Architecture, Engineering And Construction Projects Research Articles

Digital technology-enabled AEC project management: practical use cases, deployment patterns and emerging trends

PurposeDespite extensive academic research related to digital technologies (DT), their integration into architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects lags in practice. This paper aims to discover DT deployment patterns and emerging trends in real-life AEC projects.Design/methodology/approachA case study methodology was adopted, including individual case analyses and comparative multiple-case analyses.FindingsThe results revealed the temporal distribution of DT in practical AEC projects, specific DT products/software, major project types integrated with digital solutions, DT application areas and project stages and associated project performance. Three distinct patterns in DT adoption have been observed, reflecting the evolution of DT applications, the progression from single to multiple DT integration and alignment with emerging industry requirements. The DT adoption behavior in the studied cases has been examined using the technology-organization-environment-human (TOE + H) framework. Further, eight emerging trend streams for future DT adoption were identified, with “leveraging the diverse features of certain mature DT” being a shared recognition of all studied companies.Practical implicationsThis research offers actionable insights for AEC companies, facilitating the development of customized DT implementation roadmaps aligned with organizational needs. Policymakers, industry associations and DT suppliers may leverage these findings for informed decision-making, collaborative educational initiatives and product/service customization.Originality/valueThis research provides empirical evidence of applicable products/software, application areas and project performance. The examination of the TOE + H framework offers a holistic understanding of the collective influences on DT adoption. The identification of emerging trends addresses the evolving demands of the AEC industry in the digital era.

Modelo evolutivo para la transición gradual a la Entrega Integrada de Proyectos (IPD)

Por años, los proyectos de construcción se han desarrollado y entregado usando métodos de entrega tradicionales. Sin embargo, esos métodos se han considerado ineficaces para lograr los objetivos reales del proyecto. Un modelo integrado y colaborativo, como la Entrega Integrada de Proyectos (IPD, por su sigla en inglés), un método de entrega basado en contratos relacionales ha atraído un interés creciente tanto en la academia como en la industria, pero aún escaso en Arquitectura, Ingeniería y Construcción (AIC). La mayoría de las investigaciones anteriores enfatizan en la identificación de las barreras y desafíos para implementar la IPD y pocos estudios se enfocan en desarrollar estrategias para superar esas limitaciones. Un número limitado de estudios aborda el cómo aprovechar los beneficios de la IPD en entornos AIC donde la colaboración entre las partes interesadas es deficiente. Esta investigación busca la forma de integrar la IPD en los proyectos de AIC cuando la colaboración aún es limitada. Se desarrolló un “Modelo Evolutivo de la IPD” y los lineamientos para su implementación para aplicaciones en tales ambientes. La Investigación en Ciencias del Diseño fue el enfoque adoptado en este studio para discutir y evaluar el modelo propuesto. El modelo enfatiza un proceso evolutivo y flexible para la aplicación de la IPD en proyectos en AIC. El modelo postula los elementos de IPD deseables y requeridos según los niveles de dificultad de aplicación, enfatizando la disposición de las partes interesadas para utilizarlo y la introducción gradual de la IPD en tales ambientes.

Effect of project organization elements on the mental health of project management practitioner in AEC projects

PurposeDue to the frenetic and dynamic working conditions ascribed to architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) project organizations, enormous research has addressed the poor mental health propensity of project management practitioners (PMPs). However, research has not considered the distant factors related to organizational design causing poor mental health. Therefore, this study addresses the problem by integrating institutional theory, agency theory and resource-based theory (RBT) to explore the relationship between organizational design elements: project governance, knowledge management, integrated project delivery, project management skills and mental health management indicators. Examples of mental health management indicators include social relationships, work-life balance and project leadership.Design/methodology/approachPurposive sampling method was adopted to collect survey data from 90 PMPs in 60 AEC firms in Australia. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilized to test the relationship between the variables.FindingsThe research found that project governance, knowledge management and integrated project delivery are positively correlated to mental health management indicators. However, the research finding suggests that project management skills have a negative impact on mental health management indicators.Originality/valueThe findings offer guidelines to AEC firms on achieving positive mental health management outcomes through concentration on project governance, knowledge management and integrated project delivery. It further calls for a reconsideration of existing project management skills causing poor mental health management outcomes.

The interplay of IPD and BIM: a systematic literature review

Purpose Integrated project delivery (IPD) and building information modeling (BIM) have been discussed as prominent collaborative concepts in recent architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) literature, thus recommended for more advanced value creation. However, they have been studied predominantly as discrete even though they are typically highly interrelated. This study aims to enhance collaboration in AEC projects by tracing recent trends in IPD and BIM literature by making sense of trends and by exploring how their interplay has been discussed and conceptualized. Design/methodology/approach This systematic literature review draws on Scopus and Web of Science as the primary databases. In total, 120 academic papers and review articles were sourced. Yet, the final sample includes 71 sources from the past decade (2011–2020), focusing on both IPD and BIM. Findings This study identifies 11 interrelated and overlapping themes that are indicative of trends in the recent IPD and BIM literature. This research found that among the identified themes, the clusters of sustainability, transformation and increasing the competence level of staff in the AEC industry, in addition to the concept of quality, require more extensive research in the context of IPD and BIM. Additionally, this study identifies four different approaches to the interplay of IPD and BIM, indicating an absence of scholarly consistency. Originality/value Based on the systematic analysis of the recent literature, this study indicates that IPD and BIM have several joint fundamental cornerstones. It is evident that both concepts support the implementation of each other. The success of implementing either one is strongly related to the other. Additionally, we have not found earlier systematic literature reviews that examine the interplay between IPD and BIM in the recent AEC literature.

Multidepot Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem for Earthwork Allocation Optimization

Prior to the construction of most engineering projects, earthwork is a complex and time-consuming task, requiring iterative operations in civil engineering. The effectiveness of earthworks determines the cost of many AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) projects (e.g., road, embankment, railway, and slope engineering). As a result, creating effective earthwork planning is critical. The earthwork allocation problem is simplified in this study to the vehicle route problem (VRP), which is often studied in the field of transportation and logistics. An optimization model for the earthwork allocation path based on the modified genetic algorithm with a self-adaptive mechanism is developed to work out the global optimal hauling path for earthwork. The findings of the study are also used to shape the basic topographic shape of the Winter Olympic Skiing Course Project. Furthermore, a comparative study with the former methods is conducted to validate the performance of our proposed method on tackling such a multidepot two-echelon vehicle routing problem. Because of its flexibility, this optimization model is extremely compatible with various evolutionary methods in many fields, making future development viable and practicable.

DFAB HOUSE: implications of a building-scale demonstrator for adoption of digital fabrication in AEC

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry finds itself in an accelerating shift towards the use of more digital fabrication (DFAB) technologies. DFAB promises great advantages in AEC, but its adoption is so far lagging and there are few examples of building projects employing DFAB at scale. To facilitate DFAB adoption, we need to identify its challenges and opportunities of in the project context and understand its implications beyond project boundaries. To do this, this paper conducts a single case study on DFAB HOUSE, the first project to introduce several fundamentally new DFAB technologies to construct a fully functional building. Using Qualitative Content Analysis, we provide an overview of the challenges to consider and the strategies available to successfully adopt DFAB technologies in construction projects, establishing a socio-technical framework for DFAB adoption in AEC projects. We find that full-scale projects are an effective exploration method of DFAB in AEC, implementation at scale increases acceptance of DFAB in AEC, and projects are instrumental in establishing an emergent praxis of DFAB.

Digital fabrication, BIM and early contractor involvement in design in construction projects: a comparative case study

ABSTRACT Digital Fabrication (DFAB) is a systemic innovation with low adoption rates in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects. Managing requirements of a new design process is one major challenge for the increased DFAB adoption. For other types of innovations, practices such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) improve design management by integrating process, information and organisation in construction projects. In theory, BIM and ECI could improve design management and increase the adoption of DFAB. However, the relationship between DFAB, BIM and ECI has not yet been studied thoroughly. There is a need to understand new paradigms of DFAB design management in regard to process integration, information integration and organisational integration. This study undertakes a comparative study of four DFAB adoptions in AEC projects with varying levels of BIM and ECI implementation. The design processes of DFAB are traced using swimlane process diagrams. From this, relationships between DFAB, BIM, and ECI are derived using a quadripartite interrelationship diagram. This work illustrates the proposed relationships in DFAB adoption in design using a fishbone diagram. This work concludes with potential future research in design management for digital fabrication, including five takeaways for practitioners to adopt and manage DFAB in the design process of construction projects.

Assessing the capabilities of computing features in addressing the most common issues in the AEC industry

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the potential capabilities of the application of computing features (CFs) in resolving the most common issues that adversely affect performance in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects.Design/methodology/approachThrough a comprehensive review of the literature, 10 most significant CFs were identified. Also, the 15 most prevalent issues in AEC projects (AECIs), for which computers can provide remedial solutions, were determined and categorized into three phases of design, construction and operation. Potential impacts of each CF on handling AECIs in each of the three stages were assessed based on experts’ perceptions.FindingsCFs are ranked based on their potential on solving the identified AECIs. So too, the order of the most common AECIs is provided in terms of their disposition for being solved by CFs. In this regard, findings reveal that the most effective CF in addressing AECIs is “artificial intelligence” and the most solvable AECI by using CFs is “increased costs and poor budgeting.” Furthermore, the most appropriate CF to handle each AECI is specified, as a result of which, it is inferred CFs are more effective in handling operation-related issues, compared to design, construction phases.Practical implicationsThe results can provide a profound insight into software/tool selection based on features that enable technological tools and programs to handle AECIs in the three major phases of projects. Moreover, technology providers and vendors are provided with a benchmark to supply products according to the demands of the AEC industry. The study provides a readily available point of reference for practitioners in selecting various CFs for handling common AECIs that affect their projects.Originality/valueA large body of research is available on the evaluation of various computer-based technologies and tools. Nevertheless, little, if any, study exists that explores the potential of underlying CFs of these technologies in addressing endemic problems across various stages of AEC projects. This study is one of the first in its kind that shifts to exploring various CFs, as the main enablers of computer technologies, establish links between these CFs and common issues of projects and assesses the potential of various CFs in addressing common problems of construction projects.

Optimization of Earthwork Allocation Path as Vehicle Route Problem Based on Genetic Algorithm

In civil engineering, earthwork, prior to the construction of most engineering projects, is a lengthy and time-consuming work involving iterative processes. The cost of many AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) projects is highly dependent on the efficiency of earthworks (e.g. road, embankment, railway and slope engineering). Therefore, designing proper earthwork planning is of importance. This paper simplifies the earthwork allocation problem to Vehicle Route Problem (VRP) which is commonly discussed in the field of transportation and logistics. An optimization model for the earthwork allocation path based on the modified Genetic Algorithm with a self-adaptive mechanism is developed to work out the global optimal hauling path for earthwork. The research results also instruct the initial topographic shaping of the Winter Olympic Skiing Courses Project. Furthermore, this optimization model is highly compatible with other evolutionary algorithms due to its flexibility, therefore, further improvement in this model is feasible and practical.

Critical Strategies for Enhancing BIM Implementation in AEC Projects: Perspectives from Chinese Practitioners

AbstractThe production of the architecture engineering and construction (AEC) industry is organized by projects. With the diffusion of information and communication technology in the industry, buil...

3D Visualized RC Structure Durability Analysis

Building Information Model (BIM) is used to share and exchange information between different applications for considerable processes of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) projects, and it is the key technology to manage information throughout the entire lifecycle of a building, solve the problem of information silo and improve the productivity of AEC project. This paper proposes a new method to extend the BIM technology, which makes it possible to integrate durability factors into design, durability analysis and residual life of building structures prediction. Based on the combination of the national durability code and achievements of RC durability study, a 3D Visualized RC Structure Durability Analysis is developed, which is verified to be capable of improving lifecycle management of AEC projects, upgrading durability level and optimizing the lifecycle cost structure of building projects by a case study.

Overview: the opportunity of BIM in railway

Overview: the opportunity of BIM in railway

Integration of BIM and GIS in sustainable built environment: A review and bibliometric analysis

Abstract Building information modelling (BIM) and geographical information systems (GIS) provide digital representation of architectural and environmental entities. BIM focuses on micro-level representation of buildings themselves, and GIS provide macro-level representation of the external environments of buildings. Moreover, their combination can establish a comprehensive view of a built environment based on data integrated, which underpins the development and transition of the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries in the digital era. This paper gives a comprehensive review on BIM-GIS integration in sustainable built environments in order to analyse the status quo and practical applications from four viewpoints: technologies for data integration, applications in the life cycle of AEC projects, building energy management, and urban governance. Three typical modes of BIM-GIS integration, namely, “BIM leads and GIS supports”, “GIS leads and BIM supports”, and “BIM and GIS are equally involved”, are categorised based on the different dominant positions of the two technologies. Furthermore, the research trends and future directions for the applications of BIM-GIS integration are discussed. Specifically, we underline that semantic models and third-party integration platforms should be optimised technically, and information about the whole process of AEC projects needs to be improved. Comprehensive information for building energy management should be digitised and quantified to improve its systematic integration and application to the urban built environment. This review can serve as a roadmap for researchers who focus on studies of BIM-GIS integration in the sustainable built environment.

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS OF COMPLEMENTARY CIVIL PROJECTS USING "CAD 2D", "BIM" AND "RA" AND IDENTIFICATION OF INTERFERENCES

Technical graphic representation presents problems concerning the reduction of dimensionality from 3D to 2D. AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) projects usually adopt the top view paradigm with two-dimensional orthogonal projection. Recently, three major changes in technical representation were the alteration of orthogonal projection into a three-dimensional perspective view, inclusion of oriented object programing as in BIM Building Information Model) and the interactions with AR (augmented reality). In this context, the present research evaluates the proposal of symbology based on color Hue as done in Cartography and the impact of three-dimensionality of the symbol in the identification of incompatibilities in a project of a residential building. An application of the visual variable color hue was proposed improve readability to representations and evaluations were performed with expert users, using representations in CAD 2D, BIM and AR in top and perspective views. Results indicate the color hue improve the cognitive process of read, interpret and find incompatibilities in civil projects, while the change of point of view contribute to interaction and manipulation in virtual environments. Both shows significance higher than 6% in ANOVA tests.

A new method for applying choosing by advantages (CBA) multicriteria decision to a large number of design alternatives

The design of buildings, civil infrastructure and other complex systems in our built environment involves considering many, often conflicting, design criteria. Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) project teams often use multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods to help them arrive at a preferred design solution. An emergent MCDM method in practice today is Choosing by Advantages (CBA) which has been successfully applied to many AEC projects. This method has several benefits over traditional MCDM methods (such as the weighted sum): CBA does not allow to hide a compensation of money for value, CBA helps differentiate between alternatives based on the decision context, CBA reduces time to reach consensus, and it manages better subjective trade-offs by basing decisions on importance of agreed advantages. CBA is usually applied between two to ten alternatives, and it has never been used for more than one hundred alternatives. Hence, this study contributes to knowledge by developing and testing a new method for applying CBA to hundreds or thousands of alternatives. The new method involves clustering alternatives into a few representative design alternatives based on feature similarity using the K-means method. Preferences between these representative design alternatives are then generalized using linear regression. An experiment involving student subjects was conducted to measure the level of accuracy in which preferences can be generalized by the proposed method. The experiment considered 1,000 different building design alternatives. CBA was applied on representative alternatives using three, six, eight, and ten clusters. The study measured errors, correlations, and consistency of the predictions for each cluster configuration. When eight clusters were used for creating representative alternatives, decisions were always consistent to those made with random alternatives, and correlation with the predicted preference was higher with lower error compared to other cluster configurations tested.

Collaboration environments for small and medium-sized architecture, engineering and construction enterprises: success factors in implementation

Collaboration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector increases productivity, improves quality, competitiveness and profitability. This poses the problem of what are the most appropriate collaboration methods available. With building information modelling (BIM) being imposed by the UK Government on AEC projects, the development of new technology is one solution, but ensuring the whole-sector adoption is fundamental. It is commonly observed that SMEs have fewer chances to get it right and so they need guidance. A qualitative study of 14 cases was developed to map the current practice of implementations and their success level. The case studies revealed a number of factors affecting the success at the organisation level. This also led to further quantitative investigation of the factors affecting the collaboration at the end-user level. The results suggested that the success of collaborative technologies depends on 23 factors. Recommendations from these findings are used to suggest a path for SMEs to implement BIM.

Collaboration environments for small and medium-sized architecture, engineering and construction enterprises: success factors in implementation

Collaboration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector increases productivity, improves quality, competitiveness and profitability. This poses the problem of what are the most appropriate collaboration methods available. With building information modelling (BIM) being imposed by the UK Government on AEC projects, the development of new technology is one solution, but ensuring the whole-sector adoption is fundamental. It is commonly observed that SMEs have fewer chances to get it right and so they need guidance. A qualitative study of 14 cases was developed to map the current practice of implementations and their success level. The case studies revealed a number of factors affecting the success at the organisation level. This also led to further quantitative investigation of the factors affecting the collaboration at the end-user level. The results suggested that the success of collaborative technologies depends on 23 factors. Recommendations from these findings are used to suggest a path for SMEs to implement BIM.

Trends and Opportunities of BIM-GIS Integration in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry: A Review from a Spatio-Temporal Statistical Perspective

The integration of building information modelling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) in construction management is a new and fast developing trend in recent years, from research to industrial practice. BIM has advantages on rich geometric and semantic information through the building life cycle, while GIS is a broad field covering geovisualization-based decision making and geospatial modelling. However, most current studies of BIM-GIS integration focus on the integration techniques but lack theories and methods for further data analysis and mathematic modelling. This paper reviews the applications and discusses future trends of BIM-GIS integration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry based on the studies of 96 high-quality research articles from a spatio-temporal statistical perspective. The analysis of these applications helps reveal the evolution progress of BIM-GIS integration. Results show that the utilization of BIM-GIS integration in the AEC industry requires systematic theories beyond integration technologies and deep applications of mathematical modeling methods, including spatio-temporal statistical modeling in GIS and 4D/nD BIM simulation and management. Opportunities of BIM-GIS integration are outlined as three hypotheses in the AEC industry for future research on the in-depth integration of BIM and GIS. BIM-GIS integration hypotheses enable more comprehensive applications through the life cycle of AEC projects.

Adopting global virtual engineering teams in AEC Projects

Purpose– This study aims to present an integrated conceptual model in order to highlight the major aspects of diffusion of innovations in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) context. To this end, a critical review of literature is conducted, accompanied by synthesising the findings of previous studies. The driving force behind this study is stemmed from the fragmentation of literature on innovation diffusion, and paucity of research on diffusion of Global Virtual Engineering Teams (GVETs) as the platform for many technological innovations in relevant literature. Thus, the present study is intended to facilitate filling the gap in GVETs literature. That is, the proposed model will offer a foundation for academia for grounding studies on any innovation including GVETs in the literature on innovation diffusion in the AEC context.Design/methodology/approach– This paper draws upon the qualitative meta-analysis approach encompassing a critical review of the relevant literature. To this end, the review builds upon studies found within 15 prestigious journals in AEC. The domain of this review was confined to areas described as “innovation”, “innovation diffusion” and “innovation adoption”, along with keywords used within a broad review of recently published GVETs literature. The rigour of review is augmented by incorporating 35 authoritative works from other disciplines published in 21 well-known journals in the manufacturing, business and management fields. Moreover, the study deploys the peer-debriefing approach through conducting unstructured interviews with five Australian scholars to verify a model presenting an aggregated summary of previous studies.Findings– The key findings of the study include the following items: synthesising the fragmented studies on innovation diffusion in the AEC context. In doing so, a model capturing the major aspects affecting diffusion of an innovation in AEC projects is presented; providing a foundation to address the drawbacks of previous studies within the sphere of GVETs, based on the developed model.Research limitations/implications– The developed model was only enhanced using a small sample size of academics, as such not empirically validated.Originality/value– As possibly, the first literature review of innovation in the AEC context, this paper contributes to the sphere by sensitising the AEC body of knowledge on innovation diffusion as a concise conceptual model, albeit verified through the peer-debriefing approach. This study will also further establish the research field in AEC on GVETs along with other methods reliant on virtual working such as building information modelling (BIM) through providing an expanded foundation for future inquiries and creation of knowledge.

The Effect of Project and Programme Reference Models in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) System Development

This paper presents the effect of project and programme reference models in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) system development. The trend towards AEC projects becoming more globalized, with multiple projects and processes being conducted concurrently, requires information systems to be widely implemented in the industry. However, current information systems tend to be specific and individually-centred offerings. Also, the existing knowledge for the implementation of information system integration is not helpful because different organizations have different characteristics regarding work, information, processes, culture, and ideas. To address these issues, research was conducted to review the existing information system models which can be apply to construction project and programme management and their effects on developing an information reference model for an AEC information system. The reference model can be used as guidelines for developing a standardized information system for enterprise project management with information integration practice for various organizations. The model can also be used to outline software requirements in the process of selecting a project and programme management software system in the market. Thus, adoption of this reference model as an essential foundation will affect the data management, knowledge management, information analysis and sustainability aspects in AEC system development.