Construction methods and planning

Abstract

The book is intended to create authoritative introduction to the planning process and the factors that affect it. It is designed to be an initial step for persons beginning a career in construction management. Consideration of careful planning in the construction process requires an early introduction into the minds of students. The book is based on lectures given over several years to students attending a final degree course in building construction management at the University of Reading in England. The 409 page paperback book contains 19 chapters and is divided into two parts. Part one covers factors affecting construction method assessment. Following the introduction, chapters 1 to 7 cover site inspections; the influence of the construction site and its boundaries on equipment and method selection; temporary works, their role, and association with equipment; scaffolding, support of excavations, formwork and falsework; the influence of design on construction cost; cost elements in tender and contract planning; and the selection of equipment and methods. Part two covers the establishment of methods and their planning and control. Following an introduction to the second part, chapters 8 to 19 cover nonpiled foundations, piled foundations, deep basements, in situ concrete structures, precast concrete structures, steel structures, cladding and internal works, external works, waste in the construction process, method statements, project planning control, and the role of planning in the claims process. The book generally covers the basic aspects of construction methods and planning. One of the many good features of the book is that there is a list of references and a suggested list of further reading at the end of most chapters, although there are no assignment problems presented for students to attempt. The figures, tables, and diagrams are excellent. They help in making the two-column pages of text easily readable. A photograph of a C-hook for relocating table (flying) formwork, and a figure showing details and nomenclature for independent tied scaffolds demonstrate the extremely good educational and descriptive value of figures and photographs in a book of this type. The text is divided up into chapters, sections, subsections, and lists in a point by point typical lecture format, and hence makes the text easy to read and comprehensible. There are good checklists in the text. One example is a checklist relating to design and buildability .