Research on Construction Workers’ Safety Risk Sharing in Tunneling Projects Based on a Two-Mode Network: A Case Study of the Shangwu Tunnel

Abstract

There is a high level of construction safety risk shared among construction workers in tunneling projects due to collaboration on the narrow and semi-enclosed construction site. However, no one has reported on this. Therefore, this paper proposes a new network model to explore risk-sharing features among construction workers based on a two-mode network. That model represents a new personnel safety management tool to provide suitable risk mitigation for tunneling projects. First, the work breakdown structure (WBS)–risk breakdown structure (RBS) method was employed to identify construction activities, risk resources, and construction safety risk factors (CSRFs). Subsequently, the two-mode WBS–RBS matrix was further established. The construction workers’ sets were determined based on the organization breakdown structure (OBS)–WBS method and a two-mode OBS–WBS matrix was established. By applying the construction activities in the WBS tree carrying the CSRFs as the link, a two-mode OBS–RBS network was established by converting the two-mode WBS–RBS and OBS–WBS matrices. Hence, taking CSRFs allocated by several construction workers as a basis for network generation, the construction workers’ risk-sharing network was further established. Centrality analysis identified the network characteristics and determined the most important construction workers in risk network. For example, this model was employed to explore the whole network characteristics of the Shangwu Tunnel and identify the workers in key positions in the risk-sharing network. Expert interviews demonstrated the model’s rationality and practicality. The results show that each construction worker’s safety risk-sharing degree in the Shangwu tunnel differed and reached varying levels. However, the staff from the engineering management department were in the key position of the risk-sharing network. Collectively, this model can help construction workers understand their risk-sharing degree to improve their safety awareness and adjust their attitude toward safety accordingly. Moreover, this strategy provides project managers with the necessary information to more effectively allocate safety resources and to be cognizant of the safety quality of each construction worker according to the different risk-sharing degrees.