Construction Market Research Articles

Exploring Design Optimization of Self-Compacting Mortars with Response Surface Methodology

The ever-evolving construction sector demands technological developments to provide consumers with products that meet stringent technical, environmental, and economic requirements. Self-compacting cementitious mixtures have garnered significance in the construction market due to their enhanced compaction, workability, fluidity, and mechanical properties. This study aimed to harness the potential of statistical response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the fresh properties and strength development of self-compacting mortars. A self-compacting mortar repository was used to build meaningful and robust models describing D-Flow and T-Funnel results, as well as the compressive strength development after 24 h (CS24h) and 28 days (CS28d) of curing. The quantitative input factors considered were A (water/cement), B (superplasticizer/powder), C (water/powder), and D (sand/mortar), and the output variables were Y1 (D-Flow), Y2 (T-Funnel), Y3 (CS24h), and Y4 (CS28d). The results found adjusted response models, with significant R2 values of 87.4% for the D-Flow, 93.3% for the T-Funnel, and 79.1% for the CS24h. However, for the CS28d model, a low R2 of 39.9% was found. Variable A had the greatest influence on the response models. The best correlations found were between inputs A and C and outputs Y1 and Y2, as well as input factors A and D for responses Y3 and Y4. The resulting model was enhanced, thereby resulting in a global desirability of approximately 60%, which showcases the potential for the further refinement and optimization of RSM models applied to self-compacting mortars.

Experimental recognition of seismic performance of simple bolt-connected precast frame by comparing with equal stiffness cast-in-situ frame

Multi-story industry buildings composed of precast concrete members and simple bolt-type connections are widely constructed in the world, and there is enormous need for future construction market. Based on the equal stiffness and stiffness distribution along the height, a 1/5-scale precast RC frame utilizing simple bolt-type connections and a reference cast-in-situ monolithic RC frame were designed and constructed to conduct shaking table tests. According to the test results, the seismic responses, failure modes and energy dissipation behaviors of the two models were analyzed and compared. The vibration modes of the precast frame performed bending deformation pattern, while the cast-in-situ one presented shear deformation pattern. The damage and inter-story drift of the precast frame was comparatively uniformly distributed along the stories, whereas that of the cast-in-situ frame was concentrated in the first story. The energy dissipation capacity of the precast frame was inferior to that of the reference frame, as the bolt-type connections couldn't have plastic damages and plastic hinges that occurred in the cast-in-situ joint zones. In general, the global seismic performance of the precast frame was close to the reference frame and its collapse resisting capacity under severe earthquakes was reliable. Some serious local failure modes and less of energy dissipation capacity of the precast frame should be concerned in high seismic regions.

Automated Identification of Active Players for International Construction Market Entry Using Natural Language Processing

Studies on the international construction market have been limited to expanding the scope of academics and practices because of data accessibility and timeliness. With the recent advancement of natural language processing (NLP) technologies, it becomes possible to extract on-time information from online news articles automatically. As a point of departure for developing a text-based information extraction model, this study aims to develop a named entity recognition (NER) model that automatically detects active players from news articles in the international construction industry. NER is an essential subtask of information extraction that automatically identifies key elements and classifies them into predefined categories. The proposed model detects owners, contractors, and consultants from news articles. The performance of the experiment was measured by a micro average F1 score of 85.8% with precision and recall values of 84.2% and 87.4%, respectively. This study contributes to investigating international market participants in a timely way with enhanced data accessibility. Therefore, the following studies will enlarge the NER approach to recognize “Who contacts whom,” “Who claims whom,” and “What delays what projects,” which will lead to extracting more valuable information automatically in the future.

Towards a more sustainable construction industry: Bridging the gap between technical progress and commercialization of self-healing concrete

The construction sector has a large impact on the environment due to greenhouse gas emissions and the large use of natural resources. For this reason, several initiatives and action plans are developed and implemented in Europe, under the impulse of the European Commission, to foster the market of sustainable construction. The goal is to use smarter and more durable materials in order to decrease CO2 emissions in the production stage and prolong the service life of infrastructure. In this regard, significant research has been performed into the development of self-healing technologies for concrete. By improving concrete durability and, therefore, increasing the service life of construction structures, self-healing concrete can have a positive impact on the environment and the economy. Despite a growth of research interest, the focus has so far mostly been on the technical aspects of self-healing concrete. More holistic approaches, which consider the process from technical progress to commercialization have been relatively neglected. To fulfil this need, this study examines the commercialization of self-healing concrete, identifying the hurdles and facilitators along its value chain through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. The value chain has four stages: (1) R&D, (2) technology manufacturing, (3) distribution and (4) use in construction. We identify the lack of real scale demonstration projects as one of the most important hurdles. This hurdle is relevant in the R&D stage, as such also affecting the other stages. At the same time, there is a consensus that the greatest facilitator to draw the market’s attention to the commercialization of self-healing concrete is the increasing demand towards more sustainable materials. Our study includes an overview of the actions that can be undertaken to reduce the impact of the hurdles and enhance the deployment of self-healing concrete in the construction industry.

The industrialisation of green building: Prospects for introducing a cluster approach in the People’s Republic of China

Green building is a way for the resource-intensive construction industry to transition to sustainability in the context of declining non-renewable resources, climate change and a growing global population. For China, which has a large construction market, the transformation of the construction industry according to modern trends that encompass environmental impact, economic and social development is particularly relevant. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the features of green building and to demonstrate the specific features of its development in China. The research used empirical and theoretical research methods such as abstraction, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, which made it possible to characterise green building technologies in China and the environmental impact of different types of building materials on improving human welfare and the environment condition. The description of empirical information regarding green building and its primary analysis (from theoretical understanding of the issue to the presentation of green building as a coherent object of study) in the context of global development trends is based on the material that included scientific research, scientific and bibliographic reviews of the literature, documents and reports of international organisations highlighting key elements of green building development. It has been identified that over the past decade, sustainable development and green building have been in the focus of attention of the Chinese state, helping to accelerate its development, but at the same time establishing specific barriers due to the high level of centralised decision-making. The results of the study provide a comprehensive overview of the development of the green building, its place in global development trends, and the inherent features that use the cluster approach in this innovative segment of China’s development. In practice, the study outcomes can assist other countries in making decisions on green building matters by adopting China’s innovative practices

THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF THE USE OF PREFABRICATION TECHNOLOGY BY DEVELOPERS IN THE POLISH HOUSING MARKET

Real estate development activity, dependent on the construction market, is characterized by a long implementation time, delays resulting from climatic seasonality, and a long period for which the invested capital is tied up when traditional construction methods are used. Therefore, more efficient construction methods should be sought. One of them is considered to be modern prefabrication. The article aims to check whether Polish developers operating in the housing market use modern prefabrication to improve the construction process and what the economic benefits of using this technology can be achieved. Using desk research and case-study methods, the author has demonstrated that prefabrication in Polish multi-family housing is not yet popular, but it seems necessary to promote it because of its rather positive impact on real estate development activity in the housing market, which is manifested mainly in shorter project implementation times.

Pragmatic Assessment of Post Covid-19 Measures on Construction Markets in Nigeria

The lockdowns and restrictions imposed due to covid-19 have introduced severe supply chain bottlenecks in the construction process. These have worsened the formulation of demand and supply mechanism, and as such led to huge spike in building materials’ prices. The study assesses the impact of Covid-19 measures on the cost of building materials in the construction industry in South-South region of Nigeria. Data were collected from 269 construction professionals using a quantitative survey. The findings reveal the most important economic factors affecting the cost of building materials as inflation rate, exchange rate, and interest rate. The most significant challenges associated with the rising cost of building materials were also fluctuation in construction cost, increase in final cost of building projects, and risk of project abandonment. It concludes that cost is an important aspect of project execution, therefore effective mechanisms and polices should be put in place to manage these economic factors in order to mitigate or eliminate the rising cost of building materials. The study provides insight to project practitioners and government policy makers on areas to focus on in order to tackle the rising cost of building materials.

A Critical Analysis of the Philippine Construction Industry: Current Trends, Forecast, and Business Focus for Engineering Design Firms

The construction industry in the Philippines plays a vital role in the country's economic growth, infrastructure development, and job creation. The construction industry continues to be one of the predominant drivers of Philippines' economic progress. In 2022, an annual growth rate of 9.2% was obtained by the Philippine construction industry and continues to escalate brought by the flagship project of the former President Rodrigo Duterte, Build! Build! Build! Program (BBB). The current government plans to modernize the country’s infrastructure backbone, increasing construction jobs to maintain rapid growth, captivate investments and expand economic opportunities for all Filipinos. It is globally known that the construction industry regularly consumes more raw materials, resulting in scarcity with our natural resources and produced environmental implications. Therefore, the current engineering and construction industry moves towards green construction and buildings. The Philippine government has been actively promoting infrastructure development as a key driver of economic growth. The country will be the fastest growing construction market with an estimated six percent growth per annum, over the next 15 years. This study provided information on the current trends in the Philippine construction industry, forecasts its trajectory over the next five years, and highlights the necessary business focus for engineering design firms. Information obtained from the literature, project documents, memos, reports, and other data available served as primary inputs for discussion and basis for conclusions and recommendations.

Специфика конкуренции и прогноз развития проектной деятельности в строительной отрасли

The purpose of the study is to analyze the construction industry processes under the influence of recent changes to identify the most competitive strategy and forecast further market development. The article might be of interest to the construction market players in the field of public procurement. Competition in the construction industry remains very high and intensifies over time, which is why many players are leaving the market. Among the main success factors in the market are revenue management, order portfolio, customer base, and high specialization. The author analyzes the competition in construction market project activities in the field of public procurement on the basis of the M. Porter’s 5 factors of competition. Based on a survey of industry experts, the main success factors in the market are identified. The success factors are new knowledge that can be used both to improve the work of current market participants and to help new players to enter the market.

The Sustainable Benefits of Construction and the Perception of Cement Workers

Objective: The challenge of this work was to diagnose the sustainable benefits of civil construction and the perception of employees in a cement factory based on a new production methodology.
 
 Method: The study was carried out through quantitative and cross-sectional research, with the application of a questionnaire via Google forms for employees and customers of the factory under study.
 
 Results and conclusions: The sampling plan was 62.79% male, 58.14% married, 28.93% aged between 28 and 32 years old, 32% technical level, 11.63% post graduates and 22% of participants demonstrated understanding about sustainability. 77% of employees are unaware that the industry used a less aggressive production method for the environment, unique in Maranhão. We conclude that the industry under analysis has sought to implement good socio-environmental practices, but to achieve more expressive results, it needs to qualify and involve the entire production and consumption chain of the civil construction market with qualification programs, to guarantee the horizontalization of information with effective socio-environmental actions and thus preserving future generations.
 
 Research implications: The research highlights the perception of workers/collaborators in the cement industry on the consumption and sale of products that minimize the negative effects on the environment.
 
 Value of originality: This is original research that contributes to the understanding of the impact of the cement industry, during the production process, from the extraction of raw material. Since it degrades the environment by contaminating water and soil, it also interferes with human health, in addition to proposing the search to balance the negative socio-environmental impacts through cement production.

Urban cooling potential and cost comparison of heat mitigation techniques for their impact on the lower atmosphere

Cool materials and rooftop vegetation help achieve urban heating mitigation as they can reduce building cooling demands. This study assesses the cooling potential of different mitigation technologies using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)- taking case of a tropical coastal climate in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. The model was validated using data from six meteorological sites. The cooling potential of eight mitigation scenarios was evaluated for: three cool roofs, four green roofs, and their combination (cool-city). The sensible heat, latent heat, heat storage, 2-m ambient temperature, surface temperature, air temperature, roof temperature, and urban canopy temperature was calculated. The effects on the urban boundary layer were also investigated.The different scenarios reduced the daytime temperature of various urban components, and the effect varied nearly linearly with increasing albedo and green roof fractions. For example, the maximum ambient temperature decreased by 3.6 °C, 0.9 °C, and 1.4 °C for a cool roof with 85% albedo, 100% rooftop vegetation, and their combination.The cost of different mitigation scenarios was assumed to depend on the construction options, location, and market prices. The potential for price per square meter and corresponding temperature decreased was related to one another. Recognizing the complex relationship between scenarios and construction options, the reduction in the maximum and minimum temperature across different cool and green roof cases were used for developing the cost estimates. This estimate thus attempted a summary of the price per degree of cooling for the different potential technologies.Higher green fraction, cool materials, and their combination generally reduced winds and enhanced buoyancy. The surface changes alter the lower atmospheric dynamics such as low-level vertical mixing and a shallower boundary layer and weakened horizontal convective rolls during afternoon hours. Although cool materials offer the highest temperature reductions, the cooling resulting from its combination and a green roof strategy could mitigate or reverse the summertime heat island effect. The results highlight the possibilities for heat mitigation and offer insight into the different strategies and costs for mitigating the urban heating and cooling demands.

Methodological proposal to assess management practices for incorporating benchmarking into the chilean construction industry

The Chilean construction market has grown considerably in recent years. This progress has generated strong competition among companies, which has forced a constant search for new strategies to generate a continuous improvement of their processes, to achieve better overall results. Among strategies for continuous improvement, it is possible to find tools such as Benchmarking, which involves knowing your own and your competitors’ performance, to meet the gaps. This research is aimed to develop a methodology for evaluating management practices of construction companies based on interviews which could be used as complement of the previous one developed by the Production Management Centre of the Catholic University of Chile at 2014, which was based on questionnaires. Research methodology consists of a literature review, revision of data collected during previous Benchmarking, definition of criteria to be considered in the new methodology and finally developing a questionnaire to interview managers or department heads to visualize how companies manage aspects such as production planning and scheduling, suppliers and innovation, among others. This is related to previous methodologies used to evaluate management practices worldwide in areas such as education, retail, manufacturing and health. A pilot experience was carried out on two construction companies to assess performance of the new tool in terms of application form, evaluation form, practices evaluated, among others. The interviews were conducted with key positions in the management of the company in areas such as production, quality, suppliers and others. The application of the new methodology allowed to observe major organizational differences between both companies and to understand aspects related to the interviews, such as: time of application, validation questions used, selection of respondents, among others. Previous experience will be used to correct and improve possible mistakes to be used in the future.

Understanding the competitiveness factors of Korean contractors in the international construction market

The international construction markets (ICM) are constantly changing with new pressures creating opportunities and threats., Enterprises from advanced major advanced economies have been successful in venturing overseas and winning projects by exploiting their design, engineering, technological, and managerial competencies. Construction markets have changed with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Turkish construction enterprises securing more projects overseas. Understanding and exploiting the competitive advantage possessed by enterprises from major advanced economies is being challenged by enterprises from newly industrialised economies. This study investigates the competitiveness factors of the Korean construction (KOC) enterprises to understand how they have been successful in exploiting their competitive advantages. The competitiveness evaluation model (CEM) is developed using system dynamics which compares the project performances between the models generated by general and Korea-featured competitiveness factors in winning work in the ICM. The findings reveal that ownership of the enterprise, government strategy and support for the construction industry enterprises, strong leadership, technology-intensive, and special characteristics of large Korean enterprises (Chaebol system) could be critical factors for creating competitive advantage.

Organizational and technological reliability of construction in Iraq

Introduction. Capital construction of buildings and structures in the Republic of Iraq is one of the most important areas of production activity, it is the basis for the development of all sectors in the country’s economy. The modern construction complex of Iraq is constantly developing and improving, modern construction materials, technologies, methods of organization and management of construction are being introduced, which makes it possible to implement construction projects of almost unlimited complexity. However, in modern conditions that have been formed in the Republic of Iraq from the end of the 20th century to the present, a special problem has become the need for full and timely provision of construction with all types of resources, which, in the conditions of the Iraqi construction market, is an unsolved scientific and practical task, due to the high influence of negative factors different nature, thereby reducing the organizational and technological reliability of the construction of buildings. Materials and methods. To solve this problem, 7 stages of developing a system of indicators for the sustainable development of resource infrastructure, which will improve the organizational and technological reliability of construction in Iraq are proposed. In addition, a model for calculating generalized criteria for the organizational and technological reliability of construction was developed. To determine the significance of indicators of organizational and technological reliability, it is proposed to use the method of expert evaluation. Results. A system of indicators for the sustainable development of resource infrastructure has been developed, consisting of seven stages. The indicators of organizational and technological reliability of construction are singled out and their significance is determined. Discussion and conclusions. Taking into account the influence of the factors studied by us predetermines the use of the concept of risk as a quantitative measure of the implementation of a negative scenario of the construction progress under the influence of various factors, which allows further research using the apparatus of risk theory. On the basis of the proposed research method, we can calculate the effectiveness of indicators of resource provision for construction in Iraq.

სამშენებლო კომპანიების ფინანსური მდგომარეობის ანალიზი და მისი სრულყოფის მიმართულებები

The best way to objectively evaluate the proper functioning and financial results of construction companies is to analyze their financial situation. As a result of the analysis of the actual situation, it is possible to make a forecast about the future stability of the company, or on the contrary, based on the mentioned information, expected threats can be avoided. The purpose of the present study is to develop directions for improving the financial condition of construction companies and to formulate appropriate conclusions and recommendations based on the practical analysis of the financial condition of these companies. There are a number of serious gaps in the regulations in the construction sector, which require timely completion. The analysis of the current processes in the construction sector reveals that the field is currently developing on its own. It is necessary to fully introduce modern construction regulations in Georgia and to regulate the construction field. It is important that continuous and active work in this direction is carried out. Regulation of the construction sector should be implemented through the coordinated work of state agencies, international organizations, construction industry and academia. It is important to fully realize the importance of international standards and make decisions with the participation of a properly informed construction sector. In our opinion, for the state regulation of business, it is necessary to correctly analyze the country's development indicators, take into account specific conditions and determine the possible directions of business development. A rational coordination of strategic and operational goals should be implemented and an organic relationship between the market and the state should be established, as a result of which the relations between the state and the construction market will be causally interconnected. Based on the analysis of the results of the research carried out by us, it is possible to formulate the main conclusions and recommendations of the existing problems identified in the research process: • Preparation and analysis of financial statements will provide significant assistance to the construction companies themselves (both management and owners) in objective assessment of past activities and making correct forecasts, therefore the financial services of construction companies should permanently analyze the main indicators of financial statements, study changes in these indicators and negative Taking preventive measures in case of detection of trends. • The ability to analyze financial statements will increase the interest of potential investors in terms of investing in a specific company, which in itself will help construction companies to find an alternative source of financing, that is why companies should provide presentation of financial statements in the language of business; • The availability of financial statements will allow stakeholders to calculate average risk-weighted figures for this particular area so that investors can conduct comparative analysis. Therefore, companies should ensure that audited financial statements are published publicly; • Preparation and submission of financial statements will promote business transparency, which is part of corporate responsibility to the people who buy construction products. Therefore, we consider it expedient to implement special trainings for raising the qualifications of financial managers and accountants of the construction sector, which will be drawn up directly taking into account the specifics of the field and will help the personnel working in this field to carry out reliable and legally compliant activities. According to the results of the research, we evaluated the solvency of "Anagi" LLC and "Ace Georgia" LLC and we can conclude that "Anagi" LLC is characterized by a steadily increasing development trend according to each of the indicators given above, while the financial indicators of "Ace Georgia" LLC do not allow making reliable forecasts. Since the company is characterized by a downward trend and its financial result for the considered three years is a loss. In the process of searching for the causes of these radically different results, we came to the conclusion that if the organization perfectly produces not only financial statements, but also management statements, its successful operation is not threatened. In this process, management reporting information is important especially because it allows the company's management to develop relevant financial policies to achieve the company's financial stability and profit maximization.

Laboratory tests on properties of innovative natural thermal insulation material

AbstractNowadays, there is an increasing demand on environmentally friendly materials, so the environmentally conscious architecture and the use of environmentally friendly materials have also become preferred. It is becoming increasingly important to turn from artificial materials to products made from renewable raw materials. The straw quilt, which is considered to be a new, innovative product on the Hungarian construction market, can provide an alternative for this need. The aim of this research was to investigate the material properties and possible uses of straw quilt thermal insulation. Laboratory tests were performed before the product was placed on the market. The results have shown that it has several advantageous properties that can make it competitive in the market of thermal insulation materials.

Effect of Self-Healing Concrete on Building Durability in the UK Construction Market

Effect of Self-Healing Concrete on Building Durability in the UK Construction Market

Effect of Self-Healing Concrete on Building Durability in the UK Construction Market

Effect of Self-Healing Concrete on Building Durability in the UK Construction Market

Анализ инвестиционной привлекательности сферы недвижимости в условиях санкций

For many decades, solving problems in the field of investment attractiveness has been of great interest and demand at both the micro and macro levels. After all, the development and improvement of the enterprise, industry, region and the state as a whole largely depends on financial investments and investments. So, a special priority in this development is the real estate sector. The achievements of high and high-quality results in this industry contribute to the expansion of urban infrastructure, an increase in the urban population and, as a result, the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, which in one way or another make a significant contribution to the country's economy. This article is aimed at identifying trends and dynamics of investment attractiveness of the real estate sector in modern conditions. The article discusses the essential characteristics and the role of investment attractiveness, the dynamics of the total volume of investments in real estate in the Russian Federation and the volume of investment transactions. The main part of the article also provides an analysis of the volume of real estate investments by segment and an analysis of the average annual return on investment by regions of the Russian Federation. According to the results of the analysis, the regions that have the highest profitability from investing in real estate are determined. The recommendations and target prices for leading companies in the housing and construction market under the conditions of the sanctions policy are described. Also, based on the conducted research, companies that have maintained leading positions in the industry for several years are identified. And in conclusion, conclusions are drawn regarding the state and functioning of the Russian real estate market, as well as the effectiveness of state programs aimed at mitigating and eliminating the impact of external restrictive measures.

From rubbles to digital material bank. A digital methodology for construction and demolition waste management in post-disaster areas

In 2020, European countries generated 807 mln tons of construction and demolition waste (CDW), accounting for 37.5% of total waste production. The UE Waste Framework Directive of 2008 established as a priority goal to increase the percentage of reuse, recycling and recovery of nonhazardous construction waste to a minimum of 70% by 2020. Pending the report that will define compliance with this goal, the average percentage currently stands at around 50%, of which only 3% involves upcycling operations. This doctoral research defines an operational methodology aimed at implementing digital processes for circularity in the AEC sector, with a focus on post-earthquake emergency Italian contexts. The treatment of CDW in earthquake-affected areas for the purpose of recovery/reuse, in a perspective of circularity, represents an underexplored field and limited, as in the rest of UE, to downcycling operations. By defining planning strategies and digital tools and procedures, the research aims to facilitate the reuse of building elements from post-earthquake demolition and reconstruction operations. The final output of the research consists of a cloud database, a Digital Material Bank (DMB), of informed building elements from post-earthquake selective demolition operations that can be reused in the construction market as a secondary raw material. The CDW management of the 2016 Central Italy earthquake is identified as the scope of application, with a focus on the situation in the Marche region. Finally, the main limitations and possible future scenarios of the research are reported.