scholarly journals Life cycle cost analysis of the ventilation system in Stockholm’s road tunnels

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussan Saed Al-Chalabi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a practical economic replacement decision model to identify the economic lifetime of the ventilation system used by Trafikverket in its Stockholm tunnels. Design/methodology/approach The proposed data-driven optimisation model considers operating and maintenance costs, purchase price and system resale value for a ventilation system consisting of 121 fans. The study identified data quality problems in Trafikverket’s MAXIMO database. Findings It is found that the absolute economic replacement time (ERT) of the ventilation system is 108 months but for a range of 100–120 months, the total cost remains almost constant. Sensitivity and regression analysis showed that the operating cost has the largest impact on the ERT. Originality/value The results are promising; the company has the possibility of significantly reducing the LCC of the ventilation system by optimising its lifetime. In addition, the proposed model can be used for other systems with repairable components, making it applicable, useful and implementable within Trafikverket more generally.

Author(s):  
Babak Esmaeilpour Ghouchani ◽  
Susan Jodaki ◽  
Maryam Joudaki ◽  
Alireza Balali ◽  
Lila Rajabion

Purpose Nowadays, the Internet of Things (IoT) offers new intelligent services and business model opportunities by extending the internet connectivity into physical devices and daily objects. Recently, this technology has had a deep impact on all the aspects of human societies from industry to management and business. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to predict the impact of using IoT services on the development of electronic business (e-business). Design/methodology/approach For evaluating the model’s elements, a questionnaire was designed. It was revised by experts with significant experiences. For statistical analysis, SmartPLS 3.2 is used. Findings The findings have confirmed the validity of the proposed model. The results also have indicated that the quality of IoT services (scalability, availability, reliability and ease of use), security of IoT services (trust, reputation, privacy and encryption) and IT knowledge of users (usage skills, awareness, experience and accuracy) have a positive and significant impact on development of e-business. Furthermore, the obtained results have revealed that the operating cost of IoT services (transmission time, storage capacity, functionality and stability) is significantly influenced by the development of e-business. Research limitations/implications By capturing a number of important factors in the proposed model, this study can provide a significant theoretical influence for researchers in the related area of interest. In fact, this study provides a worthwhile direction by assessing e-business performance, which, so far, has not been well assessed in many developing countries. Practical implications From a practical perspective, the statistical results support the crucial role of the following factors: quality of IoT services, the security of IoT services, operating cost of IoT services and IT knowledge of users. Hence, aspects relating to these factors must be the focus of attention of any organization in their endeavor to development of e-business. Originality/value This study meaningfully contributes to the knowledge and literature by focusing more on development e-business and IoT as original technology for further understanding, investigating other important features and applying advanced statistical analyses technique. By doing so, this study was able to develop the current understanding regarding the main aspects of development e-business and IoT services.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 414-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laxman Yadu Waghmode ◽  
Rajkumar Bhimgonda Patil

Purpose – Reliability analysis is required to identify the components or subsystems with low reliability for a given designed performance. Life cycle cost analysis helps understand the cost implications over the entire life span of a product. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study describing reliability analysis and life cycle cost optimization of a band saw cutting machine manufactured and used in India. Design/methodology/approach – The data required for reliability analysis is collected from the manufacturer and users of band saw cutting machine. The parameters of failure distribution have been estimated by using ReliaSoft’s Weibull++6 software. The life cycle cost is divided into various cost elements such as acquisition cost, operation cost, failure cost, support cost and net salvage value. Findings – The results of the analysis show that the components such as band wheel bearing, guide roller bearing, limit switch, carbide pad, hydraulic cylinder oil seal, control panel dial, control panel and solenoid valve are critical from reliability and life cycle cost analysis perspective. Originality/value – With certain design changes it is found that the reliability of the system is increased by 15.85 percent while the life cycle cost is reduced by 22.09 percent. The study also shows that the reliability analysis is useful for deciding maintenance intervals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 440-456
Author(s):  
Seyed Ehsan Zahed ◽  
Sirwan Shahooei ◽  
Ferika Farooghi ◽  
Mohsen Shahandashti ◽  
Siamak Ardekani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conduct life-cycle cost analysis of a short-haul underground freight transportation (UFT) system for the Dallas Fort Worth international airport. Design/methodology/approach The research approach includes: identifying the cost components of the proposed airport UFT system; estimating life-cycle cost (LCC) of system components using various methods; determining life-cycle cash flows; evaluating the reliability of the results using sensitivity analysis; and assessing the validity of the results using analogues cases. Findings Although the capital cost of constructing an airport UFT system seems to be the largest cost of such innovative projects, annual costs for running the system are more significant, taking a life-cycle perspective. System administrative cost, tunnel operation and maintenance, and tunnel construction cost are the principle cost components of the UFT system representing approximately 46, 24 and 19 percent of the total LCC, respectively. The shipping cost is estimated to be $4.14 per ton-mile. Although this cost is more than the cost of transporting cargos by trucks, the implementation of UFT systems could be financially justified considering their numerous benefits. Originality/value This paper, for the first time, helps capital planners understand the LCC of an airport UFT system with no or limited past experience, and to consider such innovative solutions to address airport congestion issues.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-558
Author(s):  
Mohamed N. Darghouth ◽  
Anis Chelbi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a decision model for second-hand products to determine the optimal upgrade level, warranty period and preventive maintenance (PM) effort level which maximize the total expected profit generated by the dealer considering any given past age of the product and the effect of the sales volume. Design/methodology/approach A mathematical model is developed to derive the optimal triplet: upgrade level, warranty period and PM effort level, which maximize the total expected profit generated by the dealer for any second-hand product with a given past age. Numerical experimentations have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed model and to explore the interactions among the model variables. Findings Numerical experimentations including a sensitivity analysis have been conducted on the model key parameters. The obtained results show that performing PM actions during the warranty period helps the dealers to provide extended warranty for older second-hand products without spending a significant effort on upgrade actions and therefore increase the volume of sales. Also, the interaction between the PM level and the profit margin threshold is demonstrated. Finally, the effect of the sales volume function parameters (the price and warranty elasticity parameters) on the optimal solution is characterized. Research limitations/implications Given the complexity of the profit function to be maximized involving a considerable number of decision variables with different nature, the authors limited the study to the case where the past age of the second-hand product is known. Practical implications The proposed model aims to provide second-hand product dealers with a modeling framework that enables them to have a realistic estimation of the generated profit by integrating the marketing and engineering key parameters of the second-hand product. Originality/value Most of the existing literature dealing with the reliability improvement of second-hand products does not take into account the fact that a realistic estimation of the total profit generated by the dealer requires the consideration of the sales volume. The latter is closely related to the marketing parameters characterized by the warranty period length and the second-hand product selling price. The proposed model introduces the effect of the total sales volume on the total expected profit. The authors also introduce the concept of discrete upgrade levels for a better control of the restoration degree. The authors study the impact of warranty and price elasticity parameters on the optimal solution and the resultant interaction with the customer purchase decision and consequently the sales volume.


Facilities ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 303-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Harris ◽  
Lori Fitzgerald

Purpose The business case for facility expenditures is grounded in the knowledge that life-cycle economics is significant to the continued viability of the facility. The aim of this study is to develop an algorithm for life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and evaluate flooring products to inform decision makers about the long-term cost of ownership. Design/methodology/approach The protocol for executing an LCCA is defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, including defining the problem, identifying feasible alternatives and establishing common assumptions and parameters, as well as acquiring financial information. Data were provided by an independent third-party source. Findings The results of this study are twofold: assess functionally equivalent flooring alternatives to determine the best financial value and develop a replicable protocol and algorithm for LCCA. The study found that modular carpet was the best financial solution. As a tool for decision makers, this LCCA informs asset management about the long-term cost of ownership, providing a protocol for making practical, informed decisions for the lowest cost solution for functionally equivalent alternatives. Research limitations/implications Projecting LCCA beyond 15 years may have limited value based on potential changes in the financial climate. Further research should focus on the implications of changes in the discount rate over time and testing the algorithm on other building systems. Practical implications Maintenance costs are considerable when compared to initial cost of flooring. Equipment costs have a significant impact on long-term cost of ownership. Using LCCA to inform specifications and to determine the best solution for a building system such as flooring provides an evidence-based process for building design and facility management. Social implications Life-cycle costs have a significant impact on the financial health of an organization. Using LCCA to make informed decisions about facility design and specifications may contribute to increased financial stability and resources to benefit the organization’s long term goals. Originality/value This study contributes an algorithm instrument for buildings and building systems. The flooring tested with this protocol provides evidence to inform flooring selection based on lowest cost while considering other factors that inform appropriate selection of flooring materials.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1647-1660
Author(s):  
Cong Yu ◽  
LongFei Qie ◽  
ShiKai Jing ◽  
Yan Yan

Purpose Orientation determination is an essential planning task in additive manufacturing (AM) because it directly affects the part quality, build time, geometric tolerance, fabrication cost, etc. This paper aims to propose a negative feedback decision-making (NFDM) model to realize the personalized design of part orientation in AM process. Design/methodology/approach NFDM model is constructed by integrating two sub-models: proportional–integral–derivative (PID) negative feedback control model and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) decision-making model. With NFDM model, a desired target is first specified by the user. Then, the TOPSIS decision model calculates the “score” for the current part orientation. TOPSIS decision model is modified for ease of control. Finally, the PID controller automatically rotates the part based on the error between the user-specified target and the calculated “score”. Part orientation adjustment is completed when the error is eliminated. Five factors are considered in NFDM model, namely, surface roughness, support structure volume, geometric tolerance, build time and fabrication cost. Findings The case studies of turbine fan and dragon head indicate that the TOPSIS model can be perfectly integrated with the PID controller. This work extends the proposed model to different AM processes and investigates the feasibility of combining different decision-making models with PID controller and the effects of including various evaluation criteria in the integrated model. Originality/value The proposed model innovatively takes the TOPSIS decision-making model and the PID control model as a whole. In this way, the uncontrollable TOPSIS model becomes controllable, so the proposed model can control the TOPSIS model to achieve the user-specified targets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-139
Author(s):  
Omprakash Ramalingam Rethnam ◽  
Sivakumar Palaniappan ◽  
Velmurugan Ashokkumar

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of 1 MW roof-top Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels installed in warm and humid climatic region in Southern India. The effect of actual power generated from solar PV panels on financial indicators is evaluated. Design/methodology/approach LCCA is done using the actual power generated from solar PV panels for one year. The net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), simple payback period (SPP) and discounted payback period (DPP) are determined for a base case scenario. The effect of service life and the differences between the ideal power expected and the actual power generated is evaluated. Findings A base case scenario is evaluated using the actual power generation data, 25-year service life and 6 percent discount rate. The NPV, IRR, SPP and DPP are found to be INR 13m, 8 percent, 10.9 years and 18.8 years respectively. It is found that the actual power generated is about one-third less than the ideal power estimated by consultants prior to project bidding. The payback period increases by 70–120 percent when the actual power generated from solar PV panels is considered. Originality/value The return on investment calculated based on ideal power generation data without considering the operation and maintenance related aspects may lead to incorrect financial assessment. Hence, strategies toward solar power generation should also focus on the actual system performance during operation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anurag Shankar Kshirsagar ◽  
Mohamed A. El‐Gafy ◽  
Tariq Sami Abdelhamid

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the accuracy of life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for institutional (higher education) buildings as a predictor of actual realised facility costs.Design/methodology/approachResearch methodology includes a comprehensive literature review to identify issues, best practices and implementation of LCCA in the construction industry. A case study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of LCCA in predicting facility costs.FindingsNotwithstanding the benefits of LCCA, its adoption has been relatively slow for institutional buildings. The case study revealed that the average difference between estimated and actual construction cost is 37 per cent, whereas the average difference between the actual and estimated maintenance cost is 48 per cent. There is an average difference of 85 per cent in the actual and estimated administration cost.Research limitations/implicationsWhile limited to a few buildings, the case study underscores that LCCA methods should not be used for cost predictions of facility performance but rather for comparing total costs of alternative building features and systems, as well as building types. Sensitivity analysis also revealed that the selection of a discount rate would have less impact on recurring costs estimates compared to non‐recurring cost estimates. Facilities managers' involvement in LCCA technique developments and implementations will likely improve its performance during programming phases.Practical implicationsThe value of LCCA procedures is limited as a predictor of actual realised facility costs. Educational institutions can use the methods described in this paper to replicate the study and arrive at their own conclusions regarding the LCCA techniques and their potential use in programming stages.Originality/valueThe paper evaluated the accuracy of LCCA for institutional buildings and the potential of LCCA as an asset management tool for institutional buildings and provided suggestions to improve its adoption in facilities management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Ndamzia Clement Enyindah ◽  
Rex Kemkom Amadi

Diagnosing of equipment before actual failure and reduced total ownership cost of excavator (TOC) is a significant issue for the mining and civil construction industries to unavoidably consider. Consequences of prolonged project execution time and extra cost due to sudden breakdowns are better minimized by studying the reliability of the equipment and having knowledge of life cycle cost model which was used in this research to ascertain the economic replacement time and cost of an excavator. Results from life cycle cost analysis carried out on an excavator show that the replacement time and total ownership cost of excavator 320C from 2010 to 2017 is 8 years and N10, 214 respectively.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Giammaria Praticò ◽  
Antonio Casciano

The goal of this paper is to formalize and validate a model in order to determine a pay adjustment on the basis of mechanical and functional performance of transportation infrastructures. A model to determine the pay adjustment based on life expectancy of a pavement and the variability of its main properties was formulated. Five different paths and points of view are used in order to obtain information on model suitability and robustness. An algorithm has been proposed to estimate a pay adjustment (PA, negative or positive), based on life cycle cost analysis, when both structural and non-structural deficiencies/surplus in characteristics are detected. The five different methodologies, used for deriving PA, demonstrate the validity of the model in which the PA depends on both position and dispersion measures. It has been demonstrated that the model can help in analysing a project and construction management under a common framework. Analyses and validation demonstrate that the proposed model can efficiently overcome typical problems in PA determination and in contract administration, where decisions based upon objective and sound criteria are needed. Both practitioners and researchers are expected to benefit from the outcomes of this study.


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