Construction Field Operations Research Articles

What Authentication Technology Should Be Chosen for Construction Manpower Management?

The objective of this paper is to analyze the feasibility and limits of various authentication technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), quick response (QR) codes, and fingerprint, vein, iris, and facial recognition for manpower management and access control at construction sites. Based on the analysis of limits and features of authentication technologies, requirement analysis in construction field operations through interviews and site visits, and video study based on construction workers’ actual use of the technologies, this study identified that the false rejection rate (FRR) and the processing time (PT) per person of an authentication technology are among the governing factors for making decisions to adopt an authentication technology for manpower management and access control. This study developed an equation to estimate the total process time using FRR and PT for each of the technologies, and the estimation results show that the difference in total process time can be up to 4 − 5 times larger for each technology. This can have a significant effect on the number of units to be installed at the level of about 2,000 or more construction workers.

Cómo lograr procesos con cero pérdidas a través de la integración de la cadena de suministros en las construcciones de acero

CPM and PERT are well established as the main tools to plan and control construction projects. However, the planning and control of construction field operations has to consider the minute-by-minute complexity of bringing multiple resources together to produce a work package. At this level, the quality of each resource has major effects on the productivity, quality or safety. The rapidly changing dynamic nature of the site and the shifting quality of critical factors requires a new model to achieve zero-process waste. This paper presents a new construction management model that embraces a waste-based feed-forward control methodology designed to eliminate process- or muda-waste rather than high productivity. It extends the concept of the seven mudas by Taiichi Ohno to include all construction specific wastes. Of special interest of the discussed work is the waste effect of poor communication along the supply chain. After discussing the rational of the model the paper highlights the results of field observations in the area of foundations and steel construction. Wireless cameras were used for continuous-time studies to measure productive and wasted labor-hours before and after changes in the material supply logistics were implemented.

Adaptive real-time tracking and simulation of heavy construction operations for look-ahead scheduling

Abstract This paper proposes an adaptive real-time tracking and simulation of heavy construction operations for look-ahead scheduling during construction field operations. In this method, construction operation data are constantly captured using tracking sensors and the data is then fed into a simulation model for automatic model updating. This adaptive capability allows a pre-defined simulation model to be constantly updated to reflect the changing project environment for more accurate look-ahead scheduling. Compared with the traditional offline simulation that uses stationary inputs, the capability of the proposed real-time simulation to dynamically incorporate new project data and adapt to changes in field operations can improve the accuracy of project look-ahead scheduling. A prototype system and case studies are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept.

Design and Development of a Programmable Painting Robot for Houses and Buildings

Nowadays robots are widely used in many applications such as military, medical application, factories, entertainment, automobile industries etc. However, the application of robot is still not widely implemented in construction industry. In construction industry, robots are designed to increase speed and improve the accuracy of construction field operations. It can also be used to do hazardous and dangerous jobs in construction. For example, currently house painting is done manually. This process can be simplified using a special dedicated robot. It is very difficult and troublesome for human being to work in an upright position, especially for painting, cleaning and screwing in the ceiling for a long time. Painting in an upright position is also very dangerous for the eyes. To overcome this difficulty, a programmable painter robotic system is proposed, designed and developed. This paper describes all the processes that are involved in designing and constructing the proposed painter robot. The system is divided into two main parts namely hardware and software. In hardware part, mechanical design, fabrication, electrical and electronics system are described and in software part, control algorithm is explained. The testing results indicate that the performance of the painter robot is better compared with that of using manual painting technique. Key words: Painting machine, cartesian robotic system, PLC (Programmable logic controller), electro-pneumatic system, motor controlling, construction robotics

Design and Fabrication of a Cartesian Painter Robot for the Construction Industry

Nowadays robots are used in many applications (in factories, mining industries, automobile industry, etc.). Currently, robots have still not been widely implemented within the construction industry, however, although robots have been designed to increase the speed and improve the accuracy of construction field operations. They can also be used to do hazardous and dangerous jobs in construction. For example, house painting is usually done manually, but could be simplified using a dedicated robot. In particular, it is difficult for a human being to work overhead, for example painting a ceiling. It can also present a danger to the eyes. To overcome these difficulties, a robotic system which is capable of painting houses and buildings is proposed and developed. This paper describes all the processes involved in developing the proposed painter robot. The project is divided into two main parts, namely hardware and software. In the hardware part the mechanical design, fabrication, electrical and electronics system are described, and in software part the control algorithm is described.

Time-Lapse Video Applications for Construction Project Management

Time-lapse recording allows lengthy construction processes to be recorded and played back in a much shorter time for subsequent analysis. Over the past decade, time-lapse video cassette recorders (TL VCRs) have replaced time-lapse film movies for detailed productivity analysis and improvement in construction operations. This paper describes some of the technical features and options of time-lapse video recording equipment. The paper presents a valuable new application for time-lapse video in monitoring construction field operations. Rather than concentrating on individual workers or crews, time-lapse video can also be used to document and observe construction projects in their entirety. This innovative application has been extremely beneficial in historical documentation of project progress, operations analysis and improvement, public relations, fund raising, and dispute resolution. This paper presents lessons learned from several years of experimentation and experience with time-lapse video and two cases where time-lapse video recordings have been used to resolve claims and disputes on construction projects.

Learning Curves: Accuracy in Predicting Future Performance

Many repetitive construction field operations exhibit a phenomenon known as the learning or experience effect. A learning curve is generated when the time or cost required to complete one cycle of an activity is plotted as a function of the cycle number. For practicing construction engineers and managers, the greatest potential value of learning curves lies in their ability to predict future performance, instead of fitting historical data. This paper presents a new method for using learning curves to predict the time or cost to complete the remaining cycles of an activity in progress, to assess the accuracy of this method, and to compare the accuracy of this method with the standard forecasting technique used in construction cost reporting. Using the proposed method, the accuracy of predicting the time or cost required to complete an ongoing activity improves dramatically for about the first 25-30% of the activity and then levels off to within 15-20% of the actual value. Compared to the standard method using the cumulative average, the new learning curve method is shown to be more accurate. The analysis quantifies the trade-off between accuracy of predicting future performance and the timeliness and potential value of such a prediction.

Learning Curve Predictors for Construction Field Operations

Many repetitive construction field operations exhibit a learning curve, over which the time or cost per cycle decreases as the cycle number increases. This paper evaluates several mathematical models to determine which best describes the relationship between the activity time or cost and the cycle number. For completed activities, cubic learning curve models are found to provide the most reliable statistical fit, and linear models provide the least reliable fit. The real potential value of learning curves is their ability to predict the time or cost needed to perform future activities. This paper presents a methodology for predicting future activity time or cost based on completed activity data. The best predictors of future performance are found to be linear models. The cubic models that best describe completed activities are poor predictors of future performance.

Automation and Robotics Opportunities: Construction versus Manufacturing

Automation and robots are frequently mentioned as solutions to industrywide problems of increasing costs, declining productivity, skilled-labor shortages, safety, and quality control. Despite numerous attempts to develop automation and robotics for construction field operations, few practical applications can be found on construction sites today. The promises of robotics remain unfulfilled, and attempts to transfer automation technology from manufacturing have not been optimal. Identification of opportunities for automation requires analysis of construction work at the appropriate level. This paper presents a hierarchical taxonomy that divides construction field operations into several levels. The basic-task level is the appropriate level for construction automation. The paper presents a set of basic tasks that describe construction field work. Construction is compared to highly repetitive manufacturing operations to gain insight into the relationships among product design, process design, and fabrication. In manufacturing, product and process design are closely interrelated. In construction, process design is completely separate from product design, but is intimately related to fabrication. Until construction product and process design become more highly integrated, automation must occur at the basic-task level. Advances in construction automation will continue to be characterized by a machine performing physically intensive basic tasks, operated by a human craftsperson performing the information-intensive basic tasks.

Japanese construction industry

The JTEC study of Japanese construction technologies examines specific technology developments, research funding and organization, and implementation. It at tempts to compare the current state of construction technology in Japan with that in the United S t a t e s a formidable task in so complex a field. Panelists chose to focus on three basic areas within the f ie ld--processes , materials, and sys t ems-and on ten related topics: 1. Automat ion 2. Materials 3. Structural Systems 4. Intelligent Structures, Materials, Systems 5. R & D Funding and Administration 6. Construction Field Operat ions 7. Construction Management Systems 8. Safety 9. Environmental Technologies 10. Publ ic /Pr ivate Interactions. In addition, aspects of public policy and industrial policy and management were included where important to a topic.

Construction field operations and automated equipment

This paper will present the panel's observations of Japanese construction firms' field operations and fielded technologies, and will briefly discuss the development of automated equipment by and for the larger construction firms in Japan. Recognizing that one week is far too short a time to visit even a small percentage of the construction projects underway by the major Japanese contractors' firms, this paper includes information gathered from selected presentations and papers delivered by others: Japanese, US, and European. Panel members of the JTEC visited high-rise buildings and heavy civil projects such as airport and bridge construction on this visit to Japan. There were no visits to electric power production or process facilities under construction. Likewise, the corporate research centers visited were sponsored by firms which emphasized engineering and construction in the high-rise and heavy civil areas. However, the research certainly has applicability to other areas of design and construction. Throughout this chapter references will be made to six major Japanese construction firms known as the Big Six. This group consists of Shimizu, Kajima, Taisei, Takenaka, Ohbayashi, and Kumagai Gumi. These six firms have been ranked among the largest construction firms in Japan, with the 1989 contract volumes listed in Table 1 (Ref. [3]). These firms were also the prime contacts in Japan for project site and contractor laboratory visits and have had previous contacts with many of the panel members.