboration and integration strategies serve as vehicles to enhance these aspects and are known to significantly improve project outcomes. However, limited organizational resources may make it challenging to employ all these strategies on a single project. A project team needs proper guidance in selecting the most appropriate strategies to maximize its return on investment. Previous research has primarily focused on measuring and estimating the effectiveness and efficiency of these strategies rather than on providing a systematic approach for selecting them before a project begins. Given that these strategies often involve significant behavioral changes and financial investments, the implementation of a systematic decision-making framework is imperative. In this study, we developed a decision-making framework that enables project participants to systematically identify the most suitable collaboration and integration strategies based on the specific risks associated with a construction project. A multicriteria decision-making technique based on the elimination and choice translating reality III (ELECTRE III) algorithm was applied in this research, and industry-wide questionnaire survey responses provided input to the model. In this study, we used three hypothetical scenarios to demonstrate the decision-making process and validated the framework with two case study projects. The proposed risk-based decision-making framework aligned with actual practices and turned out to be reliable and effective. The findings of this study are expected to aid project stakeholders and participants in selecting optimal combinations of collaboration and integration strategies that can provide maximum value to projects. The proposed framework will enhance project participants' decision-making capabilities by providing a systematic approach that takes multiple project risks into account simultaneously and maximizes decision flexibility. Practical Applications: Collaboration among project participants and the integration of work processes are essential for improving project outcomes in the construction industry. A range of strategies is available for promoting collaboration and integration, enhancing project value and performance. The selection of the most suitable strategies is crucial, considering limited organizational resources that must be allocated wisely in order to maintain competitiveness. In this study, we identified 22 collaboration and integration strategies and proposed a risk-based decision-making framework for the selection of the optimal strategies. Project participants can systematically prioritize these strategies based on a project's risk profile, which is established in the early stages of a project. This framework offers flexibility in decision-making and allows for hierarchical prioritization. It serves as a valuable tool for project participants who may lack experience with or knowledge of collaboration and integration strategies, facilitating well-informed decisions that take project-specific risks into account. Furthermore, the framework provides insights into bundling strategies, which can reduce redundancy and minimize organizational investment. These benefits contribute to a more streamlined decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As means to many ends, architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects are the frontline to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns. Despite the high prevalence of ESG, little is known about how to assess and implement ESG as a practice in AEC projects, and such sparseness impedes the AEC firms pursuing this goal. Therefore, from the AEC firms' point of view, this exploratory study tailored holistic project-level ESG metrics along life-cycle dynamics using a combination of methods, including a literature review, content analysis of ESG reports from sample Chinese AEC firms, and semistructured interviews. The authors used established ESG metrics as the coding scheme to develop an anatomy of ESG practices for AEC firms. The proposed ESG metrics are composed of 12 Tier-1 indicators and 41 Tier-2 indicators. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by extending the ESG concept to the project level, facilitating the operationalization of project-level ESG, and unfolding how projects obtain social legitimacy for AEC firms through ESG practices. This study also facilitates decision-making and provides managerial implications for professionals in the AEC industry who need an ESG assessment tool in the bidding process to evaluate owners' ESG requirements, in the implementation stages to manage and supervise project delivery, and in postconstruction stages to assess a project's ESG performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction projects are actualized through the involvement of multidisciplinary stakeholders from various cultural and ethnic groups or nationalities who have different levels of exposure to civilization, languages, and world views. Their cultural diversity makes the evaluation of corruption a daunting task and subsequently can adversely affect the team decision-making process, disrupt collaboration among stakeholders, reduce project quality, and hinder outcomes of construction projects. The constant occurrence of building collapse, in which about 83% are linked to corruption, cost overrun, time overrun, and risk to lives in construction projects, often point at corrupt behaviors among construction stakeholders during decision-making, which remain unabated. Construction team members with a corrupt mindset may jeopardize the required standards, specifications, manipulate construction bid, inflate construction cost, distort information, and thorough supervision of projects. In fact, discouragement of foreign investors in the construction industry, which often affects the reputation of the industry, can further exacerbate if not curbed. Past studies mainly focused on forms of corruption in the construction industry, while understanding the factors that triggers them can lead to the practical recommendations for minimizing corruption. Therefore, this study used focus groups to explore corruption factors and the ways they inhibit team decision-making on construction projects in Africa. Hence, five focus groups of a total of 30 construction professionals were conducted virtually with consultants, contractors, government officials, developers, and clients in the Nigerian construction industry. The discourses in the focus groups were summarized and analyzed using contextual analysis. The participants identified 15 corruption factors that affected the team decision-making processes on construction projects, and those corruption influences were classified into four main types: (1) individual people's values (e.g., unity, tolerance, harmony, superiority, etc.); (2) project factors (project complexity and project secrecy); (3) organizational variables (organization–government alliances and unethical professionalism); and (4) societal factors (social pressures, social norms, and social ties). The study's findings build an understanding of the critically important corrupt actions that negatively influence construction projects. Even more importantly, the findings can be used to design public enlightenment campaigns against corruption and in favor of project monitoring. Practical recommendations are given, such as positive applications of human values, with utmost sincerity, to achieve the expected goals of team decision-making. The deliberate involvement of female construction professionals in project teams is also advised. In summary, the corruption factors that we investigated in this study form a basis for a future larger-scale study; meanwhile, the approach we employed is suitable for drawing necessary inferences. Practical Applications: The bane of corruption in the construction industry is alarming, especially in developing countries. In this research, the factors of corruption affecting team decision-making on construction projects were explored in an interactive discourse among groups of construction stakeholders. For minimizing the corrupt actions and improving the completion of construction projects within cost, time, and quality, values of individual stakeholders and projects can be the fundamental components in the industry. Transparency in the construction team decision-making process must be ensured by making all contract information available to the public for monitoring and progress tracking. It is expected that corrupt actions as a result of alliances between construction organizations and government officials can then be uncovered and minimized. The construction institutions must also ensure that unethical professionalism among members is punished adequately without favor or prejudice, and every opportunity for corruption to thrive in the society must be discouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design, construction and handing over of building projects need to comply with the rules set by the local authorities. However, manual assessment of the drawings and plans against variable and complex sets of rules is quite cumbersome, inconsistent, expensive and prone to human error, resulting in huge delays in construction projects. The aim of this research was thus to develop an automated code compliance (ACC) checking process using building information modelling (BIM). The drawbacks of manual code compliance were assessed through a review of the existing system. These were confirmed by 15 interviews with officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Pakistan. Feedback on the newly developed ACC system with BIM integration was sought through 30 interviews with customers and CDA employees. While the new programme of the code compliance reduced the time involved from 1 week to 6 h, customers were concerned about the additional expense of engaging an architect to develop a complete set of BIM models. ACC and BIM integration in local municipalities should raise the profile of Pakistan in industry innovations and pave the way to meeting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on and extending relational sociology, this article establishes a relational sociology of rights. I argue that rights should not be viewed as substances but as social constructs that derive their meanings and significance within a relational setting. To illustrate how rights are constructed relationally, I introduce a new analytic concept: the rights project, the context-specific endeavor of marginalized communities to envision, claim, and achieve rights on their own terms and in their own ways. The relational construction of rights projects occurs locally, regionally, and globally. The concept of the rights project demonstrates how marginalized communities undertake diverse political and cultural endeavors tailored to specific relational contexts, developing distinct goals, priorities, and strategies in the name of rights. A relational sociology of rights allows us to gain a more nuanced understanding of the conditions of possibility for marginalized communities beyond the Euro-American registers of rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues are often neglected in previous studies on site layout evaluation problems. To address this research gap, a comprehensive evaluation model is developed to evaluate construction site layout planning in this paper. The proposed evaluation model includes four aspects: (1) land use; (2) safety; (3) logistics; and (4) sustainability evaluations. To make the results of the evaluation more accurate, the evaluation model includes the subjective factors that need to be scored by the experts and the objective factors that could be gained from the inspections of the projects and the related materials. Then, the entropy weight method-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is chosen to solve the proposed multicriteria evaluation model. In this paper, the construction site layout planning for four different typical and practical cases, which include two commercial mixed buildings, a residential building, and a sewage treatment plant, is studied. The evaluation results proved that the proposed model is suitable to evaluate common types of construction, such as residential and commercial buildings but not specific functional types, such as the sewage treatment plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry has witnessed unprecedented disruptions in the supply chain (SC) over the past four years due to the consecutive impacts of the 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian–Ukrainian war. SC disruptions have been linked to price escalations, the management of which varies across different construction contracts. Thus, there is a timely need to understand the contractual implications of price escalation clauses. This article fulfills this research requirement by following an interdependent research methodology. First, the authors analyzed and compared price escalation provisions under various US-based, international, and UK-based standard design–bid–build contracts. Second, the authors examined legal cases that have arisen due to disputes over price escalation-related matters. Third, based on the contractual and legal analysis, the authors formulated and proposed a set of contractual considerations that can be used to plan and manage the contractual implications arising from triggering price escalation clauses. The findings indicate substantial variability in contractual provisions addressing price escalation. A predominant approach entails specifying a fixed contract price, often with a general exception permitting adjustments related to legislative changes. Certain standard contracts afford flexibility through the incorporation of supplementary clauses or amendments during the contract formation stage to counteract escalation risks. Further, insights from the legal review show that judicial relief from contractual obligations is typically granted solely in instances of unforeseen and severe economic conditions. This research makes a significant academic contribution by advancing the understanding of contractual obligations concerning price escalation, especially in the context of ongoing market disruptions. Ultimately, the findings of this study will impact the construction industry by promoting more balanced contractual practices regarding price escalations in construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task conflict is prevalent among construction project parties, however, how task conflict affects construction project performance still lacks a comprehensive investigation. Against this background, this study adopts an uncertainty management perspective to conduct an integrative model including both positive and negative mediators as well as one moderator to investigate the link between task conflict and construction project performance. Using 206 samples from the Chinese construction industry, the proposed hypotheses are empirically examined. Results suggest that project commitment (effect size = -0.046) negatively mediates the link between task conflict and project performance, whereas knowledge integration (effect size = 0.053) has a positive mediating effect. What's more, task reflexivity is found to mitigate the negative effects of task conflict on both project commitment (coefficient of interaction item = 0.12) and knowledge integration (coefficient of interaction item = 0.08). It is also found that task reflexivity changes the direction and strength of the link from task conflict to project performance by both project commitment (from -0.155 to 0.069) and knowledge integration (from -0.049 to 0.052). These findings provide a holistic understanding of the relationship between task conflict and construction project performance, thus contributing to construction project management theoretically and practically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex nature of mega construction projects (MCPs), technological innovation risks have signifi- cantly increased. Cooperation is widely accepted as a proactive approach to resolving these risks. An in-depth study of technological innovation cooperative behavior (TICB) helps understand the underlying reasons, but studies need to pay more attention to it. This study explored the factors affecting TICB for MCPs and developed a conceptual model based on the Theory of planned behavior (TPB). It established a structural equation model to verify the relationship between influencing factors. An example verified the feasibility of the model. The results show that cooperative attitude, subjective cooperative norm, perceived cooperative behavior control, and cooperative scenarios positively affect cooperative behavior through cooperative intention. Cooperative attitude plays a mediating role between cooperative scenarios and cooperative intention. Perceived cooperative behavior control has no direct effect on cooperative behavior. This study provides a theoretical reference to guide future empirical studies and enriches the knowledge of TICB for MCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the following paper is to unpack the construction processes behind global architecture that have remained conceptually under-theorized and empirically unexplored. This is achieved by shifting the focus away from the brand-name global architects to the invisible, less prominent project architects employed in their celebrity offices. Based on the analysis of qualitative interviews, the paper conceptualizes project architects as key intermediaries and systematizes their embodied practices of intermediation enacted between design and execution. Project architects are revealed as key actors who negotiate between design ideas and the local contingencies, bridging between different sites of materialization. By introducing the conceptual lens of practices of intermediation, the paper explores how architecture takes its physical form, elucidating the micro-geographies behind construction processes. The construction of global architecture is hereby conceptualized as a 'building event', as a situated 'performance', during which professionals can transgress cognitive boundaries between design knowledge and execution expertise, and formal boundaries, defined by contracts, regulatory framework, and organizational hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the model resilience measurement based on the complex network theory and analyzes the resilience of project portfolio network considering risk propagation. The model can be used to evaluate the resilience and improve its success probability of projects in the portfolio network. Firstly, the research analyzes the dynamic changes of the portfolio network derived from the construction of the project portfolio matrix, as well as the main factors to be taken into consideration in measuring the resilience of the project portfolio. Further, the research measures the resilience of the project portfolio network according to the node attributes (project) and the relationship attributes (the relationship that one project will impact another in the portfolio network) respectively. Then, to integrate the resilience of the projects and influence relationship between projects, the research proposes the dynamic PageRank algorithm to analyze the resilience of the project portfolio based on the analysis of traditional PageRank algorithm. In addition, resilience is not only affected by the projects and its influence relationship between them, but is also affected by risk propagation. Therefore, the research presents a model for analyzing the portfolio network resilience considering multiple risk propagation. Finally, a research and development project portfolio are taken as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method presented in this research. Our approach can be used by managers to identify the scores of project resilience capacity in portfolio network. Our method explicitly allows to uncover the most resilient projects considering the resilience of project (node) and their influence relationship (network structure), and the risk propagation. Utilizing the outcomes of this research can enhance the capacity of the whole project portfolio to manage risks and improve the success probability of the whole project portfolio by enhancing network resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial risks are among the most important risks in the construction industry projects, which significantly impact project objectives, including project cost. Besides, financial risks have many interactions with each other and project parameters, which must be taken into account to analyze risks correctly. In addition, a source of financial risks in a project is the contract, which is the most important project document. Identifying terms related to financial risks in a contract and considering their effects on the risk management process is an essential issue that has been neglected. Hence, an integrated model for evaluating financial risks and their related contractual clauses were presented. To this end, the effect of financial risks on the project cost was simulated using a system dynamics model. Moreover, terms related to financial risks in a contract text were identified and extracted using text mining, and their effect was included in the system dynamics model. The model was implemented in a hospital construction project in Tehran as a case study, and its results were analyzed. The innovation of the research is integrating text mining and the system dynamics model to investigate the effect of financial risks and related contractual clauses on the project cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the number of quality management procedures being currently applied, construction defects in the domestic sector are acknowledged to contribute to the energy performance gap of buildings. This paper investigates the limitations and challenges to the implementation of project quality plans (PQPs) and their impact on the achievement of expected thermal performance in the UK social housing projects. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach, guided by grounded theory, was used in this research. This methodology provided the structure for systematic data analysis iterations, enabling cross-case analysis. An analytic induction process was designed to seek the explanation of the targeted phenomenon and required data collection until no new ideas and concepts emerged from the research iterations. This study collected data from five social housing projects through interviews, site observations and project documentation. Findings: Multiple limitations and challenges were identified in the implementation of PQP to deliver thermal efficient social housing. Generally, there is the need for more objective quality compliance procedures based on required evidence. When investigating the root of the challenges, it was concluded that the adoption of statutory approval as the main quality compliance procedure led to the dilution of the responsibility for prevention and appraisal of defects that compromised the effectiveness of PQP devised by housing associations (HA) and contractors. Originality/value: This study identifies the shortcomings of PQP in addressing quality issues with potential to undermine the thermal performance of social housing projects. The findings could be used by HA, contractors and policymakers as steppingstones to improve the energy efficiency in the domestic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to advance a new framework to spur creativity at individual and team levels in the construction industry by studying a leader's sense of humor. The authors develop and test a multi-level model to investigate the direct and indirect effects of leader's humor on creativity within teams working on construction projects. The authors draw on the benign violation theory to hypothesize that a leader's sense of humor influences the acceptability of norm violations in teams, which helps to improve their creativity. The authors also integrate the benign violation theory with the social information processing theory to examine the indirect effects of project leader's sense of humor on individual- and team-level creativity via team psychological safety. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected data from 165 members nested in 45 teams working on construction projects in China. The construct's factor structure and discriminant validity were established through confirmatory factor analysis. The authors used multi-level modeling via Mplus to test team-level to the individual-level direct and indirect hypotheses, while team-level direct and indirect hypotheses were tested using ordinary least squares regression. Findings: The results show that the leader's humor has a dual positive direct effect on individual and team creativity. Furthermore, these effects are partially mediated by team psychological safety. The implications of these findings to improve the construction management theory and practice are discussed in the manuscript. Originality/value: The current study contributes to the literature by understanding the significance of leader humor in predicting individual-level and team-level creativity within the construction sector. It expands the literature by examining team psychological safety as the underlying mechanism in the relationship between leader humor and creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The scarcity of literature related to the PPP (public-private partnership) barriers in construction projects within war areas, and hence the dearth of information to deliver viable and effective strategies to those barriers, are the primary causes for the failures of PPP schemes in such areas, particularly in Palestine. Financial and non-financial investments are more problematic in war zones than non-war nations and may escalate barrier for projects' success. The investigation purposes to discover proper answers to the barriers of PPP infrastructure schemes and highlight the execution of barrier reactions. Design/methodology/approach: Specialists were asked to deliver approaches to alleviate 21 barriers and recommend the period needed for applying them. Later, the relevance of alleviation events was examined through prioritization according to the results attained from three elements, i.e. the impact of every barrier and the strategy's viability and efficacy. Findings: While the most unfavorable barrier was finalized to be the unfeasibility of delivering physical security, the most valid answer was associated with the lack of government cohesiveness and responsibility to perform its duties. The discovered barriers are typical within warring nations, but the paper concentrated on Palestine. Originality/value: This study is an initial effort to examine PPP barriers in Palestinian infrastructure projects. The presented strategies can be applied as a novel set for barrier reaction improvement in occupied nations such as Palestine. Moreover, the results can develop the usage of PPP and enhance the barrier sharing in this scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monumental architecture dominated the late antique urban landscape. However, buildings that were constructed using newly carved architectural components employed smaller elements than in earlier periods. Most columns, for example, measured no more than 3.5 meters tall. The phenomenon occurred in secular and ecclesiastical construction projects from the late third through sixth centuries CE and was limited neither to a particular region, workshop, patron, stone, nor building type. Many potential factors were involved, but analyzing their effect on a Mediterranean-wide scale can prove challenging, especially when lacunae exist in the archaeological and historical records. Therefore, this article uses a distributed agency model to assess the relative impact of stone availability, production and transportation logistics, and ideology on the late antique building industry. It first addresses the provenance of the stones employed and calculates the typical sizes of diverse architectural orders. This data is then set alongside financial codes and available technology to determine what factors enhanced or inhibited procurement and production. Finally, aesthetics and patronage are examined to understand the ideological value of new construction versus repair work, restoration, and reuse. Assessing these primary contributing factors through Actor-Network and Material Engagement Theories reveals how agents involved in the production of these elements responded to and directed changes in how the building industry functioned. This article thus provides an innovative methodological assessment of late antique architecture and new insight regarding altered perceptions of monumentality among late antique communities, for whom "less" was not only acceptable but set the standard for privileged construction within evolving civic landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid annuity model (HAM) is an innovative procurement mode that combines elements from build–operate–transfer and engineering procurement and construction approaches. Because of its novelty, there is a limited understanding of the challenges being faced by the contractors. Therefore, this study identified the challenges that contractors face while working on HAM projects. Variables and their measures were identified from the literature, and a survey instrument was developed. The survey was administered to contractors and professionals working with contractors, and 400 responses were received. The resulting data set was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and second-order confirmatory factor analysis (SCFA) approaches. The SCFA results based on the effect sizes (ES) of variables showed that operational factors (ES=0.81) and contract administration factors (ES=0.78) were critical challenges faced by the contractors. Financial factors (ES=0.71) and external factors (ES=0.58) ware moderately critical challenges. The study fills the gap in body of knowledge about the challenges that contractors face in HAM projects, and provides guidelines to practitioners for managing these challenges. The findings of the study also demonstrate the importance of HAM, indicating that it is a crucial model for public–private partnership projects for infrastructure sector of developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from social learning theory, this study aims to explore the mediating effects of team learning orientation and team agility on the relationship between servant leadership and project success in the context of construction projects. Based on data collected from 306 construction project members in China, the findings reveal that servant leadership exerts a positive influence on project success. Additionally, servant leadership significantly enhances both team learning orientation and team agility, which in turn contribute to project success. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the serial and parallel mediating roles of team learning orientation and team agility between servant leadership and project success. Theoretical and practical implications were also provided based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Swinburne’s unpublished manuscript The Flogging Block and its 2011 transcription produced by Mark McDougal. Caricaturing the corporeal punishment at Eton, Swinburne’s poem integrates touch, sound, and sight in the text. However, the transcription seems to compromise this multimodality in a print medium. McDougal hopes that his inadequate rendering of Swinburne’s hands could be completed by future interested readers with higher technologies. My article is an interested response to this hope and reads McDougal’s adaptation as a haptic mediation of Swinburne’s multimodal poetics. Through the lens of Sara Ahmed’s disorientation theory, I argue that Swinburne’s poem disorients readers’ sensory experience of language, critiques his contemporary ideological repression of body, and rebuilds a community based on bodily connections. The first part of the article conducts a reversed reading that first examines McDougal’s haptic mediation of Swinburne’s manuscript and then explores Swinburne’s techniques of sensory disorientation. The second part relates this sensory disorientation to Swinburne’s republican project of building a community through appropriating pornographic techniques and through stressing the role of rhyme. Both McDougal’s adaptation and Swinburne’s manuscript endeavour to recover our lost intimacy with language, with one another, and with the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a systematic approach based on axiomatic design incorporating lean and ergonomic principles within the proposed design. The contribution to the body of knowledge is to keep construction workers safe by fostering a secure construction environment. Axiomatic design and lean approaches are combined to address human factors and eliminate wastes that hinder a safe construction environment. The application of the proposed system is set in the context of the construction industry. The methodology provides the construction sector with a road map toward reducing the occurrence of accidents and serves as a complementary approach between lean and ergonomic principles. The design solution has been validated and partially applied in a metro construction firm. Results show that the design solution can improve the efficiency of the construction phases by adopting a value-maximization strategy and has the potential to improve the safety and ergonomics of construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is a dynamic field with potential hazards that can affect project quality and performance. Proper implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) management is essential in construction projects. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important aspect of OHS, but compliance among construction workers is still lacking. This study aims to determine the relationship between attitude and compliance with the use of PPE on the Hermina Hospital construction project in Madiun City. This study was a cross-sectional study, and data were collected using a questionnaire. This study involved 93 construction workers. The results showed that 62% of construction workers in Ethiopia did not use PPE while working, mainly due to lack of availability (41.1%), lack of orientation on the use of PPE (21.3%), discomfort (16.3%), and lack of perceived importance (1.3%). In Indonesia, approximately 60% of workers have experienced head injuries due to not wearing a safety helmet, 90% have experienced facial injuries due to not wearing a face shield, 77% have experienced foot injuries due to not wearing safety shoes, and 66% have experienced eye injuries due to not using eye protection. The low compliance with PPE use among construction workers is a significant concern, as this increases the risk of occupational injuries and accidents. Factors such as availability, training, comfort, and perceived importance of PPE should be addressed to improve compliance. Employers and policy makers need to prioritize the implementation of effective OHS management in construction projects to protect workers' health and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the unfolding of increased political interest in research infrastructure at the practical level. As a case study, I examine the European Commission's (EC) Human Brain Project (HBP). The HBP is a large-scale interdisciplinary project that aims to build a web-accessible digital research infrastructure for neuroscience, medical research, and information technology. The project provides a unique study case for observing interdisciplinary interaction within a large-scale project for infrastructure building in brain science, where small-scale research has been the norm. I analyze how the stances of the EC and the HBP members on the project's goal and organization have co-evolved by focusing on the project's two radical reorientations. Thus, I describe the HBP's tangled trajectory as the result of the project's shifting definition between research and infrastructure construction or between politics, science, and engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rockfall poses a formidable threat to the ongoing fast-paced construction of large-scale projects in uninhabited areas in high mountain valleys. In this study, an optimization method for arranging passive nets on high and steep slopes was presented to mitigate the threat from rockfalls. This method diverges from the conventional method of subjectively arranging passive nets along the perimeter of protected regions (due to its emphasis on cost considerations), in which the quantitative appraisal of rockfall movement characteristics and interception rates is frequently omitted, consequently failing to comprehensively ensure transportation routes and temporary construction sites. The methodology encompasses the acquisition of terrain data by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), identification of rockfall sources based on UAV point clouds, quantitative assessment of rockfall hazards using a 3D probabilistic model, and optimization of the layout of passive nets based on the assessment results. The aim of the optimization of passive nets is to quantitatively assess the cost–effect relationship of passive nets, accounting for construction feasibility, interception potential, and likelihood of successful rockfall interception. We applied this method to the Feishuiyan slope in southwest China as an example, and the results demonstrated an enhanced interception rate of 99% and cost reduction by a factor of three relative to the original scheme. This innovative approach could enhance rockfall mitigation in high and steep areas, providing a viable strategy for future prevention efforts in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of the mechanical response behavior of slate and the establishment of corresponding damage-ontological relationships are crucial for improving safety and avoiding disasters in construction projects. For the study reported in this paper, we first assumed that slate is a transverse isotropic body. Next, to characterize disparities in elastic characteristics between axial and radial orientations, we introduced five distinct elastic parameters for these two directions. Specifically, these parameters were Young's modulus E1, Poisson's coefficient v1 (associated with parallel bedding planes), Young's modulus E2, Poisson's coefficient v2, and shear modulus G2 (associated with perpendicular bedding planes). We then established a statistical damage-evolution equation for transverse isotropic slate based on a lognormal distribution, and we constructed a statistical damage-constitutive model for laminated slate under three-way stress by considering the shear–slip deformation and closure deformation of the laminated surface. Finally, we demonstrated the effectiveness of our model by comparing its output data with results obtained in triaxial compression tests on slate. We found that the differential stress–strain curves obtained from the model and the tests were in good agreement in the peak front. Average relative errors of 15.62% and 16.19% were recorded for cases of 5 Mpa and 10 Mpa of enclosing pressure, respectively. The rationality of the established transverse isotropic slate damage-constitutive relationship was therefore proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past fifty years, the form and function of space habitat modules have remained largely unchanged. While cylindrical modules are relatively simple to transport and deploy, their limited size poses a challenge to their efficiency and usability. In contrast, large space habitat construction projects are costly and present logistical difficulties. The development of polyhedral modules could bridge the gap between these two approaches, allowing for modular, polyhedral units to be assembled and linked together to create larger habitats more efficiently and with less risk. However, identifying the most suitable polyhedron for use in space remains a critical question. Previous research has explored the construction of polyhedral modules, but little rigor has been applied to identifying the most optimal form. This is a crucial issue because the first module to be used will likely set the standard for subsequent modules and any disadvantages present at that time will be perpetuated. Therefore, it is essential to identify the optimal form prior to constructing prototypes. This research paper employs multi-criteria decision analysis and sensitivity analysis to compare various candidate polyhedra across several evaluation metrics, including number of faces, volume to surface area ratio, and joint stress, among several other quantitative and qualitative metrics. The results demonstrate that the Rhombic Dodecahedron is a particularly suitable candidate compared to other forms analyzed. Thus, the Rhombic Dodecahedron should be considered the standard polyhedral form for future research involving the development of polyhedral modules. • Rhombic Dodecahedron identified as optimal polyhedron for space habitat design. • Polyhedral modules surpass cylindrical counterparts in multiple criteria. • Novel multi-criteria analysis method allows cross-metric comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The purpose of paper is to understand the development history of vegetation restoration in waste sites of production and construction projects, analyze the hot research issues, and further to promote the development of the research in terms of vegetation restoration. [Methods] The method of bibliometrics was used to survey on the literature of Web of Science database and CNKI database. [Results] It has been found out that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are the institutions with the most relevant articles published. The top ranked domestic institution in terms of the number of articles published is Beijing Forestry University. The ecological restoration technology, biodiversity, the quality evaluation of ecological restoration have been incorporated into the research clusters of the international institutions. The domestic researchers focus on restoration of ecosystem structure, vegetation restoration mode and soil quality evaluation system, etc. According to the analysis of highlighted keywords, ecosystem services', 'vegetation restoration' and 6 'waste sites of coal mine can be the focus of international research at present. The domestic researches in recent years emphasized ecological restoration, landscape design, and planning and design. [Conclusion] The current studies are mostly based on the short-term experiments, and there are few studies on the whole restoration process at large scale. Besides, the studies on comprehensive reconstruction of ecosystem functions have not been perfect yet. The hotspots of the future studies will take integrated ecological and landscape benefits into the consideration when conducting vegetation restoration, and emphasize on ecosystem services and landscape design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the risk of unexpected cost of rework (COR), a variety of predictive models have been developed in the construction management literature. However, they primarily focus on prediction accuracy, and rather less attention has been paid to the trustworthiness of prediction models. This increases operational risk and hinders its integration in related decision-making. Aiming to reduce the utilization risk and increase the reliability of COR prediction models, this study exploits the graph convolutional network (GCN) model, which enhances representativeness by accommodating interrelationships among the root causes of nonconformances. The GCN can process a more representative input network that provides COR records while factoring in the shared root causes of nonconformance in the resulting COR. The proposed approach achieved a COR prediction accuracy as high as 85%, which is significantly higher than that of any existing cost prediction model. The demonstrated accuracy and lower risk of the proposed GCN model thus enhance the reliability of the prediction and trust in its outcome, facilitating its integration into developing rework prevention strategies and relevant resource allocation for construction professionals. The study contributes to construction project management by proposing a novel COR prediction model that embodies accuracy, representativeness, and interpretability. Whereas we tailored the GCN model to predict COR with a focus on nonconformance root causes, it is noted that rework costs can also be influenced by other project factors, such as site safety. Practical Applications: Managing rework costs is a critical challenge in the construction sector, necessitating predictive models that are not only accurate but also trustworthy. This study leverages graph convolutional network (GCN) to offer a prediction model that is both accurate and reliably interpretable. The GCN model enriches cost of rework (COR) predictions by analyzing how different project elements, such as design flaws or material issues, are interconnected, providing a more holistic view of potential rework triggers. The customization of the GCN model is crucial, requiring specific adjustments based on individual project requirements and decision-making goals, and remains relevant across diverse construction projects. The proposed predictive tool processes complex data and provides insight into how various project factors interplay to affect rework costs. By providing a clear rationale behind its predictions, it supports more informed decision-making in allocating resources and developing strategies to prevent rework, ultimately leading to more efficient and cost-effective project management. Having COR prediction based on a comprehensive understanding of all related project factors equips professionals with insight about the predicted COR impact on the overall construction budget and its related root causes. This, in turn, fosters greater confidence among project stakeholders and sets a stronger basis for strategic planning, resource allocation, and risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction project delays can stem from a myriad of factors and pose significant challenges for owners and contractors. While numerous methods for analyzing delays exist, the majority are designed for network scheduling, lack contemporaneous tracking (i.e., do not allow for identifying and tracking delays as they occur), and struggle with attributing delays to specific stakeholders. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel graphical approach to monitor delays by comparing as-planned and as-built schedules at the activity level. Distinguished by its contemporaneous nature, the new method allows real-time tracking and quantification of delays. This facilitates identifying their origin and potential causes. Rules for constructing the graphs of various delay scenarios are demonstrated for typical activity combinations. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated via a case study that showcases its practical application. Implementing it is straightforward, and while the method could be applied to network schedules, its relevance lies in linear and repetitive schedules. The cyclic nature of tasks in such schedules underscores the importance of contemporaneous delay tracking to facilitate swift remedial actions and pinpoint liability. Practical Applications: In this study, the authors present a new way to track delay using graphs by comparing starts, productivities, and finishes of as-planned and as-built schedules at the activity level. Because it is contemporaneous, the new approach tracks and measures delays in real time, currently manually, but easily implemented as computer code. This method makes it easier to find the source and possible causes of activity and project delays. Detailed rules are derived for common activity scenarios and interactions on how to create the respective graphs. A real-world study demonstrates how the proposed method can be used to substantiate its potential value to practitioners in industry. The proposed approach is practical, and while it could be used for network schedules, it is especially useful for linear and repetitive schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular integrated construction (MiC) has witnessed increasing adoption in worldwide building projects, driven by various benefits, including improved construction efficiency, reduced on-site labor hours, and minimized waste and pollution. The construction industry has recognized the transportation of prefabricated modules as a huge obstacle to the wide implementation of MiC. In practice, transport planning of prefabricated modules is usually intuitively decided by general contractors based on experience. Intuitive decisions cannot ensure the just-in-time (JIT) module delivery, thereby incurring additional costs of early and late delivery. Motivated by this challenge, this study endeavors to design cost-minimized transportation plans for prefabricated modules using mathematical programming methodology. An integer programming model and a tailored solution method are proposed. Then, we use data from two real building projects in Hong Kong as model inputs to demonstrate the computation of optimal module transport plans using the proposed methodology. Numerical results show that, if the JIT strategy is not considered in module transport planning, the actual total transportation costs will be 21.74% higher than the expected ones. Comparative costs of JIT implementation and nonimplementation indicate the significance of the JIT strategy. Additionally, our proposed method can achieve punctual module delivery and reduce the overall transportation expenses by 10.13%, implying considerable cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]