Conceptual Model Analysis on Effects of Detain in Construction Industry by Identifying Various Causes - A Case Study

Deepwater lobes constitute a significant volume of submarine fans and are primarily believed to exhibit a simple sheet geometry. However, recent studies interpret the geometries of these deep-marine lobes as distinct with respect to the complexity of the facies and their distribution. Hence, a conceptual model of deep-marine sediments is essential to discuss the deep-marine sediments associated with the fan and lobe architecture. The present study highlights the facies heterogeneity and distribution of various lobe elements at a multiscale level by considering a case study of the West Crocker Formation of Sabah in northwest Borneo. The formation was logged on a bed-to-bed scale from recently well-exposed sections, with a total vertical thickness of more than 300 m. The lithological characteristics, bed geometry, sedimentary textures and structures of individual beds were used to categorize the rock units into nine sedimentary lithofacies: five sandstone lithofacies (S1–S5), one hybrid bed facies (H), two siltstone facies (Si1 and Si2) and one shale or mudstone facies (M). These facies were grouped into four facies associations (FA1–FA4), which were interpreted as lobe axis (FA1), lobe off-axis (FA2), lobe fringe (FA3) and distal fringe to interlobe (FA4) facies associations. This study is applicable for the distribution of lobes and their subseismic, multiscale complexities to characterize the potential of hydrocarbon intervals in deep-marine sand-shale system around the globe.

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A Case Study of a Negotiated Tender within a Small-to-Medium Construction Contractor: Modelling Project Cost Variance

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings11060260 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 260

Author(s):

James Ellis ◽

David John Edwards ◽

Wellington Didibhuku Thwala ◽

Obuks Ejohwomu ◽

Ernest Effah Ameyaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Construction Industry ◽

Study Data ◽

Review Literature ◽

Third Party ◽

Open Book ◽

Competitive Tendering ◽

Construction Contractor ◽

The Uk ◽

Insight Into

This research explores the failure of competitively tendered projects in the UK construction industry to procure the most suited contractor(s) to conduct the works. Such work may have equal relevance for other developed nations globally. This research seeks to teach clients and their representatives that “lowest price” does not mean “best value”, by presenting a case study of a successfully negotiated tender undertaken by a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) contractor; SME studies are relatively scant in academic literature. By applying the “lessons learnt” principle, this study seeks to improve future practice through the development of a novel alternative procurement option (i.e., negotiation). A mixed philosophical stance combining interpretivism and pragmatism was used—interpretivism to critically review literature in order to form the basis of inductive research to discuss negotiation as a viable procurement route, and pragmatism to analyse perceptions of tendering and procurement. The methods used follow a three-stage waterfall process including: (1) literature review and pilot study; (2) quantitative analysis of case study data; and (3) qualitative data collection via a focus group. Our research underscores the need to advise clients and their representatives of the importance of understanding the scope of works allowed within a tender submission before discounting it based solely on price. In addition, we highlight the failings of competitive tendering, which results in increased costs and project duration once the works commence on site. These findings provide new contemporary insight into procurement and tendering in the construction industry, with emphasis on SME contractors, existing relationships, and open-book negotiation. This research illustrates the adverse effects of early cost estimates produced without first securing a true understanding of project buildability and programming. Our work concludes with a novel insight into an alternative procurement option that involves early SME contractor involvement in an open-book environment, without the need for a third-party cost control.

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Bioclimatic and Regenerative Design Guidelines for a Circular University Campus in India

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13158238 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 8238

Author(s):

Noemi Bakos ◽

Rosa Schiano-Phan

Keyword(s):

Construction Industry ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

University Campus ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Regenerative Design ◽

Governmental Institutions ◽

Social Environmental

To transform the negative impacts of buildings on the environment into a positive footprint, a radical shift from the current, linear ‘make-use-dispose’ practice to a closed-loop ‘make-use-return’ system, associated with a circular economy, is necessary. This research aims to demonstrate the possible shift to a circular construction industry by developing the first practical framework with tangible benchmarks for a ‘Circular University Campus’ based on an exemplary case study project, which is a real project development in India. As a first step, a thorough literature review was undertaken to demonstrate the social, environmental and economic benefits of a circular construction industry. As next step, the guideline for a ‘Circular University Campus’ was developed, and its applicability tested on the case study. As final step, the evolved principles were used to establish ‘Project Specific Circular Building Indicators’ for a student residential block and enhance the proposed design through bioclimatic and regenerative design strategies. The building’s performance was evaluated through computational simulations, whole-life carbon analysis and a circular building assessment tool. The results demonstrated the benefits and feasibility of bioclimatic, regenerative building and neighbourhood design and provided practical prototypical case study and guidelines which can be adapted by architects, planners and governmental institutions to other projects, thereby enabling the shift to a restorative, circular construction industry.

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Accountability through mutual attunement: How can parliamentary hearings connect the elected and the unelected?

Public Policy and Administration ◽

10.1177/0952076720977606 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 095207672097760

Author(s):

Andreas Eriksen ◽

Alexander Katsaitis

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Model ◽

European Governance ◽

Accountability Mechanism ◽

Shared Understandings ◽

Working Out

The increased authority delegated to independent agencies raises questions about the conditions of politically accountable governance, and specifically parliament’s role as a representative institution. Focusing on committee hearings as an accountability mechanism, we ask: How can a parliament employ hearings to ensure that the ends pursued by agencies have a democratic foundation? We propose a model of “mutual attunement” where accountability relations presuppose a process of working-out shared understandings of the ends, means and circumstances of policy needs. We test our argument through a case study assessing the interaction between the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic & Monetary Affairs and the European Securities and Markets Authority. Theoretically, we contribute to discussions on agency accountability and European governance, while providing a novel conceptual model and the first analysis of its kind.

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Development of Conceptual Model for Uncertainty Management on Project Completion Late Delivery in Environmental Issues

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.666.363 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 666 ◽

pp. 363-370 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Baharum Zirawani ◽

M. Ngadiman Salihin ◽

H. Mustaffa Noorfa

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Model ◽

Construction Industry ◽

Time Management ◽

Uncertainty Modeling ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Fractional Factorial ◽

Project Completion ◽

Uncertainty Model ◽

Late Delivery ◽

Water Supply Company

The construction industry has many underlying causes of uncertainty that impact on late delivery of project completion's performance as well as in time management. Most of researchers proposed a modelling and simulation techniques to solve these uncertainties problem nevertheless not tackling the uncertainty in environmental issues (EI). Yet, the environmental issues were also leading significant deviations for project completion performance, which means it is important to be studied. Therefore, the comprehensive sturvey is discussed in this paper in purpose to develop the uncertainty modeling model on late delivery in environmental issues. The development of conceptual model through a comprehensive survey involving piping's construction industry for water supply company with multi-project construction environment is developed to show the relationship for each cause and affects that underlying uncertainty on late project delivery in environmental issues. Further research is to verify and validate the conceptual model as has been analyzed through fractional factorial design with ANOVA, through the development of uncertainty model via modeling and simulation using MATLAB.

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