Post-tensioned concreting: its suitability for and acceptability in Sri Lanka

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 719-735
Author(s):  
Hewa Siliyange Athushla Madhubhashana ◽  
B.A.K.S. Perera ◽  
Colombapatabendige Savindi Ranthika Perera
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Swelling Soils ◽  
Post Tensioned

Purpose Many countries have started to use post-tensioned (PT) concrete because of its sustainability and low cost. However, it is not quite popular in Sri Lanka as the required knowhow and technology are not available within the country. By introducing PT concrete to the country, unwanted costs and time overruns could be eliminated from the construction projects. This paper, therefore, aims to identify the suitability and acceptability of PT concreting for/in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was first carried out to gather knowledge on PT concreting. The four case studies that followed it included eight semi-structured interviews and a document review. Ten expert interviews were conducted finally to strengthen the findings of the literature review and case studies. Cross-case analysis and NVivo 11 content analysis software were used to analyze the data gathered. Findings Findings reveal that PT concreting saves cost and time of construction and that it can have a control over the resources required for construction, which makes it environment-friendly. PT concreting allows thinner concrete sections, extended spans, stiffer walls that resist lateral loads and stiffer foundations that resist the effects of shrinking and swelling soils. Originality/value It is found that PT concreting is more suitable for the construction industry in Sri Lanka than traditional concreting.

scholarly journals Integrating value management into sustainable construction projects in Hong Kong

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 1475-1500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Tit Wan Yu ◽  
Arshad Ali Javed ◽  
Tsun Ip Lam ◽  
Geoffrey Qiping Shen ◽  
Ming Sun
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Value Management ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Integrating sustainability into the value management (VM) process can provide a strategic platform for promoting and incorporating sustainable design and development during the lifespans of construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) for integrating sustainability into the VM process in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach Following an extensive literature review, 45 attributes were identified and grouped into strength, weakness, opportunity and threat elements. A questionnaire survey based on these groupings was supported by semi-structured interviews with public sector clients, value managers and VM facilitators. They shared their experience and views on how to integrate sustainability into the VM exercises. Findings The triangulated results of the survey and interviews are presented in this paper. The ranking of the SWOT analysis results indicate that VM does provide opportunities for multidisciplinary professionals and stakeholders to focus on issues relating to society and the environment, which is considered a main strength. The major weakness of integration is the lack of well-trained staff and low levels of VM participant expertise in relation to the sustainable construction issue. Research limitations/implications Current practices generally neglect integration of sustainability into the VM process due to cost and time constraints. There are ample strengths and opportunities recommended by this study for integrating sustainability into the VM process which are beneficial for the clients and contractors for achieving value for money and meeting sustainability targets. Practical implications There are immense opportunities for integrating sustainability into the VM process, including encouragement of the reduction, reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste. However, threats presented by integration include the additional time and costs required for achieving sustainability targets. Originality/value Findings and recommendations provided in this paper should be helpful to decision makers including clients and VM facilitators for the successful integration of the sustainability concept into the VM process.

Evaluating lean manufacturing barriers: an interpretive process

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 1086-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Zhang ◽  
Balkrishna Eknath Narkhede ◽  
Anup P. Chaple
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
And Performance

Purpose Firms have been implementing lean manufacturing to improve their business performances. However, they have difficulties in the implementation due to the many barriers. In view of the lack of research and the importance in understanding them, the purpose of this paper is identify and evaluate the lean barriers with respect to their levels of importance in implementation. Design/methodology/approach As lean barriers are scattered in the literature and a variety of performance measures are used in practice, an extensive literature review is first carried out to identify the lean barriers and performance measures. A novel ranking technique – interpretive ranking process (IRP) – is adopted in the evaluation. In the IRP-based evaluation approach, a group discussion technique, where five Indian lean experts are involved, is applied to determine the most important lean barriers and performance measures. Several matrices are developed step by step for calculating the ranks of the selected lean barriers. Upon validating the ranks, an IRP-based lean barrier evaluation model is developed. Findings The IRP-based lean barrier evaluation model can help firms better understand lean barriers and their levels of importance in lean implementation. In the light of this model, to successfully implement lean, firms should provide sufficient management time and training to employees, develop a right culture, develop effective communication, carry out low-cost production, and obtain external funding. Practical implications The evaluation results provide the practitioners with a realistic framework to deal with many problems, especially those related to resource allocation, in lean implementation. Based on the framework, practitioners can prioritize lean barriers during implementation in accordance with performances targeted. Originality/value This is the first study that provides a comprehensive review of lean barriers available in the literature and evaluates them in accordance with performance measures. The combined use of literature review and experts in the evaluation approach justifies the value of the study.

Appropriate delay analysis techniques to analyse delays in road construction projects in Sri Lanka

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 521-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.M.K. Ekanayake ◽  
B.A.K.S. Perera
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Road Construction ◽  
Delay Analysis ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Window Analysis ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Road Projects

Purpose Delays represent one of the most critical factors that affect the cost of a construction project. They have to be therefore analysed comprehensively using appropriate techniques. The purpose of this paper is to find out the delay analysis techniques (DATs) that are most commonly used in road projects in Sri Lanka, the extent of their usage, the criteria that can be used in selecting them and the technique that is most appropriate for the selection. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology adopted included an extensive literature review, expert interviews and a questionnaire survey. Findings In road projects in Sri Lanka, five types of DATs are mainly used. The “As-planned v. As-built Analysis” technique is the most commonly used technique while “Window Analysis” is the least used technique. Out of the nine criteria identified for selecting a DAT, the most important criterion is the acceptability of the technique to courts and tribunals. “Window Analysis” was found to be the most appropriate DAT that can be used in road construction projects in Sri Lanka. Originality/value “Window Analysis” can be recommended as the most appropriate DAT for road projects in Sri Lanka.

Barriers to environmental sustainability of construction projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Graft Joe Opoku ◽  
Joshua Ayarkwa ◽  
Kofi Agyekum
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Agenda

Purpose The construction industry plays an important role in the achievement of the 11th and 15th of the Sustainable Development Goals. Efforts have been made by most developing and developed economies toward the achievement of these goals. Despite the efforts being made by the construction industry toward the achievement of these goals, there are still barriers that prevent built environment consultants from advancing environmental sustainability (ES) of construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to identify barriers to ES of construction projects. Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review on barriers to the adoption of ES was conducted and face-to-face semi-structured interviews of purposively selected built environment consultants in Ghana were carried out. Thematic template analysis of qualitative data was conducted. Findings The key findings from the study include perceived initial costs, lack of knowledge on ES, technological difficulties, external pressures in adopting ES practices and environmental conditions in developing countries. Originality/value The outputs of this study offer strategies which are very significant to the construction industry in embracing ES. Further, the findings contribute to knowledge on achieving the sustainable development agenda.

scholarly journals Developing labour productivity norms for aluminium system formwork in Sri Lanka

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchini Senarath Jayasinghe ◽  
Nirodha Gayani Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Project ◽  
Housing Projects ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Document Review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish labour productivity norms (LPNs) on an elemental basis to investigate a measurement for the labour productivity (LP) of aluminium system formwork (ASF) in low-cost housing projects (LHPs) in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Case study approach was selected as the most appropriate for the study and semi-structured interviews, document review and direct observations were used for the data collection. Four case studies were conducted. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted among four cases. Further, document review was used in three cases, and direct observation was used in one case. The validation of the results was not possible in a real life project due to time limitations. Findings The findings identified six labour productivity factors (LPFs) affecting the LP of ASF. The need for LPNs for ASF on an elemental basis is identified. Further, LPNs were developed using LPFs. Research limitations/implications This research was limited to LHPs for underserved settlements in Colombo, Sri Lanka which use ASF. The LPNs were prepared based on time studies and were restricted to structural elements such as slabs, beams and columns. Originality/value The LPNs were developed for ASF in LHPs based on the effect of weather, crew, site, management and project factors. Further, the study addresses a gap in the literature regarding the development of LPNs of ASF for LPHs in Sri Lanka. LPNs for ASF have enhanced LP while promoting economic and social stability in the industry.

Assessment of preconstruction factors in sustainable project management performance

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Naji ◽  
Murat Gunduz ◽  
Fatema Salat
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Data ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Industry Professionals

PurposeThe construction sector has a global reach, and construction professionals worldwide often encounter challenges in delivering a project on time and within the assigned budget. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the preproject factors that most affect the performance of construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was conducted to identify these factors from previous research, after which a questionnaire was developed and distributed to construction industry professionals worldwide. The response data were collected and analyzed using several methods, including Cronbach’s alpha, Relative Importance Index (RII), Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman’s and Pearson correlations.FindingsThe results highlight four categories of significance, namely design, stakeholder, engineering, and procurement, with 31 factors being assigned to these categories. The relationships between each factor based on the categories established in the survey are then presented. With the help of data analysis, focusing on these significant preproject factors will help management teams to evaluate and improve the preconstruction process to achieve a higher project success rate.Originality/valueThis study differs from other studies in the literature by gathering all relevant preconstruction success factors by an extensive literature review. Finally, highly ranked factors are studied in detail for a better understanding of the impact of preconstruction factors on project performance. This study is supported by powerful tests such as Kruskal–Wallis test and Spearman’s correlation to study the perception of different groups on preconstruction factors. Furthermore, the data analysis will help in identifying and avoiding the failure part of the previous projects and will improve the planning and/or forecasting of the new projects.

Implementation of circular economy principles during pre-construction stage: the case of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amodith Supunmal Wijewansha ◽  
G.A. Tennakoon ◽  
K.G.A.S. Waidyasekara ◽  
B.J. Ekanayake
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Construction Stage ◽  
Content Type

PurposeDespite the positive impacts of the construction sector on enhancing economic growth and ensuring societal well-being, its negative impacts on the environment from unsustainable resource consumption levels, emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and waste generation is monumental. Circular economy (CE) concept is identified globally as an avenue to address problems regarding adverse impacts of construction on the environment. This paper presents the principles of CE as an avenue for enhancing environmental sustainability during the pre-construction stage within Sri Lankan construction projects.Design/methodology/approachThis research was approached through a qualitative research method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts. The number of experts were limited due to lack of experts with knowledge on the subject area in Sri Lanka. Data were analysed using content analysis.FindingsFindings revealed a range of activities under each R principle of CE, that is, reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, reclassification and renewability that could be implemented during the pre-construction stage, thereby providing a guide for construction professionals in implementing CE at the pre-construction stage. The need to expand knowledge on CE concepts within the Sri Lankan construction sector was recognized.Originality/valueThis study provides a qualitative in-depth perspective on how 6R principles of CE could be integrated to a construction project during the pre-construction stage. By adopting the proposed activities under CE principles, construction professionals can enhance the environmental sustainability of construction projects.

Cybersecurity: investing for competitive outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Kosutic ◽  
Federico Pigni
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extensive Literature Review ◽  
Industry Standards ◽  
Technological Bias ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to help companies address the problem of ever-increasing cybersecurity investment that does not produce tangible business value – this is achieved by explaining the relationship between cybersecurity and competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach The impact of cybersecurity on competitive advantage was explored through a qualitative research study – the authors conducted an extensive literature review and conducted two rounds of semi-structured interviews with executives and security professionals from companies in four countries, from the financial, IT and security industries. Findings The analysis of the findings enabled the conceptualization of the Cybersecurity Competitive Advantage Model that explains how to build up cybersecurity dynamic capabilities to achieve long-term competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications The research presents the theorization of the model based on an extensive literature review, gathered information, insight from qualified respondents and the authors’ experience in the field. While we controlled for saturation and rigorously collected and analyzed the data, the inductive approach followed may limit the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications The proposed model helps explain to executives how to differentiate their company in a novel way and how to retain that competitive advantage; security professionals can use the model to organize cybersecurity and communicate to their superiors more effectively. Originality/value The presented model differs from existing literature, cybersecurity frameworks and industry standards by presenting a method of avoiding technological bias and for achieving competitive advantage.

Achieving sustainability through integrating risk management into the architectural design process

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman ◽  
Nermeen Mohamed Amin Abdelwahab
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Field Study ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Design Firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework integrating risk management (RM) into the architectural design process (ADP) as an approach for delivering sustainable construction projects. Design/methodology/approach A research methodology, which consisted of literature review and field study, is designed to accomplish four objectives. First, to provide a comprehensive literature review of the concepts of sustainability, ADP and RM. Second, to present and synthesis the results of two relevant studies focused on identifying, quantifying and classifying the risks associated with ADP; and investigating the perception and application of Egyptian architectural design firms (ADFs) towards integrating RM into ADP as an approach for delivering sustainable construction projects. Third, to develop a framework that integrates RM into ADP towards delivering sustainable construction projects. Finally, to draw conclusions and recommendations to improve the practice of delivering sustainable construction projects among ADFs, construction professionals and governmental authorities. Findings ADP is a fundamental phase of the construction process because the decisions adopted during this phase affect the project performance throughout its life cycle. While RM is widely applied in different sectors of the construction industry, its application in ADP received scant attention in construction literature. The research identified 18 key risks that affect the sustainable delivery of construction projects during ADP. The architect, the client and the project manager are the highest ranked responsible parties for the occurrence of these key risks. The field study highlighted the need to develop a framework to facilitate integrating RM into ADP. Research limitations/implications This paper focused only on the integration of RM into ADP. Originality/value The conducted literature review and field study provided an in-depth understanding of the key risks that affect the sustainable delivery of construction projects during ADP. Through its five stages, the proposed framework is expected to serve as a foundation for integrating RM into ADP as an approach for delivering sustainable projects. This ideology has received scant attention in construction literature. The developed framework represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

Optimising building performance through integrating risk management and building information modelling during the design process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman ◽  
Fatma Othman Alamoudy
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Modelling ◽  
Building Information

Purpose This paper aims to develop a framework for optimising building performance through the integration between risk management (RM) and building information modelling (BIM) during the design process. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this aim, a research strategy consisting of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire is designed to accomplish four objectives. First, to examine the concepts of design process, building performance, RM and BIM; second, to present three case studies to explain the role of using RM and BIM capabilities towards optimising building performance; third, to investigate the perception and application of architectural design firms in Egypt towards the role of RM and BIM for enhancing building performance during the design process; and finally, to develop a framework integrating RM and BIM during the design process as an approach for optimising building performance. Findings Through literature review, the research identified 18 risks that hamper optimising building performance during the design process. In addition, 11 building performance values and 20 BIM technologies were defined. Results of data analysis showed that “Design budget overrun”, “Lack of considering life cycle cost” and “Inefficient use of the design time” were ranked the highest risks that affect the optimisation of building performance. Respondents ranked “Risk avoid” or “Risk transfer” as the most risk responses adopted in the Egyptian context. In addition, “BIM As Built” was ranked the highest BIM technology used for overcoming risks during the design process. These findings necessitated taking action towards developing a framework to optimising building performance. Originality/value The research identified the risks that affect optimising building performance during the design process. It focuses on improving the design process through using the capabilities of BIM technologies towards overcoming these risks during the design process. The proposed framework which integrates RM and BIM represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the knowledge in a manner that has not previously occurred.

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