Architecture Engineering Construction Research Articles

Managing work flow on design projects: a case study

Project management has neglected production. Its theory and techniques are devoted for the most part to the formation, award and administration of contracts. Production management has equally neglected projects. Developed in manufacturing, theories and techniques of managing production focus almost entirely on the task of making multiple copies of a single design. Management of project‐based production systems lies at the intersection of these two disciplines, is enormously important, and has been until recently almost entirely undeveloped. A new project delivery process is emerging in the architectural/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. Its first module is production control, dedicated to the management of work flow between specialists. A new production control system, termed the ‘Last Planner’ system, has been successfully applied both to construction and design phases of AEC projects. The paper presents a case study describing one of the first applications of Last Planner to design, which is considered to be essentially a value generating process.

Managing work flow on design projects: a case study

Project management has neglected production. Its theory and techniques are devoted for the most part to the formation, award and administration of contracts. Production management has equally neglected projects. Developed in manufacturing, theories and techniques of managing production focus almost entirely on the task of making multiple copies of a single design. Management of project‐based production systems lies at the intersection of these two disciplines, is enormously important, and has been until recently almost entirely undeveloped. A new project delivery process is emerging in the architectural/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. Its first module is production control, dedicated to the management of work flow between specialists. A new production control system, termed the ‘Last Planner’ system, has been successfully applied both to construction and design phases of AEC projects. The paper presents a case study describing one of the first applications of Last Planner to design, which is considered to be essentially a value generating process.

Web-Centric Framework for Secure and Legally Binding Electronic Transactions in Large-Scale A/E/C Projects

Typical architectureengineeringconstruction (AEC) projects are technically, socially, and economically complex in terms of planning, management, and execution. In order to conduct day-to-day operat...

Strategic Management in Design Firms

The traditional philosophy of management in the architecture-engineering-construction (AEC) industry, both in academia and in industry, places great emphasis on the ability to plan and execute proj...

Integrating product models with engineering analysis applications: Two case studies

Current methods to develop standard Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) product models focus on the definition of product model semantics without concurrent and formal consideration of the engineering analyses that such models must support, or formal consideration of the requirements for sharing information between applications. We present two case studies that demonstrate a service to extract data from product models and provide inputs to component analysis applications. The service was validated in a proof-of-concept application called the Internet Broker for Engineering Services (IBES) that extracts information for component analysis from product models that are external to the application and accessed across the Internet. IBES was tested for two research cases. The product model for the first case, control valve selection is based on STEP Application Protocol 227. The product model for the second case, control valve diagnosis, specifies additional semantics that support the operations and maintenance (O&M) phase of the facility life cycle. The cases offer evidence that large standard data models can support routine analyses for control valves. However, the amount of shared information between the case applications is small and is largely dependent upon the concurrence of component behaviors that are necessary to model analysis. The IBES reference model and reasoning to support information extraction was consistent for both cases. This consistency suggests that it is possible to define a general set of computational methods that integrate project information models with external component analysis applications across the product life cycle. We argue that enabling a web-based link between product models and applications requires a set of capabilities, including bi-directional communication between separated data and analysis nodes, query generation, data translation, and validation of data extracted from semistandard models. We discuss the tentative implication that minimal shared information calls into question the assumption that large core product models will work effectively in practice.

A/E/C Teamwork: A Collaborative Design and Learning Space

This paper describes an ongoing effort focused on combined research and curriculum development for multidisciplinary, geographically distributed architectureengineeringconstruction (AEC) teamwork. ...

A Parametrics Architecture for Design, Management, and Coordination in a Collaborative AEC Environment

This article describes a unified system architecture for representation and reasoning in a concurrent, collaborative architectural/engineering/construction (AEC) environment. The architecture is built on a formal unified modeling methodology for products and processes based on parametrics techniques. The architecture forms the core of a domain‐independent shell that could be used for incremental knowledge integration. The integrated knowledge base could be used at any point of inference to propagate changes in data values or knowledge items using parameter‐dependency networks. The article concentrates on the representation standards of the core elements of the collaborative architecture. It starts by describing the needs set by the nature of project organization in the AEC industry as well as the research philosophy. The article briefly illustrates the generic parametric representation and inference foundation, including the role of exogenous variables in domain knowledge control. The article concentrates on the standards of object‐oriented representation that form the core of domain modeling and knowledge integration. The representation covers various tasks such as context knowledge control for version management, knowledge integration with other systems, and efficient propagation control. The article shows that the careful use of domain knowledge in modeling the problem and controlling inference through exogenous variables provides guidelines toward creating sound standards for representation.

Interaction Dynamics in Collaborative Design Discourse

Computer conferencing is an important emerging technology that promises to have dramatic effects on coordinating the development of large‐scale engineering projects. The technology provides instant inexpensive access to all those involved in a project, thereby reducing project costs and enhancing quality. This article outlines key principles that are necessary to realize the full potential of computer‐mediated communication and coordination of group work in the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry. The approaches proposed are based on an analysis of collaborative design discourse data in physical meeting settings. The interactions of group members have been modeled, and the results have been statistically verified. Based on this model, deficiencies in current computer‐mediated communication are outlined, and a set of principles for effective conferencing systems is formulated to address these defficiencies. Implementations of these recommendations have been integrated into a distributed collaborative design tool being developed by this research group.

IT support of single project, multi-project and industry-wide integration

This paper discusses the social or organizational context in which integration in the architecture–engineering–construction industry takes place. We distinguish types and examples of integration at the project level, the multi-project level and the industry level. These types of integration motivate opportunities for the use of information technology. The paper then discusses work related to integration technology in support of integration, in particular in the area of information modeling. It addresses several research challenges with respect to purpose, representation, reasoning, user interface and testing of these models. The goal of this paper is to provide the background for the focus of this journal issue.

Enhancing Civil Engineering Education Through Case Studies

AbstractThe civil engineering profession is characterized by multifaceted, interdisciplinary problems requiring teams comprised of diverse members including technical specialists, designers, and constructors. Unique attributes including location, regulatory agencies, and owner preferences require architecture‐engineering‐construction (AEC) teams to cooperate throughout the design‐build process to ensure that all specifications are satisfied. In contrast, civil engineering education is characterized by disciplinary boundaries which minimize opportunities for civil engineering students to interact with students from architecture or other related disciplines. This paper introduces one approach, currently being implemented at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to reduce these boundaries through the introduction of an interdisciplinary course focusing on the development of civil engineering case studies. Additionally, the paper presents an effort to introduce precollege students to the civil engineering profession through the use of the developed case studies.

Architectural Engineering Program at University of Miami

The baccalaureate and masters programs in architectural engineering at the University of Miami are described here. The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering (BSAE) program contains required courses in all the specialty areas of architectural engineering (structures, construction, and environmental systems), as well as courses in architectural design. Students can pursue each of these subjects in more depth by the proper selection of electives. The BSAE program requires 132 semester credits and is nominally a four-year program. The Master of Science in Architectural Engineering (MSAE) was introduced in 1990, and the course content of this program provides for specialization in one of the key areas of architectural engineering, and is customized for each student. Students with nonengineering backgrounds are typically admitted to the MSAE program with deficiencies.

Technology‐Transfer (T2) Model for Expert Systems

Increased complexity of facilities, owners' changing needs, inadequate construction methods, and international competition have created strong demands for advanced construction technology. Recent developments in computer‐aided design and expert systems provide the architecture‐engineering‐construction (AEC) industry with significant potential for innovation. However, adoption of these computer technologies by a majority of AEC firms faces many hurdles. This paper describes, refines, and expands the process of technology transfer in an organization. The process focuses on the transfer of expert‐systems technology and is based on the models of innovation developed by Rogers, Shaffer, and Tatum, and on case studies of expert systems technology adoption in several industries. Understanding the technology transfer process, recognizing its players, and identifying the critical factors affecting it will lead to practical recommendations for increasing the rate of construction innovation and technology transfer.

Integrating CAD with Construction‐Schedule Generation

Generating and maintaining construction schedules from architectural drawings is vital to design and construction professionals for constructability review and project planning. Automating these tasks requires combining a computer‐aided design (CAD) system with knowledge‐based programming and data‐base techniques. A prototype system—called Builder—is presented for the domain of routine interior design and construction. The principal features of Builder are: (1) Its use of a semantic network of objects as a common language for representing and communicating an architecture‐engineering‐construction (AEC) problem state; and (2) a modular and practical approach to knowledge‐based construction planning, where each building‐component data type contains the rules and procedures required to design and schedule it. Integration may well be the key to the effective use of computer technology in the construction industry. It depends on the compatibility of computer systems across traditional professional boundaries. ...

Project‐Specific Knowledge Bases in AEC Industry

Project-specific knowledge is the rationale behind the project data and specifications. Currently, only the results of the planning, design, construction, and operation decisions are captured on paper or in computer data bases. Design decisions may be based on many factors: basic data from outside the project, previously defined project data and project specifications, domain knowledge, general knowledge, and other design decisions. Capture and communication of the project-specific knowledge supporting these decisions can facilitate design verification, speed redesign, reduce errors in design and construction, aid facility management, simplify rehabilitation and retrofitting, and provide a knowledge base of experience for future projects. To make effective use of project-specific knowledge in the architecture-engineering-construction (AEC) industry, we must solve formidable problems in knowledge acquisition during the design, knowledge representation, and automated explanation. Key steps for research consist of locating the sources of project-specific knowledge, categorizing the knowledge, finding the likely users of the knowledge, and identifying knowledge flows that can provide the greatest benefits when captured and communicated effectively. The paper includes some examples from past projects to illustrate sources, categories, and users of project-specific knowledge.

Computer Integration: Reducing Fragmentation in AEC Industry

Emerging and existing computer technologies can be synthesized in ways that provide new kinds of decision support for integrating the data, design decisions, and knowledge normally dispersed among the many participants in the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) process. This paper briefly examines the origins and impacts of fragmentation in the industry in the U.S. and describes six thrust areas where computer‐integrated design and construction can substantially improve the competitiveness of the U.S. AEC industry and the quality of its products. In each of these thrust areas, AEC problems pose important challenges to developing technologies for artificial intelligence, graphic and nongraphic databases, process automation and robotics, and management and dissemination of technology. The application of these advanced computer technologies and the AEC industry offers the promise of significant gains in productivity and will infuse new excitement into civil engineering education and practice.

Applications Of Design Intent In ValueEngineering

The increasing complexity of building facilities highlights the need for improved communication among the numerous Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) participants involved in a single project. The AEC industry implements value engineering programs not only to improve the life cycle cost effectiveness of these projects, but also to improve the communication of design intent among the project participants. This paper briefly describes the design intent and value engineering concepts from the point of view of the AEC industry. Emerging computer technologies such as computer-aided design and artificial intelligence are necessary in the implementation of the coupling of these two concepts. This coupling improves the efficiency of the value engineering process. The paper also presents a prototype computer-aided value engineering (CAVE) system currently under development. The implementation of a CAVE system embeds the value engineering process in the design process and forms the foundation for a computer-integrated facility life cycle concept