Construction Materials Management Research Articles

Automated Counting of Steel Construction Materials: Model, Methodology, and Online Deployment

Construction material management is crucial for promoting intelligent construction methods. At present, the manual inventory of materials is inefficient and expensive. Therefore, an intelligent counting method for steel materials was developed in this study using the object detection algorithm. First, a large-scale image dataset consisting of rebars, circular steel pipes, square steel tubes, and I-beams on construction sites was collected and constructed to promote the development of intelligent counting methods. A vision-based and accurate counting model for steel materials was subsequently established by improving the YOLOv4 detector in terms of its network structure, loss function, and training strategy. The proposed model provides a maximum average precision of 91.41% and a mean absolute error of 4.07 in counting square steel tubes. Finally, a mobile application and a WeChat mini-program were developed using the proposed model to allow users to accurately count materials in real time by taking photos and uploading them. Since being released, this application has attracted more than 28,000 registered users.

Waste Management of Construction and Demolition Materials Towards Sustainable Growth of Nagpur City

The higher amount of buildings and infrastructures in India, number of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is increasing continuously. These wastes, if not completely recycled, will create the environmental problems. This research paper concentrates on the use of a system dynamics technique to develop a C&D waste recycling. The project is based on the recycling of the rapidly increasing construction and demolition waste. Through this process we want to take a step ahead, the idea of stopping illegal Dumping and ultimately save our mother Earth from destruction. The cost of recycled C&D solid waste resulting in reduction of overall construction cost. The demolition is the most commonly pronounced word in the construction industry. As per the new building rules building should be demolished after its service period. Now-a-days the importance is given to sustainable and environmental friendly construction; there should be effective control of the demolition waste. The demolition waste can be reused for the construction. Construction and demolition (C and D) waste is defined as the solid waste generated by the construction, renovation, repair, alteration or demolition of residential, commercial, government or institutional buildings, industrial, commercial facilities and infrastructures such as roads, bridges, dams, tunnels, railways and airports. Construction and demolition waste is considered as high volume, low risk. It is commonly understood that this waste can be considered a resource, either for reuse in its original form or for recycling or energy recovery. Because of increasing waste production and public concerns about the environment, it is desirable to recycle materials from building demolition. If suitably selected ground cleaned appropriate industrial crushing in plants, these materials can be profitably used in concrete. Despite this, most Construction and Demolition waste ends up in landfills recycled aggregate and recycled sand that can be obtained. Further with the help of the obtained recycled material we intend to make various products such as concrete, paver blocks, hollow blocks, etc which will in turn be less costly as well. These recycled materials and products made from it are economical without any considerable change in the strength and durability aspect. Not only the cost effectiveness but it will also be aesthetically pleasing. According to Metropolitan region development authority the amount of construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) must be reduced by at least 70%. 3Rs model (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) in the C&D waste management with costs savings. This paper finds a broader understanding of the socioeconomic implications of waste management over time and the positive effects of these policies in the recycled to achieve the goal of C&D waste as well as the composition of Construction and Demolition waste, the need for its recycling and options that can be implemented for its efficient use in the field of concrete technology. Key Words: C & D waste; sustainable construction systems, Recycling, Concrete.

Workflow Optimization of Material Management Process by Digital Adoption in Indian Residential Projects

To analyze the present day’s material management process and the extent of digital adoption in the workflow; to identify the shortcomings in the present day’s practice; and to formulate digital inclusive framework to manage materials. Objectives 1 & 2 is achieved through 3 step process – Literature review to identify the related shortcomings (factors) and online/ web search to explore available technology; Survey(s) to assess the real time status on the factors, to identify more practical difficulties and the extent of digital adoption in the workflow; Interviewing seasoned professions to gather data in detail with respect to material. Objective 3 is achieved by comparison and analysis of the findings. Validation of the framework to assess the potential effects – Partial validation is performed as part of this study. Workflow involved in construction material management is optimized via framework. Autodesk Revit, MS Project, and MS Access are the 3 platforms proposed to be part of the framework that suits every phase of the process like Quantity survey and Estimation, Procurement Planning, Inventory, Purchasing and Store Management. Partial framework - MS Project has been validated and the results are – Ability to map the data efficiently; Précised Budget & material requirement identification resulted in an increase of 1% cost in the overall project budget; Easy Cross verification; Easy documentation; Data driven decision making; Multi - dimensional data visibility. The studies in the past have stressed on the benefits of digitalization and the willingness of construction sector in adopting the same. 2019, 2020 and 2021 studies have explored individual digital platform such as MSP, Primavera, and Revit in terms of part functions involved in material management. Whereas there is no study stating the order of workflow between these platforms for complete material management. Also, the studies in the past failed to identify and address the shortcomings related to the digital adoption. Hence, this study proposed a framework that determines the order of the workflow involved in material management between these digital platforms with an aim to optimizing the workflow.

Enhancing SMCs’ competitiveness through improving material supply chain management practice

Construction material shortages have emerged as a critical issue in developing nations, resulting in increased project costs and delays. This situation strains the construction industry’s (CI) ability to meet growing demands and remain competitive in the global market. Small and medium contractors (SMCs), who heavily rely on the availability and accessibility of construction materials, are disproportionately affected by this challenge, making it a matter of utmost concern. This study aims to identify the challenges faced, develop management mechanisms to enhance the supply chain management (SCM) of construction materials in the Ethiopian CI and provide a comprehensive improvement framework. The study employed semi-structured interviews to collect the perceptions of key industry stakeholders. Thematic analysis was utilized to facilitate a holistic understanding of the participants’ viewpoints. The findings reveal major challenges such as inadequate supply chains, poor communication and coordination, and lack of standardization and certification practices. Furthermore, the importance of collaboration among diverse stakeholders, research and development, and the adoption of standardization and certification practices was highlighted. The proposed framework underscores the roles of stakeholders and offers valuable insights by delineating areas for improving SCM within the CI.

Key Drivers for BIM-Enabled Materials Management: Insights for a Sustainable Environment

The value of Building Information Modelling (BIM) is widely discussed within all construction stages including the data-driven culture across building processes and sustainable impact in the long term. Yet, there is a need to explore the opportunities of BIM in improving construction materials management (CMM) as a core function of supply chain management. Due to the dearth of studies on BIM potential in improving CMM within the sustainability context, the authors examine the effectiveness and efficiency of BIM-enabled materials management, via three data streams: a literature review, an online survey, and interviews with subject matter experts in the field. This study aims to explore the drivers of BIM-enabled sustainable construction materials management. This is the preliminary study designed to test the initial hypotheses based on an online questionnaire application to derive tacit knowledge from industry and academic experts, followed by short interviews with respondents. Grounded in the comprehensive literature review, 24 indicators were defined for survey purposes. Preliminarily, 206 experts from 10 countries responded to the survey. The results show significant differences in the ranking of the indicators among the five factors. In developing countries, among two groups, industry sample awareness scales demonstrated lower understanding than among academic experts. Another finding relates to the significant agreement in scaling the importance of opportunities among industrial and academic sector experts. The research adds knowledge to deepen the understanding of opportunities of BIM-enabled materials management as a part of building project sustainable performance for industry policy and decision-makers. It also brings attention to the lack of sustainability awareness amongst industry experts in developing countries. Although materials constitute a solid part of any construction project cost, there is still a collaboration gap among designers, materials management, and, more broadly, supply chain management experts.

An IoT-Based Framework for Enhanced Construction Material Management and Tracking

An IoT-Based Framework for Enhanced Construction Material Management and Tracking

The Impact of Construction Activities Near the Gulf: The Likelihood of Construction Materials Effect, ERA and Sustainable Development

The environmental risks associated with construction activities are being monitored, especially given the global construction boom, in which the United Arab Emirates is a major participant. Construction activities near Gulf water cause variations in the ecosystem, yet whilst the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given much attention to environmental risks resulting from construction material during construction activities to streams and rivers, there has been limited exploration of those risks in the Gulf. This research paper aims to identify the best practices in Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) in order to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development. Specifically, the objective is to determine the relationship between the parameters of water quality (turbidity and pH) that affect the ecosystem during construction activities in the hot summer and to frame effective ERA, to pursue this aim, 32 water samples were collected from the Gulf water in two locations; the first adjacent by 12 m to the Gulf and at a 500 m distance from the second, inactive location in Abu Dhabi city, UAE. All these water samples were taken during the peak time of construction activities, and after six hours of no activities, taking into consideration the weather conditions. Samples were tested in the environmental laboratory within 24 hours. The temperature is particularly considered to predict future levels of variation and consider risks that will affect such areas and seasons. The results indicate that a maximum turbidity level of 25.2 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) was noticed when the temperature was 43°C and pH 5.9 at the active construction. Hence a strong relationship between turbidity, pH, and temperature and their impacts on the water quality of the Gulf during construction activities is revealed. Outcomes are promising in effective risk management for sustainable development of the Gulf ecosystem during construction activities. The study demonstrates the need for a successful risk management framework to focus on the construction material management treatment that can decrease turbidity and adjust pH in the Gulf water near active construction. In addition, managing statistics of the communities residing near the Gulf and re-evaluating environmental risks are crucial.

THE IMPACT OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT ON WASTE MINIMIZATION ON GHANAIAN CONSTRUCTION SITES IN THE VOLTA AND OTI REGIONS OF GHANA

Minimizing of waste of materials on the construction sites contributes greatly to the general cost of the building as a result of improper supervision on sites towards storage, handling and usage of materials. However, the cost of providing building materials required to complete any construction project is greatly high perhaps amounting to 55%-60% of the tender figure. The research was aimed at ensuring effective and efficient storage and handling of construction materials at construction sites in Volta and Oti Regions to ensure waste minimization harnessed with the needed productivity, in relation to construction material management. To effectively carry out this project, a survey method through the use of techniques such as questionnaire, observation and interviews were undertaken to actually determine what took place on the construction site in terms of material management thus, storage and handling on construction sites. Population for the study covered 25 construction companies in both Volta and Oti Regions. Quota sampling technique was adopted to distribute questionnaires to 200 respondents and stratified random sampling techniques for selection of 50 operatives on sites visited. Furthermore, interviews were carried out for 15 interviewees and also observed 35 operatives. The method used to analyze the data was descriptive statistics in percentiles through the use of tables and charts. The results showed that, building materials are not properly kept, space allocated for material storage was not enough, poor mode of material transport to site and lack of keeping adequate records among few. It is hereby recommended that Contractors, Site Supervisors and Storekeepers in the construction industries needed to be given sufficient education on the technical knowhow of material storage and handling on site. Prompt delivery of material on sites, good documentations and transport of materials, coupled with proper supervision during batching and mixing of building materials, and finally, appropriate Site layout plans mostly showing location of building and also space allocated for material storage should be applied on most Ghanaian construction.

Sustainable construction projects management in the AEC industry: analysis and visualization

Within the last decade, sustainable construction projects (SCPs) management has become a hot topic in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry covering from building materials to the construction process. This study aims to systematically analyze literature concerning SCPs management between 2000 and October 2022 to improve the researchers’ overall understanding of SCPs management. From an objective analysis of co-occurrence keywords obtained by scientometric analysis, this study visualizes and conducts a detailed discussion about active studies and research trends. After discussing environmental, economic, and social sustainability indicators and their integration, the methods for improving SCPs management are summarized by a theoretical model. These methods include waste management, energy management, construction materials management, low-carbon management, green rating system, sustainable design, lean construction, knowledge management, capability building, value management, and implementation of new technology. Finally, future research directions are proposed, such as the social sustainability of different phases, the improvement of green rating systems, the development of green technologies, the collaboration of normative guidelines from different countries, and so on. This scientometric review explains the state-of-the-art research of SCPs management and encourages more interdisciplinary research involving relevant sustainability areas.

Problems in Road Construction at Local Level

Any nation's infrastructure development encompasses social infrastructure as well as economic infrastructure, or the growth of diverse sectors. Simultaneously created social infrastructure can lead the economic infrastructure in total development at the appropriate level. The capabilities and technical advancement of social infrastructures like retail centers, restaurants, medical facility zones, and schools are well defined, as are the evolving requirements of economic infrastructures like roads, sewage, electricity, open spaces, and gardens. To maintain effective social infrastructure, it is necessary to develop sectors such as education, health, social security, water supply, housing, and sanitation. The study would like to suggest that adequate budget allocation should be conducted during planning process; proper road design, implementation and effective procurement system should be carried out, and management of enough construction materials, suitable equipment, and coordination with local people should be performed. Furthermore, provision of drain while constructing rural road must be included during preparation of DPR along with the watershed management is necessary and establishment of laboratory for material test is necessary in Municipality to assure quality construction along with provision of training for the user committee to provide technical knowledge is necessary.

Retracted: Effect of Poor Materials Management on Materials Waste in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria

Materials on construction site management are critical issue within the Nigerian subcontractors. Often, movement of materials to site from one point to the other point leads to more cost of goods. Hence, management of construction materials in building industries is a crucial aspect in project management. If these are not done properly it will lead to high costs in the construction phase. The present research seeks to assess the impact of Poor Materials Management (PMM) on waste materials in project in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria. The research collects data through questionnaires from the field survey, interview and site observation. Descriptive statistics was used for the study, mean index score method of analysis were adopted. Result of the study indicates that considerable effect on material waste generation on any construction project site were observed as a result of poor materials management; effects on quality of building projects was observed to be moderate, and effects on profitability in the construction projects were observed to be both high and moderate. The study concludes that effective management of materials in construction projects would decrease the amount of waste generation, raise the quality of construction work, and offer maximum profit to the contractors. The study recommendations that the government agencies should collaborate with construction industry in Nigeria to develop policies for adoption on waste management plan for the construction industry and guarantee that senior officers adopts the training and developing the younger staff on the latest techniques for site materials management and managerial tools. Retraction Notice: This paper has been retracted from the journal on 04th March-2024.

EVALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ON PROJECT SITES IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, F.C.T, ABUJA

Assessment of building construction material on building sites is a function that critically contributes to the achievement of the project goals. Poor construction materials in construction projects sites has many issues which contribute to it such as: wastage of construction materials, and improper handling on site. This work aims to consider the evaluation of construction materials on project sites. Questionnaires from field survey, interview and site observation were the source of data collected. Descriptive statistics including frequency and mean index score method was used for the study. The study reveals that most problems such as conditions of weather, management of excess materials as well as low response from company to site were identified with mean value above the average mean of 3.32. The study also indicated that most wastage, such as: change in design, improper scheduling of work plan, and lack of supervision in usage of materials observed with mean value above the average mean of 3.37. From the results of the study, it was concluded that, most activities on management of construction materials which are challenging that has to do with wastage in building construction project sites and management of construction material, were identified in the study area. Thus, the study recommends that the consultants, contractors, clients and other professionals that work in the building construction industry should upgrade their commitment toward staff training as well as developing the necessary skills needed in the industry.

Application of BIM and Internet of Things Technology in Material Management of Construction Projects

In order to solve the problems of difficulty in daily management of engineering materials and equipment and difficulty in collecting statistical data of materials and equipment, a method based on the combination of BIM (building information modeling) technology and Internet of Things technology is proposed to construct 3D model files, engineering quantity files, and construction schedule plans to determine BIM and Internet of Things technology methods in material management of construction projects. The method based on BIM technology and Internet of Things technology 5D material-integrated management platform can realize the daily management of materials more finely. For the construction industry, cost management is always an important factor related to the direct interests of design companies. The cost of building materials accounts for about 70% of the total project cost. The frequency of the tag is usually 2.4 GHz∼5.8 GHz, and its reading range can reach more than 100 m. This shows the importance of construction material management in construction projects. Taking BIM technology and Internet of Things technology as the starting point, this paper deeply analyzes the advantages of BIM technology and Internet of Things technology. It is verified that combining with the main points of material management of construction projects, from the perspective of practical application of technology, it focuses on the effectiveness of practical application of material management of construction projects.

Construction Materials Management: A case study of Residential Building Construction Project

This paper is written to fill a void created by the absence of proper material management on construction sites. This project titled ‘Construction Material Management: A case study of Residential Building Construction Project’ is an attempt made on studying and assessing the material management principles and practices in a residential project. The objective of the present study is to understand about the problems occurring in the organization because of improper application of material management. In construction project operation, often there is a project cost variance in terms of the material, equipment’s, manpower, subcontractor, overhead cost, and general condition. Material is the main component in construction projects. Therefore, if the material management is not properly managed it will create a project cost variance. Project cost can be controlled by taking corrective actions towards the cost variance. Therefore a methodology is made to classify the materials by ABC analysis and these materials are identified and are taken up to measure the variations involved by S-Curve analysis and suitable measures are suggested using cause and effect diagram. EOQ analysis helped to suggest the root causes for many types of problems that were detected at the project site. Key Words: Material Management, ABC (Always Better Control) Classification, Material Requirement Plan (MRP), S-Curve analysis, Cost variance, Cause and Effect diagram.

RFID platform for construction materials management

The intensity and rate of construction operations require logistics and transportation that can adapt to the changing nature of activities on a day-to-day basis of construction. That enables rapid decision-making. This study aims to present the development of a platform to track and localize materials on construction sites. The platform integrates Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology system with Global Positioning System (GPS) for this purpose. The study also reports the use of the platform in a construction project. The results showed that the platform helps achieve improvements related to cost reduction and time saving while managing materials orders. The developed platform allows contractors and construction managers to get real-time information about the status of the materials and better manage the workflow in the project. The study contributes to the existing knowledge and presents a real example of resources management using smart tools in construction projects.

CURRENT SITUATION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL MANAGEMENT AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

The present research aimed to provide a broad overview regarding the management of construction materials. As a starting point, the conception of the set of actions that make up the materials management is described and its importance within the construction sector is pointed out; It also addresses the various obstacles that this sector currently faces when managing its materials, in a global scope, and which hinder the optimal development of the sector. Likewise, new management support technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) web-based systems for materials management and data storage applications are described, offering a vision of the advantages and disadvantages involved in implementing these information technologies. In the same way, the most common support techniques for inventory control are outlined. It is concluded that the construction industry knows the concept of materials management, however, it still faces problems for the application of a correct execution of said concept; In addition, it is at an early stage in the adoption of new techniques and technologies to support the management of construction materials.

ҚУРИЛИШ МAТЕРИAЛЛAРИ КOРХOНAЛAРИДA БOШҚAРУВ МЕХAНИЗМИНИ ТAШКИЛ ЭТИШНИ РИВOЖЛAНТИРИШ СТРAТЕГИЯСИНИ ИШЛAБ ЧИҚИШ

In this article, scientific-based conclusions and proposals on strategic management of enterprise activities, problems in the field, problems of ensuring competitiveness of enterprises and their solution on the basis of improvement of Management in construction materials enterprises are discussed. Directions of strategic improvement of management of construction materials enterprises are indicated.

Review on Construction Materials Management Practice on Project Sites

Review on Construction Materials Management Practice on Project Sites

Using look-ahead plans to improve material flow processes on construction projects when using BIM and RFID technologies

PurposeBuilding information modelling (BIM) and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies have been extensively explored to improve supply chain visibility and coordination of material flow processes, particularly in the pursuit of Industry 4.0. It remains challenging, however, to effectively use these technologies to enable the precise and reliable coordination of material flow processes. This paper aims to propose a new workflow designed to include the use of detailed look-ahead plans when using BIM and RFID technologies, which can accurately track and match both the dynamic site needs and supply status of materials.Design/methodology/approachThe new workflow is designed according to lean theory and is modeled using business process modeling notation. To digitally support the workflow, an integrated BIM-RFID database system is constructed that links information on material demands with look-ahead plans. The new workflow is then used to manage material flows in the erection of an office building with prefabricated columns. The performance of the new workflow is compared with that of a traditional workflow, using discrete event simulations. The input for the simulations was derived from expert opinion in semi-structured interviews.FindingsThe new workflow enables contractors to better observe on-site status and differences between the actual and planned material requirements, as well as to alert suppliers if necessary. The simulation results indicate that the new workflow has the potential to reduce the duration of the material flow processes by 16.1% compared with the traditional workflow.Research limitations/implicationsThe new workflow is illustrated using a real-world-like situation with input data based on expert opinion. Although the workflow shows potential, it should be tested on a real-world site.Practical implicationsThe new workflow allows project participants to combine detailed near-term look-ahead plans with BIM and RFID technologies to better manage material flow processes. It is particularly useful for the management of engineer-to-order components considering the dynamic site progress.Originality/valueThe research improves on existing research focused on using BIM and RFID technologies to improve material flow processes by showing how the workflow can be adapted to use detailed look-ahead plans. It reinforces data-driven construction material management practices through improved visibility and reliability in planning and control of material flow processes.

Evaluation of the use of modern technologies for effective material management in South African construction industry

A vital building block for construction project globally is construction materials which are huge, costly and are often delivered in great quantities to the construction sites. One of the key roles in the successful completion and delivery of a project is effective construction materials management. However, it has been established that material wastage is a prevalent problem in developing countries which can be tackled with modern technologies for effective material management. It is based on this assertion that this paper focuses on the challenges to use of modern technologies for effective material management in the South African construction industry. The study adopted a quantitative approach where questionnaires were administered to professionals in the South African construction industry. Descriptive statistics tools were used to analyse the gathered data. Findings showed that the common challenges to using of modern technologies for effective material management in the construction in South African are; Scale of construction projects, Cultural barriers, environment challenges, financial challenges, and Behaviours of people in key positions. The way forward are; change in business approaches and procedure, and implementation of skill set is necessary