Construction Management Practice Research Articles

Use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to Improve Construction Management in the USA

The construction industry in the United States faces ongoing challenges related to cost overruns, project delays, and inefficiencies in project management. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to address these issues by enhancing the precision, collaboration, and decision-making processes in construction management. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the application of BIM in the U.S. construction sector, with a focus on its impact on improving construction management practices. The review explores the specific ways in which BIM contributes to project success, including its ability to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and facilitate real-time collaboration among stakeholders. Through an in-depth analysis of current literature, this paper highlights the specialized functions of BIM that are particularly beneficial for construction management in the U.S., such as clash detection, 4D scheduling, and cost estimation. The paper also examines case studies that demonstrate the successful integration of BIM in large-scale projects across the country, showcasing tangible improvements in project outcomes, including reduced project timelines and enhanced cost efficiency. Additionally, the paper delves into the challenges associated with BIM adoption in the U.S., including the need for skilled personnel, the integration of BIM with existing project management systems, and the legal and contractual implications of BIM-based collaboration. These challenges are discussed alongside strategies for overcoming them, emphasizing the importance of training, standardization, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The findings of this review suggest that the widespread adoption of BIM in the U.S. construction industry holds significant promise for enhancing project management efficiency, improving stakeholder communication, and ultimately contributing to more successful project outcomes. The paper concludes by proposing best practices for BIM implementation in construction management, aiming to guide industry professionals in leveraging this technology to its fullest potential.

Effects of Seasonal Freezing and Thawing on Soil Moisture and Salinity in the Farmland Shelterbelt System in the Hetao Irrigation District

Water resources are scarce, and secondary soil salinization is severe in the Hetao Irrigation District. Farmland shelterbelt systems (FSS) play a critical role in regulating soil water and salt dynamics within the irrigation district. However, the understanding of soil water and salt migration within FSS during the freeze–thaw period remains unclear due to the complex and multifaceted interactions between water and salt. This study focused on a typical FSS and conducted comprehensive monitoring of soil moisture, salinity, temperature, and meteorological parameters during the freeze–thaw period. The results revealed consistent trends in air temperature and soil temperature overall. Soil freezing durations exceeded thawing durations, and both decreased with an increasing soil depth. At the three critical freeze–thaw nodes, the soil moisture content at a 0–20 cm depth was significantly lower than at a 40–100 cm depth (p < 0.05). The soil water content increased with time and depth at varying distances from the shelterbelt, with an average increase of 7.63% after freezing and thawing. The surface water content at the forest edge (0.3H, 4H) was lower than inside the farmland (1H, 2H, 3H). Soil salt accumulation occurred during both freezing stable periods and melting–thawing periods in the 0–100 cm soil layer near the forest edge (0.3H, 4H), with the highest soil salinity reaching 0.62 g·kg−1. After the freeze–thaw period, the soil salt content in each layer increased by 11.41–47.26% compared to before the freeze–thaw period. Salt accumulation in farmland soil near the shelterbelt was stronger than in the far shelterbelt. The multivariate statistical model demonstrated goodness of fit for soil water and salt as 0.94 and 0.72, respectively, while the BP neural network model showed goodness of fit for soil water and salt as 0.82 and 0.85, respectively. Our results provide an efficient theoretical basis for FSS construction and agricultural water management practices.

Integrative approach for optimizing construction and demolition waste management practices in developing countries

Integrative approach for optimizing construction and demolition waste management practices in developing countries

Integration of Augmented Reality and Building Information Modeling for Enhanced Construction Inspection—A Case Study

This research addresses a significant challenge in the construction industry: the traditional reliance on CAD drawings and manual methods for building inspection and monitoring. This article presents a transformative proposal utilizing Augmented Reality (AR) to revolutionize these processes. The proposed model is based on an innovative integration of AR technology with Building Information Modeling (BIM), aiming to enhance data life-cycle management and improve the efficiency of construction management practices. The main goal of the article is to demonstrate the practical feasibility and benefits of this AR-BIM integration in construction management, particularly in the realms of inspection and monitoring. This involves developing and testing an accessible, user-friendly, and affordable AR application prototype for mobile devices, employing multiple markers, as a potential replacement for traditional methods. The research methodology comprises five phases, starting with the conversion of 2D CAD drawings into 3D BIM, followed by the simulation of AR-BIM integration at a construction site using a commercial AR application. This is succeeded by assessing the applicability of the commercial AR app and developing a multiple-marker AR application prototype suitable for general platforms. The final phase encompasses the testing and evaluation of this prototype. The findings suggest that the integration of 3D BIM with AR technology is not only feasible, but also beneficial in replacing paper-based processes, thereby enhancing information sharing, communication, and overall project execution efficiency. However, the accuracy of the superimposition between virtual and actual objects needs improvement to reduce discrepancies between as-built and as-planned scenarios. These results hold significant potential for transforming construction project execution by replacing traditional methods with more efficient digital solutions. Future research directions include extensive testing in various construction scenarios, improving model complexity handling, exploring the application of machine learning algorithms for data analysis, and expanding the study to encompass other stages of the construction lifecycle.

Apply EZStrobe to simulate the finishing work for reducing construction process waste

Vietnam, classified as a developing nation, encounters numerous challenges within its construction sector, including the scarcity of comprehensive and documented historical data regarding risks and a deficiency in embracing contemporary methodologies to mitigate the impact of risk factors on construction project objectives. This paper outlines initial findings from an ongoing research endeavor that centers on implementing Lean Construction (LC) techniques to enhance construction management practices specifically for marble floor finishing work within Vietnam. Therefore, this study aims to apply the construction lean principle combined with discrete-event simulation (DES) by using EZStrobe to simulate the marble floor finishing process in reality, from observing and collecting data of each activity in the actual process on the site. By building, running simulations, and resulting from real-world simulations, we'll understand the sources of waste, and then apply lean construction principles through methods such as just in time, reduce the batch size and resources priorities, and multi-skilled teams for the initial construction process. The study's lean modeling results has led to a 13% reduction in construction cycle time, a 141% improvement in process efficiency, a 268% enhancement in average productivity, and a 96% reduction in labor cost. The result has become the reference document resource for the managers and construction engineers to improve the performance of not only general finishing work but also marble floor finishing work.

Impact of construction and demolition waste management on environmental sustainability in Lunahuana: A correlational study

This research investigates the pivotal relationship between construction and demolition waste management and its profound implications for environmental sustainability within the Lunahuana region. Employing a methodological framework rooted in basic research, the study adopts a quantitative approach with a non-experimental design and a correlational perspective. The research population encompasses 4,393 residents of Lunahuana, from which a representative sample of 353 residents was randomly selected using probabilistic sampling techniques. The research methodology incorporates survey-based data collection, deploying two meticulously designed questionnaires. The first questionnaire focuses on assessing variables associated with construction and demolition waste management, while the second explores facets of tourism environmental sustainability. Statistical analysis of the collected data reveals a statistically significant relationship (significance value of 0.00, <0.05 at a 95% confidence level) between construction and demolition waste management practices and the environmental sustainability of tourism in Lunahuana. In conclusion, the effective management of construction and demolition waste emerges as a pivotal factor in fostering tourism environmental sustainability in Lunahuana. Proper waste management plays a crucial role in safeguarding diverse environments, including roads, riverbanks, sidewalks, residential facades, and tourist centers. Such practices are vital in preserving the scenic beauty and preventing environmental degradation for both present and future generations.

Lean and BIM integration benefits construction management practices in New Zealand

PurposeThe construction industry is inefficient in terms of quality products, productivity and performance worldwide, including in Australia and New Zealand. The construction industry is becoming more innovative, competitive and complex; and more participants are involved in construction projects. There are new attempts to implement the Lean construction philosophy, integrated project delivery method and building information modelling (BIM) technology in construction industry to improve productivity and efficiency. This paper aims to identify Lean and BIM integration benefits in construction industry globally and in the New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review and case studies were used to identify various benefits of the integrating Lean and BIM in construction industry. It focused on articles published between 1995 and 2021.FindingsLean and BIM benefits identified in the study were documented such as benefits over the traditional approach, critically increased efficiency and visualization, better building process, better building performance, mitigating risk and reduce cost. Also, several factors were identified as major benefits such as improved onsite collaboration, better coordination, improve onsite communication, increase productivity, mitigating risk, reducing waste and reduced cost. The study showed integrating Lean and BIM in construction management practice will help reduce several challenges which affect expected goals and customer anticipation. The research outcome ultimately will assist different stakeholders in applying Lean and BIM in construction management practice.Originality/valueThis study practically focused on using the integration of BIM and Lean principles to improve the construction industry productivity and performance.

A BIM-Based Tool for Assessing Sustainability in Buildings Using the Green Pyramid Rating System

Green construction management is an approach that aims to promote sustainable solutions in building design and construction. However, the complexity and variability in design scenarios often pose challenges to implementing these practices effectively. This study proposes a collaborative framework for green construction management that leverages automated and semi-automated simulations to facilitate performance-based decision making. The framework utilizes the green pyramid rating system (GPRS) as a third-party certification assessment provider. It employs various BIM analysis software tools, including Dynamo codes in Autodesk Revit and add-in plug-ins using Revit API, to extract information and parameters from the BIM model. The data are used to perform quantitative calculations and comprehensive analysis that aid decision makers in investigating, analyzing, improving, and assessing sustainability aspects throughout the project. The proposed framework enables a structured approach to green construction management that incorporates the building variable consecutive level of details/development (LOD) and life cycle phases. A case study of an office building in the new administrative capital in Egypt demonstrates the effectiveness of the framework in promoting sustainable solutions. The collaborative framework for interoperability design decisions proposed in this study provides a valuable tool for implementing green construction management practices. The use of automated and semi-automated simulations, following the GPRS, helps to ensure that sustainable solutions are advocated, interrogated, and refined throughout the project. The framework’s structured approach enables decision makers to investigate, analyze, improve, and assess sustainability aspects effectively.

Assessment of Building Information Modeling (BIM) as a Time and Cost-Saving Construction Management Tool: Evidence from Two-Story Villas in Jeddah

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a well-known construction technology for improving management. Its implementation in Saudi Arabia’s construction industry is increasing as it adapts to futuristic construction management practices. This quantitative case study examines the factors that led to the success of employing the BIM tool in managing a recent home development project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After a survey of the available literature, 28 success criteria were identified and validated by an expert panel of 18 industry professionals. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to analyze data from a pilot survey of 132 people. A total of three factors are deleted because of factors leading to a value of less than 0.6. Further, there were 212 people who filled out the main survey questionnaire, and the data are analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show that BIM significantly improved the house development project in terms of cost, time, quality, safety, efficiency and environmental effect. Implications for management are highlighted, along with the study’s limitations and suggestions for further investigation. Overall, this research offers helpful information for residential building experts who want to make the most of BIM.

Environmental and economic outlook of construction and demolition waste management practices in a mid-sized city

Environmental and economic outlook of construction and demolition waste management practices in a mid-sized city

How and when creativity thrives in construction projects: a study of leader's humor

PurposeThe present study aims to advance a new framework to spur creativity at individual and team levels in the construction industry by studying a leader's sense of humor. The authors develop and test a multi-level model to investigate the direct and indirect effects of leader's humor on creativity within teams working on construction projects. The authors draw on the benign violation theory to hypothesize that a leader's sense of humor influences the acceptability of norm violations in teams, which helps to improve their creativity. The authors also integrate the benign violation theory with the social information processing theory to examine the indirect effects of project leader's sense of humor on individual- and team-level creativity via team psychological safety.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 165 members nested in 45 teams working on construction projects in China. The construct's factor structure and discriminant validity were established through confirmatory factor analysis. The authors used multi-level modeling via Mplus to test team-level to the individual-level direct and indirect hypotheses, while team-level direct and indirect hypotheses were tested using ordinary least squares regression.FindingsThe results show that the leader's humor has a dual positive direct effect on individual and team creativity. Furthermore, these effects are partially mediated by team psychological safety. The implications of these findings to improve the construction management theory and practice are discussed in the manuscript.Originality/valueThe current study contributes to the literature by understanding the significance of leader humor in predicting individual-level and team-level creativity within the construction sector. It expands the literature by examining team psychological safety as the underlying mechanism in the relationship between leader humor and creativity.

Disputes and Claim Management during the COVID-19 Crisis: The Lessons Learned

The COVID-19 crisis has presented the construction sector with challenges that the world has never seen before. Productivity is down, costs have increased, conflicts and claims are increasing, delays are high, health and safety practices are increasing, and profit margins have been reduced. The challenges require unprecedented, sudden, and unplanned changes to construction management practices and strategies. Through an open-ended survey questionnaire, this research investigated how COVID-19 causes disputes in construction projects and the measures that quantity surveying firms take to resolve the disputes in construction contracts due to the pandemic. The data revealed that disputes and claims have increased by some 80% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the data revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased project costs by more than 40%. Shortages of materials, compliance with standard operating procedures, social distance, fluctuation, and shortages of labor are the causes of disputes. Unlike prior to the COVID-19 crisis, disputes are not caused by variations, ambiguous contract clauses, mistakes, errors, and competencies of the parties to the contracts. To resolve COVID-19-induced claims, contract clauses, negotiations, conciliation, trust management, and contingency provisions are the most effective. This research provides new information on claim management during a crisis. From an ontological standpoint, the main findings of this study are generalizable to construction projects in and outside of Nigeria.

Construction Management Practices and Procurement Standards in the Upgrade of Health Centres in Bunyoro Sub-Region. A Case of Ministry of Health Uganda.

Construction Management Practices and Procurement Standards in the Upgrade of Health Centres in Bunyoro Sub-Region. A Case of Ministry of Health Uganda.

Buildability attributes for improving the practice of construction management in Nigeria

PurposeThe awareness and practice of buildability is still at its infancy stage in the construction sector of developing countries. Information gleaned from literature shows that embedding buildability into practice is beneficial to construction projects. This study seeks to examine the buildability attributes that are important for improving the practice of construction management.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed to address the aim of the study. Data were collected through the administration of questionnaires to purposively selected group of architects, engineers, builders and quantity surveyors. A total of 368 questionnaires were administered and a response rate of 60% (219 questionnaires were returned) was achieved. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analysing the data.FindingsThe results revealed that discussion centred on buildable designs among builders and designers as the most critical attribute of buildability for improving the practice of construction management in the Nigerian construction industry. The finding also revealed that, there is a statistically significant agreement between different groups of construction organisations in Lagos state, Nigeria concerning buildability attributes for improving the practice of construction management.Originality/valueThis study highlights the buildability attributes which are important for improving the practice of construction management. An understanding of these attributes is essential for improving and embedding buildability as a practice in the construction industry.

EDITORIAL SCOPE – BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDITION

The second editorial scope of the Journal of Civil Engineering, Science, and Technology (JCEST) emphasizes one of the main disciplines of civil engineering, namely building and construction management. The continued development of management theories has continuously influenced construction project delivery practices. The knowledge gained from R&D could enhance construction management practices towards excellent performance in the delivery of built-environment projects. This brief editorial piece highlights the themes of building and construction management in the last 10 years by gathering information from the freely-accessible Scopus database and the most published area of JCEST from the perspective of common keywords found in published papers. Based on the civil, building and construction management research field, the top 10-ranked keywords were found based on Scopus database and “Construction” is the top keyword found based on the articles on building and construction management published in JCEST. The aim of this exercise is to provide a brief guide to researchers to explore the state-of-the-art knowledge in the area of building and construction management in the construction industry.

Labour-related factors affecting construction productivity in Sri Lankan building projects: perspectives of engineers and managers

PurposePast studies highlight a wide range of labour-related problems resulting in productivity loss in the construction industry of many developing countries. This study aims to quantify the impacts of labour-related factors on the productivity of construction operations in Sri Lankan building projects based on the viewpoint of engineers and construction managers for upgrading management/organisational policies and practices.Design/methodology/approachQualitative and quantitative approaches were used to identify the critical factors. Further, a series of industry consultative discussions were conducted through problem-based communication approaches to analyse the actions required.FindingsA total of 21 factors were determined as critical, where skills shortage, labourers’ thinking abilities, work experience, knowledge in construction works and discipline were leading in the list. The statistical tests and the experts’ discussion outcomes ensured the validity and reliability of the study findings.Research limitations/implicationsThe study outcomes will contribute to finding out better ways for directing labour in the industry practices and revising organisational policies towards achieving higher productivity levels in construction operations. Though the study findings are limited to the Sri Lankan context, some findings may be tested in other developing countries in similar scenarios.Originality/valueThe study findings show why the identified factors are critical, how those influence construction practices and what actions need to be considered for addressing the industry’s productivity-related challenges. These can play a key role in upgrading the construction management practices and organisational policies to the near-future stages.

Spatial-temporal heterogeneity of environmental factors and ecosystem functions in farmland shelterbelt systems in desert oasis ecotones

Farmland shelterbelt system (FSS) in oasis desert ecotones can effectively improve ecosystem services, especially in fragile agricultural areas. However, the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of its ecological effects still needs further clarity, because the interactions are complex and multiple. Understanding this allows us to know the key practical significance of ecological construction and agricultural management. In this study, four typical patterns of FSS (i.e. two lines pattern, TWLP; four lines pattern, FOLP; five lines pattern, FILP; eight lines pattern, EILP) were selected in a desert oasis ecotone in northern China to assess the distributions at vertical (0–100 cm), horizontal (0–3 H) and temporal (May- October) scales of soil properties, vegetation attributes, microclimates and variations of soil moisture storage (SMS) and soil salt contents (C) during the three growing seasons. The results showed that the major difference in soil properties and vegetation attributes of FSSs are the soil particle composition and canopy size, respectively. In FOLP and EILP, the silt contents were 51.6% and 41.5% respectively. The canopy size ranked from the highest to lowest values as follows: FOLP (8.70 m2) > EILP (6.91 m2) > TWLP (4.64 m2) > FILP (4.47 m2). Compared to the control, all patterns of FSSs registered significant effects on microclimate improvement. The FOLP and FILP achieved the same effects as well as EILP, with less spatial costs. Moreover, the variations of SMS and C were mainly different at the vertical scale. As indicated by the Redundancy (RDA) and variation partitioning (VP) analyses, soil properties played a more important role in reserving soil water and controlling soil salinity than vegetation attributes and microclimates, which the independent influence can explain 48.5% of total influence among all factors. Our results provide an efficient theoretical basis for FSS construction and agricultural water management practices.

Towards sustainable construction through better construction and demolition waste management practices: a SWOT analysis of Suzhou, China

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) has caused resource waste, environmental pollution and ecological damage, thus seriously threatening the construction industry's sustainable development. However, few studies provide a systematic framework for strategic analysis and planning of CDW management (CDWM) at the regional level, and empirical studies in typical Chinese first-tier cities are unavailable. This study thus aims to develop a systematic framework to analyze the internal and external conditions of regional CDWM practices through a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis. Suzhou, a typical Chinese first-tier city whose CDWM practices are at the leading level across China, is selected for an empirical study to demonstrate the framework and investigate the critical success factors for CDWM. Data supporting this study are derived from various channels such as reviewing related regulations, laws, government reports, and published materials and interviewing related government staff and industry stakeholders. Based on SWOTs identified, five strategic recommendations were proposed for future improvements of CDWM practices in Suzhou. Findings from this study allow related stakeholders to deeply understand the current quo of CDWM in Suzhou, contributing to the city’s sustainable construction and circular economy. This study also provides valuable references for other similar cities for CDW strategic planning.

Analysis of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of construction waste and management practices

This study aims to analyze the significant socioeconomic and environmental impacts of construction waste and to indicate management strategies. An extensive review of the literature and interviews with construction experts were used to identify waste impact factors. Then a questionnaire survey was conducted based on a five-point Likert scale and the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The result showed that construction waste becomes a challenge for almost 95.71% of ongoing construction projects. However, only 57.14% of the construction companies have recorded and measured the volume of material waste. From purchased materials, 6–10% is recorded as waste that lead to project cost overrun. In addition, there is no professional assigned to handle waste issues in 75.71% of construction companies. The study also indicates that project cost overrun, pollution of the environment, reduction in profit and failure of construction firms, excessive consumption of raw materials, and public health and safety risks are ranked as the five major impacts of construction waste, respectively. Employing a waste management officer, using prefabricated or off-site components, implementing strong onsite management practices, reusing and recycling materials leftover on the sites, and practicing green building codes and specifications are measures devised to mitigate construction waste and its impacts.

Motivators and Inhibitors of Green Building Technology Integration and Advancement: Nigerian Lecturers’ perspective

The potentials of green building technology (GBT) and sustainable constructions are the major reasons for its integration, advancement and adoption in developed countries. Yet, developing countries have not found the motivation to integrate GBTs, and transit to sustainable constructions, which suggests perceived inhibiting forces. This study investigated the perception of tertiary institution lecturers on the motivators and inhibitors of GBT integration and advancement in Nigeria. An empirical questionnaire survey of 163 lecturers from construction and environmental science related courses in 24 tertiary institutions provided data for the analysis. The analysis results ranked “efficiency in construction processes and management practices,” that is capable of reducing waste, as the major motivator for GBT integration; “lack of government support for GBTs” was the main inhibitor perceived. The Kendall’s coefficient of concordance confirmed concession in rankings, and Kruskal Wallis H test showed that although 7 motivator items, and 8 inhibitor items, were significant, there was no significant difference in the overall lecturers’ perception of the motivators and inhibitors of GBTs. As guides to knowledge, research and development, lecturers in environmental related courses should spur interest in GBTs, so as to raise awareness, enhance integration and advancement of GBT. Moving forward requires government to go beyond formulating sustainable construction policy to create GBT funding schemes, and initiate a proven GBT project as a roadmap to facilitate the integration and advancement, and as well, protect the interest of potential investors.