scholarly journals An Efficiency-orientated Total Factor Productivity Measurement Model for Construction Projects

Author(s):  
Wenting Zhan ◽  
Wei Pan

Modularization and mechanization are widely promoted due to their potential benefits in enhancing site efficiency. However, the outcomes of the implementation lack quantitative supports at the project level. This paper aims to develop a quantitative evidence-based methodology for measuring site efficiency and evaluating the outcomes of the two technologies. Applying the proposed methodology to a real-life building construction project, the simulation results of multiple scenarios show that site efficiency is likely to be enhanced by encouraging the utilisation of laboring-saving materials and equipment within the limited project budget. The findings provide quantitative evidence to encourage technological innovation in construction materials and equipment, thereby demonstrating the potential of substituting materials or equipment for labor in benefiting site efficiency of a construction project through adopting modularization and mechanization.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenting Zhan ◽  
Wei Pan ◽  
Le Chen

PurposeWhile the investment in construction projects has increased over the past few decades, low construction project productivity (CPP) appeared to be persistent, thereby reflecting an “investment-in-failure” paradox between the investment and CPP. Hence, this paper aims to develop a systematic and holistic CPP evaluation framework to explain the apparent paradox in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first reviews the literature about the theories of system, production, principal–agent and project success evaluation to re-conceptualise the CPP and proposes a two-stage CPP evaluation framework. The framework is subsequently explored through a sequential qualitative mixed-methods design within the context of the Hong Kong construction industry by combining 32 semi-structured interviews with senior industry experts and exploratory case studies, with three real-life construction projects.FindingsThe paper identifies three system boundaries for CPP evaluation, that is, parameter, timeframe and stakeholder, and develops a two-stage CPP evaluation framework to indicate site efficiency and utilisation effectiveness, thereby accessing the productivity of both the construction and post-construction stages. The “investment-in-failure” paradox associated with current CPP evaluation approaches is primarily attributed to the narrowly defined CPP boundaries.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative exploration of the evaluation framework only focusses on the Hong Kong construction industry. Further case studies within other urban contexts could be used to improve the generalisability of the findings. Quantitative research is also necessary to advance theoretical development of the two-stage CPP evaluation.Practical implicationsThe systemic CPP conceptualisation and the two-stage CPP evaluation framework support the systems thinking of industry stakeholders and enable them to formulate holistic strategies for long-term CPP enhancement.Originality/valueThe research demonstrates the needs to expand the system boundaries of CPP to reflect its systemic value and to shift the paradigm of CPP evaluation from being output-orientated and quantity-focussed to being outcome-orientated and value-focussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 997-1038
Author(s):  
Jingxiao Zhang ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Hamed Golizadeh ◽  
Chuandang Zhao ◽  
Sainan Lyu ◽  
...  

PurposeThis research aims to develop an approach to assess the reliability of integrated construction supply chains via an integrated model of building information modelling (BIM) and the lean supply chain (LSC). It reflects the synergistic workflow between BIM and LSC as a novel approach to improve the reliability of construction projects.Design/methodology/approachThis research evaluates the reliability of the BIM-LSC approach through a combination of entropy theory, set pair analysis (SPA), and Markov chains (EESM). An exploratory survey was conducted to collect data from 316 industry professionals experienced in BIM and LSC. Subsequently, multiple cycles of calculations were performed with indirect data inputs. Finally, a reliability evaluation index is established for the BIM-LSC approach and potential applications are identified.FindingsThe results show that the EESM model of BIM-LSC developed in this study can handle not only supply chain reliability evaluation at a given state but also the prediction of reliability in supply chain state transitions due to changing project conditions. This is particularly relevant to the current environment of the construction project, which is characterised by an increasing level of complexity in terms of labour, technology, and resource interactions.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could consider the accuracy and validity of the proposed model in real-life scenarios with by considering both quantitative and qualitative data across the entire lifecycle of projects.Practical implicationsThe research offers a model to evaluate the reliability of the BIM-LSC approach. The accuracy of BIM supply chain reliability analysis and prediction in an uncertain environment is improved.Originality/valueThe BIM-LSC reliability evaluation and prediction presented in this study provides a theoretical foundation to enhance understanding of the BIM-LSC in the construction project context.


2014 ◽  
Vol 567 ◽  
pp. 607-612
Author(s):  
Idris Othman ◽  
Madzlan Napiah ◽  
Narayanan Sambu Potty

Construction projects experience various problems and complex factors such as cost, duration, quality and safety. Construction sector is diverse as it contains sub-contractors, contractors, consultants, architects, owners, and others. The aim of this paper is to identify and analyze resource management issues in construction project. Other than that is to ascertain the significance of the resource management as one of the key element in construction project success. A literature review and a questionnaire survey were done for data collection and analyzed using Relative Importance Index and Cronbach’s alpha. The questionnaires were distributed to the team members of KLIA 2 – New Low Cost Terminal Project: Client, Architects, Main Contractor, and Sub-Contractor. The findings revealed that dependent on foreign workers to respond to the high demand of skilled workers, weather condition affecting machineries/equipment-work-related performance and weaknesses in quality assurance for the supply of construction materials should be given serious attention in order to ensure the productivity and financial performance of the projects. Keywords: Construction Project Management, Resource Management, Manpower, Machineries, Materials


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 1349-1365
Author(s):  
Wadhah Amer Hatem ◽  
◽  
Abbas Mahde Abd ◽  
Nagham Nawwar Abbas ◽  
◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 897 ◽  
pp. 152-156
Author(s):  
Kadhim Raheim Erzaij ◽  
Rouwaida Hussein Ali

Construction project costs are often related to the availability of construction materials and proximity to the work site. So this paper studied the effect of transportation of materials on the cost of construction projects in the desert and identified the increment percentages of materials cost in comparison with main cities and re-accounted the BOQ items prices in the desert cities. The results showed that the cost of some works may be doubled in the desert areas due to lack of construction materials and high transport costs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (7) ◽  
pp. 1413-1431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulia Panova ◽  
Per Hilletofth

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate models and methods for managing supply chain risks and delays in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach The study mainly employs quantitative analysis in order to identify disruptions in construction supply chains. It also uses paradigms of simulation modeling, which are suitable for risk assessment and management. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through a literature review and details of specific construction projects, respectively. A dynamic modeling method was used, and the model was provided with an event-based simulation. Simulation modeling was used to measure the performance of the system. Findings The study shows the benefits of applying the dynamic modeling method to a construction project. Using event-based simulation, it was found that construction delays influence both the magnitude and the probability of disruption. This method contributes to the existing theoretical foundations of risk management practices, since it also considers the time factor. This method supplements the Monte Carlo statistical simulation method, which has no time representation. Using empirical analysis, the study proposes increasing the safety stock of construction materials at the distribution center, so as to mitigate risks in the construction supply chain. Research limitations/implications The research considers a single case of a hypothetical construction project. The simulation models represent a simple supply chain with only one supplier. The calculations are based on the current economic scenario, which will of course change over time. Practical implications The outcomes of the study show that the introduction of a safety stock of construction materials at the distribution center can prevent supply chain disruption. Since the consideration of risks at all stages of construction supply chain is essential to investors, entrepreneurs and regulatory bodies, the adoption of new approaches for their management during strategic planning of the investment projects is essential. Originality/value This dynamic modeling method is used in combination with the Monte Carlo simulation, thus, providing an explicit cause-and-effect dependency over time, as well as a distributed value of outcomes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil Sawhney ◽  
Simaan M AbouRizk ◽  
Daniel W Halpin

Construction simulation is a powerful tool that can be used by a construction company for a number of tasks such as productivity measurement, risk analysis, resource planning, design and analysis of construction methods, and site planning. The success of simulation at the construction-process level has led to a natural attempt to use simulation at the construction-project level. Cyclic Operations Network (CYCLONE) and related simulation methodologies have provided the fundamental basis of these developments. This paper describes the enhancements made to the CYCLONE modeling methodology to allow simultaneous simulation of processes involved in a construction project. The objective of these enhancements is to allow development of individual models for all the processes that constitute a project and then to link them so as to simulate them simultaneously using a common resource pool. Such a simulation experiment will allow the construction manager to realistically model, analyze, and plan construction projects. This paper provides the specifications required to perform a project-level simulation using the CYCLONE modeling concepts.Key words: construction planning, construction simulation, modeling, discrete-event simulation, resource management, process interaction.


Neutron ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-59
Author(s):  
Liliana Hannes ◽  
Julistyana Tistogondo

Accelerating infrastructure development in Indonesia is a good thing, but this is not without problems. The COVID-19 pandemic is a problem that has a large and global impact, not least in Indonesia, especially in the construction industry sector. The construction project of the Soedono Madiun Hospital is one of the construction projects that have experienced the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review and analyze the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on construction projects in the case study of the construction project of the Soedono Madiun Hospital, and to find out the biggest impact of the covid-19 pandemic which has the most influence on construction projects in the case study of the construction project of the Soedono Hospital. Madison. The research method used to determine the biggest impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the cost and time aspects is the multiple linear regression analysis method with the help of Microsoft Excel. The other data analysis methods used in this study were the validity and reliability tests used in testing the questionnaire. The results of data analysis conducted in this study indicate that there are seven independent variables affect the dependent variable, namely the suitability of planning and project realization with the equation y= 94.186-0.376x1-0.108x2-1.014x3+0.873x4 for the time aspect, and the equation y=87,009 -0.0006x5-0.001x6-0.0002x7 for the cost aspect. With this equation, it can be seen that the independent variable that has the most influence on the dependent variable on the time aspect is the independent variable X3, namely the change in the time schedule due to delays in the arrival of construction materials by 1.014, while in the cost aspect is the independent variable X6, namely changes in costs due to instability. the price of construction materials is 0.001. So, it is hoped that there will be a project management handling that focuses on the most influential variable, namely construction materials.


Author(s):  
Valérie Godefroy ◽  
Richard Levy ◽  
Arabella Bouzigues ◽  
Armelle Rametti-Lacroux ◽  
Raffaella Migliaccio ◽  
...  

Apathy, a common neuropsychiatric symptom associated with dementia, has a strong impact on patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life. However, it is still poorly understood and hard to define. The main objective of the ECOCAPTURE programme is to define a behavioural signature of apathy using an ecological approach. Within this program, ECOCAPTURE@HOME is an observational study which aims to validate a method based on new technologies for the remote monitoring of apathy in real life. For this study, we plan to recruit 60 couples: 20 patient-caregiver dyads in which patients suffer from behavioral variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia, 20 patient-caregiver dyads in which patients suffer from Alzheimer Disease and 20 healthy control couples. These dyads will be followed for 28 consecutive days via multi-sensor bracelets collecting passive data (acceleration, electrodermal activity, blood volume pulse). Active data will also be collected by questionnaires on a smartphone application. Using a pool of metrics extracted from these passive and active data, we will validate a measurement model for three behavioural markers of apathy (i.e., daytime activity, quality of sleep, and emotional arousal). The final purpose is to facilitate the follow-up and precise diagnosis of apathy, towards a personalised treatment of this condition within everyday life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6933
Author(s):  
Aziz Naghizadeh Vardin ◽  
Ramin Ansari ◽  
Mohammad Khalilzadeh ◽  
Jurgita Antucheviciene ◽  
Romualdas Bausys

Sustainable development of any country to some extent depends on successful accomplishment of construction projects, particularly infrastructures. Contractors have a key role in the success of these projects. Hence, the selection of a competent contractor as a complicated and hard decision process has a vital importance in the destiny of any construction project. Contractor selection is in essence a multicriteria decision-making that ought to encompass so many aspects of the project and the client’s requirements on one hand and the capabilities and past records of the contractors on the other hand. Failure in selecting a competent contractor may cause time and cost overruns; quality shortcomings; increasing in claims, disputes and change orders; and even failure of the project. In spite of deficiencies of selecting a contractor by the rule of “the lowest bid price”, it still prevails in many countries including Iran. In this paper, a new contractor selection model based on the best-worst method (BWM) and well-known Fuzzy-VIKOR techniques is proposed as a solution to overcome the deficiencies of the traditional “lowest bid price” rule. An illustrative example of a water channel construction project verified the applicability of the proposed model in practice.


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