Abstract
Prefabricated construction has been widely accepted as an alternative to conventional cast-in-situ construction, given its improved performance. However, prefabricated concrete building projects frequently encounter significant delays. It is, therefore, crucial to identify key factors affecting schedule and explore strategies to minimise the schedule delays for prefabricated concrete building projects. This paper adopts the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) model and analytic network process (ANP) method to quantify the cause-and-effect relationships and prioritise the key delay factors in terms of their importance in the Chinese construction industry. The DEMATEL model evaluates the extent to which each factor impacts other factors. The quantified extents are then converted into a prioritisation matrix through ANP. The delay factors of prefabricated construction projects are selected and categorised based on a literature review and an expert interview. Questionnaires are then implemented to collect the data. The results reveal that the issue of inefficient structural connections for prefabricated components is found to be the most significant factor and most easily affected by other delay factors. This research also suggests prioritising major delay factors, such as ‘lack of communication among participants’ and ‘low productivity’, in the Chinese construction industry during scheduling control. Overall, this research contributes an assessment framework for decision making in the scheduling management of prefabricated construction.
Highlights
Prefabricated construction refers to the practice of designing and fabricating building elements in manufacturing factories, transporting the elements to construction sites, and assembling the elements to a greater degree of finish for rapid site assembly compared to traditional piecemeal on-site construction [1,2]
Overall, prefabricated construction has been considered a widely accepted alternative to conventional cast-in-situ concrete construction since it is capable of offering numerous benefits for investors and contractors
As one of the multi-criteria decision making techniques, analytic network process (ANP) is capable of making accurate calculation of criteria priorities and their relations
Summary
Prefabricated construction refers to the practice of designing and fabricating building elements in manufacturing factories, transporting the elements to construction sites, and assembling the elements to a greater degree of finish for rapid site assembly compared to traditional piecemeal on-site construction [1,2]. Li et al [17] employed a social network analysis to recognise and investigate the underlying network of stakeholder-associated risk factors in prefabrication housing construction projects. A synthesised risk assessment based on the combination method has not yet been established in construction projects of prefabricated concrete buildings. Sci. 2018, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW synthesised riskmethod assessment based oncause-and-effect the combination method has notofyet beenfactors established the DEMATEL-ANP to quantify relationships delay and in prioritise projects of prefabricated concretemeasure buildings. The assessment can be beneficial for decision makers to DEMATEL-ANP method to quantify cause-and-effect relationships of delay factors and prioritise minimise schedule delay risks in prefabricated concrete building projects. The assessment measure can be beneficial for decision makers to minimise schedule delay risks in prefabricated concrete building projects
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