Challenges In Construction Projects Research Articles

Application of Construction 4.0 Technologies: Empirical Findings from the Turkish Construction Industry

The construction industry is a leading sector in terms of labor force development and economic involvement on a global scale. It is widely recognized that this industry faces numerous obstacles. The digital revolution has penetrated all aspects of every organization. It could offer potential solutions to the challenges faced in the construction industry, which has been generally resistant to adopting the efficiency provided by information technologies. Multiple studies are dedicated to examining the difficulties encountered by the construction industry, as well as the advancement of technologies in this field. However, further research is required to examine the extent to which construction professionals are aware of and acknowledge new technologies, as well as their expectations regarding the problem-solving capabilities of Construction 4.0 technologies. This study investigates the degree of awareness of Construction 4.0 technologies, the significance of the primary challenges frequently encountered in construction projects, the advantages expected from these technologies, and the level of consensus among various groups of construction professionals on these matters. Based on an extensive examination of existing literature, 13 specific technologies related to Construction 4.0, 11 primary challenges and 17 anticipated advantages were identified. A survey was devised and administered to Turkish construction experts, resulting in the collection of 188 valid responses. The gathered data was subsequently subjected to statistical analyses. The investigated data led to the conclusion that there was a substantial agreement among the respondents regarding the level of recognition of Construction 4.0 technologies, the primary challenges in construction projects, and the anticipated advantages of these technologies. The results of this study can guide professionals and academics in determining which innovations to endorse, considering practical needs.

Utilizing the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process Technique to Prioritize Safety Challenges in Construction Projects

Utilizing the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process Technique to Prioritize Safety Challenges in Construction Projects

Utilising the fuzzy analytic network process technique to prioritise safety challenges in construction projects

Utilising the fuzzy analytic network process technique to prioritise safety challenges in construction projects

Leveraging BIM technology for improved accuracy in detailed cost estimation in Sri Lanka

Detailed cost estimation is the process of predicting the cost of the project at workface level. However, traditional methods of detailed cost estimation encounter various challenges in achieving precise cost estimation. To address these challenges, modern techniques have emerged in the field of cost estimation. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has emerged as an efficient solution for addressing challenges in construction projects. This study investigates the adaptability of BIM for detailed cost estimation. The research adopted qualitative approach. Data were collected using two rounds of Delphi interviews with 14 experts in detailed cost estimation and BIM. Code-based content analysis was used to analyse the data. The study provides empirical evidence showcasing the potential of BIM effectively addressing the challenges encountered in detailed cost estimation. By focusing on the perspective of consultant quantity surveyors in Sri Lanka, findings underscore the significant role of BIM in enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of detailed cost estimation processes for improved project outcomes. The findings highlight further research opportunities and contribute to the understanding of BIM's impact on cost estimation. The findings can use to enhance the practical implementation of BIM by intervening to form more partnerships among application developers and industry leaders.

Statistical approach to identify variables predicting sulphide clay occurrence in southern Finland

Acid sulphate soil and sulphide-bearing sediments cause various challenges in construction projects and land use planning, as well as harmful environmental effects. Fine-grained sulphide sediments were mainly formed in coastal areas during the Litorina Sea water phase at approximately 7000 BP in the capital region of Finland, but not all these sediments contain sulphide clay. In this study, environmental and material property variables related to the depositional conditions of sulphide clay were selected for statistical analyses to find their association with the occurrence of sulphide. The datasets consisted of sulphide investigations by the City of Espoo, the City of Helsinki, and the Geological Survey of Finland. Statistically significant associations were found in the study area between the occurrence of sulphide and enumerative variables (i.e., sediment organic content, total clay depth, topographic class in the Litorina Sea phase, and water depth) in the Litorina Sea phase. Locations where sulphide clay is especially likely to occur consist of organic-rich (≥ 2%) thick clay (≥ 15 m) deposits in a topographically narrow depression with deep Litorina water (≥ 30 m), or where there is a moderate depth clay (3–5 m) in a local depression with shallow Litorina water (10–20 m). The best individual predictor for sulphide clay occurrence in the study area was found to be the sediment organic content, and, together with sediment water content, these variables very accurately predicted the occurrence of sulphide clay. In addition, clay depth is a very good predictor and, together with the topographic class narrow depression and the Litorina water depth or current elevation, can be used to predict sulphide occurrence.

Leadership models in era of new technological challenges in construction projects.

The building sector is under the significant influence of emerging technologies. Structures shape the environment and "consume" natural resources throughout their life cycle. They "live" many years after the construction which implies a dependence on some generations of supporting technologies. They can be useful in the subsequent phases: design, construction, maintenance and demolition. They may refer to main processes (construction production) as well as to concurrent processes (management, accountancy, logistics etc.). Computers, automated tools and machines or other intelligent devices seem to be inevitable in the 21st century. Therefore, contractors of construction projects should be sensitive to these issues. Based on literature studies, the article revealed that knowledge management in a construction company should primarily rely on the corporate culture that manifests a preference for computer-aided methods. This part was supplemented by a questionnaire technique and a statistical analysis of the results. It was concluded that the path to technological maturity of the construction company is a continual process. Consistency in this pursuit enables effective promotion of innovative technologies in the construction company. The research allowed us to draw three explicit phases: lack of experience, euphoria, and experience in becoming a technologically matured enterprise.

Identifying and Ranking Contractor Insurance Challenges in Construction Projects using Hybrid Delphi and Fuzzy Best-Worst Method

Contractors help the government in carrying out construction and service projects. To reduce the risks resulting from the preparation and implementation of construction projects, the insurance industries should cooperate to include risk management. Contractors are facing many challenges regarding their insurance. Therefore, in this study, significant attention has been paid to identifying and ranking the challenges of contractor insurance in construction projects. The required information has been collected through the Delphi method and the opinions of experts in contracting companies. To identify the challenges, an open-ended questionnaire was distributed among the experienced insurance officials and 38 challenges have been identified. The relevant challenges formed the basis of a closed-ended questionnaire and the respondents were asked to re-evaluate their accuracy. Then, the approved challenges were the basis of the fuzzy best-worst method for weighing and ranking the related challenges. The results showed that the failure to provide specific consultation to contractors regarding the legal obligations of social security is the most important challenge in the field of contract insurance.

ASSESSMENT OF LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OF PAKISTAN

Road construction in Pakistan is booming because of China’s One Belt One Road program. Pakistan is in a developing stage and facing a lot of challenges in construction projects, primarily in labour productivity. This research focuses on the factors affecting labour productivity in road construction projects of Pakistan. A questionnaire was developed to observe the impact of critical factors on labour productivity. Based on the gathered responses, the factors were ranked using the Relative Importance Index (RII). The analysis shows that out of thirty (30) factors, the most important five (5) factors that affect labour productivity on road construction are unskilled workforce, payment delays to labour, tools and equipment shortages, poor communication of supervisor with labours and financial difficulties of owner/contractor. By focusing on these critical issues’ betterment can be made in labour productivity which will directly enhance the projects’ performance.

Emerging Challenges in the Completion of Construction Projects through Public Private Partnerships: Empirical Literature Review

The process of engaging private sector in the provision of public infrastructure can improve economic value in service delivery and enable the government to utilize the capabilities and expertise held by private sector. This has a positive impact on the public in terms of improving their well-being. This literature review attempts to compare the challenges encountered in implementation of PPP projects across the world, with a view to determining cross cutting challenges and recommendations for developing countries. A literature review was conducted for empirical studies focusing on construction projects. The studies are reviewed by analyzing the methodology used and conclusions made to identify the geographical study area, Public Private Partnership project financing model, emerging challenges and recommendation for future project management. The literature search was based on four keywords: construction projects, completion of construction projects, public private partnership, challenges in construction projects. Thus, a total of 11 empirical studies were identified for review in Europe, Asia and Africa. The review revealed that most risk factors affecting project completion can be categorized as human and organizational factors and unknown geotechnical conditions that were not known beforehand. Specifically, project owners’ interference was also attributable to delays with the delays having significant implications for project execution. Risks have great impact on the performance of construction projects because they affect their quality, time and cost. The general remedy to such potential risk factors is adoption of reliable prediction mechanisms which would estimate those factors using a probabilistic model that does not rely on expert judgments as they tend to be unreliable.

Site Visit Application in Construction Education: A Descriptive Study of Faculty Members

ABSTRACTConstruction site visits are interactive experiences that enhance students’ understanding of real construction practices. Site visits create an interactive learning environment for students and provide exposure to a real-world spatiotemporal experience of a construction project. This article explores construction site visit application as an educational component in construction curriculum. An online survey was conducted to assess the current status of site visit application in construction education, benefits and barriers of their implementation, and the role of virtual site visits as alternative experiences to real site visits. This study focused on university faculty members in construction programs across the United States. The results of the study show that faculty members predominantly reported to have had zero or one to two site visits for each construction core subject areas taught throughout their careers. Furthermore, respondents indicated that the benefits of observing and interacting with the environment and the professionals present in a construction site are exceptionally important for the students. The respondents also remarked that the spatiotemporal challenges of construction projects are the most significant barriers for site visits. Finally, the study also revealed that a low percentage of the faculty have had educational experiences with virtual site visits.

Article on Handling Challenges in Construction Projects

India, an agrarian economy, is fast developing in industrialization. The rapid growth, especially in Construction Sector, is taking the country to great heights. The swift movement of people from villages to cities for occupation and also the vast employment opportunities prevailing in cities necessitate a boom in construction activities, particularly in the outskirts of cities. Next to Agriculture, Construction Industry is the sector where millions of people get occupied in one way or other – right from Engineer to uneducated “Sithal” (a Helper). This is also a field where companies of international renown and also a local mason with his own group of people do the same job of “construction”.

Article on Handling Challenges in Construction Projects

Article on Handling Challenges in Construction Projects

Investigating different challenges in construction projects

Investigating different challenges in construction projects

An innovative opening mechanism for a footbridge

Opening bridges are often the only way of responding to the challenges of construction projects. Some recently built moveable footbridges differ distinctly from conventional solutions, showing that this domain offers possibilities of creative exploration. This paper describes the research and design of an innovative opening mechanism for a long-span footbridge in the port of Ouchy, close to Lausanne in Switzerland. To provide a general overview of existing design solutions, the paper offers a classification of opening mechanisms according to their degrees of freedom. Three innovative opening mechanisms for the given site are proposed and the geometrical parameters that govern the kinematic behaviour for each option are introduced. For the preferred solution, the influence of geometrical parameters on the structural behaviour during opening is analysed and design solutions for structural and non-structural elements are proposed and illustrated. The paper concludes with a description of an experimental demonstration of the proposed mechanism on a reduced-scale model.